Jackie Cooper facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jackie Cooper
Cooper in 1956
Born	John Cooper Jr. (1922-09-15)September 15, 1922 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	May 3, 2011(2011-05-03) (aged 88) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1928–1990
Spouse(s)	June Horne ​ ​ (m. 1944; div. 1949)​ Hildy Parks ​ ​ (m. 1950; div. 1951)​ Barbara Rae Kraus ​ ​ (m. 1954; died 2009)​
Children	4

John Cooper Jr. (born September 15, 1922 – died May 3, 2011) was an American actor and director. He was best known as Jackie Cooper. He started acting in movies as a child. Later, he successfully moved into adult roles and also became a director for both movies and TV shows.

When he was just nine years old, Jackie Cooper made history. He became the youngest person ever nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. This was for his role in the 1931 movie Skippy. He was also a popular member of the Our Gang comedy group from 1929 to 1931. Later, he starred in TV shows like The People's Choice (1955–1958) and Hennesey (1959–1962). Many people also remember him as journalist Perry White in the Superman movies from 1978 to 1987.

Early Life and Family

Jackie Cooper was born in Los Angeles, California. His father, John Cooper, left the family when Jackie was only two years old. His mother, Mabel Leonard Bigelow, was a talented pianist for stage shows.

Jackie had a family connected to the movie business. His uncle, Jack Leonard, was a screenwriter. His aunt, Julie Leonard, was an actress married to director Norman Taurog. Jackie's stepfather, C.J. Bigelow, worked as a production manager at a movie studio.

Starting His Acting Career

Cooper, then a member of Our Gang, flirts with schoolteacher Miss Crabtree in School's Out (1930)

Cooper as he appeared in the film Broadway to Hollywood (1933)

Cooper, Edward Brophy, and Wallace Beery in The Champ (1931)

Cooper and Wallace Beery in Treasure Island" (1934)

Jackie Cooper first appeared in movies as an extra. He would go with his grandmother to her auditions, hoping it would help her get work. When he was three, Jackie started appearing in Lloyd Hamilton comedies. He was known as "Leonard" in these early roles.

He then got small parts in bigger movies like Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 and Sunny Side Up. The director of these films, David Butler, suggested Jackie to director Leo McCarey. This led to an audition for the famous Our Gang comedy series.

In 1929, Jackie joined Our Gang in the short film Boxing Gloves. He signed a three-year contract. At first, he was a supporting character. But as movies started having sound, Jackie became one of the main characters in Our Gang. He was called Jackie in the series. He starred in the 1930 films The First Seven Years and When the Wind Blows. His most famous Our Gang roles showed his crush on the schoolteacher, Miss Crabtree. These were in the films Teacher's Pet, School's Out, and Love Business.

While working for Hal Roach Studios, Jackie Cooper was loaned to Paramount in 1931. He starred in Skippy, which was directed by his uncle, Norman Taurog. At age nine, Cooper was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. He was the youngest actor ever to be nominated for an Oscar in that category. Even though Paramount paid Hal Roach $25,000 for Jackie's work, Jackie himself only earned $50 a week.

Jackie Cooper was in high demand. Because of this, Hal Roach sold his contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1931. Jackie acted with Wallace Beery in several films. These included The Champ (1931), where Beery won an Oscar. They also made The Bowery (1933) and Treasure Island (1934). In his autobiography, Jackie wrote that Beery was not always easy to work with.

Cooper also played the main character in the first two Henry Aldrich movies. These were What a Life (1939) and Life with Henry (1941).

Adult Career and Directing

Trailer for Gallant Sons (1940).

Cooper and Abby Dalton in Hennesey (1960)

Cooper's handprints in front of The Great Movie Ride at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.

Jackie Cooper served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He stayed in the Navy reserves until 1982, reaching the rank of captain. He received the Legion of Merit award for his service.

After the war, he starred in two TV comedy shows. One was NBC's The People's Choice. The other was CBS's Hennessy, where he played the main character. In 1954, he also appeared as a guest star on the NBC show Justice.

From 1964 to 1969, Cooper worked as a vice president at Columbia Pictures' TV division, Screen Gems. He helped create and sell popular TV series like Bewitched. In 1964, Cooper appeared in an episode of The Twilight Zone called "Caesar and Me". He also acted in a TV movie called Shadow on the Land in 1968.

Cooper left Columbia in 1969. He appeared in an episode of Hawaii Five-O in 1971. In 1973, he was in an episode of Columbo called Candidate for Crime. He also guest-starred in The Rockford Files in 1978. Jackie Cooper won Emmy awards for his work as a director on episodes of M*A*S*H and The White Shadow.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Cooper played the role of Perry White. This character was the editor of the Daily Planet newspaper in the Superman film series. He got this role after another actor, Keenan Wynn, had a heart attack and couldn't do it.

Cooper's last movie role was as Ace Morgan in the 1987 film Surrender.

Personal Life and Hobbies

Jackie Cooper served in the United States Navy during World War II. He remained active in the Naval Reserve for many years, becoming a captain. He was married three times and had four children.

Cooper enjoyed car racing. He took part in several events, including setting records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. He also competed in SCCA road racing. In 1976, he was the honorary starter for the Winston 500 race in Talladega, Alabama.

In 1982, Cooper published his autobiography, Please Don't Shoot My Dog. The title comes from a story during the filming of Skippy. The director, Norman Taurog, wanted Jackie to cry on camera. To make him cry, Taurog pretended to have a security guard shoot Jackie's dog. Jackie cried real tears, but later found out his dog was fine. His mother then taught him a better way to act out emotions by understanding the script.

Jackie Cooper announced his retirement in 1989. However, he continued directing episodes of the TV series Superboy. He spent more time training and racing horses. Cooper lived in Beverly Hills from 1955 until his death.

For his contributions to the movie industry, Jackie Cooper has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located at 1507 Vine Street.

Death

Jackie Cooper passed away on May 3, 2011, from natural causes. He died in Santa Monica, California. He was survived by his two sons. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, because of his service in the Navy.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Jackie Cooper para niños

• List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees – Youngest nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role