Jeanne Cooper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeanne Cooper
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Cooper in 1964
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| Born |
Wilma Jeanne Cooper
October 25, 1928 Taft, California, U.S.
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| Died | May 8, 2013 (aged 84) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1953–2013 |
| Spouse(s) |
Harry Bernsen, Jr.
(m. 1954; div. 1977) |
| Children | 3, including Corbin Bernsen |
Wilma Jeanne Cooper (born October 25, 1928 – died May 8, 2013) was a famous American actress. She was best known for playing Katherine Chancellor on the TV show The Young and the Restless. This show was a popular soap opera on CBS, and Jeanne played her role from 1973 until 2013.
When she passed away, she was one of the actors who had been on a soap opera for the longest time in the United States. Jeanne also appeared as a special guest star in many other TV series during the 1950s and 1960s. She was a mother of three children, and her oldest son, Corbin Bernsen, also became an actor.
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Jeanne Cooper's Early Life
Jeanne Cooper was born in Taft, California. She was the youngest of three children. Her parents were Albert Troy Cooper and Sildeth Evelyn Moore. Her family lived in Kern County for several years. They lived in Taft until 1942, then moved to Bakersfield.
Jeanne's mother passed away in 1944. This was the year before Jeanne finished high school at Taft Union High School. Her father lived for many more years, passing away in 1986.
Jeanne Cooper's Acting Career
Jeanne Cooper started her acting career in the 1950s. At first, she played supporting roles in movies. She acted alongside big stars like Maureen O'Hara and Henry Fonda. Her very first movie role was in a western film called The Redhead from Wyoming in 1953.
She also appeared in other movies like The Man from the Alamo and Kansas City Bomber.
TV Shows and Guest Roles
Jeanne Cooper was a regular face on many TV shows from the 1950s to the 1970s. In 1956, she played Mrs. Hinton in an episode of Crossroads. That same year, she was Louise Douglas in Highway Patrol.
She also appeared in popular western shows. These included Wagon Train and Cheyenne. In 1957, she played the famous woman bandit Belle Starr in Tales of Wells Fargo. She also appeared in two episodes of Maverick.
Jeanne guest starred in Wanted Dead or Alive with Steve McQueen. She also appeared in five episodes of Perry Mason. In 1962, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work in Ben Casey. She was also a regular on the show Bracken's World.
You might have seen her in episodes of The Twilight Zone or Hawaii Five-O. She also appeared in Gunsmoke and The Untouchables. In 1965, she was in The Big Valley as Elaine Baxter Jason. She played an old friend of the main character, Victoria Barkley.
Starring in The Young and the Restless
Jeanne Cooper is most famous for her role as Katherine Chancellor on The Young and the Restless. Her character, Katherine, was very unique for daytime TV. Katherine went through many difficult times. She lost several husbands and even had a child she gave away at birth.
In 1984, something very special happened. Katherine, and Jeanne Cooper herself, had a facelift shown live on national television! Jeanne had suggested this idea to the TV network, and they agreed to make it part of the show.
For many years, Katherine had a big rivalry with another character, Jill Foster Abbott. This was a main storyline on the show. But in real life, Jeanne Cooper and the actress who played Jill, Jess Walton, were very good friends. In 2003, it was thought that Jill was Katherine's long-lost daughter. However, later in 2009, the story changed, and they found out they were not mother and daughter after all.
Jeanne Cooper was nominated for many awards. She received ten Daytime Emmy nominations for her acting. She also got two Primetime Emmy nominations. In 2004, she received a special Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys. This award honored her long and successful career.
For all her amazing work in television, Jeanne Cooper received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You can find her star at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. In 2008, she finally won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. This was her first win after many nominations.
In November 2008, Katherine, her character, was thought to have died. But it was actually her look-alike, Marge, who passed away. Katherine had lost her memory after a car accident that killed Marge.
Jeanne Cooper had to take a break from the show in October 2011 for health reasons. Another actress, Michael Learned, temporarily played Katherine. But Jeanne returned to the set the next month. She was back on the show on December 23, 2011. She filmed her very last scene for the show in March 2013. This was on the same day as the 40th anniversary of The Young and the Restless. Her final scene aired on May 3, 2013, just five days before she passed away.
A special episode of The Young and the Restless was shown on May 28, 2013. It was a tribute to Jeanne Cooper. It included clips from her time on the show and memories from her castmates. A few months later, her character, Katherine, was said to have died off-screen after a trip around the world.
Jeanne Cooper's Personal Life
Jeanne Cooper married a TV producer named Harry Bernsen, Jr. They were married for 23 years before they divorced. In her book, which came out in 2012, Jeanne wrote that after their divorce, they rarely saw each other. They were not close friends before Harry passed away in 2008.
Jeanne and Harry had three children, and all of them became actors. Their oldest son is Corbin Bernsen, who is famous for the show L.A. Law. Jeanne even played his mother twice on that show! Their other children are Collin Bernsen, born in 1958, and Caren Bernsen, born in 1960.
Jeanne Cooper's Passing
In 2013, shortly after promoting the 40th anniversary of The Young and the Restless, Jeanne Cooper became ill. She had an infection. She passed away on May 8, 2013, in a hospital in Los Angeles. Her very last scene on The Young and the Restless was filmed on March 26, 2013. This scene aired on May 3, 2013.
Awards and Recognition
Jeanne Cooper received many awards and nominations throughout her career:
- Emmy Awards
- 1962 — Nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Ben Casey
- 1987 — Nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for L.A. Law
- 1989-2000 — Nominated multiple times for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for The Young and the Restless
- 2004 — Received a special Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2005 — Nominated for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The Young and the Restless
- 2007 — Nominated for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for The Young and the Restless
- 2008 — Won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for The Young and the Restless
- 2009 — Nominated for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for The Young and the Restless
- Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 1993 — Received a Star on the Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Images for kids
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Cooper in 1964
See also
In Spanish: Jeanne Cooper para niños
