Variety Girl

Variety Girl

Directed by George Marshall 93 mins (1947)

Gary Cooper – Gary Cooper

Dozens of star and character-actor cameos and a message about the Variety Club (a show-business charity) are woven into a framework about two hopeful young ladies who come to Hollywood, exchange identities, and cause comic confusion (with slapstick interludes) throughout the Paramount studio.

Also Starring  - Almost anyone under contract to Paramount pictures at the time!

This comedy musical which includes a five-minute color Puppetoon segment "Romeow and Julicat" by George Pal, includes stars such as Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Barbara Stanwyck and Alan Ladd.

Unconquered

Unconquered

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille. 146 mins. (1947)

Gary Cooper - Capt. Christopher Holden

Intrepid frontiersman Chris Holden foils the political and personal ambitions of renegade Martin Garth in the Ohio Valley following the French and Indian War.

Also starring Paulette Goddard, Howard Da Silva, Boris Karloff, Cecil Kellaway, Henry Wilcoxon and Ward Bond.

Based on "Unconquered, a Novel of the Pontiac Conspiracy" by Neil Swanson, this epic historical adventure is set in the American colonies, 1763. Ever the Englishman,  Boris Karloff had tea breaks at 4 pm written into his contract, as did Goddard. Cooper and Paulette Goddard would join them for tea and biscuits. 

Oscar nomination for Best Special Effects.

Tagline - Crimson-haired slave girl . . . desired by a man of destiny! Together they shared the thrills of the most daring spectacle De Mille ever filmed!

Today We Live

Today We Live

Directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson 113 mins. (1933)

Gary Cooper - Bogard

Two lovers are living together and are not married and they hesitantly explain this to her brother. They had made a promise as children to get married when they grew up, but they “didn’t wait.” It’s an important plot point as it drives Cooper’s actions when he discovers that Crawford and Young are living in sin.

Also starring Joan Crawford, Robert Young, Franchot Tone and Roscoe Karns

The only film pairing of Joan Crawford and Gary Cooper. Contemporary news stories of the day reported Crawford insisted on Cooper as her co-star. Cooper had to be borrowed from Paramount for this picture. Joan Crawford met Franchot Tone while working on this picture. They would marry two years later (her second, his first) - and divorce in 1939.

They Came to Cordura

They Came to Cordura

Directed by Robert Rossen. 123mins. (1959)

Gary Cooper - Major Thomas Thorn

An army major, himself guilty of cowardice, is asked to recommend soldiers for the Congressional Medal of Honour during the Mexican Border Incursion of 1916.

Also starring Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Tab Hunter, Richard Conte and Michael Callan.

This Western set in Mexico, 1916 is based on the novel by Glendon Swarthout, published in 1958. It won a Golden Laurel Award for Top action Performance by Gary Cooper

Tagline - Slashing story of a desert warrior who fought his way from hell to glory!

the First Kiss

The First Kiss

Directed by Rowland V Lee 60 mins. (1928)

Gary Cooper – Mulligan Talbot

The story of a decadent family along Maryland's Chesapeake Bay.

While shooting a scene on a boat in the Chesapeake Bay with Gary Cooper, Fay Wray accidentally fell overboard. Cooper dove in and pulled her out.

This film is lost. Check your attic!

The Wreck of the Mary Deare

The Wreck of the Mary Deare

Directed by Michael Anderson 105 mins. (1959)

Gary Cooper – Gideon Patch

A  disgraced merchant marine officer elects to stay aboard his sinking cargo ship in order to prove the vessel was deliberately scuttled and, as a result, vindicate his good name.

Also starring Charleton Heston, Michael Redgrave, Emlyn Williams, Cecil Parker, Virginia McKenna, Alexander Knox and Richard Harris.

Charlton Heston idolised Cooper and had no problem letting him take the lead role, he was impressed that in spite of his age and declining health he was able to do some of the underwater stunts himself.Based on the novel by Hammond Innes, published in 1956. Alfred Hitchcock and screenwriter Ernest Lehman considered adapting the novel but changed their minds and worked on North By Northwest instead.

Tagline - From the great suspense best seller about the ghostship Mary Deare!

The Wolf Song

Wolf Song

Directed by Victor Fleming 80 mins (1929)

Gary Cooper – Sam Lash

In 1840, Sam Lash heads west for adventure. He meets up with some Mountain Men, and they head for the Rockies to trap beavers and cats. In Taos he meets Lola, a beautiful Mexican girl from a proud and rich family. They fall in love and he persuades her to elope with him. After they get married, Sam is torn between his love for Lola and his yearn for traveling.

Also starring Lupe Velez, Louis Wolheim, Constantine Romanoff and Michael Vavitch.

The Winning of Barbara Worth

The Winning of Barbara Worth

Directed by Henry King 89 mins (1926)

Gary Cooper – Abe Lee

While building an irrigation system for a Southwestern desert community, an engineer vies with a local cowboy for the affections of a rancher’s daughter.

Also starring Ronald Colman, Vilma Banky and Charles Lane

This was the first non-stuntman role for Gary Cooper. 

The Wedding Night

The Wedding Night

Directed by King Vidor 83 mins (1935)

Gary Cooper – Tony Barrett

While working on a novel in his country home in Connecticut, married writer Tony Barrett (Cooper) becomes attracted to Manya (Sten), the daughter of a neighbouring farmer. Manya is unhappily engaged to Frederik (Bellamy). Due to a snowstorm, Tony and Manya are trapped together in his house overnight. The next day, Manya’s father insists her wedding to Frederik take place in spite of Manya’s misgivings. Drunkenness and jealousy result in tragedy at the wedding reception that night.

Also starring Anna Sten, Ralph Bellamy, Helen Vinson and Sig Rumann

Edwin Knopf, who wrote the original story for "The Wedding Night," was a close friend of F. Scott Fitzgerald and based the characters played by Gary Cooper and Helen Vinson on Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

The Virginian

The Virginian

Directed by Victor Fleming 91 mins (1929)

A good-natured cowboy who is romancing the new schoolmarm has a crisis of conscience when he discovers his best friend is engaged in cattle rustling.

Gary Cooper - The Virginian

Based on the novel by Owen Wister, first published in 1902.This was Gary Cooper's first talking picture and first lead role in a western. He felt that sound would ruin him, believing his voice was not adequate to the task, however Cooper would later refer to this as his favourite role.

Also starring Walter Huston, Mary Brian, Richard Arlen, Helen Ware and Eugene Pallette.

The Texan

The Texan

Directed by John Cromwell 79 mins (1930)

Gary Cooper – Enrique, aka Quico, The Llano Kid

An outlaw, the Llano Kid is the scourge of south Texas and a Bible quoting lawman named Thacker. The kid joins a con man in a plot to deceive a wealthy old woman that he's her long-lost son and heir. Traveling to Mexico, move into the luxurious hacienda, but the Kid soon grows to love the woman and the beautiful neighbour Consuelo. He turns on his partner and the lawman from Texas is still on his trail.

Also starring Fay Wray, Emma Dun, Oscar Apfel and James A. Marcus

The Texan is a 1930 American Western film directed by John Cromwell and starring Gary Cooper and Fay Wray. Based on the short story “The Double-Dyed Deceiver” by O. Henry, the film is about a daring bandit called the Llano Kid who shoots a young gambler in self-defense and is forced to hide from the law.

The Story of Dr. Wassell

The Story of Dr. Wassell

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille. 140mins (1944)

Gary Cooper - Dr. Corydon M. Wassell

As the Japanese sweep through the East Indies during World War II, Dr. Wassell is determined to escape from Java with some crewmen of the cruiser Marblehead. Based on a true story of how Dr. Wassell saved a dozen or so wounded sailors who were left behind when able bodied men were evacuated to Australia.

Also starring Laraine Day, Signe Hasso, Dennis O'Keefe, Carol Thurston and Carl Esmond.

Gary Cooper pulled rank and flat out refused to have his well known hairy chest shaved for the bathtub scene in the final reel. Melvin Francis was one of the men Dr. Wassell saved and appears as himself in the film. Dr. Wassell is buried in Arlington Cemetery

Oscar nomination for Best Special Effects.

Tagline - Drama of Loyalty and Love! The Story the Whole World Has Heard About!

The Spoilers

The Spoilers

Directed by Edwin Carewe

Gary Cooper – Roy Glenister

While traveling to Nome, Alaska, Roy Glenister  meets beautiful Helen Chester who soon becomes his sweetheart. Glenister is one of several owners of a lucrative mine called The Midas. When he arrives in Nome, he discovers that his partners, are in the middle of a legal dispute with three corrupt officials:  They have been engaged in a racket claiming titles to various mines, ejecting the miners, and then making McNamara owner of the disputed properties. Soldiers are called in but in a bid to avoid vigilante action being taken, Helen tries to persuade Glenister to let the courts handle the dispute. A jealous Salloon owner gets involved by lying to Glennister about Helen and her relationship with one of his “partners”. Of course a spectacular fight sorts out the dispute and the hand of Helen is won by Glennister.

Also starring Kay Johnson, Betty Compson, William “Stage” Boyd and Harry Green

Gary Cooper tore his hamstring and wrenched his back during the famous fight scene, and was in severe pain for most of the rest of the filming.

The Real Glory

The Real Glory

Directed by Henry Hathaway

Gary Cooper Dr. Bill Canavan 96 mins (1939)

In 1906 the American army pulls out of Mindanao leaving a handful of officers to try and get the Philippines Constabulary into shape to protect the native population from ruthless invaders. By reputation and by their exploits the fearless zealots initially strike terror into the local militia but the doctor on the post starts to finds ways to combat this.

Also starring David Niven, Andrea Leeds, Reginald Owen and Broderick Crawford

The film was re-issued in 1942 with the title "A Yank in the Philippines," but the Office of War Information (OWI) requested that it be withdrawn; the Philippine Moros--the "bad guys" in the film--had become allies of the US in World War II.

The Plainsman

The Plainsman

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille. 113mins (1936)

Gary Cooper - Wild Bill Hickok

Wild Bill Hickok Calamity Jane and Buffalo Bill go up against Indians and a gunrunner.

Also starring James Ellison, Charles Bickford, Helen Burgess and Anthony Quinn.

The fictional adventures of real life Wild West legends, Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill and George Armstrong Custer. Even Abraham Lincoln makes a guest appearance.

John Wayne wanted to play Wild Bill Hickok but DeMille had his eye on Gary Cooper for the role.An excellent horseman from his youth in Montana, Gary Cooper did most of his own riding stunts, including the shot where he rode "hanging" between two horses.

The Naked Edge

The Naked Edge

Directed by Michael Anderson. 97 mins (1961)

Gary Cooper - George Radcliffe

Five years after George Radcliffe was the chief witness in a high profile murder case, his wife receives a blackmailing letter accusing him of the crime.

Also starring Martha Radcliffe, Eric Portman, Diane Cilento, Hermione Gingold and Peter Cushing.

Thriller based on the novel "First Train to Babylon" by Max Ehrlich. Gary Cooper's final film, completed December 1960. After "The End" is flashed on the screen and fades out, a disembodied voice is heard under the black screen asking the audience not to reveal the identity of the killer.

Tagline - Only the man who wrote Psycho could jolt you like this!

The Lives of a Bengal Lancer

The Lives of a Bengal Lancer

Directed by Henry Hathaway. 109mins (1935)

Gary Cooper - Lieutenant McGregor

The 41st Bengal Lancers are stationed on the Northwest Frontier of British India, guarding against Afridi invaders led by wily Mohammed Khan. Experienced (though insubordinate) Lieut. McGregor is joined by two new arrivals, haughty Forsythe and callow Donald Stone...son of the commanding colonel. We follow the three through varied adventures and hardships. Will they uphold the honor of the regiment? Will Stone and the Colonel come to terms with their difficult relationship?

Also starring  Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell, Guy Standing, C. Aubrey Smith, Kathleen Burke and Douglass Dumbrille.

Based on the book by Francis Yeats-Brown, published in 1930 and one of the biggest hits of the year.This is the film where Douglass Dumbrille says, "We have ways of making men talk," although everybody remembers it as, "We have ways of making you talk."

Nominated for 8 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay, winning 2 - Best Assistant Director and Best Assistant Director.

Tagline - Set in the spectacle of mystic India with its glittering mosques, oriental palaces, weird music, bronzed nautch dancers

The Legion of the Condemned

Legion of the Condemned

Directed by William A Wellman 80 mins. (1928)

Gary Cooper – Gale Price

Finding his sweetheart, Christine, in the arms of a German officer, Price joins the French Air Legion. Christine is later revealed to be the spy whom Price has been ordered to drop behind enemy lines. They are reconciled, are captured by the Germans, and are rescued by his unit.

Also starring Fay Wray, Barry Norton, Lane Chandler and Francis McDonald

This silent film, which is presumed lost, has a scene featuring a plane attack on a German troop train was originally a scene cut from Wings (1927) after its original premier.

The Last Outlaw

The Last Outlaw

Directed by Christy Cabanne 62 mins (1936)

Gary Cooper – 

After serving 25 years in prison for robbery, Dean Payton returns to his home town to see his daughter, Sally, who is unaware he is her father. He befriends Cal Yates, the now semi-retired assistant sheriff who originally caught him, and Chuck Wilson, a young rancher who has eyes for Sally. Wanted criminal Al Goss holds up the local bank and makes his getaway, taking Sally hostage. Showing he still has what it takes, Payton, along with Yates and Wilson, take off into the hills on horseback to try to track Goss down. 

Also starring Harry Carey, Hoot Gibson, Tom Tyler and Henry B Walthall

The Hanging Tree

The Hanging Tree

Directed by Delmer Daves. 107mins (1959)

Character study of a Doctor who saves a local criminal from a mob who are trying to hang him, but then tries to control the life of the young man, realising that he can exploit his secret.

Gary Cooper - Dr. Joseph Frail
Also starring Maria Schell, Karl Malden, George C. Scott, Karl Swenson, Virginia Gregg and Ben Piazza.

Western based on the novel of the same name by Dorothy M. Johnson, published in 1957. It was left ambiguous whether the doctor had killed his unfaithful wife.

Oscar nomination for Best Song.

Tagline -  A Picture Of Thundering Power!

Maria’s Notes

The Hanging Tree is a film that was particularly close to my father’s heart. Certain things resonated for him relating to his Montana childhood, the lure of the gold rush days in 1873 and many of the flaws in our human nature so graphically depicted in the plot of the film. As the main character, a doctor named Joe Frail, it also provided my father with a chance to play a much darker role than usually attributed to Gary Cooper. The atypical Cooper role in the persona of Dr. Frail is not one his public was used to seeing him in and he relished the chance to play a role that stretched him. The superb cast of Maria Schell (her first American film), the wonderful Karl Malden, seasoned director Delmer Daves, came together to make this the unique film that it is. Del Daves sometimes seemed to vanish from the camp near Yakima, Washington. In the course of filming, it was discovered that he was an avid amateur geologist and rock/mineral collector and he would venture off on his own personal expeditions to find a special kind of ancient rock formation – or perhaps it was the remnants of some gold nuggets flushed out of the mountains after a heavy rain. At one point, Daves took ill and Karl Malden came to the rescue encouraged by my father to take the reins as needed. I still have a gold nugget from the site that my father made into a pendant.

As I watched my father Gary Cooper's film The Hanging Tree now, 60 plus years after it was made, I am more aware than ever of how natural Gary Cooper’s acting style was - though I don’t think he would have referred to himself as having an “acting style.” He worked at immersing himself in the character and then let his intuitive feelings and emotions about who that character was, what drove him to be and do the things he did, come naturally then he said, “I don’t have to act.” As an unusual Gary Cooper type in The Hanging Tree, he portrays a much “darker” hero and his face reflects layers of inner conflicts not usually identified with a typical Western hero, particularly Gary Cooper. His character, a doctor named Joe Frail, is trying to escape his past memories - most raw, his personal wounding by his betrayal by his wife with his own brother. Maria Schell, the beautiful talented actress from Germany, is given her first American film and she is given a more complex female role than those usually handed to women in a Western film - she is neither a prostitute nor a school marm. There is a haunting musical score by Max Steiner and performed by Marty Robbins that threads through the film as it captures the emotional drama of anger, sadness and ultimately love which is portrayed at the end of the film.

Maria Cooper Janis