Born in 1901, Cooper would eventually build an acting career from the silent film era into the early 1960s. Much of his fame can be linked to his portrayals of strong, dominant male characters.
Born to British parents, he was educated in England for a short time, before attending College in Iowa, and eventually moving to LA as an illustrator. Having trouble finding work, he began taking on jobs as film extra.
His breakthrough role came with The Winning of Barbara Worth, a 1926 western. The success continued for Cooper, Starring opposite of silent movie star Clara Bow in Children of Divorce in 1927 and receiving praise for his performance in The Virginian in 1929.
He continued delivering strong performances throughout the 30s including A Farewell to Arms and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Frank Capra's 1936 film that earned Cooper an Oscar nomination.
His performances continued into the 40s; his portrayal of real-life WW1 hero, Alvin York, earned him the Academy Award for best actor. The real life portrayals continued with a 1942 film about Lou Gehrig, scoring him another nomination for best actor.
His third oscar nomination came with his work in the film adaptation of For Whom the Bell Tolls with Ingrid Bergman.
Cooper's "signature role" is considered his work as Will Kane in High Noon; the film won 4 academy awards, including Cooper's best actor win.
In addition to his career, he was known for alleged relationships with many of his film's leading ladies. By the late 50s, Cooper was diagnosed with cancer, starring in a few films before his death in 1961.
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