Jackie Cooper

Acting September 15, 1922 (88 years old) May 3, 2011 Los Angeles, California, USA

Biography

Jackie Cooper (September 15, 1922 –May 3, 2011) was an American actor. He is best known for his role of Perry White in the Christopher Reeves Superman films (1978–1987). He with the Navy in the South Pacific toward the end of World War II and then, quietly and without publicity or fanfare, compiled one of the most distinguished peacetime military careers of anyone in his profession. In 1961, as his weekly TV series Hennesey (1959) was enhancing naval recruiting efforts, accepted a commission as a line officer in the Naval Reserve with duties in recruitment, training films, and public relations. Holder of a multi-engine pilot license, he later co-piloted jet planes for the Navy, which made him an Honorary Aviator authorized to wear wings of gold-at the time only the third so honored in naval aviation history. By 1976 he had attained the rank of captain, and was in uniform aboard the carrier USS Constellation for the Bicentennial celebration on July 4. In 1980, the Navy proposed a period of active duty at the Pentagon that would have resulted in a promotion to rear admiral, bringing him even with Air Force Reserve Brigadier General James Stewart. Fresh on the heels of a second directing Emmy, he felt his absence would impact achieving a long-held goal of directing motion pictures, and reluctantly declined. (The opportunity in films never materialized.) Holds Letters of Commendation from six secretaries of the Navy. Was honorary chairman of the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation and a charter member of VIVA, the effort to return POW-MIAs from Vietnam. Upon retirement in 1982, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit by Navy Secretary John F. Lehman Jr.. Other than Stewart, no performer in his industry has achieved a higher uniformed rank in the U.S. military. (Glenn Ford was also a Naval Reserve captain, and director and Captain John Ford was awarded honorary flag rank upon his 1951 retirement from the Naval Reserve).

Jackie Cooper

Biography

Movies 112

Superman

Superman II

Superman III

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

Hollywood on Parade No. B-1

The Return of Frank James

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3

Treasure Island

Ziegfeld Girl

Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman

Journey into Fear

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Hollywood Cavalcade

The Astronaut

Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

The Spirit of Culver

Surrender

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

Soaring Stars

The Making of 'Superman: The Movie'

The Bowery

You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman

The Day the Earth Moved

The Champ

Sports on the Silver Screen

Stand Up and Be Counted

Of Men and Women

Inside the Dream Factory

The Making of 'Superman II'

Glamour Boy

Streets of New York

Calhoun

White Banners

Chosen Survivors

O'Shaughnessy's Boy

The Making of 'Superman III'

The Devil Is a Sissy

The Love Machine

Shadow on the Land

Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood

Judy Garland: By Myself

Young Donovan's Kid

The Big Guy

Big John Morrison

When the Wind Blows

The Navy Comes Through

Helping Grandma

Gallant Sons

Sooky

The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 1

Lone Cowboy

Boy of the Streets

Divorce In The Family

Syncopation

Hollywood’s Children

Her First Beau

Everything's Ducky

Where Are Your Children?

What a Life

Peck's Bad Boy

When a Feller Needs a Friend

The Our Gang Story

Mobile Two

Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie

When We Were Young: Growing Up on the Silver Screen

The First Seven Years

Men of Texas

Scouts to the Rescue

Stork Bites Man

Fox Movietone Follies of 1929

School's Out

Classic Comedy Teams

Sunny Side Up

Broadway to Hollywood

That Certain Age