Gary Cooperis among Classic Hollywood’s most recognizable and acclaimed actors, widely known for his naturalistic and authentic acting style. Named the eleventhgreatest screen legend by the American Film Institute, Cooper built a successful career spanning over thirty years. He rose to prominence near the end of the Silent Era and continued at the peak of success until the last years of Classic Hollywood.
A two-time Oscar winner and five-time nominee, Cooper also received an Honorary Oscar in 1961. He often ranks among his generation’s most prolific performers, shining in multiple genres, from Westerns to comedy. Indeed,Cooper starred in numerous films that have become staples of American cinema, cementing his legacy as one of his generation’s finest performers.
10’Friendly Persuasion' (1956)
Director: William Wyler
Cooper stars oppositeDorothy McGuireandAnthony PerkinsinWilliam Wyler’s 1956 war dramaFriendly Persuasion. Set during the American Civil War, the plot centers on a peace-loving Quaker family whose pacifist beliefs are tested by the arrival of Confederate forces to their quiet Indiana community.
Friendly Persuasionisa warm piece of Americanaand very much a product of its time. Cooper shines in a role that no one could have played but him, breathing life into the pacifist Jess Birdwell with remarkable empathy. He is calm and collected yet not necessarily passive.Friendly Persuasionisn’t a great portrayal of Quaker life, and while it falls short of outright criticizing war, it does admirably as a condemnation of violence.
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9’Meet John Doe' (1941)
Director: Frank Capra
Iconic classic directorFrank Caprabrought Cooper andBarbara Stanwycktogether for the 1941 comedy-dramaMeet John Doe. The plot centers on Ann, a young columnist who poses as a man to write an angry letter decrying humanity’s state. When the letter captures the public’s attention, Ann and her editor hire a homeless man to pretend to be “John Doe,” the letter’s author.
John Doe is a quintessential Gary Cooper roleand yet another everyman in Capra’s impressive collection. The actor brings remarkable empathy and earthliness to his performance, valiantly treading along the film’s fine line between honesty and corruption.Meet John Doeis classic Capra, a film with a message that rings surprisingly trueeighty years after its premiere.
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8’Morocco' (1930)
Director: Josef von Sternberg
Marlene Dietrichstars inJosef von Sternberg’s pre-Code romantic dramaMoroccoopposite Cooper. The film follows the troubled romance between womanizing Legionnaire Tom Brown and cabaret singer Amy Jolly during the Rif War.Moroccois perhaps best remembered for the now-iconic scene where Dietrich performs dressed in a man’s tailcoat before kissing another woman.
Moroccobelongs entirely tothe iconic Marlene Dietrich, who received her only Oscar nomination for the role of the disillusioned Amy Jolly. However,Cooper is no less impressive in a role that he seldom played in later years; Tom Brown is cynical, acidic, and near-despondent, a tortured soul escaping a painful past and saved only by love—even if he resists the very notion.Moroccois a layered examination of romance, identity, and sacrifice, and one of classic Hollywood’s all-time great romances.
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7’Design for Living' (1933)
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Miriam Hopkins,Fredric March, and Cooper star inErnst Lubitsch’s refreshingly daring pre-Code comedyDesign for Living. The film follows the unconventional relationship between Gilda, a commercial artist, and the two men vying for her romantic attention: Thomas, a playwright, and George, an artist.
Design for Livingis amongthe best pre-Code comedies. The film is remarkably progressive in its depiction of relationships, arguably depicting one of the first positive portrayals of polyamory. Cooper is the perfect leading man for this unconventional and daring film, his dynamic with Hopkins elevating an already hilariously disruptive screenplay. Cooper embodies the perfect mix of awkward confidence and unexpected charm, crafting a stellar portrayal of an unlikely romantic hero that audiences seldom see.
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6’Ball of Fire' (1941)
Director: Howard Hawks
Cooper andthe iconic Barbara Stanwyckre-teamed forHoward Hawks' 1941 screwball comedyBall of Fire. The plot concerns Bertram Potts, an encyclopedia writer researching popular island for his next project. Impressed by burlesque performer Sugarpuss O’Shea’s spirited vocabulary, he invites her to stay with him, unaware she is the wife of a dangerous mobster.
Ball of Fireis a wonderful showcase for the mighty Stanwyck, with the actress delivering an impassionate performance that ranks among her finest.Cooper is equally impressive as the perfectly normal Bertram, with perfectly normal instincts. The stoic and by-the-book Bertram is a typical Cooper role, but the actor breathes refreshing and clumsily hilarious life into his performance, especially whenever bantering with Stanwyck’s lively Sugarpuss.
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5’The Virginian' (1929)
Director: Victor Fleming
Victor Fleming’s 1929 pre-Code WesternThe Virginianwas Cooper’s ticket to stardom. The plot centers on the titular character, a good-natured cowboy whose friendship with a childhood acquaintance becomes derailed after the latter joins a violent gang.
The Virginianwas Cooper’s breakthrough role. The film cemented his reputation as a stoic man of few words and reinforced the stereotype of the American cowboy as a callous, pensive, and near-mute figure of great power and few limits.The Virginianwould begin a lifelong affair between Cooper andthe ever-changing Western genre, a relationship that produced several iconic pictures and ensured his legacy as an icon of the silver screen.
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4’Mr. Deeds Goes to Town' (1936)
Cooper and Frank Capra’s first collaboration was the 1936 comedy-dramaMr. Deeds Goes to Town. The actor plays Longfellow Deeds, an ordinary man whose quiet life changes after inheriting a vast fortune. Swept to New York by an avaricious lawyer, Deeds forms a bond with a young reporter secretly writing condescending articles about his well-meaning nature.
Mr. Deeds Goes to Townis amongFrank Capra’s best movies, and Longfellow Deeds is one of Cooper’s greatest triumphs. The role earned him the first of five Oscar nominations, and it’s easy to see why; he’s sympathetic and easy to root for as the humble millionaire with a heart of gold. Yet, Cooper never plays Deeds as an underdog; there’s a heroic idealism to his persona, a naive enthusiasm for a world he believes is possible, even if no one else can see.
3’Sergeant York' (1941)
Howard Hawks' 1941 biopicSergeant Yorksees Cooper playing Alvin C. York, one of World War I’s most decorated soldiers. The film chronicles his career throughout the conflict and his struggle to reconcile his pacifist beliefs with his violent role on the battlefield.
Cooper made a name for himself playing men of action, andSergeant Yorkis among his finest creations. The actor is the face of patriotism and morality in the role, with the film not even bothering to hide its propagandistic nature. However, Cooper’s performance is a lot subtler than the film. His Sergeant York is bewildered, conflicted, and almost ashamed of his role in the carnage, and Cooper’s remarkably expressive face is the perfect canvas for a rainbow of emotions.Sergeant Yorkis manipulative but moving, largely thanks to Cooper’s triumphant work.
Sergeant York
A Tennessee farmer and marksman is drafted in World War I, and struggles with his pacifist inclinations before becoming one of the most celebrated war heroes.
2’High Noon' (1952)
Director: Fred Zinnermann
When discussing Gary Cooper, one film inevitably comes to mind:Fred Zinnemann’s 1952 Western,High Noon. Cooper stars as Will Kane, the marshall of a small town who must decide between leaving to start a new life with his wife or facing the recently released criminal seeking revenge against the man who imprisoned him.
High Noonmarks a before-and-after in the Western genre. Cooper won a second Oscar for his stunning portrayal of Will Kane, one of cinema’s greatest heroes. The actor expertly navigates Kane’s inner struggle and the clash of ideas - action versus inaction, past versus present, peace versus conflict - that lead to the film’s famous climax. Featuring a memorable supporting turn bythe timelessGrace Kellyin one of her first major roles,High Noonis a riveting subversion of the Western and a remarkably daring, thought-provoking exploration of the individualand his connection to the collective.
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1’The Pride of the Yankees' (1942)
Director: Sam Wood
Gary Cooper stars oppositeTeresa WrightandWalter BrennaninSam Wood’s 1942 sports dramaThe Pride of the Yankees. The actor plays revered New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig, with the film following his career and the illness that would eventually result in his death at 37.
The Pride of the Yankeesis the epitome of a Hollywood picture. Heart-wrenching but rewarding, the film soars on its leading man’s back, withCooper delivering a career-defining performance as one of the biggest icons in US history. The actor effortlessly balances honesty and drama, giving an earnest portrayal that reads more as a homage than a straightforward depiction.The Pride of the Yankeesearned him a third Oscar nomination and secured his place as a cultural icon and a titan of the silver screen.
