Jackie Cooper
- Acting
- September 15, 1922 · Los Angeles, California, USA
- May 3, 2011
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).
Known for
Filmography
- The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 1
- You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman · Self
- Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut · Perry White
- Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman · Self
- Judy Garland: By Myself · Self
- Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir · Self
- Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood · Self
- Sports on the Silver Screen · Self
- Inside the Dream Factory
- The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies · Self
- The Our Gang Story · Jackie (archive footage)
- Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie · Self
- Capital News · John C. Dodd
- When We Were Young: Growing Up on the Silver Screen · Self
- Superboy · Director
- Supercarrier · Director
- Surrender · Ace Morgan
- The Law & Harry McGraw · Director
- Jake and the Fatman · Director
- Superman IV: The Quest for Peace · Perry White
- The Ladies · Producer, Director
- Spies · Director
- Ohara · Director
- Sledge Hammer! · Director
- The Deacon Street Deer · Director
- Classic Comedy Teams · Our Gang(archive footage)
- Izzy & Moe · Director
- The Making of 'Superman III' · Self
- The Night They Saved Christmas · Director
- Murder, She Wrote · Carl Schulman / Neil Fletcher
- Glitter · Director
- Ticket to Hollywood · Narrator
- No Earthly Reason · J. Nash Hawkins
- The Making of 'Superman II' · Self
- Superman III · Perry White
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage · Self
- Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story · Director
- St. Elsewhere · David Domedion
- Moonlight · Director
- Cagney & Lacey · Director
- Hollywood’s Children · Self
- The Making of 'Superman: The Movie' · Self
- Leave 'Em Laughing · Director
- Rascal Dazzle · Jackie (archive footage)
- Magnum, P.I. · Director
- Superman II · Perry White
- Rodeo Girl · Director
- White Mama · Director
- Marathon · Director
- Paris · Director
- Trapper John, M.D. · Director
- Sex and the Single Parent · Director
- Superman · Perry White
- The White Shadow · Director
- Rainbow · Director
- Perfect Gentlemen · Director
- Having Babies III · Director
- The Feather And Father Gang · Director
- Quincy, M.E. · Director
- Holmes & Yo-Yo · Creator
- Hooray for Hollywood · Self
- Mobile One · Peter Campbell
- Mobile Two · Peter Campbell
- Journey into Fear · Eric Hurst
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? · Self
- The Invisible Man · Walter Carlson
- The Day the Earth Moved · Steve Barker
- The Rockford Files · Capt. Highland, Garth McGregor
- The Dean Martin Comedy World · Host
- Chosen Survivors · Raymond Couzins
- Kojak · Frank Mulvaney
- Big John Morrison · John Morrison
- Police Story
- Of Men and Women
- M*A*S*H · Director
- Ghost Story · Dumpy Doyle
- Hec Ramsey
- Stand Up and Be Counted · Doctor, Director
- The Astronaut · Kurt Anderson
- McMillan & Wife · Director