Biography
Unlike many of his fellow juvenile players, he enjoyed a bountiful career as an adult in both the acting and directing fields. Cooper was a box office draw as a boy thanks to his All-American looks and ability to produce gallons of tears upon command. After falling out of favor as a teen, he returned to the business in his thirties as an in-demand player on television. Directing for shortform TV became a second career in the 1960s, as did a …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| Directed 13 episodes of TV series "M*A*S*H"; won Emmy Award | ||
| Named Vice President in Charge of TV Program Production, Columbia Pictures | ||
| Starred on TV series "Hennessey" (CBS) | ||
| Starred on TV series "The People's Choice"; also directed episodes | ||
1925 | Made film debut in Lloyd Hamilton comedy short | |
1929 | Made first "Our Gang" short | |
1931 | Starred in films "Skippy" and "The Champ"; earned Best Actor Oscar nomination for the former | |
1934 | Played Jim Hawkins in "Treasure Island" | |
1949 | Made New York stage debut, "Magnolia Alley" | |
1949 | Toured U.S.A. as Ensign Pulver in "Mr. Roberts" | |
1951 | Appeared as Ensign Pulver in London production of "Mr. Roberts" | |
1952 | Early TV work included "Lux Video Theatre" | |
1968 | Made TV-movie acting debut, "Shadow on the Land" | |
1971 | Played Sally Field's father in TV-movie "Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring" | |
1971 | Played TV programming executive in feature film "The Love Machine" | |
1972 | Film directing debut, "Stand Up and Be Counted" | |
1974 | Hosted "The Dean Martin Comedy World" (NBC) | |
1975 | Was regular on "Mobile One" | |
1978 | Directed pilot of "The White Shadow"; won second Emmy | |
1978 | Played editor Perry White in first of four "Superman" feature films | |
1980 | Directed Bette Davis in TV-movie "White Mama" | |
1981 | Directed fellow former child star Mickey Rooney in a TV movie, "Leave 'em Laughing" | |
1989 | Announced retirement to raise horses | |
Awards
1931 | Academy Award for Actor in Skippy |
1974 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Directing In Comedy in M*A*S*H |
1979 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Drama Series in The White Shadow |