Jackie Cooper
Born
September 15, 1922
Died
May 3, 2011 (88 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
Served with the Navy in the South Pacific toward the end of World War II. 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

The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 1
2021

You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
Self
2006

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Perry White
2006

Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
Self
2006

Judy Garland: By Myself
Self - Actor (voice)
2004

Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir
Self
2001

Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood
Self
2000
Sports on the Silver Screen
Self (archive footage)
1997

Inside the Dream Factory
1995

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self
1995

The Our Gang Story
Jackie (archive footage)
1994
Capital News
John C. Dodd · (2 episodes)
1990

Surrender
Ace Morgan
1987

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Perry White
1987

The Making of 'Superman III'
Self
1985

Murder, She Wrote
Carl Schulman / Neil Fletcher · (2 episodes)
1984
Ticket to Hollywood
Narrator
1984
No Earthly Reason
J. Nash Hawkins
1984

The Making of 'Superman II'
Self
1983

Superman III
Perry White
1983

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983

St. Elsewhere
(1 episode)
1982

Hollywood’s Children
Self (archive footage)
1982

The Making of 'Superman: The Movie'
Self
1982

Rascal Dazzle
Jackie (archive footage)
1981

Superman II
Perry White
1980

Superman
Perry White
1978

Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
Mobile One
(13 episodes)
1975

Mobile Two
Peter Campbell
1975

Journey into Fear
Eric Hurst
1975

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975

The Invisible Man
Walter Carlson
1975

The Day the Earth Moved
Steve Barker
1974

The Rockford Files
Capt. Highland · (1 episode)
1974

The Rockford Files
Garth McGregor · (1 episode)
1974
The Dean Martin Comedy World
Host · (1 episode)
1974

Chosen Survivors
Raymond Couzins
1974

Kojak
Frank Mulvaney · (1 episode)
1973
Big John Morrison
John Morrison
1973

Police Story
(3 episodes)
1973

Ghost Story
Dumpy Doyle · (1 episode)
1972

Hec Ramsey
(1 episode)
1972

Stand Up and Be Counted
Doctor
1972

The Astronaut
Kurt Anderson
1972

Columbo
Nelson Hayward · (1 episode)
1971
Mantrap
(1 episode)
1971

The Love Machine
Danton Miller
1971
It Was a Very Good Year
(1 episode)
1971

Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring
Ed Miller
1971

McCloud
(1 episode)
1970

Shadow on the Land
Lt. Col. Andy Davis
1968

Hawaii Five-O
Dr. Alexander Southmore · (1 episode)
1968

Ironside
(1 episode)
1967

The F.B.I.
Harlan Slade · (1 episode)
1965

Calhoun
Everett Calhoun
1964

The Great Adventure
Lt. Dickson · (1 episode)
1963

The Danny Kaye Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1963

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
1962

The Merv Griffin Show
Self · (1 episode)
1962

The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
Self
1962

Everything's Ducky
Lt. J.S. Parmell - Psychiatrist
1961

The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (1 episode)
1961
The Gertrude Berg Show
(1 episode)
1961

The Dick Powell Show
Judd Rogers · (1 episode)
1961

The Dick Powell Show
John Reardon · (1 episode)
1961

The Dick Powell Show
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1961

The Twilight Zone
Jonathan West / Caesar (voice) · (1 episode)
1959

Hennesey
(96 episodes)
1959
Pursuit
(1 episode)
1958
To Tell the Truth
(12 episodes)
1956

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self · (1 episode)
1956

The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1956

The Steve Allen Show
Self - Singer · (1 episode)
1956

Telephone Time
(1 episode)
1956

The People's Choice
Socrates 'Sock' Miller · (104 episodes)
1955

MGM Parade
Dink in 'The Champ' (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1955
Producers' Showcase
(1 episode)
1954
The Elgin Hour
(1 episode)
1954
The George Gobel Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1954
Justice
(1 episode)
1954

The Motorola Television Hour
(1 episode)
1953

The United States Steel Hour
(2 episodes)
1953

Medallion Theatre
(2 episodes)
1953

Revlon Mirror Theatre
(1 episode)
1953

General Electric Theater
Jeremy Bates · (1 episode)
1953

Cowboy G-Men
(39 episodes)
1952

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Bob Heywood · (1 episode)
1951

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Bill Harlow / Joe Toyah · (1 episode)
1951

Tales of Tomorrow
(1 episode)
1951
Lux Video Theatre
Orrin Dudley · (1 episode)
1950
Lux Video Theatre
Dave Carter · (1 episode)
1950
Danger
(1 episode)
1950

The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self · (1 episode)
1950
Starlight Theatre
(1 episode)
1950

Your Show of Shows
(2 episodes)
1950

What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest · (1 episode)
1950

Robert Montgomery Presents
(2 episodes)
1950

Robert Montgomery Presents
Peter Graves · (1 episode)
1950

Robert Montgomery Presents
Pvt. Oscar Purkey · (1 episode)
1950

Robert Montgomery Presents
Milton 'Mezz' Mezzrow · (1 episode)
1950

Robert Montgomery Presents
Maurice Gaines · (1 episode)
1950

Robert Montgomery Presents
Willy Benton · (1 episode)
1950
The Clock
(1 episode)
1949

Suspense
Williams · (1 episode)
1949

Suspense
Murderer · (1 episode)
1949

Suspense
Dan Crowley · (1 episode)
1949

Studio One
(1 episode)
1948

Studio One
Dave Tuttle · (1 episode)
1948

Studio One
Blackie Scantling · (1 episode)
1948

The Philco Television Playhouse
Bubbo · (1 episode)
1948
The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre
(1 episode)
1948
Texaco Star Theater
(1 episode)
1948

French Leave
Skitch Kilroy
1948

Kilroy Was Here
John J. Kilroy
1947

Stork Bites Man
Ernest (Ernie) C. Brown
1947

Where Are Your Children?
Danny Cheston
1943

The Navy Comes Through
Joe 'Babe' Duttson
1942

Men of Texas
Robert Houston Scott
1942

Syncopation
Johnny Schumacher
1942
Soaring Stars
Pilot
1942

Glamour Boy
Tiny Barlow
1941

Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Self
1941

Her First Beau
Chuck Harris
1941

Ziegfeld Girl
Jerry Regan
1941

Life with Henry
Henry Aldrich
1941

Gallant Sons
Byron Newbold
1940

Rodeo Dough
Jackie Cooper
1940

The Return of Frank James
Clem
1940

Seventeen
William Sylvanus Baxter
1940

The Big Guy
Jimmy Hutchins
1939

Hollywood Cavalcade
Burglar
1939

What a Life
Henry Aldrich
1939

Two Bright Boys
Rory O'Donnell
1939

Streets of New York
James Michael 'Jimmy' Keenan
1939

The Spirit of Culver
Tom Allen
1939

Scouts to the Rescue
Bruce Scott
1939

Newsboys' Home
Rifle Edwards
1938

Gangster's Boy
Larry Kelly
1938

That Certain Age
Kenneth Warren
1938

White Banners
Peter Trimble
1938

Bear Facts
Bear
1938

Boy of the Streets
Chuck Brennan
1938

The Devil Is a Sissy
'Buck' Murphy
1936

Tough Guy
Frederick Martindale Vincent III
1936

O'Shaughnessy's Boy
Joseph "Stubby" O'Shaughnessy
1935

Dinky
Dinky Daniels
1935

Peck's Bad Boy
Bill Peck
1934

Treasure Island
Jim Hawkins
1934

Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
1934

Lone Cowboy
Scooter O'Neal
1933

The Bowery
Swipes McGurk
1933

Broadway to Hollywood
Ted Hackett Jr. as Child
1933

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
Self
1932

Divorce In The Family
Terry Parker
1932

When a Feller Needs a Friend
Edward Haverford 'Eddie' Randall
1932

Sooky
Skippy
1931

The Christmas Party
Himself
1931

The Champ
Dink Purcell
1931

Young Donovan's Kid
Midge Murray
1931

Bargain Day
Jackie
1931

Skippy
Skippy Skinner
1931

Little Daddy
Jackie
1931

Love Business
Jackie Cooper
1931

Helping Grandma
Jackie
1931

School's Out
Jackie Cooper
1930

Teacher's Pet
Jackie
1930

Pups Is Pups
Jackie
1930

A Tough Winter
Jackie
1930

Bear Shooters
Jackie
1930
The Ghosts
Juanito
1930

When the Wind Blows
Jackie
1930

The First Seven Years
Jackie
1930

Shivering Shakespeare
Jackie
1930

Sunny Side Up
Jerry McGinnis (uncredited)
1929

Moan & Groan, Inc.
Jackie
1929

Bouncing Babies
Kid listening to Farina (uncredited)
1929

Boxing Gloves
Jackie
1929

Fox Movietone Follies of 1929
Little Boy in 'That's You, Baby' Number (uncredited)
1929