Jackie Cooper
Known for: Acting
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).
Filmography
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
Columbo
Nelson Hayward
1971
Series
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
1962
Series
What's My Line?
Self
1950
Series
Murder, She Wrote
Carl Schulman / Neil Fletcher
1984
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Dr. Alexander Southmore
1969
Series
Ironside
1967
Series
The Rockford Files
Capt. Highland
1974
Series
The Rockford Files
Garth McGregor
1974
Series
St. Elsewhere
David Domedion
1982
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
Peter Graves
1950
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
Pvt. Oscar Purkey
1950
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
Milton 'Mezz' Mezzrow
1950
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
Maurice Gaines
1950
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
Willy Benton
1950
Series
The Twilight Zone
Jonathan West / Caesar (voice)
1959
Series
Studio One
1948
Series
Studio One
Dave Tuttle
1948
Series
Studio One
Blackie Scantling
1948
Series
The Philco Television Playhouse
Bubbo
1948
Series
The F.B.I.
Harlan Slade
1965
Series
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self
1950
Series
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest
1956
Series
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Singer
1956
Series
McCloud
1970
Series
McCloud
Winn Hollis
1970
Series
Kojak
Frank Mulvaney
1973
Series
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self
1956
Series
Police Story
1973
Series
The Danny Kaye Show
Self
1963
Series
Suspense
Williams
1949
Series
Suspense
Murderer
1949
Series
Suspense
Dan Crowley
1949
Series
Your Show of Shows
1950
Series
Telephone Time
1956
Series
The United States Steel Hour
1953
Danger
1950
Series
MGM Parade
Dink in 'The Champ' (archive footage)
1955
Lux Video Theatre
Orrin Dudley
1950
Lux Video Theatre
Dave Carter
1950
Series
Ghost Story
Dumpy Doyle
1972
Series
Tales of Tomorrow
1951
The George Gobel Show
Self
1954
Series
The Great Adventure
Lt. Dickson
1963
Series
The Dick Powell Show
Judd Rogers
1961
Series
The Dick Powell Show
John Reardon
1961
Series
The Dick Powell Show
Self - Host
1961
The Clock
1949
Film
Superman
Perry White
1978
Film
Superman II
Perry White
1980
Justice
1954
Series
Hennesey
Lt. Charles 'Chick' Hennesey, MD
1959
Film
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Perry White
1987
Series
Capital News
John C. Dodd
1990
Producers' Showcase
1954
Film
Superman III
Perry White
1983
Series
The People's Choice
Socrates 'Sock' Miller
1955
Series
The Gertrude Berg Show
1961
Film
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Perry White
2006
Series
General Electric Theater
Jeremy Bates
1953
Series
Revlon Mirror Theatre
1953
Series
Cowboy G-Men
1952
Series
The Motorola Television Hour
1953
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Bob Heywood
1951
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Bill Harlow / Joe Toyah
1951
Series
Hec Ramsey
1972
Series
Medallion Theatre
1953
Series
The Little Rascals
Jackie
1929
The Elgin Hour
1954
Film
Ziegfeld Girl
Jerry Regan
1941
Series
To Tell the Truth
1956
Film
Treasure Island
Jim Hawkins
1934
Pursuit
1958
Series
Mobile One
Peter Campbell
1975
The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre
1948
Film
The Return of Frank James
Clem
1940
Texaco Star Theater
1948
Film
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
Self
2006
Film
Sports on the Silver Screen
Self (archive footage)
1997
Film
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983
Film
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Film
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie'
Self
1982
Film
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self
1995
Film
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
1934
Film
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
Self
1932
Film
Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood
Self
2000
Film
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
Self
2006
Film
Surrender
Ace Morgan
1987
Film
The Navy Comes Through
Joe 'Babe' Duttson
1942
Film
The Champ
Dink Purcell
1931
The Dean Martin Comedy World
Host
1974
Film
Judy Garland: By Myself
Self - Actor (voice)
2004
Film
The Devil Is a Sissy
'Buck' Murphy
1936
Film
The Day the Earth Moved
Steve Barker
1974
Film
The Making of 'Superman III'
Self
1985
Film
Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie
Self
1993
Film
The Making of 'Superman II'
Self
1983
Film
The Our Gang Story
Jackie (archive footage)
1994
Film
The Love Machine
Danton Miller
1971
Film
Inside the Dream Factory
1995
Film
Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring
Ed Miller
1971
Film
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
Self
1962
Film
Stand Up and Be Counted
Doctor
1972
Film
When We Were Young: Growing Up on the Silver Screen
Self
1989
Film
Journey into Fear
Eric Hurst
1975
Film
Of Men and Women
1972
Film
Gallant Sons
Byron Newbold
1940
Film
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Self
1941
Film
The Astronaut
Kurt Anderson
1972
Film
Shadow on the Land
Lt. Col. Andy Davis
1968
Film
Peck's Bad Boy
Bill Peck
1934
It Was a Very Good Year
1971
Film
Scouts to the Rescue
Bruce Scott
1939
Film
Syncopation
Johnny Schumacher
1942
Film
O'Shaughnessy's Boy
Joseph "Stubby" O'Shaughnessy
1935
Film
Hollywood Cavalcade
Burglar
1939
Starlight Theatre
1950
Film
Divorce In The Family
Terry Parker
1932
Film
Where Are Your Children?
Danny Cheston
1943
Film
Boy of the Streets
Chuck Brennan
1938
Soaring Stars
Pilot
1942
Film
Her First Beau
Chuck Harris
1941
Film
Streets of New York
James Michael 'Jimmy' Keenan
1939
Film
The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 1
2021
Film
Young Donovan's Kid
Midge Murray
1931
Film
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
Broadway to Hollywood
Ted Hackett Jr. as Child
1933
Film
When a Feller Needs a Friend
Edward Haverford 'Eddie' Randall
1932
Film
Chosen Survivors
Raymond Couzins
1974
Film
The Bowery
Swipes McGurk
1933
Film
The Invisible Man
Walter Carlson
1975
Film
Fox Movietone Follies of 1929
Little Boy in 'That's You, Baby' Number (uncredited)
1929
Film
The First Seven Years
Jackie
1930
Film
Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir
Self
2001
Film
That Certain Age
Kenneth Warren
1938
Film
Life with Henry
Henry Aldrich
1941
Film
When the Wind Blows
Jackie
1930
Film
The Spirit of Culver
Tom Allen
1939
Film
Big John Morrison
John Morrison
1973
Film
Newsboys' Home
Rifle Edwards
1938
Film
Dinky
Dinky Daniels
1935
Film
Hollywood’s Children
Self (archive footage)
1982
Los cazadores de osos
Juanito
1930
Film
Sooky
Skippy
1931
Film
What a Life
Henry Aldrich
1939
Film
Kilroy Was Here
John J. Kilroy
1947
Film
Classic Comedy Teams
Our Gang(archive footage)
1986
Film
Glamour Boy
Tiny Barlow
1941
Film
Gangster's Boy
Larry Kelly
1938
Film
Two Bright Boys
Rory O'Donnell
1939
Film
Everything's Ducky
Lt. J.S. Parmell - Psychiatrist
1961
Film
Moan & Groan, Inc.
Jackie
1929
Film
Boxing Gloves
Jackie
1929
Film
Calhoun
Everett Calhoun
1964
Film
Teacher's Pet
Jackie
1930
Film
Men of Texas
Robert Houston Scott
1942
Film
French Leave
Skitch Kilroy
1948
Film
Skippy
Skippy Skinner
1931
Film
The Big Guy
Jimmy Hutchins
1939
Film
Bear Shooters
Jackie
1930
Film
Stork Bites Man
Ernest (Ernie) C. Brown
1947
Film
School's Out
Jackie Cooper
1930
Film
Helping Grandma
Jackie
1931
Film
Lone Cowboy
Scooter O'Neal
1933
Film
Seventeen
William Sylvanus Baxter
1940
Film
Rascal Dazzle
Jackie (archive footage)
1981
No Earthly Reason
J. Nash Hawkins
1984
Film
Love Business
Jackie Cooper
1931
Film
White Banners
Peter Trimble
1938
Film
Tough Guy
Frederick Martindale Vincent III
1936
Film
Rodeo Dough
Jackie Cooper
1940
Film
The Christmas Party
Himself
1931
Film
Sunny Side Up
Jerry McGinnis (uncredited)
1929
Film
Mobile Two
Peter Campbell
1975
Film
Shivering Shakespeare
Jackie
1930
Film
Bear Facts
Bear
1938
Mantrap
1971
Film
Bouncing Babies
Kid listening to Farina (uncredited)
1929
Film
Little Daddy
Jackie
1931
The Ghosts
Juanito
1930
Film
Bargain Day
Jackie
1931
Film
A Tough Winter
Jackie
1930
Temps d'Hiver
Jackie
1930
Ticket to Hollywood
Narrator
1984
Film
Pups Is Pups
Jackie
1930