Gladys Cooper

Actor

About

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Also Known As

Dame Gladys Cooper

Birth Place

Lewisham, England, GB

Born

December 18, 1888

Died

November 17, 1971

Biography

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The grand dame of English theater and a prolific screen actress, Gladys Cooper was one of the most revered performers of her generation. She began appearing as a photographic model as a child, and after her stage career began she became a popular pin-up postcard model for British troops during World War I. Her first film appearance was in the silent feature "The Eleventh Commandment" in ...

Filmography

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A Nice Girl Like Me (1969)

The Happiest Millionaire (1967)

Aunt Mary Drexel

My Fair Lady (1964)

The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)

Mrs. Karoudjian

Separate Tables (1958)

Maude Railton-Bell

The Man Who Loved Redheads (1954)

Photos & Videos

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Green Dolphin Street (1947) -- (Movie Clip) The Tide May Not Wait

Green Dolphin Street (1947) -- (Movie Clip) I'm Bold And Scheming

Family & Companions

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Philip Merivale

Husband

Actor. Married April 30, 1937; died.

Bibliography

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"Without Veils"

Gladys Cooper

Biography

The grand dame of English theater and a prolific screen actress, Gladys Cooper was one of the most revered performers of her generation. She began appearing as a photographic model as a child, and after her stage career began she became a popular pin-up postcard model for British troops during World War I. Her first film appearance was in the silent feature "The Eleventh Commandment" in 1913, but she continued acting on stage, earning notice for work in plays such as Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" in 1938 at the Open Air Theatre. Her first important film role was in Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca," and she had a supporting role in Alexander Korda's classic romance "That Hamilton Woman." One of her most famous roles came in 1942 when she played the mother of Bette Davis's character in the psychological drama "Now, Voyager"; both she and Davis earned Oscar nominations for their roles. Cooper remained a busy actress throughout the rest of the '40s and '50s and earned another Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her work in the historical drama "The Song of Bernadette." When the golden age of TV began, Cooper found steady work in classic dramatic shows like "Playhouse 90" and "Twilight Zone," appearing in three episodes of Rod Serling's sci-fi classic. Nearing the end of her career she had a starring role in the con-men sitcom "The Rogues" with co-star Charles Boyer, and played Mrs. Higgins in the film musical "My Fair Lady" earning plaudits--and awards--for both roles.

Filmography

Cast (Feature Film)

A Nice Girl Like Me (1969)

The Happiest Millionaire (1967)

Aunt Mary Drexel

My Fair Lady (1964)

The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)

Mrs. Karoudjian

Separate Tables (1958)

Maude Railton-Bell

The Man Who Loved Redheads (1954)

At Sword's Point (1952)

Thunder on the Hill (1951)

Mother Superior

Madame Bovary (1949)

The Secret Garden (1949)

The Bishop's Wife (1948)

Mrs. [Agnes] Hamilton

Homecoming (1948)

The Pirate (1948)

Green Dolphin Street (1947)

Sophie Patourel

The Cockeyed Miracle (1946)

The Green Years (1946)

Beware Of Pity (1946)

The Valley of Decision (1945)

The Song of Bernadette (1945)

Sister Marie Therese Vauzous

Love Letters (1945)

Beatrice Remington

The White Cliffs of Dover (1944)

Lady Jean Ashwood

Mrs. Parkington (1944)

Alice, Duchess of Brancourt

Princess O'Rourke (1943)

Forever and a Day (1943)

Mrs. [Nan] Barringer

Mr. Lucky (1943)

Captain Steadman

Eagle Squadron (1942)

This Above All (1942)

Now, Voyager (1942)

Mrs. Henry Vale

A Yank in the R.A.F. (1941)

The Black Cat (1941)

That Hamilton Woman (1941)

Lady Frances Nelson

The Gay Falcon (1941)

Kitty Foyle (1940)

The Iron Duke (1935)

Duchess of Angouleme

Bohemian Girl (1922)

Headin' North (1921)

Cast (Special)

Pygmalion (1963)

Life Events

1905

Debut as chorus girl

1914

Film acting debut

Photo Collections

Kitty Foyle - Scene Stills

Here are several scene stills from Kitty Foyle (1940), starring Ginger Rogers and Dennis Morgan.

The Secret Garden - Scene Stills

Here are a few scene stills from MGM's The Secret Garden (1949), starring Margaret O'Brien and Dean Stockwell.

Gladys Cooper - Publicity Photos

Here are a few publicity photos of Gladys Cooper.

Videos

Green Dolphin Street (1947) -- (Movie Clip) The Tide May Not Wait None of the principals appear here (except Donna Reed and Lana Turner, as the sisters Patourel, in a portrait) but MGM’s intentions are declared, Dame May Whitty oversees the convent on the fictional Channel Island of St. Pierre, a boffo SF/X backdrop and a visit to Gladys Cooper as the mom, in the 1947 disaster melodrama Green Dolphin Street.

Green Dolphin Street (1947) -- (Movie Clip) I'm Bold And Scheming Introduction of the sisters Patourel, on a fictional Channel Island ca. 1840, Donna Reed as Marguerite with their mom (Gladys Cooper), and Lana Turner as self-assured (and brunette!) Marianne with papa (Edmund Gwenn), noticing the arrival of a hunky new neighbor (Richard Hart), not knowing yet that his father was her mother’s major first love, early in MGM’s Green Dolphin Street, 1947.

Separate Tables (1958) -- (Movie Clip) Don't Get Into One Of Your States Opening scene, Delbert Mann directing, from Terence Rattigan’s screenplay based on his international hit play, we meet David Niven in his Academy Award-winning role as Major Pollock, Deborah Kerr as Sibyl, Gladys Cooper her mother, in Separate Tables, 1958.

Separate Tables (1958) -- (Movie Clip) Mayfair From Head To Foot Early evening at the Hotel Beauregard, guests (Felix Aylmer, May Hallatt, Cathleen Nesbitt, Gladys Cooper) are not expecting Rita Hayworth, as Ann Shankland, greeted by proprietor Pat (Wendy Hiller), and seeking a guest we’ve not yet met, in Separate Tables, 1958.

Separate Tables (1958) -- (Movie Clip) Propulsive Powers Of Irish Whiskey Sybil, her mother and Lady Matheson (Debora Herr, Gladys Cooper, Cathleen Nesbitt) react to the first appearance of Burt Lancaster as rogue-ish John Malcolm, whom we quickly learn has important relations with the hotel owner Pat (Wendy Hiller), in Separate Tables, 1958.

Song Of Bernadette, The (1945) -- (Movie Clip) This Girl Is Not Deserving Not bright Bernadette (Jennifer Jones) at school in Lourdes, scolded by her teacher (Gladys Cooper), defended somewhat by her sister (Ermadean Walters), all of them visited by Dean Peymarale (Charles Bickford), early in The Song Of Bernadette, 1945.

Secret Garden, The (1949) -- (Movie Clip) I'd Hoped You Might Be Beautiful Orphan Mary (Margaret O'Brien), caught while seeking the source of the night time screaming, is summoned to see her mysterious uncle (Herbert Marshall) who's adopted her, in The Secret Garden, 1949, directed by Fred M. Wilcox.

Bishop's Wife, The (1948) -- (Movie Clip) Lost April Dudley (Cary Grant),who has not informed anyone but the bishop (David Niven) that he's an angel, plays a song composed for the usually frosty Mrs. Hamilton (Gladys Cooper) on the harp in director Henry Koster's The Bishop's Wife, 1948, from a Robert Nathan story.

Now, Voyager (1942) -- (Movie Clip) He Wishes He Understood Me Psych patient Charlotte (Bette Davis), using her pseudonym, seen here for the first time since being sent on a cruise by Dr. Jaquith (Claude Rains), gets paired with fellow passenger Jerry (Paul Henreid, his first appearance) by the cruise director (Franklin Pangborn), in Now, Voyager, 1942.

Now, Voyager (1942) -- (Movie Clip) My Daughter's Bad Manners Scary Boston matron Mrs. Vale (Gladys Cooper) just tolerates daughter-in-law Lisa (Ilka Chase) bringing gracious prominent shrink Jaquith (Claude Rains) to meet troubled daughter Charlotte (Bette Davis, opening one of her finer performances), early in Now, Voyager, 1942.

Pirate, The (1948) -- (Movie Clip) Open, Manuela Opening credits, musical samples and the introduction of Judy Garland as Manuela, in the only MGM musical she made that lost money, directed by her husband Vincente Minnelli, in The Pirate, 1948, co-starring Gene Kelly, songs by Cole Porter.

Valley Of Decision, The (1945) -- (Movie Clip) I Got The First Boat Back Valley Of Decision, The (1945) -- (Movie Clip) I Got The First Boat Back

Now, Voyager - (Original Trailer) Lonely spinster Bette Davis lets herself fall for a married man during an ocean cruise in Now, Voyager (1942), co-starring Paul Henreid.

Companions

Philip Merivale

Husband

Actor. Married April 30, 1937; died.

Bibliography

"Without Veils"

Gladys Cooper

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