Ralph Cooper
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Biography
Best known for founding (in 1934) and emceeing the Amateur Night at the historic Apollo Theater, where talents such as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday received early exposure. Cooper also played supporting roles in Hollywood features such as Josef von Sternberg's "Blonde Venus" (1932), Henry King's "Lloyd's of London" (1936) and Irving Cummings' "White Hunter" (1936), and choreographed Cummings' Shirley Temple vehicle, "Poor Little Rich Girl" (1936).
The star of several films produced for segregated black audiences in the 1930s, Cooper appropriately served as special consultant to "The Cotton Club" (1984), Francis Ford Coppola's ode to 1930s Harlem night life.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Dance (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Life Events
1932
Played supporting role in Josef von Sternberg's "Blonde Venus" starring Marlene Dietrich
1934
Founded and emceed the Apollo Theater Amateur Night contest that introduced such talents as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Billie Holiday
1936
Choreographed dance numbers for "Poor Little Rich Girl" starring Shirley Temple
1984
Served as special consultant to production of Francis Coppola's "The Cotton Club"
1984
Resumed emcee duties for Amateur Night when the Apollo reopened under the sponsorship of Coca Cola
Family
Companions
