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Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper

Actor, also producer · Died May 13, 1961, aged 60 · Helena, Montana, USA

Gary Cooper (May 7, 1901 - May 13, 1961) was an American film actor known for his natural, authentic, and understated acting style and screen performances. His career spanned thirty-six years, from 1925 to 1961, and included leading roles in eighty-four feature films. He was a major movie star from the end of the silent film era through to the end of the golden age of Classical Hollywood. His screen persona appealed strongly to both men and women, and his range of performances included roles in most major movie genres. Cooper's ability to project his own personality onto the characters he played contributed to his natural and authentic appearance on screen. Throughout his career, he sustained a screen persona that represented the ideal American hero.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 7, 1901
Died
May 13, 1961 (aged 60)
From
Helena, Montana, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
73 on Motif · 127 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 21% in 30 days

What are Gary Cooper's films like?

Across their 66 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama21 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
30%
Bonds
27%
Self
18%
Society
11%
Power
8%
Survival
5%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love26 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty11 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception10 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 66 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 26 · Serious 21 · Dark 19

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 33 · Stylized 27 · Heightened 6

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 17 · Charged 35 · Intense 14

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 33 · Shifting 29 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 39 · Some laughs 17 · Funny 10

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 30 · Even-paced 34 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 32 · Engaged 32 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 27 · Affecting 27 · Heavy 12

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 57 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

55 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 47 of 55 analyzed roles.

Hero
47 of 55
Mentor
3 of 55
Shapeshifter
3 of 55
Threshold guardian
1 of 55
Trickster
1 of 55
Show the 55 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
35
Romantic
22
Warm
16
Melancholic
23
Thrilling
15
Other
60

How their films linger

Feel-good27 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet25 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful18 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy30
  • Bittersweet26
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous5
  • Cyclical1
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Gary Cooper's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 73 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (23).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Gary Cooper's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

127 credits, 73 with a Motif page; 48 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Making Montgomery Clift(2018)

    as Prof. Bertram Potts

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • I Am Not Your Negro(2016)

    as Frank Flannagan

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Bright Leaves(2003)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Celluloid Closet(1995)

    as Légionnaire Tom Brown

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Marilyn Monroe (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    as archive footage

  • Going Hollywood: The '30s(1984)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Showbiz Goes to War(1982)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Last Remake of Beau Geste(1977)

    as Beau Geste (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Monty Python and the Holy Grail(1975)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Naked Edge(1961)

    as George Radcliffe

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The 10 from Texas (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

    as (archive footage)

  • The Wreck of the Mary Deare(1959)

    as Gideon Patch

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • They Came to Cordura(1959)

    as Major Thomas Thorn

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Alias Jesse James(1959)

    as Cowboy

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Hanging Tree(1959)

    as Dr. Joseph "Doc" Frail

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Man of the West(1958)

    as Link Jones

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Ten North Frederick (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    as Joseph B. 'Joe' Chapin

  • Love in the Afternoon(1957)

    as Frank Flannagan

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Friendly Persuasion(1956)

    as Jess Birdwell

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell(1955)

    as Col. Billy Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Vera Cruz(1954)

    as Benjamin Trane

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Garden of Evil(1954)

    as Hooker

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Boom on Paris (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    as lui-même

  • Blowing Wild(1953)

    as Jeff Dawson

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Return to Paradise (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1953)

    as Mr. Morgan

  • Springfield Rifle(1952)

    as Maj. Alex 'Lex' Kearney

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • High Noon(1952)

    as Marshal Will Kane

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Distant Drums(1951)

    as Capt. Quincy Wyatt

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Starlift (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    as Gary Cooper

  • It's a Big Country: An American Anthology(1951)

    as Texas

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • You're in the Navy Now(1951)

    as Lt. John W. Harkness

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Dallas(1950)

    as Blayde "Reb" Hollister

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Jack Benny Program (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Gary Cooper

  • Bright Leaf(1950)

    as Brant Royle

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Task Force(1949)

    as Jonathan L. Scott

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • It's a Great Feeling(1949)

    as Gary Cooper (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Fountainhead(1949)

    as Howard Roark

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Good Sam(1948)

    as Sam Clayton

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Unconquered(1947)

    as Captain Christopher Holden

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Variety Girl(1947)

    as Gary Cooper

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Cloak and Dagger(1946)

    as Prof. Alvah Jesper

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Saratoga Trunk(1945)

    as Colonel Clint Maroon

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Along Came Jones(1945)

    Producer · as Melody Jones

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Casanova Brown(1944)

    Producer · as Casanova (Cass) Brown

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Story of Dr. Wassell(1944)

    as Dr. Corydon M. Wassell

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • For Whom the Bell Tolls(1943)

    as Robert Jordan

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Pride of the Yankees(1942)

    as Henry Louis 'Lou' Gehrig

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Ball of Fire(1941)

    as Professor Bertram Potts

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Sergeant York(1941)

    as Alvin C. York

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Meet John Doe(1941)

    as Long John Willoughby

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • North West Mounted Police(1940)

    as Dusty Rivers

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Westerner(1940)

    as Cole Harden

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Real Glory(1939)

    as Doctor Canavan

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Beau Geste(1939)

    as Beau Geste

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Cowboy and the Lady(1938)

    as Stretch Willoughby

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Adventures of Marco Polo(1938)

    as Marco Polo

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Bluebeard's Eighth Wife(1938)

    as Michael Brandon

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Souls at Sea (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1937)

    as Michael 'Nuggin' Taylor

  • The General Died at Dawn(1936)

    as O'Hara

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Plainsman(1936)

    as Wild Bill Hickok

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Hollywood Boulevard (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    as Gary Cooper - Actor at Trocadero Bar (uncredited)

  • Desire(1936)

    as Tom Bradley

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town(1936)

    as Longfellow Deeds

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Peter Ibbetson(1935)

    as Peter Ibbetson

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1935)

    Actor

  • The Wedding Night(1935)

    as Tony Barrett

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Lives of a Bengal Lancer(1935)

    as Alan McGregor

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Now and Forever (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)

    as Jerome 'Jerry' Day

  • Operator 13 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)

    as Captain Jack Gailliard

  • Design for Living(1933)

    as George Curtis

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Alice in Wonderland(1933)

    as White Knight

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • One Sunday Afternoon(1933)

    as Biff Grimes

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Today We Live(1933)

    as Richard Bogard

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • A Farewell to Arms(1932)

    as Lt. Frederic Henry

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • If I Had a Million(1932)

    as Steve Gallagher

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Devil and the Deep(1932)

    as Lt. Sempter

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Make Me a Star(1932)

    as Gary Cooper (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • His Woman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    as Captain Sam Whalan

  • I Take This Woman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    as Tom McNair

  • City Streets (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    as The Kid

  • The Stolen Jools (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    as Newspaper Editor

  • Fighting Caravans(1931)

    as Clint Belmet

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Morocco(1930)

    as Légionnaire Tom Brown

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • The Spoilers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1930)

    as Roy Glenister

  • A Man from Wyoming(1930)

    as Jim Baker

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Texan (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1930)

    as Enrique, aka 'Quico,' The Llano Kid

  • Paramount on Parade (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1930)

    as Hunter (Dream Girl)

  • Only the Brave (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1930)

    as Capt. James Braydon

  • Seven Days Leave(1930)

    as Kenneth Dowey

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Virginian (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1929)

    as The Virginian

  • Betrayal (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1929)

    as Andre Frey

  • Wolf Song (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1929)

    as Sam Lash

  • The Shopworn Angel (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)

    as William Tyler

  • Lilac Time (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)

    as Capt. Philip Blythe

  • The First Kiss (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)

    as Mulligan Talbot

  • Half a Bride (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)

    as Capt. Edmunds

  • The Legion of the Condemned (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)

    as Gale Price

  • Doomsday (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)

    as Arnold Furze

  • Beau Sabreur (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1928)

    as Maj. Henri de Beaujolais

  • Wings(1927)

    as Cadet White

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Nevada (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)

    as Nevada

  • The Last Outlaw (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)

    as Sheriff Buddy Hale

  • Children of Divorce (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)

    as Edward D. 'Ted' Larrabee

  • Arizona Bound (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)

    as Dave Saulter

  • It (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1927)

    as Newspaper Reporter (uncredited)

  • Bad Man's Bluff (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)

    as Cowboy (uncredited)

  • Old Ironsides (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)

    as Seaman (uncredited)

  • Lightnin' Flashes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)

    as (uncredited)

  • The Winning of Barbara Worth(1926)

    as Abe Lee

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Lightnin' Wins (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)

    as Tom Harding

  • Watch Your Wife (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)

    as Bit part (uncredited)

  • A Six Shootin' Romance (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)

    as (uncredited)

  • The Johnstown Flood (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)

    as Flood Survivor (uncredited)

  • Three Pals (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1926)

    as Car Driver Flirting with Betty

  • North Star (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Townsman (uncredited)

  • Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ(1925)

    as Roman Guard (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Tricks (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Rider (uncredited)

  • The Eagle(1925)

    as Masked Cossack (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Vanishing American (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as (uncredited)

  • Wild Horse Mesa (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Cowboy

  • The Lucky Horseshoe (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Unknown-Doubtful (uncredited)

  • The Drug Store Cowboy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Cowboy Whose Horse is Being Shod (uncredited)

  • Riders of the Purple Sage (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Rider (uncredited)

  • The Thundering Herd (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Buffalo Hunter (uncredited)

  • The Trail Rider (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Rider (uncredited)

  • Dick Turpin (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Crowd Extra (uncredited)

  • Warrior Gap (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1925)

    as Bit part

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 124 titles from 1925 to 2004; peak year 1961.

Biggest box office

Sergeant York (1941)

$16M worldwide

Highest rated

High Noon (1952)

Midcredits 97th

Film career

19252004

Peak 1961 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 33 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting123 of 124: 122 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thProducing1 of 124: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 124: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1920s38 · acting1930s37 · acting1940s18 · 18 acting · 1 crew1950s23 · acting1960s2 · acting1970s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew1980s3 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 78% of 49 roles
2535404555

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Gary Cooper's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 70th percentile, the median of all 73; across their 66 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Approval · how many liked their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Reach · how many have seen their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 66

Midcredits score across 73 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up33
  • 50th to 74th32
  • 25th to 49th8

Shape of the crowd

49 of their 73 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Crowd Pleaser49
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984)

72nd percentile spread · 12% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

High Noon (1952)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 61 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Gary Cooper's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 Motif titles with content scores, profanity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles30–62 · median 50 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity12 titles4–33 · median 26 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles3–38 · median 12 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles28–37 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles22–64 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Gary Cooper work with?

People who share at least 2 of Gary Cooper's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Samuel Goldwyn shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles