Gary Cooper Born May 7, 1901 in Helena, Montana, USA Died May 13, 1961 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (prostate cancer) Birth Name Frank James Cooper Nicknames Coop Cowboy Cooper The Montana Mule Studs Height 6' 3" (1,91 m) Born to Alice Cooper and Charles Cooper. Gary attended school at Dunstable school England, Helena Montana and Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa (then called Iowa College). His first stage experience was during high school and college. Afterwards, he worked as an extra for one year before getting a part in a two-reeler by the independent producer Hans Tiesler . Eileen Sedgwick was his first leading lady. He then appeared in The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926) for United Artists before moving to Paramount. While there he appeared in a small part in Wings (1927), It (1927), and other films.He was born on the 7th of May in 1961 in Helena, Montana and began as a political cartoonist and went to California in the early 20's and found himself playing extra roles and bit parts in Western films. Stardom came in 1926 when he landed the second lead in a big Western The Winning of Barbara Worth. He remained a major star until his death in 1961, He won Oscars for Sergeant York and High Noon. He was married to Veronica Balfe and they had a daughter Marie.