Net Worth Ranker
What Is Gary Cooper’s Net Worth?
At the time of his death in 1961, Gary Cooper, a major star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, had a net worth of $10 million. Adjusting for inflation, that’s equivalent to approximately $100 million in today’s dollars. His financial success stemmed from a prolific acting career that spanned from 1925 to 1961.
Gary Cooper’s Earnings and Financial Success
Gary Cooper’s financial trajectory saw significant milestones. In 1937, he became the highest-paid actor globally, surpassing Mae West, with earnings of $370,000 for that year. When adjusted for today’s value, this amount is roughly $6 million. Two years later, in 1939, the U.S. Treasury recognized Cooper as the highest wage-earner in the United States, reporting his income as $482,000 for the preceding year, which equates to around $8.6 million today.
One of Cooper’s strategies for maximizing income involved accepting a lower base salary in exchange for a percentage of a film’s profits, a practice advised by his friend James Stewart. This strategy proved lucrative. For instance, his role in the 1954 film “Vera Cruz” earned him a total of $1.4 million, approximately $13 million in today’s money.
Gary Cooper’s Early Career and Rise to Fame
Born Frank James Cooper on May 7, 1901, in Helena, Montana, Gary Cooper’s early life was rooted in the outdoors. His parents, Alice and Charles Cooper, were English immigrants. He and his older brother, Arthur, spent their formative years on their father’s 600-acre cattle ranch, where they developed skills in hunting, fishing, and horse riding. His early education began at Central Grade School in Helena.
Cooper’s formal education included a period in England, where he attended Dunstable Grammar School alongside his brother. Returning to Helena in 1912, he continued his schooling at Johnson Grammar School before attending Helena High School. He dropped out of high school after two years to work on the family ranch as a cowboy. Later, in 1919, he enrolled at Gallatin County High School in Bozeman, Montana. In 1922, Cooper enrolled at Grinnell College in Iowa to study art, but he left in early 1924. Later that year, he joined his parents after they relocated to Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, Cooper connected with Montana friends who worked as film extras and stunt riders in low-budget Westerns. Through them, he met rodeo champion Jay Talbot, who introduced him to a casting director. Cooper’s early roles consisted of uncredited parts in silent Westerns such as “The Thundering Herd,” “Wild Horse,” “Riders of the Purple Sage,” “The Lucky Horseshoe,” and “The Trail Rider.” He also appeared in “The Eagle,” “Ben-Hur,” and “The Johnstown Flood”. His first significant role came in the 1926 Western “The Winning of Barbara Worth.” In 1927, he secured major roles in “Children of Divorce,” “Wings,” “Arizona Bound,” and “Nevada.” By 1928, Cooper starred in films such as “The Legion of the Condemned” and “The First Kiss,” opposite leading ladies like Fay Wray. Films like “Beau Sabreur,” “Doomsday,” “Half a Bride,” and “Lilac Time” further established him in the industry.
Key Milestones in Gary Cooper’s Film Career
Gary Cooper’s ascent to Hollywood stardom solidified in 1929 with his first talkie, “The Virginian,” directed by Victor Fleming, which played a role in establishing the conventions of the Western genre. His popularity continued to rise, leading to roles in films such as “Only the Brave,” “The Texan,” “A Man from Wyoming,” “The Spoilers,” and “Morocco” in 1930. He followed these with “Fighting Caravans,” “City Streets,” “His Woman,” “Devil and the Deep,” and “A Farewell to Arms.” “A Farewell to Arms” was one of the biggest hit films of 1932.
In 1933, Cooper starred in Ernst Lubitsch’s screwball comedy “Design for Living”. Cooper’s films in 1934 included “Operator 13” and “Now and Forever,” which marked the first of seven collaborations with director Henry Hathaway. In 1935, he starred in Hathaway’s “Peter Ibbetson” and “The Lives of a Bengal Lancer,” as well as King Vidor’s “The Wedding Night.” His performances in Frank Borzage’s “Desire” and Frank Capra’s “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” in 1936 elevated his recognition. In “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town,” Cooper portrayed a folk hero, solidifying his reputation for playing good, honest American men. He earned his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance.
In 1936, he also starred in Lewis Milestone’s “The General Died at Dawn” and Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Plainsman.” In 1937, Cooper appeared in Henry Hathaway’s “Souls at Sea.” He starred in “The Adventures of Marco Polo,” “Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife,” and “The Cowboy and the Lady” in 1938. In 1939, Cooper starred in the adventure films “Beau Geste” and “The Real Glory.” In the early 1940s, Cooper’s career reached its zenith with hit films such as “The Westerner,” “North West Mounted Police,” “Meet John Doe,” “Sergeant York,” “Ball of Fire,” “The Pride of the Yankees,” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Alvin C. York in “Sergeant York.” He played Lou Gehrig in “The Pride of the Yankees,” earning him his third Academy Award nomination. Cooper received his fourth nomination for his performance in “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” In 1944, Cooper starred in “The Story of Dr. Wassell” and “Casanova Brown.” In 1945, he had success with “Along Came Jones” and “Saratoga Trunk.” Cooper’s only film in 1946 was “Cloak and Dagger.” In 1947, he starred in “Unconquered.” Cooper’s films in the late 1940s included “Good Sam,” “The Fountainhead,” and “Task Force.”
In the 1950s, Cooper starred in “Bright Leaf,” “Dallas,” “You’re in the Navy Now,” and “Distant Drums.” He made a comeback in “High Noon” in 1952. Cooper’s performance earned him his second Academy Award for Best Actor. He made films outside of the United States: “Return to Paradise,” “Blowing Wild,” “Garden of Evil,” and “Vera Cruz”. Over the rest of the decade, Cooper starred in films such as “The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell,” “Friendly Persuasion,” “Love in the Afternoon,” “Ten North Frederick,” “Man of the West,” “The Hanging Tree,” and “The Wreck of the Mary Deare.” His final film was “The Naked Edge” in 1961.
Gary Cooper’s Personal Life
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Cooper was romantically linked to actresses Clara Bow, Evelyn Brent, Lupe Vélez, Marlene Dietrich, and Carole Lombard. He also had a relationship with Countess Dorothy di Frasso. In 1933, he married Veronica Balfe, and they had a daughter, Maria, in 1937. During the 1940s, Cooper had affairs with actresses Ingrid Bergman and Patricia Neal, leading to a legal separation from his wife in 1951. They reconciled in early 1954. Later in life, Cooper was romantically involved with costume designer Irene. Cooper passed away on May 13, 1961.
