Jackie Cooper

Served with the Navy in the South Pacific toward the end of World War II. Then, quietly and without publicity or fanfare, compiled one of the most distinguished peacetime military careers of anyone in his profession. In 1961, as his weekly TV series Hennesey (1959) was enhancing naval recruiting efforts, accepted a commission as a line officer in the Naval Reserve with duties in recruitment, training films, and public relations. Holder of a multi-engine pilot license, he later co-piloted jet planes for the Navy, which made him an Honorary Aviator authorized to wear wings of gold-at the time only the third so honored in naval aviation history. By 1976 he had attained the rank of captain, and was in uniform aboard the carrier USS Constellation for the Bicentennial celebration on July 4. In 1980, the Navy proposed a period of active duty at the Pentagon that would have resulted in a promotion to rear admiral, bringing him even with Air Force Reserve Brigadier General James Stewart. Fresh on the heels of a second directing Emmy, he felt his absence would impact achieving a long-held goal of directing motion pictures, and reluctantly declined. (The opportunity in films never materialized.) Holds Letters of Commendation from six secretaries of the Navy. Was honorary chairman of the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation and a charter member of VIVA, the effort to return POW-MIAs from Vietnam. Upon retirement in 1982, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit by Navy Secretary John F. Lehman Jr.. Other than Stewart, no performer in his industry has achieved a higher uniformed rank in the U.S. military. (Glenn Ford was also a Naval Reserve captain, and director and Captain John Ford was awarded honorary flag rank upon his 1951 retirement from the Naval Reserve).

Known For	Acting
Most Rating	0.014
Birthday	1922-09-15
Place of Birth	Los Angeles, California, USA
Also Known As	John Cooper Jr.,

Superman

The Ghosts

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Superman II

Ziegfeld Girl

Superman III

The Champ

The Return of Frank James

Treasure Island

The Our Gang Story

Gangster's Boy

Skippy

Lone Cowboy

Chosen Survivors

Broadway to Hollywood

Glamour Boy

Syncopation

Men of Texas

The Navy Comes Through

Surrender

White Banners

Boxing Gloves

Pups Is Pups

Divorce In The Family

Everything's Ducky

Peck's Bad Boy

Fox Movietone Follies of 1929

Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1

The Astronaut

Journey into Fear

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Seventeen

Tough Guy

Hollywood on Parade No. A-3

Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring

Gallant Sons

Moan & Groan, Inc.

O'Shaughnessy's Boy

Where Are Your Children?

The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 2

Bear Facts

Dinky

Boy of the Streets

When the Wind Blows

Life with Henry

The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies

Newsboys' Home

The Bowery

Shivering Shakespeare

Bear Shooters

Bouncing Babies

The First Seven Years

Sports on the Silver Screen

The Day the Earth Moved

The Love Machine

What a Life

The Devil Is a Sissy

When a Feller Needs a Friend

The Christmas Party

The Spirit of Culver

Mobile Two

The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers

Sunny Side Up

Hollywood Cavalcade

School's Out

Little Daddy

A Tough Winter

Helping Grandma

Love Business

Teacher's Pet

The Making of 'Superman III'

Rodeo Dough

Stand Up and Be Counted

Shadow on the Land

French Leave

Soaring Stars

That Certain Age

The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 1

Scouts to the Rescue

Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood