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Merian C. Cooper is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Associate Producer, Director of Photography and Presenter American born on 24 october 1893 at Jacksonville (USA)

Merian C. Cooper

Merian C. Cooper
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Birth name Merian Caldwell Cooper
Nationality USA
Birth 24 october 1893 at Jacksonville (USA)
Death 21 april 1973 (at 79 years) at San Diego (USA)
Creator of Argosy Pictures

Merian Caldwell Cooper (October 24, 1893 – April 21, 1973) was an American aviator, United States Air Force and Polish Air Force officer, adventurer, screenwriter, film director and producer. His most famous film was the 1933 movie King Kong.

Biography

Early life
Merian Caldwell Cooper was born to John C. Cooper, an American of English descent, and the former Mary Caldwell, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was educated at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey and entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1912 but resigned in 1915 (his senior year) in a dispute over his belief in air power which the Navy did not share. In 1916, he joined the Georgia National Guard to help chase Pancho Villa in Mexico.


World War I
Cooper served as a DH-4 bomber pilot with the United States Army Air Service during World War I. He was shot down and captured by the Germans, serving out the remainder of the war in a POW camp. Captain Cooper remained in the Air Service after the war, despite serious burns to his arms incurred in the crash of his DH-4. In January 1919, while on special duty with the American Red Cross in France, he located the grave of Lieutenant Frank Luke, Jr., America's second-highest-scoring ace of World War I, near the village of Murvaux.


Poland

From late 1919 until the 1921 Treaty of Riga, Cooper was a member of a volunteer American flight squadron, the Kościuszko Squadron, which supported the Polish Army in the Polish-Soviet War. On July 26, 1920, his plane was shot down, and he spent nearly 9 months in a Soviet prisoner of war camp, where he was interviewed by the writer Isaac Babel. He escaped just before the war was over and made it to Latvia. For valor he was decorated by Polish commander-in-chief Józef Piłsudski with the highest Polish military decoration, the Virtuti Militari.

During his time as a POW, Cooper wrote an autobiography: Things Men Die For by "C". He turned the manuscript over to Dagmar Matson to type for publisher submission. It was submitted to G. P. Putnam's Sons in New York (the Knickerbocker Press) in 1927 and published that same year. Just after the book's release, he changed his mind about releasing the personal details about "Nina" (Małgorzata Słomczyńska, his out of wedlock relation in Poland) and asked Dagmar to buy up every copy that she could find. She managed to acquire most of the 5,000 copies that had been released. Cooper and Dagmar each kept a copy, while the rest were eventually destroyed. Dagmar sent Nina money every month, on behalf of Cooper, until his death.


Pan American Airways
Cooper was a founding member of the board of directors of Pan American Airways, serving on the board for decades. He was a pioneer in the use of aircraft, military and civilian. During his tenure at Pan Am, the company established the first regularly scheduled transatlantic service.


World War II
He re-enlisted and was commissioned a colonel in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He served with Col. Robert L. Scott in India as a logistics liaison for the Doolittle Raid. They then went to Dinjan Airfield, Assam, and with Col. Caleb V. Haynes, a bomber pilot, set up the Assam-Burma-China Ferrying Command, which was the origin of The Hump Airlift. He later served in China as chief of staff for General Claire Chennault of the China Air Task Force – precursor of the Fourteenth Air Force – then from 1943 to 1945 in the Southwest Pacific as chief of staff for the Fifth Air Force's Bomber Command.

Leading many missions and carefully planning them to minimize loss of life, he was known for his hard work and relentless planning. At the end of the war, he was promoted to brigadier general. For his contributions, he was also aboard the USS Missouri to witness Japan's surrender.


Later life
In the 1950s he supported Joseph McCarthy in his crusade to root out Communists in Hollywood and Washington, D.C. Cooper died of cancer in San Diego.


Personal life
Cooper was the father of Polish translator and writer Maciej Słomczyński. He later married film actress Dorothy Jordan.

Best films

Kong: Skull Island (2017)
(Characters)
King Kong (2005)
(Scriptwriter)
King Kong (1976)
(Idea)
The Searchers (1956)
(Executive Producer)
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
(Producer)
The Quiet Man (1952)
(Producer)

Usually with

Max Steiner
Max Steiner
(36 films)
Walter Plunkett
Walter Plunkett
(32 films)
John Ford
John Ford
(11 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Merian C. Cooper (73 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Cinerama Adventure, 1h33
Origin USA
Genres Documentary
Themes Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry
Actors Carroll Baker, Merian C. Cooper, Joe Dante, Russ Tamblyn, Kevin Brownlow, Mike Todd Jr.
Roles Self (archive)
Rating76% 3.8144853.8144853.8144853.8144853.814485
Documentaire à propos du parcours du Cinérama entre 1952 et 1962, procédé technique permettant de tourner des films dans un format très large à l'aide de trois caméras. Le Cinérama est à l'origine du cinémascope que nous connaissons bien aujourd'hui.
King Kong
King Kong (1933)
, 1h35
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Films about films, Dinosaur films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about apes, King Kong films, Giant monster films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Disaster films
Actors Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong, Frank Reicher, Steve Clemente, James Flavin
Roles Pilot of Plane that Kills Kong (uncredited)
Rating78% 3.947553.947553.947553.947553.94755
In New York Harbor, Carl Denham, famous for making wildlife films in remote and exotic locations, charters Captain Englehorn's ship Venture for his new project, but he is unable to secure an actress for a female role he reluctantly added. Denham searches the streets of New York for a suitable woman. He meets penniless Ann Darrow and convinces her to join him for the adventure of a lifetime. The Venture quickly gets underway. The surly first mate, Jack Driscoll, gradually falls in love with Ann. After weeks of secrecy, Denham finally tells Englehorn and Driscoll that their destination is Skull Island, an uncharted island shown on a map in Denham's possession. Denham speaks of something monstrous there, a legendary entity known only as "Kong".

Director

This Is Cinerama, 2h3
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper, Gunther von Fritsch, Michael Todd, Mike Todd Jr.
Origin USA
Genres Documentary
Rating68% 3.431953.431953.431953.431953.43195
The film begins in black-and-white and in standard 4:3 aspect ratio, as travel writer and newscaster Lowell Thomas appears on screen to discuss the evolution of motion picture entertainment, from the earliest cave paintings designed to suggest movement, up to the introduction of color and sound. At the conclusion of the 12-minute lecture, Thomas speaks the words "This is Cinerama" and the screen expands into the full Cinerama aspect ratio and colour as a series of vignettes, narrated by Thomas begin.
The Last Days of Pompeii, 1h36
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Adventure, Historical
Themes Films set in Africa, La fin du monde, Sports films, Volcanisme, Films about volcanoes, Disaster films
Actors Preston Foster, Alan Hale, Basil Rathbone, David Jack Holt, Dorothy Wilson, John Wood
Rating63% 3.192983.192983.192983.192983.19298
In the time of Jesus Christ, blacksmith Marcus (Preston Foster) is content with his life, beautiful wife Julia (Gloria Shea) and six-month-old son. However, when Julia and their child are run down by a chariot in the streets of Pompeii, Marcus spends the little money he has to pay for a doctor and medicine. Needing more, in desperation, he becomes a gladiator. He wins his fight, but in vain; his wife and child die.
King Kong
King Kong (1933)
, 1h35
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Films about films, Dinosaur films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about apes, King Kong films, Giant monster films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Disaster films
Actors Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong, Frank Reicher, Steve Clemente, James Flavin
Rating78% 3.947553.947553.947553.947553.94755
In New York Harbor, Carl Denham, famous for making wildlife films in remote and exotic locations, charters Captain Englehorn's ship Venture for his new project, but he is unable to secure an actress for a female role he reluctantly added. Denham searches the streets of New York for a suitable woman. He meets penniless Ann Darrow and convinces her to join him for the adventure of a lifetime. The Venture quickly gets underway. The surly first mate, Jack Driscoll, gradually falls in love with Ann. After weeks of secrecy, Denham finally tells Englehorn and Driscoll that their destination is Skull Island, an uncharted island shown on a map in Denham's possession. Denham speaks of something monstrous there, a legendary entity known only as "Kong".
The Four Feathers, 1h20
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper, Lothar Mendes
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Adventure
Themes Political films
Actors Fay Wray, Richard Arlen, Clive Brook, William Powell, Theodore von Eltz, Noah Beery Sr.
Rating69% 3.4751853.4751853.4751853.4751853.475185
Le jeune lieutenant Harry Feversham, descendant d'une famille de militaires au service de l'Angleterre, vit dans la crainte de déshonorer le nom de ses ancêtres à cause de sa lâcheté. Lorsqu'il apprend que son régiment est envoyé en mission en Afrique pour maîtriser une révolte de derviches fanatiques, Feversham résilie son contrat. Ses trois compagnons, le capitaine Trench et les lieutenants Castleton et Durrance lui remettent alors chacun une plume blanche, symbole de lâcheté, la quatrième lui est donnée par sa fiancée. Mais lorsqu'en Afrique, ses trois camarades tombent aux mains de l'ennemi, Un Feversham métamorphosé réussit, par une série d'actes audacieux, à les sauver. Il peut alors leur rendre les plumes.
Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness, 1h10
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Documentary, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Mise en scène d'un éléphant, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Rating68% 3.442783.442783.442783.442783.44278
In the directors' own words, Chang is a "melodrama with man, the jungle, and wild animals as its cast." Kru, the farmer depicted in the film, battles leopards, tigers, and even a herd of elephants, all of which pose a constant threat to his livelihood. As filmmakers, Cooper and Schoedsack attempted to capture real life with their cameras, though they often re-staged events that had not been captured adequately on film. The danger was real to all the people and animals involved. Tigers, leopards, and bears are slaughtered on camera, while the film's climax shows Kru's house being demolished by a stampeding elephant.

Scriptwriter

Kong: Skull Island, 1h58
Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Kaiju films, Films about magic and magicians, La préhistoire, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about cephalopods, Films about apes, King Kong films, Giant monster films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Disaster films
Actors Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Toby Kebbell, Michael Keaton, Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins
Roles Characters
Rating66% 3.347553.347553.347553.347553.34755
En 1944, alors que la guerre du Pacifique fait rage, deux pilotes s'écrasent sur une île inconnue. L'un est Américain, l'autre est Japonais. Alors qu'ils s'affrontent sur place, ils sont brusquement interrompus par une gigantesque créature.
King Kong
King Kong (2005)
, 3h7
Directed by Peter Jackson
Origin Nouvelle zelande
Genres Drama, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about apes, King Kong films, Giant monster films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Disaster films
Actors Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks, Jamie Bell
Rating71% 3.59733.59733.59733.59733.5973
In 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, New York City vaudeville actress Ann Darrow has lost her job and is hired by financially troubled filmmaker Carl Denham to star in his new film. Ann signs on when she learns her favorite playwright, Jack Driscoll, is the screenwriter. As their tramp steamer, the SS Venture, makes the lengthy journey to the remote and mysterious Skull Island, Ann and Jack fall in love. Captain Englehorn begins having second thoughts about the voyage, prompted by crew speculation of trouble ahead.
Mighty Joe Young, 1h54
Directed by Ron Underwood
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about animals, Films about apes, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Bill Paxton, Charlize Theron, Rade Šerbedžija, Frank Welker, Peter Firth, Regina King
Roles Story
Rating57% 2.8560452.8560452.8560452.8560452.856045
Jill Young is seen as a child at the beginning of the film when she witnesses the death of her mother, Ruth Young (Linda Purl), and the mother of Joe, an infant mountain gorilla, at the hands of poachers led by Andrei Strasser (Rade Šerbedžija). Strasser loses both his right thumb and trigger finger to Joe, and swears revenge on the gorilla for the damage. Before she dies, Ruth tells Jill to take care of Joe, to which Jill agrees. Twelve years later, Jill has raised Joe who, because of a rare genetic anomaly, has now grown to a height of 16 1/2-feet (5 meters) and weighs 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms). As a result, the other gorillas won't accept him and both are now living in relative peace until a wildlife refuge director, Gregg O'Hara (Bill Paxton), convinces Jill that they would be safer from poachers if they relocate to the United States.
King Kong Lives, 1h45
Directed by Matt Earl Beesley, Brian W. Cook, John Guillermin
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror, Romance
Themes Films about animals, Pregnancy films, Films about magic and magicians, La préhistoire, Animaux préhistoriques, Films about apes, King Kong films, Giant monster films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Disaster films
Actors Linda Hamilton, Brian Kerwin, John Ashton, Peter Elliott, Peter Michael Goetz, Mike Starr
Roles Characters
Rating39% 1.9690951.9690951.9690951.9690951.969095
King Kong, after being shot down from the World Trade Center, is kept alive in a coma for about 10 years at the Atlanta Institute, under the care of surgeon Dr. Amy Franklin (Linda Hamilton). In order to save Kong's life, Dr. Franklin must perform a heart transplant and give Kong a computer-monitored artificial heart. However, he lost so much blood that a transfusion is badly needed, and to complicate matters, Franklin says there no species of ape or other animal whose blood type matches Kong's. Enter adventurer Hank "Mitch" Mitchell (Brian Kerwin), who captures a giant female gorilla, who is dubbed "Lady Kong"; in Borneo (Mitchell theorizes that Borneo and the island from the first movie were once part of the same landmass), bringing her to the Institute so her blood can be used for Kong's operation. The transfusion and the heart transplant are a success, but Kong escapes along with the female.
King Kong
King Kong (1976)
, 2h14
Directed by John Guillermin
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, La préhistoire, Transport films, Animaux préhistoriques, Natural horror films, Films about apes, King Kong films, Giant monster films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Disaster films
Actors Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, Jessica Lange, René Auberjonois, Jack O'Halloran, Ed Lauter
Roles Idea
Rating59% 2.953492.953492.953492.953492.95349
Fred Wilson (Charles Grodin), an executive of the Petrox Oil Company, forms an expedition based on infrared imagery which reveals a previously undiscovered Indian Ocean island hidden by a permanent cloud bank. Wilson believes the island has a huge deposit of oil. Jack Prescott (Jeff Bridges), a primate paleontologist who wants to see the island for himself, stows away on the expedition's vessel. Prescott reveals himself when he warns the crew the cloud bank may be caused by an unknown beast. Wilson orders Prescott locked up, claiming that he is really a spy from a rival oil company. While escorted to lock-up, Prescott spots a life raft which carries the beautiful and unconscious Dwan (Jessica Lange). Wilson conducts a thorough background check on Prescott and realizes he is telling the truth. He appoints Prescott the expedition's official photographer and requests that he be present when Dwan revives because of his medical background. Upon waking, Dwan says she is an aspiring actress who was aboard a director's yacht which suddenly exploded.
Mighty Joe Young, 1h33
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about animals, Films about apes, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Terry Moore, Ben Johnson, Robert Armstrong, Frank McHugh, Douglas Fowley, Nestor Paiva
Roles Story
Rating69% 3.4936553.4936553.4936553.4936553.493655
In 1937 Tanganyika Territory, Africa, eight-year-old Jill Young (Lora Lee Michel) is living with her father on his ranch. While in her yard, two Africans come by with an orphaned baby gorilla; Jill so wants a pet that she trades her toys and money for him, vowing to always care for the gorilla.