Cooper as Daily Planet editor Perry White in the hit 1979 film Superman.
Veteran Hollywood actor Jackie Cooper has died, aged 88. A former child star, Cooper was best known for playing Daily Planet editor Perry White, alongside Christopher Reeve as Superman in the hit films. Cooper died from an undisclosed illness on Tuesday at a Los Angeles hospital, his agent Ronnie Leif said.
Cooper first appeared in films as an extra with his grandmother, who would bring him along in hopes of aiding her own attempts to get extra work. But he was soon appearing in starring roles. He began an on-screen partnership with actor Wallace Beery in such films as The Champ (1931), The Bowery (1933), The Choices of Andy Purcell (1933), Treasure Island (1934), and O’Shaughnessy’s Boy (1935).
After serving in the Second World War, Cooper struggled to make the transition to actor and appeared in a handful of TV roles.
He then spent time in the business side of television.
From 1964 to 1969, Cooper was vice president of program development at Columbia Pictures Screen Gems TV division.
He was responsible for packaging series, such as Bewitched, and other projects and selling them to the networks.
After successfully making the often difficult transition to become an adult star, Cooper then became a director.
He earn Emmys for his roles behind the camera at MASH and The White Shadow.
Cooper found renewed fame in the 1970s and 1980s as Daily Planet editor Perry White in the Superman films.
He was married three times, to June Horne (1944–1949), Hildy Parks (1950–1951); and to Barbara Kraus from 1954 until her death in 2009.
He had a son with June and three children with Barbara.