Miriam Cooper (born Marian Cooper; November 7, 1891 – April 12, 1976) was a
silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
actress who is best known for her work in early film including ''
The Birth of a Nation
''The Birth of a Nation'', originally called ''The Clansman'', is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and play ''The Cla ...
'' and ''
Intolerance
Intolerance may refer to:
* Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction or intolerance) refers to undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity. They are usual ...
'' for
D. W. Griffith and ''The Honor System'' and ''
Evangeline
''Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie'' is an epic poem by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written in English and published in 1847. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during t ...
'' for her husband
Raoul Walsh. She retired from acting in 1924 but was rediscovered by the film community in the 1960s, and toured colleges lecturing about silent films.
Early life
Miriam Cooper was born to Julian James Cooper and Margaret Stewart Cooper in
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
on November 7, 1891. Her mother was from a devout
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
family with a long history in Baltimore. Her paternal grandfather had helped discover
Navassa Island
Navassa Island (; ht, Lanavaz; french: l'île de la Navasse, sometimes ) is a small uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea. Located northeast of Jamaica, south of Cuba, and west of Jérémie on the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti, it is subject ...
and made his wealth from selling
guano
Guano (Spanish from qu, wanu) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. G ...
. Her father was attending Loyola University when he met her mother. Her parents had 5 children in 5 years (one died in infancy) including her sister Lenore and her brothers Nelson and Gordon.
When Miriam was young, her father abandoned the family and went to Europe. Until that point the family had lived comfortably in Washington Heights, but Julian Cooper kept the inheritance, leaving the family destitute. They moved to Little Italy, which Cooper despised. Cooper had a troubled relationship with her mother, whom Cooper loved but felt was cold to her. Once during her childhood her mother told her she hated Miriam for looking like her (Miriam's) father. Her mother remarried in 1914.
During this time, Cooper found solace by playing in an abandoned Dutch cemetery. She would lie on the graves and daydream. To make her sister Lenore behave, she also became a storyteller, repeating
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
's poem "
The Raven
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a distraught lover who is paid a myste ...
" and saying it was named for her. Cooper cited these experiences as great influences both on her acting and on her
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
faith.
Never intending to be an actress, Cooper originally had trained to be a painter. She attended St. Walpurga's School with the help of the nuns, who arranged her tuition. From there she attended art school at New York's
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union) is a private college at Cooper Square in New York City. Peter Cooper founded the institution in 1859 after learning about the government-supported École Polytechnique in ...
, again with help from the parish.
At the suggestion of a friend of her mother's, Cooper posed for
Charles Dana Gibson
Charles Dana Gibson (September 14, 1867 – December 23, 1944) was an American illustrator. He was best known for his creation of the Gibson Girl, an iconic representation of the beautiful and independent Euro-American woman at the turn of the ...
at the age of 21. It was the first painting Gibson had done in
oils
An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...
.
Soon after, on a friend's suggestion, Cooper went to
Biograph Studios
Biograph Studios was an early film studio and laboratory complex, built in 1912 by the Biograph Company at 807 East 175th Street, in The Bronx, New York City, New York.
History
Early years
The first studio of the Biograph Company, formerly ...
, just to see what they were doing there. Cooper had only seen one flicker behind her mother's back and hadn't been impressed with it. Able to walk right up to the set, the two girls watched the filming of part of "A Blot on The 'Scutcheon", being directed by
D. W. Griffith. One of the assistants,
Christy Cabanne
William Christy Cabanne (April 16, 1888 – October 15, 1950) was an American film director, screenwriter, and silent film actor.
Biography
Born in 1888, Cabanne (pronounced CAB-a-nay) started his career on stage as an actor and director. He a ...
, approached them and asked if they would like to be extras. They were given the choice of 'page boy' or 'scullery maid'. Cooper did not want to wear slacks, so she chose 'scullery maid'. Her friend backed out, but Cooper stayed for the $5 a day pay.
Ford Sterling
Ford Sterling (born George Ford Stich Jr.; November 3, 1883 – October 13, 1939) was an American comedian and actor best known for his work with Keystone Studios. One of the 'Big 4', he was the original chief of the Keystone Cops.
Biography
...
's wife Teddy Sampson tried to sabotage Cooper's make up, but
Mack Sennett
Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American film actor, director, and producer, and studio head, known as the 'King of Comedy'.
Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he started in films in the ...
and
Mabel Normand spotted her and helped her. After shooting, Cooper was asked to stay in costume as Griffith wanted to
screen test
A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a came ...
her.
Kalem Company
![Miriam Cooper 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Miriam_Cooper_01.JPG)
Cooper never heard back from Biograph and, interested in making more money, she approached
Edison Studios
Edison Studios was an American film production organization, owned by companies controlled by inventor and entrepreneur, Thomas Edison. The studio made close to 1,200 films, as part of the Edison Manufacturing Company (1894–1911) and then Thom ...
and
Vitagraph
Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, ...
, but was turned away. In 1912
Kalem Company
The Kalem Company was an early American film studio founded in New York City in 1907. It was one of the first companies to make films abroad and to set up winter production facilities, first in Florida and then in California. Kalem was sold to V ...
hired her and used her as an extra. As her roles grew she was invited to join their
stock performance company, which was heading for
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
to film. Cooper was offered $35 a week plus expenses. She was initially hesitant to confess her career to her family but changed her mind when she returned home to find they had been given hand-me-downs from a very large, recently deceased, aunt. Deciding she could no longer live that way, Cooper announced her plans, much to her mother's despair.
Filming took place in
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
with
Anna Q. Nilsson
Anna Quirentia Nilsson (March 30, 1888 – February 11, 1974) was a Swedish-American actress who achieved success in American silent movies.
Early life
Nilsson was born in Ystad, Sweden in 1888. Her middle name Quirentia is derived from her ...
and
Guy Coombs as the leads. For the 50th anniversary of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, the company made several Civil War-themed shorts. For these films, Cooper learned to play drums and ride horseback. She was already able to swim, and these skills were used in several of her shorts.
As time passed Cooper's roles grew in size and she received favorable reviews. Feeling her roles were as big as Nilsson's (who was making $65 a week) and much more dangerous, she requested a raise. They fired her that weekend and she returned to New York and to art school at Cooper Union.
D. W. Griffith years
After returning to New York, Cooper decided once again to try
D. W. Griffith. She went to the Biograph offices every day for a week but no one took notice of her. While leaving school one day, she ran again into Christy Cabanne, who had helped her on her first day as an extra. He was excited to have found her as Griffith had been looking for her but since she did not have a telephone number they had been unable to find her. Her first day back at Biograph, Griffith called her into his office five times, but sent her away each time. The final time he asked her to rehearse a scene with
Bobby Harron
Robert Emmett Harron (April 12, 1893 – September 5, 1920) was an American motion picture actor of the early silent film era. Although he acted in over 200 films, he is possibly best recalled for his roles in the D.W. Griffith directed film ...
, telling her Bobby was playing her sweetheart, a
confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
soldier going off to war. Pleased with what he'd seen, Griffith told her they would leave for
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, where he would make a picture about the Civil War. She would make $35 a week.
![Betrayed 1917](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Betrayed_1917.jpg)
Cooper began work on several pictures for Reliance Majestic, which were made under Griffith's supervision, and began preparations for ''The Birth of a Nation''. She stated she didn't remember being in several films as she was never told which scenes she played ended up in which picture. During this time she acted in one of Griffith's first attempts at a feature, ''
Home, Sweet Home'' (1914), although she also didn't remember anything about that film.
After working several months for the company, Cooper's star was rising and she was given a star dressing room with
Mae Marsh
Mae Marsh (born Mary Wayne Marsh; November 9, 1894U.S. Census records for 1900, El Paso, Texas, Sheet No. 6 – February 13, 1968) was an American film actress with a career spanning over 50 years.
Early life
Mae Marsh was born Mary Wayne M ...
. She couldn't recall the start of ''The Birth of a Nation'' other than Griffith announced he was making his Civil War picture, and they still did not use scripts. Cooper was given one of the leading roles as the eldest Southern daughter Margaret Cameron. As was standard at the time, Cooper did her own makeup and hair.
Cooper lived the role and found her only truly difficult scene came acting opposite
Henry B. Walthall
Henry Brazeale Walthall (March 16, 1878 – June 17, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. He appeared as the Little Colonel in D. W. Griffith's ''The Birth of a Nation'' (1915).
Early life
Henry B. Walthall was born March 16, 1878 on a ...
, whom she found cold and difficult. After having troubles in rehearsal with the scene, she also had trouble while filming. To get her to act upset in the scene Griffith took her aside and told her that her mother had died. Despite the trick, Cooper was never angry with him for it. Cooper's sister Lenore visited her while filming and ended up as an extra playing
Lillian Gish
Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893February 27, 1993) was an American actress, director, and screenwriter. Her film-acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912, in silent film shorts, to 1987. Gish was called the "First Lady of American Cinema", ...
's maid in
blackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person.
In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...
.
While having trouble funding the film, Griffith offered Cooper a chance to invest in it, but Cooper had no money. Had she invested, Cooper would have made thousands back.
Cooper was too ill to see the picture when it premiered in Los Angeles. She finally was able to see it in April 1915, in New York. On the advice of
Norma Talmadge
Norma Marie Talmadge (May 2, 1894 – December 24, 1957) was an American actress and film producer of the silent era. A major box-office draw for more than a decade, her career reached a peak in the early 1920s, when she ranked among the most pop ...
, she asked to get her family in for free, which the theater allowed. Although she acknowledged the picture's racist tones, Cooper never denounced it. She attended several revival screenings of it in her later years and stated that she was very glad her legacy would be that of a young girl on screen in the film.
Cooper was then given the role of 'The Friendless One' in ''
Intolerance
Intolerance may refer to:
* Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction or intolerance) refers to undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity. They are usual ...
''. Cooper noted she played 'a fallen woman' not a 'prostitute', as some sources claimed. During the filming of the scene where 'The Friendless One' is conflicted with inner torment, a photographer from ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' took pictures while Cooper acted. Stills were usually taken after scenes had been filmed. This was the first time they were taken during the actual filming. While Griffith finished ''Intolerance'', Cooper worked on a handful of shorts under other directors for Reliance Majestic. These were her final shorts.
In late 1915 Cooper began traveling between New York and California to spend more time with Raoul Walsh. The couple secretly married in February 1916, before Cooper returned to California.
Cooper noted Griffith seemed to treat her differently from other actresses by continually giving her bigger parts (Griffith was known for casting an actress as a lead one day and a bit role the next to keep egos in check). After returning to California, Griffith called Cooper into his office and gave her a leather bound copy of ''
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
''Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám'' is the title that Edward FitzGerald gave to his 1859 translation from Persian to English of a selection of quatrains (') attributed to Omar Khayyam (1048–1131), dubbed "the Astronomer-Poet of Persia".
Altho ...
'' telling her it was his next picture and he wanted her to play lead.
Cooper was already tired of being separated from Walsh and after consulting with
Mary Alden
Mary Maguire Alden (June 18, 1883 – July 2, 1946) was an American motion picture and stage actress. She was one of the first Broadway actresses to work in Hollywood.
Life
Alden was born in New York City on June 18, 1883. She performed on Br ...
, decided she didn't understand what the book was about and didn't want to make a picture out of it. Cooper quietly returned to New York and wired Griffith that she was leaving the company. Griffith wired back his congratulations; it was the last time they ever spoke.
Raoul Walsh years
![Miriamcooper](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Miriamcooper.jpg)
After leaving Griffith, Cooper received offers from
Jesse Lasky
Jesse Louis Lasky (September 13, 1880 – January 13, 1958) was an American pioneer motion picture producer who was a key founder of what was to become Paramount Pictures, and father of screenwriter Jesse L. Lasky Jr.
Early life
Born in to ...
and
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...
, but intended to retire and be a housewife and mother. When Walsh was offered a chance to direct a film titled ''The Honor System'' in
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma ( coc, Yuum) is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The city's population was 93,064 at the 2010 census, up from the 2000 census population of 77,515.
Yuma is the principal city of the Yuma, Arizona, M ...
he pleaded with Cooper to take a role in it. Cooper agreed for fear he would cheat on her if they were separated for the long filming period. Cooper made $1,000 a week for her role as Edith. Years later, while being interviewed by
Kevin Brownlow
Kevin Brownlow (born Robert Kevin Brownlow; 2 June 1938) is a British film historian, television documentary-maker, filmmaker, author, and film editor. He is best known for his work documenting the history of the silent era, having become inter ...
, Cooper found Walsh's shooting script for the film on the back of an envelope.
''The Honor System'' opened in 1917 to good reviews (one calling it "Bigger than ''The Birth of a Nation''") and good box office. Two years later it was played for the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
when he visited New York.
Walsh continued to ask Cooper's advice when dealing with the business moguls, usually asking her to speak with them as she had done before with Griffith. After filming another film, Walsh once again asked Cooper to 'temporarily return' to pictures until he was established. Cooper signed with
Fox Film Corporation
The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...
and made $1,200 a week. Her contract allowed Walsh to get top billing instead of her—traditionally, it was either the director or the star.
In 1917, Cooper and Walsh began work on a film based on the
Blanca de Saulles trial. Cooper bore such a resemblance to De Saulles that Fox wanted to leave her name off the credits to insinuate De Saulles had played herself.
Cooper refused.
The film was also notable for featuring
Peggy Hopkins Joyce
Peggy Hopkins Joyce (born Marguerite Upton; May 26, 1893 – June 12, 1957) was an American actress, artist's model, and dancer. In addition to her performing career, Joyce was known for her flamboyant life, with numerous engagements, four ...
as a courtesan, though she didn't realize it until the film premiered. The film was controversial and received what amounted to an
X rating
An X rating is a rating used in various countries to classify films that have content deemed suitable only for adults. It is used when the violent or sexual content of a film is considered to be potentially disturbing to general audiences.
Aust ...
for its time, as no children were allowed. The film is now considered a
lost film
A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress.
Conditions
During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy o ...
.
After work on ''
The Prussian Cur'', Cooper and Walsh adopted a boy named Jack, who was orphaned after the
Halifax explosion
On the morning of 6 December 1917, the French cargo ship collided with the Norwegian vessel in the waters of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The ''Mont-Blanc'', laden with high explosives, caught fire and exploded, devastating the Richmond ...
, and tried to return to a private life, shunning publicity. However, in 1919, as Walsh began to look for new script ideas, Cooper suggested the story ''
Evangeline
''Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie'' is an epic poem by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written in English and published in 1847. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during t ...
'', in which Walsh asked her to lead. Cooper refused until the studio sent a blonde to play the part. Walsh was annoyed and asked her once again, and she relented. Cooper didn't like the picture as she thought it was too innocent, though it performed well at the box office and was one of her better-known films. Producer
William Fox thought it was the best picture of her career. It is also now considered a lost film.
With the success of ''Evangeline'', another film, ''Should a Husband Forgive?'' was rushed into theaters. Walsh was excited with the success and wired Cooper that he would make her a big star, though she still wished to retire. Walsh signed with the Mayflower Corporation in 1920. Cooper joined him for the sake of her marriage, fearing more bouts of jealousy if she didn't. Their first film was ''The Deep Purple''.
Their next film was ''The Oath'' (1920), of which Cooper took control from casting to costumes. Cooper said she loved everything about the film, however, it received the worst reviews of her career and was one of Walsh's only silents to lose money. Cooper was deeply hurt by the failure. Their next film, ''Serenade'', was fully under Walsh's control and was their most profitable. However, Cooper hated acting opposite Walsh's brother
George
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...
, who she felt was stiff. Walsh agreed and they were never paired together again.
The duo's final film together was ''
Kindred of the Dust
''Kindred of the Dust'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring his wife Miriam Cooper. It was based upon the novel of the same name by Peter B. Kyne. The film was the last independent picture for Walsh's prod ...
''. Cooper felt it was mediocre but it did decent business. During filming, she accidentally gazed into a stage light, causing injury to her eyes that troubled her well into old age. ''Kindred of the Dust'' was the last film the couple did together, the last independent film for Walsh, and is one of Cooper's few surviving films.
Final films
As troubles in her marriage and finances began to appear, Cooper found she resented the role of 'The Director's Wife'. On the advice of a friend, she took to the stage for the first and only time, but received disastrous reviews. Cooper decided she didn't like stage acting and began considering film offers again.
A little film company called 'D. M. Film Corporation' offered her a role in a pictured title ''Is Money Everything?''.
It only offered $650 a week and would film in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, but Cooper took the part, anyway, for the money. The movie received horrible reviews, and she found herself overwhelmed again by her personal troubles.
After reconciling with Walsh, Cooper decided to keep working in films. Her first film back in Hollywood was for
B. P. Schulberg
B. P. Schulberg (born Percival Schulberg, January 19, 1892 – February 25, 1957) was an American pioneer film producer and film studio executive.
Biography
Born Percival Schulberg in Bridgeport, Connecticut, he took the name Benjamin from the ...
was ''The Girl Who Came Back'' (1923), making $1,000 a week. The picture did well and was hailed as a comeback. Schulberg asked her to make two more pictures for him, and she agreed. She also made two films for other companies. Cooper's final picture was ''The Broken Wing'', alongside her old friend
Walter Long.
Cooper was terrified of sitting in an airplane (a main plot point) and refused. She also found the director
Tom Forman to be a drunk, and was upset that, at her final big scene, he turned up too drunk to direct. When the picture premiered Cooper cried after viewing it, feeling it was the worst movie she'd ever seen. She wrote "After ''The Broken Wing'', I never wanted to make another picture. After all the times I thought I'd retire for good and then came back to films, I finally wound up my career in a stinker made by a drunk. What a hell of an ending."
Later years
After divorcing Walsh in 1926, Cooper never made another picture. She returned to New York and joined
high society
High society, sometimes simply society, is the behavior and lifestyle of people with the highest levels of wealth and social status. It includes their related affiliations, social events and practices. Upscale social clubs were open to men based ...
playing
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
and shopping. During World War II, Cooper volunteered for
Red Cross
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...
, handing out doughnuts and writing letters for wounded soldiers.
She attended
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in the 1940s to study writing. She bought a farm in
Chestertown, Maryland
Chestertown is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 5,252 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Kent County.
History
Founded in 1706, Chestertown rose in stature when it was named one of the English col ...
, hoping to be inspired. She wrote a novel and two plays, all of which went unpublished. The plays were based on two of her films and she sent them to FOX, but both were rejected.
In the 1950s she moved to Virginia where she started a women's writing club. She continued playing golf, working for charity, and playing bridge.
In 1969, a man from the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
called her, surprised to find she was still alive.
Soon after, she began receiving calls from universities and film historians. She was invited to several colleges and screenings of her old films. In 1973 she wrote an autobiography, ''Dark Lady of the Silents''.
In 1970 after attending "The D. W. Griffith Film Festival" she had a heart attack which began a series of heart troubles which limited her in her final years.
Cooper died at Cedars Nursing Home on April 12, 1976. She had been there since suffering a stroke earlier the same year. Her death left Lillian Gish as the sole surviving cast member of ''The Birth of a Nation''. She is buried in the
New Cathedral Cemetery
The New Cathedral Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery, with 125 acres, located on the westside of Baltimore, Maryland, at 4300 Old Frederick Road. It is the final resting place of 110,000 people, including numerous individuals who played import ...
in
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
. Her papers were donated to the Library of Congress.
Legacy
Cooper is primarily known today for her performances in ''The Birth of a Nation'' and ''Intolerance''. Very few of her films are known to survive. Only 3 of her 40 shorts still exist, while only 5 of her 21 features still exist. Her only non-Griffith features to survive are ''Kindred of the Dust'' (1922) and ''Is Money Everything?'' (1923).
Personal life
Cooper got along well with D. W. Griffith, saying he had been a perfect gentleman. However, when they first arrived in California, Cooper mistook his mannerisms as insulting (he had failed to return a hello to her one day). She complained to Mae Marsh, who was also trying to win Griffith's favor, and Marsh told Griffith. The next day on set, Griffith called Cooper "The
Queen of Sheba
The Queen of Sheba ( he, מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא, Malkaṯ Šəḇāʾ; ar, ملكة سبأ, Malikat Sabaʾ; gez, ንግሥተ ሳባ, Nəgśətä Saba) is a figure first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In the original story, she bring ...
". They worked out the misunderstanding but she recalled that, much to her annoyance, the nickname stuck for years afterwards. She claimed to have never been romantic with Griffith, like Lillian Gish or Mae Marsh. However, she did mention in her autobiography that he tried to kiss her once after offering her a ride home. After the release of "The Birth of a Nation", Cooper's train stopped in Chicago, where Griffith was staying. He sent her a telegram asking her to see him in his hotel room but Cooper was unable to reach him. According to her, this stopped his romantic intentions with her. Though aware of Griffith's struggles later in life, she hadn't seen him since leaving for New York in 1916; she did visit his grave during her visit to
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
for "The D.W. Griffith Film Festival".
Cooper got along well with most of Griffith's company including
Dorothy Gish
Dorothy Elizabeth Gish (March 11, 1898June 4, 1968) was an American actress of the screen and stage, as well as a director and writer. Dorothy and her older sister Lillian Gish were major movie stars of the silent era. Dorothy also had great s ...
,
Mary Alden
Mary Maguire Alden (June 18, 1883 – July 2, 1946) was an American motion picture and stage actress. She was one of the first Broadway actresses to work in Hollywood.
Life
Alden was born in New York City on June 18, 1883. She performed on Br ...
, and
Mae Marsh
Mae Marsh (born Mary Wayne Marsh; November 9, 1894U.S. Census records for 1900, El Paso, Texas, Sheet No. 6 – February 13, 1968) was an American film actress with a career spanning over 50 years.
Early life
Mae Marsh was born Mary Wayne M ...
. She also was friends with
Norma Talmadge
Norma Marie Talmadge (May 2, 1894 – December 24, 1957) was an American actress and film producer of the silent era. A major box-office draw for more than a decade, her career reached a peak in the early 1920s, when she ranked among the most pop ...
,
Mabel Normand, and
Pola Negri
Pola Negri (; born Apolonia Chalupec ; 3 January 1897 – 1 August 1987) was a Polish stage and film actress and singer. She achieved worldwide fame during the silent and golden eras of Hollywood and European film for her tragedienne and femme ...
.
Though they were not close, she was fond of
Lillian Gish
Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893February 27, 1993) was an American actress, director, and screenwriter. Her film-acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912, in silent film shorts, to 1987. Gish was called the "First Lady of American Cinema", ...
. Cooper didn't get along with
Teddy Sampson and she greatly disliked
Theda Bara
Theda Bara ( ; born Theodosia Burr Goodman; July 29, 1885 – April 7, 1955) was an American silent film and stage actress.
Bara was one of the more popular actresses of the silent era and one of cinema's early sex symbols. Her femme fatal ...
, who she felt was trying to steal Raoul Walsh away from her during the making of ''Carmen'' and ''The Serpent''. In later years Cooper was good friends with
Carole Lombard, whom she helped get some of her first roles. Cooper and Walsh were good friends with
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...
in 1924. Chaplin was going through some troubling times and she found him gloomy and needy. She enjoyed him more once his personal life was back in order and he was much more cheery.
Cooper met Raoul Walsh in 1914 when she joined Griffith's California Company. After Mae Marsh turned Walsh down for an
Easter
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
Mass date Walsh and Cooper began dating in 1915. Walsh had been Griffith's
assistant director
The role of an assistant director on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have to tak ...
and asked Cooper if she would speak to Griffith about making him a director. On her advice Griffith made him a director a few weeks later. After directing one picture for Griffith, Walsh was signed to Fox Studios which filmed in New York while Cooper still had to film in California. The couple married in February 1916 and Cooper left the Griffith company to join Walsh in New York.
Cooper intended to quit pictures to be a housewife and mother, but Walsh's gambling and cheating
were big problems for her. One of the first nights she suspected him of cheating, she swallowed a bottle of
carbolic acid
Phenol (also called carbolic acid) is an aromaticity, aromatic organic compound with the molecular chemical formula, formula . It is a white crystalline solid that is volatility (chemistry), volatile. The molecule consists of a phenyl group () ...
and had to have her stomach pumped.
However, Walsh continued to cheat during the marriage.
As their successes grew, more trouble arose from debts and Cooper's resentment at being known as the Director's wife, something she was surprised at as she had thought she never wanted the spotlight.
After ''Kindred of the Dust'', Walsh admitted he didn't think he loved her anymore. The marriage dragged on as both sides accused the other of cheating. Though they reconciled by 1925, Cooper was certain he was again cheating, this time with
Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...
, whom she confronted. Afterward, she threatened to divorce him. Walsh pleaded for forgiveness but Cooper found he was cheating with a young society girl who he was engaged to.
The final moment came when Walsh began an affair with Cooper's friend Lorraine Miller. Cooper was furious and began divorce proceedings, threatening to put infidelity as her reason. However, in the days of morality clauses, this could have caused Walsh to lose his contract and William Fox talked her out of it. Instead she put 'irreconcilable differences'. The divorce was big news in Hollywood, with
Gloria Swanson
Gloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most f ...
throwing Walsh a party, while
Norman Kerry
Norman Kerry (born Norman Hussey Kaiser,"United States World War II Draft Registration Cards,registration for Norman Hussey Kaiser, Los Angeles, California, April 27, 1942 This document lists his full name as Norman Hussey Kaiser, noting the na ...
and
Erich von Stroheim
Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim (born Erich Oswald Stroheim; September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was an Austrian-American director, actor and producer, most noted as a film star and avant-garde, visionary director of the silent era. H ...
threw Cooper one. Not too long after, Walsh married Miller.
Cooper desperately wanted children but was unable to conceive. Though she never learned the reason, she suspected it had to do with her kidney illness. She and Walsh adopted two boys: Jackie and Bobbie. After the divorce, both boys lived with her until their teenage years. Jackie got in trouble with the law several times, and Bobbie idolized him. At the advice of her preacher, Cooper sent Jackie to live with Walsh.
On a visit, Bobbie asked to live there as well. Cooper and Walsh had been suing each other during the 1930s and Walsh later had the boys sue her as well. Cooper never heard from either of her sons again and was unsure if they were still alive as of the 1970s.
Her nieces are sisters Olympic swimmer and gold medal winner
Donna de Varona, and television actress
Joanna Kerns
Joanna Kerns (born February 12, 1953) is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy ''Growing Pains'' from 1985 to 1992.
Early life
Kerns was born Joanna Crussie DeVarona in San Franc ...
.
Partial filmography
Films in bold still exist
1912:
*''A Blot on the 'Scutcheon'' (Short) as Scullery Maid
*''Battle of Pottsburg Bridge'' (Short) as Jessie - Bartlow's Sister
*''Victim of Circumstances'' (Short)
*''Tide of Battle'' (Short) as Mystie Stafford - Alisia's Sister
*''War's Havoc'' (Short)
*''The Drummer Girl of Vicksburg'' (Short) as Alma - the Drummer Girl
*''The Colonel's Escape'' (Short)
*''The Buglier of Battery B'' (Short) as Carol Colwell
*''The Siege of Petersburg'' (Short) as Milly Frost - Dan's sister
*''The Soldier Brothers of Susannah'' (Short)
*''Saved from Court Martial'' (Short) as Undine
*''The Darling of the CSA'' (Short) as Minor Role (unconfirmed)
*''
The Confederate Ironclad'' (Short) as Rose Calvin - Yancey's Sweetheart
*''A Railroad Lochinvar'' (Short) as Peggy Wolf
*''His Mother's Picture'' (Short) as Ethel
*''The Girl in the Caboose'' (Short) as Eve - the Engineer's Sweetheart
*''The Pony Express Girl'' (Short)
*''Battle in the Virginia Hills'' (Short) as Nancy Tucker - Jerry's Daughter
*''The Water Right War'' (Short)
*''The Battle Wits'' (Short)
*''A Race with Time'' (Short)
*''The Farm Bully'' (Short)
*''The Toll Gate Raiders'' (Short)
1913:
*''
A Sawmill Hazard'' (Short)
*''
A Desperate Chance'' (Short)
*''A Treacherous Shot'' (Short) as Delphine Erskine
*''The Turning Point'' (Short) as Stella Lee - the Wife
*''The Battle of Bloody Ford'' (Short) as Virginia Merrill
*''Infamous Don Miguel'' (Short) as Dixie Hardie
*''Captured by Strategy'' (Short) as Gladys Richmond - John's Daughter
*''
The Octoroon
''The Octoroon'' is a play by Dion Boucicault that opened in 1859 at The Winter Garden Theatre, New York City. Extremely popular, the play was kept running continuously for years by seven road companies. Among antebellum melodramas, it was con ...
'' (Short) as Dora Sunnyside
1914:
*''For His Master'' (Short) as Rosalie Crowley
*''When Fate Frowned'' (Short) as Mary
*''A Diamond in the Rough'' (Short) as Grace
* ''
The Dishonored Medal
''The Dishonored Medal'' is a 1914 silent American adventure film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Miriam Cooper, George Gebhard, and Raoul Walsh, and was released on May 3, 1914.
Cast list
* Miriam Cooper as Zora
* George Gebhard as Lie ...
'' as Zora
*''
Home Sweet Home
Home Sweet Home may refer to:
Film
* Home, Sweet Home (1914 film), ''Home, Sweet Home'' (1914 film), a film about the life of John Howard Payne
* Home Sweet Home (1917 film), ''Home Sweet Home'' (1917 film), a British silent film
* Home Sweet ...
'' as The Fiance
*''The Stolen Radium'' (Short)
*''The Gunman'' (Short) as Mattie - the Rancher's Sister
*''The Odalisque'' (Short) as Annie, May's Friend
1915:
*''The Double Deception'' (Short) as Laura - the Young Woman
*''
The Birth of a Nation
''The Birth of a Nation'', originally called ''The Clansman'', is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and play ''The Cla ...
'' as Margaret Cameron - Elder Sister
*''The Fatal Black Bean'' (Short) as Anita
*''His Return'' (Short) as Alice
*''The Burned Hand'' (Short) as Marietta
1916:
*''
Intolerance
Intolerance may refer to:
* Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction or intolerance) refers to undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity. They are usual ...
'' as The Friendless One
1917:
*''
The Honor System'' as Edith
*''
The Silent Lie'' as Lady Lou
*''
The Innocent Sinner'' as Mary Ellen Ellis
*''
Betrayed'' as Carmelita
1918:
*''The Woman and the Law'' as Mrs. Jack La Salle
*''
The Prussian Cur'' as Rosie O'Grady
1919:
*''The Mother and the Law'' as The Friendless One
*''
Evangeline
''Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie'' is an epic poem by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written in English and published in 1847. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during t ...
'' as Evangeline
*''Should a Husband forgive?'' as Ruth Fulton
1920:
*''
The Deep Purple'' as Doris Moore
* ''
The Oath The Oath may refer to:
Books
* ''The Oath'' (Wiesel novel), a 1973 novel by Elie Wiesel
* ''The Oath'' (Peretti novel), a 1995 novel by Frank E. Peretti
* '' The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court'', a 2012 book by Jeffrey Toobin ...
'' as Minna Hart
1921:
*''Serenade'' as Maria del Carmen
1922:
*''
Kindred of the Dust
''Kindred of the Dust'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Raoul Walsh, and starring his wife Miriam Cooper. It was based upon the novel of the same name by Peter B. Kyne. The film was the last independent picture for Walsh's prod ...
'' as Nan of the Sawdust Pile
1923:
*''
The Hero'' as Martha Baker
*''
Is Money Everything?'' as Marion Brand
* ''
The Girl Who Came Back'' as Sheila
*''
Her Accidental Husband'' as Rena Goring
* ''
Daughters of the Rich'' as Maud Barhyte
*''
The Broken Wing'' as Inez Villera
1924:
* ''
After the Ball'' as Lorraine Trevelyan (final film role)
Bibliography
* Miriam Cooper, ''Dark Lady of the Silents; My Life in Early Hollywood'', Bobbs-Merrill (1973). .
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Miriam
American film actresses
American silent film actresses
Actresses from Baltimore
Cooper Union alumni
Columbia University alumni
People from Charlottesville, Virginia
1891 births
1976 deaths
20th-century American actresses
Catholics from Virginia