Dulcie Cooper (3 November 1903 – 3 September 1981), briefly known as Dulcy Cooper, was an Australian-born American stage actress who also performed in silent movies and later in television.

Early life

Dulcie Cooper was born Dulcie Mary Robinson in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, New South Wales, Australia in 1903. Her father, Ashley Cooper (born Cecil Augustus Robinson), was a draftsman who later became interested in theater. Part of her girlhood was spent in California. While the family resided in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

, British Columbia she was given some child roles. Known for her curly light blonde hair, she began to perform when she was only two and half years of age. She played little Eva many times and also played the part of

Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens. It was originally published as a serial from 1837 to 1839 and as a three-volume book in 1838. The story follows the titular orphan, who, ...

. When she was eight her parents opted to take her out of the theater. A few years later she attended a performance by

Marjorie Rambeau Marjorie Burnet Rambeau (July 15, 1889 – July 6, 1970) was an American film and stage actress. She began her stage career at age 12, and appeared in several silent films before debuting in her first sound film, '' Her Man'' (1930). She was t ...

at a theater in San Francisco. She was given the opportunity to play the star's daughter in a drama entitled ''Valley of Content''. After this, her family relented and the youth returned to the theater.

Career

Cooper came to Los Angeles where she played leads opposite

Edward Everett Horton Edward Everett Horton, Jr. (March 18, 1886 – September 29, 1970) was an American character actor and comedian. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television, and voice work for animated cartoons. Early life Horton was born March 18 ...

at the Majestic Theater for about seven months. Cooper's husband, Stafford Campbell, also played the Majestic in 1924, acting in support of Rambeau. A newspaper reporter noticed Dulcie's performances and advised the actress to go to New York. She made the trip and made her eastern debut in ''Little Spitfire'' in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...

. Soon she crossed the bay to

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

where she appeared in ''Courage'', a play that ran a year on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

in 1928. She had a leading part in the cast of ''They Took The Town'', which opened in

Charleston, West Virginia Charleston () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in West Virginia, most populous city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Kanawha County, West Virginia, Kanawha County and ...

in October 1936. Cooper felt that her early screen performances were sub par. She was signed by the

Fox Film The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox. It was the corporate successor to his earlier Greater Ne ...

Corporation in the early 1920s and was later courted by both

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

and

Metro Goldwyn Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American film and television production and distribution company headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. Metro ...

. She had roles in ''Charge It'' (1921), ''Live and Let Live'' (1921), ''What No Man Knows'' (1921), ''Desert Blossoms'' (1921), and ''Do and Dare'' (1922) with

Tom Mix Thomas Edwin Mix (born Thomas Hezikiah Mix; January 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American film actor and the star of many early Western (genre), Western films between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were s ...

. Her last film was ''The Face on the Bar Room Floor'' (1932). On television, she appeared in the play ''Sorry, Wrong Number'' in 1946 and in an episode of ''

The Phil Silvers Show ''The Phil Silvers Show'', originally titled ''You'll Never Get Rich'', is a sitcom which ran on the CBS Television Network from 1955 to 1959. A pilot titled "Audition Show" was made in 1955, but it was never broadcast. 143 other episodes wer ...

'' in 1957. In the 1960s, Cooper performed frequently with

John Kenley John Kenley (February 20, 1906 – October 23, 2009) was an American theatrical producer who pioneered the use of television stars in summer stock productions. In 1950, he was the first producer to desegregate live theater in Washington, DC. ...

Kenley Players The Kenley Players was an Actors' Equity Association, Equity summer stock theatre company which presented hundreds of productions featuring Broadway theatre, Broadway, film, and television stars in Midwestern cities between 1940 and 1995. ''Variet ...

summer stock theater company in Ohio and Michigan. She played many character roles in musicals with the company, including Aunt Eller in ''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...

'' and Eulalie Shinn in ''

The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical theatre, musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns a confidence trick, con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and ...

''.

Partial filmography

* '' Live and Let Live'' (1921) * ''

Desert Blossoms ''Desert Blossoms'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Arthur Rosson and starring William Russell, Helen Ferguson and Wilbur Higby. Plot Cast * William Russell as Stephen Brent *Helen Ferguson as Mary Ralston *Wilbur Higby as Ja ...

'' (1921) * ''

Do and Dare ''Do and Dare'' is a 1922 American silent Western film directed by Edward Sedgwick and starring Tom Mix, Dulcie Cooper and Claire Adams. This film is considered lost.. Plot Cast * Tom Mix as Kit Carson Boone / Henry Boone * Dulcie Cooper ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Hands of Nara ''The Hands of Nara'' is a 1922 American silent drama film directed by Harry Garson and starring Clara Kimball Young, Elliott Dexter and Vernon Steele.Munden p.323 It is based on the novel of the same title by Richard Washburn Child. Plot Ca ...

'' (1922)

Death

Dulcie Cooper died in New York City in 1981, aged 77, from undisclosed causes.

References

*''

Charleston Gazette The ''Charleston Gazette-Mail'' is a non-daily morning newspaper in Charleston, West Virginia. It is the product of a July 2015 merger between ''The Charleston Gazette'' and the '' Charleston Daily Mail''. It is one of nine papers owned by HD M ...

'', ''New York Actress Has Part in Players' Show'', 18 October 1936, p. 2 *''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'', "Return To Stage By Comedienne", 15 May 1927, p. 18 *''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', "More Or Less in the Spotlight", 26 December 1926, p. X4

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Dulcie Australian musical theatre actresses Australian silent film actresses 20th-century Australian actresses Australian television actresses Australian expatriate actresses in the United States Actresses from Sydney 1903 births 1981 deaths 20th-century Australian women singers