Jackie Cooper
He with the Navy in the South Pacific toward the end of World War II and 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).
Filmography (170 Appearances)
The Little Rascals - The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 1
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
Judy Garland: By Myself
Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir
Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood
Sports on the Silver Screen
Inside the Dream Factory
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
The Our Gang Story
Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie
Capital News
When We Were Young: Growing Up on the Silver Screen
Surrender
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Classic Comedy Teams
The Making of 'Superman III'
Murder, She Wrote
Ticket to Hollywood
No Earthly Reason
The Making of 'Superman II'
Superman III
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
St. Elsewhere
Hollywood’s Children
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie'
Rascal Dazzle
Superman II
Superman
Hooray for Hollywood
Mobile One
Mobile Two
Journey into Fear
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
The Invisible Man
The Day the Earth Moved
The Rockford Files
The Dean Martin Comedy World
Chosen Survivors
Kojak
Big John Morrison
Police Story
Of Men and Women
Ghost Story
Hec Ramsey
Stand Up and Be Counted
The Astronaut
Columbo
Mantrap
The Love Machine
It Was a Very Good Year
Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring
McCloud
Shadow on the Land
Hawaii Five-O
Ironside
The F.B.I.
Calhoun
The Great Adventure
The Danny Kaye Show
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Merv Griffin Show
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
Everything's Ducky
The Mike Douglas Show
The Gertrude Berg Show
The Dick Powell Show
The Twilight Zone
Hennesey
Pursuit
To Tell the Truth
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
The Steve Allen Show
Telephone Time
The People's Choice
MGM Parade
Producers' Showcase
The Elgin Hour
The George Gobel Show
Justice
The Motorola Television Hour
The United States Steel Hour
Medallion Theatre
Revlon Mirror Theatre
General Electric Theater
Cowboy G-Men
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Tales of Tomorrow
Lux Video Theatre
Danger
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Starlight Theatre
Your Show of Shows
What's My Line?
Robert Montgomery Presents
The Clock
Suspense
Studio One
The Philco Television Playhouse
The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre
Texaco Star Theater
French Leave
Kilroy Was Here
Stork Bites Man
Where Are Your Children?
The Navy Comes Through
Men of Texas
Syncopation
Soaring Stars
Glamour Boy
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Her First Beau
Ziegfeld Girl
Life with Henry
Gallant Sons
Rodeo Dough
The Return of Frank James
Seventeen
The Big Guy
Hollywood Cavalcade
What a Life
Two Bright Boys
Streets of New York
The Spirit of Culver
Scouts to the Rescue
Newsboys' Home
Gangster's Boy
That Certain Age
White Banners
Bear Facts
Boy of the Streets
The Devil Is a Sissy
Tough Guy
O'Shaughnessy's Boy
Dinky
Peck's Bad Boy
Treasure Island
Hollywood on Parade No. B-1
Lone Cowboy
The Bowery
Broadway to Hollywood
Hollywood on Parade No. A-3
Divorce In The Family
When a Feller Needs a Friend
Sooky
The Christmas Party
The Champ
Young Donovan's Kid
Bargain Day
Skippy
Little Daddy
Love Business
Helping Grandma
Temps d'Hiver
School's Out
Los cazadores de osos
Teacher's Pet
Pups Is Pups
A Tough Winter
Bear Shooters
The Ghosts
When the Wind Blows
The First Seven Years
Shivering Shakespeare
Sunny Side Up
Moan & Groan, Inc.
Bouncing Babies
Boxing Gloves
Fox Movietone Follies of 1929