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The Man With the Million-Dollar Quotes: Gary Cooper’s Most Iconic Lines
By Tracy Farnsworth,
8 days ago
Regarding the most famous Gary Cooper quotes, some are quotes from interviews. He also has notable movie lines. I’m celebrating the actor as his award-winning “High Noon” made the news when Amazon Prime made it available for streaming on June 1, 2024. It’s a movie John Wayne declared “the most un-American thing I have seen in my whole life.” I disagree.
The Oscar-winning actor had close friendships with several noted artists and writers up until his death from prostate cancer at the age of 60. He was Ernest Hemingway’s good friend and played the lead in Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” He was also friends with Pablo Picasso and James Stewart. When Cooper died, Stewart was asked to take Cooper’s role in “How the West Was Won.”
Cooper’s career started with bit roles, but he soon progressed into a star. His real name, Frank, was switched to “Gary” at the suggestion of his agent. He entered into a movie career that would start when he was 22 and last until he died in 1961. Several Gary Cooper movies won awards including:
“The Cowboy and the Lady” – Best Performance of the Month (Photoplay Awards) in 1939
“Sergeant York” – Best Acting (National Board of Review, USA) in 1941
“Sergeant York” – Best Actor (New York Film Critics Circle) in 1941
“Sergeant York” – Best Actor (Oscar) in 1942
“High Noon” – Best Actor (Oscar) in 1953, John Wayne accepted the award for him.
“High Noon” – Best Actor-Drama (Golden Globes) in 1953
“The Hanging Tree” – Top Action Performer (Laurel Awards) in 1959
“They Came to Cordura” – Top Action Performer (Laurel Awards) in 1960
“People Ask Me How Come You’ve Been Around so Long. Well, It’s Through Playing the Part of Mr. Average Joe American.”
Source: Hulton Archive / Moviepix via Getty Images Gary Cooper typically portrayed a strong and quiet American man.
Year: Unknown
From: Unknown
This quote is undated, but it’s very fitting as Cooper never saw himself as a handsome, dashing actor. It’s part of the reason he turned down the role of Rhett Butler in “Gone With the Wind.”
“For Me the Really Satisfying Things I Do Are Offered Me, Free, For Nothing. Ever Go Out in the Fall and Do a Little Hunting? See the Frost on the Grass and the Leaves Turning?… Free to Everybody.”
Source: Express / Moviepix via Getty Images Cooper adored relaxing in nature.
Year: Unknown
From: Unknown
Despite his money and fame, being out in nature where it didn’t cost a dime was Cooper’s true joy. It’s something many of us can relate to.
“Nobody in Hollywood Is Normal. Absolutely Nobody. And They Have Such a Vicious Attitude Toward One Another . . . Nobody Has Any Real Friends.”
Source: Earl Crowley / Hulton Archive via Getty Images Despite this quote, Cooper had many friends in Hollywood.
Year: Unknown
From: Unknown
This quote is odd for him as he had a large group of close friends. Something he’d address in another famous quote by Gary Cooper: “The only achievement I am really proud of is the friends I have made in this community.”
“That’s For Me to Know and You to Find Out.”
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures Gary Cooper starred as Dr. Lucius Griffith “Biff” Grimes in “One Sunday Afternoon.”
Year: 1933
From: “One Sunday Afternoon”
I list this quote as I wonder if this is where the common childhood taunt came from. I grew up with a lot of this from my peers in elementary school.
“What Puzzles Me Is Why People Seem to Get So Much Pleasure Out of Hurting Each Other.”
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures Gary Cooper starred as a small-town greeting card writer in “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.”
Year: 1936
From: “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town”
Cooper played a Vermont greeting card writer who amasses great wealth and heads to New York City. There people keep trying to get his money from him. I find the line has a lot of meaning, especially today with all the negativity in politics, news, and social media.
“Uh, That’s a Word We Made Up Back Home for People Who Make Foolish Designs on Paper When They’re Thinking: It’s Called Doodling.”
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures This quote introduced a new word to the world.
Year: 1936
From: “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town”
This line has incredible value as the screenplay introduced the verb “ doodling ” to the world and became a new entry in the dictionary in 1935.
“Movie Acting Is a Pretty Silly Business for a Man Because It Takes Less Training, Less Ability, and Less Brains to Be Successful in It Than Any Other Business I Can Think Of.”
Source: gorodenkoff / iStock via Getty Images Cooper made this statement, despite being a movie actor himself.
Year: Uncertain, but after 1938’s “The Adventures of Marco Polo”
From: “Gary Cooper: American Hero” by Jeffrey Meyers
I disagree with him here. Memorizing lines, pulling off different facial expressions, emoting on cue, and following the script’s directions takes skill.
“Gone With the Wind Is Going to Be the Biggest Flop in History.”
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Cooper turned down the role of Rhett Butler in “Gone with the Wind.”
Year: 1939
From: An interview about Clark Gable being cast as Rhett Butler
He couldn’t have been more wrong. He’d later say that Gable played the role to “perfection.”
“If I Had to Wash Dishes, I Guess I’d Give Up Eating.”
Source: Courtesy of United Artists Cooper starred as Cole Harden in “The Westerner.”
Year: 1940
From: “The Westerner”
I find this line from his role as Cole Harden to be one of his funniest. It’s a good take on how much many dislike common household chores.
“The Creator Stands on His Own Judgment. The Parasite Follows the Opinions of Others.”
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Cooper starred alongside Patricia Neal in “The Fountainhead.”
Year: 1949
From: “The Fountainhead”
The character Howard Roark presents his own closing arguments after being tried for demolishing a building. It’s a design he created as an architect. Others took his work and claimed it as their own after making a few changes.
“There’s a Point Here You Either Grow Up and Become Human Being or You Rot.”
Source: Courtesy of United Artists Cooper acted in a number of Western films.
Year: 1958
From: “Man of the West”
This quote shows his character, Link Jones’ view of what makes a bad guy after leaving his former outlaw ways.
“I Like Westerns Because the Good Ones Are Real…Our Country Was and Is Full of People Who Believe in America.”
Source: ImagineGolf / iStock via Getty Images In this quote, Cooper praises Western films.
Year: 1959
From: An interview
While Cooper dabbled in many different movie themes, Westerns remained his passion throughout his career.
“Cancer Is Everybody’s Enemy. We Can’t ‘Think’ an Enemy Out of Existence by Ignoring It.”
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons Cooper publicly acknowledged his cancer diagnosis.
Year: 1961
From: Message to his fans
This quote came from his response to all of the well-wishers who had sent him messages. He didn’t like that some writers avoided using the word “cancer.” He wanted it known that a fight against cancer starts with being open to talking about it.
“I Know That What Is Happening Is God’s Will. I Am Not Afraid of the Future.”
Source: 2005 Getty Images / Hulton Archive via Getty Images Cooper died of prostate cancer.
Those would be Cooper’s last words after learning from his family that his cancer metastasized and had spread throughout his body. He died nine days later on May 13, 1961, at the age of 60.
Year: 1961
From: His final message to the public
“Trying Hard to Look Like Gary Cooper. Super-Duper.”
Source: vectorfusionart / Shutterstock.com Cooper’s name is mentioned in the song “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”
The final quote that comes to mind isn’t even from Cooper. It’s about him. “Puttin’ on the Ritz” was by Irving Berlin and sung originally by Lew Conrad with Leo Reisman and His Orchestra. The Cooper line was added in Fred Astaire’s version for the movie “Blue Skies.” Speaking of “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” it’s a song I would add to the One Hit Wonders From the ’80s You Can’t Get Out of Your Head .
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