Melville Cooper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Melville Cooper, born George Melville Cooper, (Oct 15, 1896 Birmingham, England - d. Nov 17, 1973 Woodland Hills, California) was an English actor who spent most of his career in America. He was usually cast as snobbish, ineffectual society types, clergymen or confidence tricksters.
Cooper made his first stage appearance at Stratford-on-Avon at the age of 18. He settled in the USA in 1934, after making an excellent impression in Alexander Korda's film The Private Life of Don Juan (1934) and The Great Garrick (1937). Among his most famous screen portrayals were the Sheriff of Nottingham in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), the amorous Reverend Collins in Pride and Prejudice (1940), and the officious wedding-rehearsal supervisor in Father of the Bride (1950). He also appeared in Rebecca (1940), It Should Happen to You (1954), Diane (1956), Bundle of Joy (1956), Around the World in Eighty Days (1956).
He continued to act on stage and his Broadway appearances include Pygmalion (as Alfred Doolittle), An Inspector Calls, Make a Wish, My Fair Lady (as Colonel Pickering) and Charley's Aunt.
He retired from films in 1958, and concentrated on stage work.
