On this day in 1901, legendary movie icon Gary Cooper was born. To celebrate what would have been the actor’s 116th birthday, we wanted to share with you the above footage from the 33rd Academy Awards in 1961 in which Cooper’s career was celebrated. Unable to attend the ceremony (Cooper was suffering from the prostate cancer that would claim his life in May of that year), friend Jimmy Stewart accepted the award on his behalf. It was a touching tribute to Hollywood royalty, and viewing this clip from a 2017 perspective is a welcome reminder of what a glorious time for movies the era of Wyler, Cooper and Stewart truly was.
Share with us your movie memories of Gary Cooper in the comments below.