Wyatt Cooper, an American author, screenwriter, and actor, had a humble upbringing in a small town in Mississippi. After graduating in theater arts from the University of California, Los Angeles, he made his way to New York where he performed in the Broadway play ‘The Strong Are Lonely.’ Cooper then ventured into screenwriting in Los Angeles, penning the screenplay for the movie ‘The Chapman Report’ and the TV movie ‘The Glass House.’ Alongside his writing career, he also appeared in a few TV series and worked as an editor for magazines in New York. Cooper remained connected to his roots and published a book titled ‘Families: A Memoir and a Celebration.’ He was famously known as the fourth husband of heiress and socialite Gloria Vanderbilt, with whom he had two sons. Tragically, their elder son, Carter, passed away at the age of 23. Cooper’s life was cut short during open heart surgery at the age of 50.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Wyatt Emory Cooper
- Died At Age: 50
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Gloria Vanderbilt (m. 1963–1978)
- Father: Emmet Debro Cooper
- Mother: Rixie Jane Annie Cooper
- Children: Anderson Cooper, Carter Vanderbilt Cooper
- Born Country: United States
- Actors
- Screenplay Writers
- Died on: January 5, 1978
- U.S. State: Mississippi
- More Facts
- Education: University of California, Los Angeles
Childhood & Early Life
Wyatt Emory Cooper was born on September 1, 1927, on a farm near Quitman, Clarke County, Mississippi, to Emmet Debro Cooper and Rixie Jane Annie (née Anderson). He grew up in a large family, with two brothers, Harry and Preston, and four sisters, Anna Laura Crawford, Grace Roby, Marie Graham, and Janice Featherstone. Members of his extended family and the family values ingrained by them were important for him. Years later, he published his memoirs in his book ‘Families: A Memoir and a Celebration,’ which was published in 1975. Though he spent most of his adult life in Los Angeles or New York, he always remained connected to his roots.
The Cooper family had modest means, and during his childhood, they moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. Later, he joined the ‘UCLA’ and obtained a degree in theater arts.
Career
At the age of 26, Cooper went to New York to pursue acting as a profession. He appeared in the ‘Broadway’ play ‘The Strong Are Lonely’ (1953) at the ‘Broadhurst Theater.’ Cooper moved to Los Angeles during his 30s and worked as a screenwriter. During this period he attended the ‘UCLA’ and the ‘University of California, Berkeley’ (UC Berkeley). As an actor, he appeared in TV series such as ‘Studio One in Hollywood’ (1954–1955), ‘Star Tonight’ (1955), ‘Robert Montgomery Presents’ (1955–1956), and ‘The Rebel’ (1960). In 1962, he wrote the screenplay of ‘The Chapman Report,’ which was based on a novel by Irving Wallace. The movie starred Jane Fonda. Soon after the release of ‘The Chapman Report,’ Cooper moved to Manhattan, New York, and worked as an editor of a magazine. At one time, he was also the editor of ‘Status’ magazine. During his stay in Los Angeles, he had been a close friend of poet and screenwriter (later, a member of the ‘Communist Party’) Dorothy Parker and her husband, Alan Campbell. After her death in 1967, Cooper wrote a biographical article titled ‘Whatever You Think Dorothy Parker Was Like, She Wasn’t’ about her in ‘Esquire’ magazine, which earned appreciation. In 1972, Cooper wrote the award-winning script of the TV movie ‘The Glass House.’ He has also written a number of stories and plays.
Family & Personal Life
Cooper married famous railroad heiress, socialite, and designer Gloria Vanderbilt on December 24, 1963. It was her fourth marriage and Cooper’s first. The two were quite popular in the social circuit and were often featured on the national “best-dressed” list. They had two sons, Carter Vanderbilt Cooper (January 27, 1965–July 22, 1988) and Anderson Hays Cooper (born on June 3, 1967). Besides, Cooper was also stepfather to Gloria’s two sons from her previous marriage to music conductor Leopold Stokowski. Their first-born child, Carter, ended his life at the age of 23, by jumping from the family’s 14th-floor apartment. The suicide was believed to be a result of his medication. Their second son, Anderson Cooper, is a well-known ‘CNN’ news anchor. They were married for 15 years, till Copper’s death in 1978. Gloria did not marry again, and according to her, Cooper was an amazing father to their sons and the love of her life. They often spent their summers with their sons at their mansion in Southampton, Long Island. Cooper died on January 5, 1978, during an open heart surgery. He had suffered a heart attack a month earlier and was 50 at the time of his death. He was interred in the ‘Vanderbilt Mausoleum’ in Moravian Cemetery, on Staten Island.