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Merian C. Cooper and Dorothy Jordan papers on motion pictures, 1920-1972

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2008 Series 8

Scope and Contents

Contains awards, correspondence, story proposals, photographs, art, and other material related to Cooper's career in the film industry during the beginning in the 1930s, but primarily in the 1950s and 1960s. These files also contain similar materials on the careers of Cooper's wife, Dorothy Jordan, and special effects technician Willis O'Brien. Dated 1920 to 1972.

Dates

  • 1920-1972

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for public research.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to use material from this collection must be obtained from Reference Services at specialcollections@byu.edu.

Biographical History

Dorothy Jordan was born August 9, 1906, in Clarksville, Tennessee, to Theresa Harrison and Edward Peter Jordan. After starting in Broadway, Dorothy became a film actress in Hollywood, beginning with “Taming of the Shrew” in 1929. In 1933, Dorothy married film director and producer Merian C. Cooper, and they were married until his death in 1973. Dorothy retired from acting in 1956. She died in Los Angeles on December 7, 1988.

Biographical History

Merian Caldwell Cooper was an American aviator, United States Air Force and Polish Air Force officer, adventurer, screenwriter, film director, and producer. He was a notable movie producer, starting with documentaries filmed with Ernest B. Schoedsack while traveling the world, most famously Grass and Chang. Cooper was a member of the board of directors of Pan American Airways. During his film career, he worked for several Hollywood studios. He is considered co-inventor of the Cinerama film projection process. Cooper's most famous film was the 1933 movie King Kong. He was awarded an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement in 1952 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Cooper married film actress Dorothy Jordan in 1933. They were married until his death on April 21, 1973.

Extent

19 folders

2 sound cassettes

3 sound tape reels

9 oversize folders

6 phonographs

1 oversize box

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Arranged in four subseries: 1. Merian C. Cooper honorary awards, approximately 1952-1972. 2. Merian C. Cooper story ideas and properties, 1934-1972. 3. Willis O'Brien papers, 1940-1969. 4. Dorothy Jordan papers, 1920-1939.

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States