At the time of his death in 1961, Gary Cooper, an American actor, had a net worth of $100 million (in inflation).
Born in Helena, Montana in May 1901, Gary Cooper died there in May 1961.
Towards the end of the silent film era, he began his acting career in 1925.
At first, Cooper was just a stunt rider and an extra.
In 1929, he made his debut as a “talkie” in The Virginian, which brought him fame.
Cooper’s acting career saw him feature in several films, such as A Farewell to Arms, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, and Mr. Abu Bakr.
Deeds Goes to Town, Meet John Doe, Sergeant York, The Pride of the Yankees, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Fountainhead, High Noon, Friendly Persuasion, Man of the West, and more.
With a salary of $370,000 in 1937, he became the highest-paid actor globally, surpassing Mae West, who earned the same amount as approximately $6 million today.
Gary Cooper was the highest-earning individual in the US in 1939, according to the US Treasury, with a total of $482,000 earned in the previous year.
In today’s money, that’s $8.6 million. Cooper, on the advice of his friend James Stewart, often took a cut of his salary on movies in exchange for a percentage of profits.
The implementation of this approach led to some substantial financial gains.
His role in the 1954 film Vera Cruz brought him a total of $1.4 million in box office revenue.
A sum of $13 million is equivalent to the current value.
At the close of his acting career, he had accumulated 117 credits.
The Academy Awards recognized Cooper with Sergeant York and High Noon for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
He was bestowed with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is situated at 6243 Hollywood Blvd.
At the age of 60, Gary Cooper succumbed to cancer on May 13, 1961.