Was gary cooper gay

It was rumored that Cooper also had a romantic relationship with his male Devil and The Deep co-star Anderson Lawler. Lawler was said to be a “swisher,” a term used at the time to mean a flamboyant homosexual.

how old was gary cooper in high noon

Although the film industry’s gays and lesbians had freedom, they did not--until the s--have any real degree of make or break power. For three years during the late s über-rich Howard Hughes maintained a sexual relationship with a young, unknown but upcoming actor named Gary Cooper, buying him cars, watches, clothes and other lavish gifts along the way. Gary Cooper's daughter says her father was well aware of his gay costars and loved working with them.

Cooper biographers have explored his relationship in the late '20s with the actor Anderson Lawler, with whom Cooper shared a house on and off for a year, while at the same time seeing Clara Bow, Evelyn Brent, and Lupe Vélez. [][][][] Vélez once told Hedda Hopper of Lawler's alleged affair with Cooper; whenever he would come home. During his lifetime, Cooper was involved in a number of romantic scandals, often pursuing affairs with his film co-stars.

Their relationship lasted two years and is regarded as one of the more important female relationships of his early life. The feud between Velez and Dietrich would be highly publicized, and Velez eventually attempted to shoot Cooper while he was boarding a train. She was unsuccessful and fled the scene, and Cooper carried on to star in many more hit films.

Following a long stint of blockbuster movies, Cooper decided to take a break from acting. Between and , Cooper moved to Italy, where he became romantically involved with a countess. American-born Countess Dorothy di Frasso was at the time married to an influential and important Italian figure, but this did not stop the two from indulging in romance.

Cooper and di Frasso spent most of their time together at her villa in Rome, and even went on a safari together in Africa. Cooper and Lawler shared a home while working together, and it was believed that Cooper participated in this affair with Lawler at the same time he was romantically involved with Lupe Velez and Clara Bow. They had a romatic affair, during which Neal had become pregnant.

Cooper, married to Veronica Balfe at the time, asked Neal to get an abortion. An out-of-wedlock baby was catastrophic for an acting career, and so Neal went through with the procedure. Cooper soon moved on and became involved with co-star Grace Kelly. Unfortunately, Neal was still madly in love with Cooper.

When Cooper told her he was choosing his family over his love for her, Neal suffered a mental breakdown and left Hollywood and her career in acting for good. Cooper had married Balfe in , and after years of philandering, the two became separated in They did not divorce but instead met in Rome, bringing the daughter they shared with them, to meet with Pope Pius XII in It is believed that during this visit, the Pope saved their marriage.

Baptized Episcopalian as a child, Cooper converted to Catholicism in He often reflected on his past wrongdoings and found solace and guidance from the Catholic church. Although Cooper and Veronica Balfe remained married until his death in , he had one final affair.

This one was with the noted costume designer Irene Lentz, who was known professionally by her first name only. Despite being married to someone else, Irene allegedly told her friend Doris Day that Cooper was the only man she really loved. The year after his death, Irene checked into a room at the Knickerbocker Hotel in Los Angeles and leaped to her death from the 11th-story bathroom window.

Vintage Hollywood Glamour Lifestyle.