Editing Merian C. Cooper (section)

==Career==
===Cooper and Schoedsack===
[[File:Grass (1925) - Ernest Schoedsack & Merian Cooper.jpg|thumb|240 px|left|Cooper (right) alongside [[Ernest Schoedsack]] in a scene from ''[[Grass (1925 film)|Grass]]'' (1925).]]
After returning from overseas in 1921, Cooper got a job working the night shift at ''[[The New York Times]]''. He was commissioned to write articles for ''[[Asia (magazine)|Asia]]'' magazine. Cooper was able to travel with [[Ernest Schoedsack]] on a sea voyage on the ''Wisdom II''. As part of the journey, he traveled to Abyssinia, or the [[Ethiopian Empire]], where he met their prince regent, Ras Tefari, later known as Emperor [[Haile Selassie I]]. The ship left Abyssinia in February 1923. On their way home, the crew narrowly missed being attacked by pirates, and the ship was burned down.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|81–83,95–104}} His three-part series for ''Asia'' was published in 1923.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|106}}

After returning home, Cooper researched for the [[American Geographical Society]]. In 1924, Cooper joined Schoedsack and [[Marguerite Harrison]] who had embarked on an expedition that would be turned into the film ''[[Grass (1925 film)|Grass]]'' (1925).<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|111}} They returned later the same year. Cooper became a member of the Explorers Club of New York in January 1925 and was asked to give lectures and attend events due to his extensive traveling. ''Grass'' was acquired by [[Paramount Pictures]].  Cooper and Schoedsack's first film gained the attention of [[Jesse Lasky]], who commissioned the duo for their second film,  ''[[Chang (movie)|Chang]]'' (1927). They also produced the film ''[[The Four Feathers (1929 film)|The Four Feathers]]'',<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|132–137,162}} which was filmed among the fighting tribes of the Sudan. These films combined real footage with staged sequences.<ref name="trueadventure"/>

===Pan American Airways===
From 1926 to 1927, Cooper discussed with John Hambleton the plans for [[Pan American Airways]], which was formed in 1927.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|180}} Cooper was a member of the board of directors of Pan American Airways.<ref name="flyinf to rio">{{cite book|last1=Schwartz|first1=Rosalie|title=Flying Down to Rio: Hollywood, Tourists, and Yankee Clippers|date=October 2004|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|isbn=978-1-58544-421-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JD-9X8dDaikC&pg=PA18|access-date=8 July 2016}}</ref> During his tenure at Pan Am, the company established the first regularly scheduled transatlantic service.<ref name="american polish" /> While he was on the board, Cooper did not devote his full attention to the organization; he took time in 1929 and 1930 to work on the script for ''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]''. By 1931, he was back in Hollywood.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|182,183}} He resigned from the board of directors in 1935, following health complications.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|258}}

===''King Kong''===
{{main|King Kong (1933 film)}}
{{see also|King Kong#Ownership_rights}}
Cooper said that he thought of ''King Kong'' after he had a dream that a giant gorilla was terrorizing New York City. When he awoke, he recorded the idea and used it for the film.<ref name="picture box">{{cite web|last1=Krizanovich|first1=Karen|title=The big monkey with a big backstory: The Legend of King Kong|url=http://www.pictureboxfilms.com/blog/the-big-monkey-with-a-big-backstory-the-legend-of-king-kong|website=Picture Box Films|access-date=8 July 2016}}</ref> He was going to have a giant gorilla fight a [[Komodo dragon]] or other animal, but found that the technique of interlacing that he wanted to use would not provide realistic results.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|194}}

[[File:King-Kong-1933-RKO.jpg|thumb|''King Kong'' movie poster]]
Cooper needed a production studio for the film, but recognized the great cost of the movie, especially during the [[Great Depression]]. Cooper helped [[David Selznick]] get a job at [[RKO Pictures]], which was struggling financially. Selznick became the vice president of RKO and asked Cooper to join him in September 1931, although he had only produced three films thus far in his career.<ref name="living dangerously">{{cite book|last=Cotta Vaz|first=Mark|title=Living Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, Creator of King Kong|date=2005|location=New York|publisher=[[Villard (imprint)|Villard Books]]|isbn=978-1-4000-6276-8|url=https://archive.org/details/livingdangerousl00vazm}}</ref>{{rp|202–203}} Cooper began working as an executive assistant at age thirty-eight.<ref name="Lasky1984">{{cite book|last1=Lasky|first1=Betty|title=RKO: The Biggest Little Major of Them All|date=1984|publisher=Prentice-Hall, Inc.|location=Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey|isbn=0-13-781451-8|url=https://archive.org/details/rkobiggestlittle00lask}}</ref>{{rp|74}} He officially pitched the idea for ''King Kong'' in December 1931. Shortly after, he began to seek actors and build full-scale sets, although the screenplay was not yet complete.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|207–208}}

The screenplay was delivered to Cooper in January 1932. Schoedsack contributed to the film, focusing on shooting scenes for the boat sequences and in native villages, leaving Cooper to shoot the jungle scenes. In February 1933, the title for the film was registered for copyright.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|218–223}} Throughout filming there were creative battles. Critics at RKO argued that the film should begin with Kong. Cooper believed that a film should begin with a "slow dramatic buildup that would establish everything from characters to mood&nbsp;..." so that the action of the film could "naturally, relentlessly, roll on out of its own creative movement", and thus chose not to begin the film with a shot of Kong. The iconic scene in which Kong is atop of the [[Empire State Building]] was almost canceled by Cooper for legal reasons, but was kept in the film because RKO bought the rights to ''[[The Lost World (1925 film)|The Lost World]]''.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|229,231}}

Overlapping with the production of ''King Kong'' was the making of ''[[The Most Dangerous Game (film)|The Most Dangerous Game]]'', which began in May 1932. Cooper once again worked with Schoedsack to produce the film.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|214}}

In the 1933 version of ''King Kong'', Cooper and co-director [[Ernest B. Schoedsack]] appear at the end, piloting the plane that finally finishes off Kong. Cooper had reportedly said, "We should kill the sonofabitch ourselves."<ref name="King kong book quote">{{cite book|last1=Wallace|first1=Edgar|first2=Merian C.| last2=Cooper|title=King Kong|date=2005|publisher=Modern Library|isbn=978-0-8129-7493-5|page=xiii|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pia9EEgSk00C&pg=PR13|access-date=8 July 2016}}</ref> Cooper personally cut a scene in ''King Kong'' in which four sailors are shaken off a tree trunk bridge by Kong, fall into a ravine, and are eaten alive by giant spiders. According to Hollywood folklore, the decision was made after previews in January 1933, during which audience members either fled the theater in terror or talked about the ghastly scene throughout the remainder of the movie. However, more objective sources maintain that the scene merely slowed the film's pace. Despite the rumor that Cooper kept a print of the cut footage as a memento, it has never been found.<ref>{{cite book |author=Morton, Ray |year=2005 |title=King Kong: the history of a movie icon from Fay Wray to Peter Jackson |location=New York, NY |publisher=Applause Theatre & Cinema Books |isbn=1-55783-669-8}}</ref> In 2021, film historian Ray Morton stated in an interview that, after looking through the films shooting schedule, he found no evidence the sequence was ever filmed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kaijutransmissions.podbean.com/e/the-legacy-of-kong-with-author-ray-morton/ | title=The Legacy of Kong with Author Ray Morton! &#124; the Kaiju Transmissions Podcast }}</ref> In 1963, Cooper argued unsuccessfully that he should own the rights to ''King Kong''; later in 1976, judges ruled that Cooper's estate  owned the rights to King Kong outside the movie and its sequel.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|362; 387}} Selznick left RKO before the release of ''King Kong'', and Cooper served as production chief from 1933 to 1934 with Pan Berman as his executive assistant.<ref name="Lasky1984"/>

In the 2005 remake of ''[[King Kong (2005 film)|King Kong]]'', upon learning that [[Fay Wray]] was not available because she was making a film at [[RKO]], [[Carl Denham]] ([[Jack Black (actor)|Jack Black]]) replies, "Cooper, huh? I might have known."<ref name="cleveland">{{cite news|last1=Dawidziak|first1=Mark|title=Turner Classic Movies celebrates the 75th anniversary of 'King Kong'|url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2008/04/turner_classic_movies_celebrat.html|access-date=8 July 2016|agency=Cleveland.com|date=4 Apr 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011004321/http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2008/04/turner_classic_movies_celebrat.html|archive-date=October 11, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

===Pioneer Pictures, Selznick International Pictures, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer===
Cooper helped the Whitney cousins form [[Pioneer Pictures]] in 1933, while he was still working for RKO.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|254}} He was named vice president in charge of production for Pioneer Pictures in 1934.<ref name="wall street journal">{{cite news|title=Pioneer Plans Color Films|agency=The Wall Street Journal|date=5 Nov 1934}}</ref> He would use Pioneer Pictures to test his technicolor innovations. The company contracted with RKO in order to fulfill Cooper's obligations to the company, including ''[[She (1935 film)|She]]'' and ''[[The Last Days of Pompeii (1935 film)|The Last Days of Pompeii]]''. Cooper later referred to ''She'' as the "worst picture I ever made."<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|259,263}}

After these disappointments, Pioneer Pictures released a short film in three-strip [[technicolor]] called ''La Cucaracha'', which was well-received. The film won an Academy Award in 1934. Pioneer released the first full-length technicolor film, ''[[Becky Sharp (film)|Becky Sharp]]'' in 1935.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|267–269}} Cooper helped to advocate and pave the way for the ground-breaking technology of technicolor,<ref name="american polish" /> as well as the widescreen process called [[Cinerama]].<ref name="TCM">{{cite web|title=Merian C. Cooper Productions Sunday, July 3|url=https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/107434|website=TCM|access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref>

Selznick formed [[Selznick International Pictures]] in 1935, and Pioneer Pictures merged with it in June 1936.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|269,274}} Cooper became the vice president of Selznick International Pictures that same year.<ref name="DArc"/> Cooper did not stay long; he resigned in 1937 due to disagreements over the film ''[[Stagecoach (1939 film)|Stagecoach]]''.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|275}}

After resigning from Selznick International, Cooper went to [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM) in June 1937. A noteworthy project that Cooper was involved in was the fantasy film ''War Eagles''. The film, which would have used extensive special effects, was abandoned in approximately 1939 and never finished. Cooper was to return to the Army Air Force.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|276–281}}

===World War II===
Cooper re-enlisted and was commissioned a [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] in the [[U.S. Army Air Forces]].<ref name="american polish" /><ref name="ozatwar">{{cite web|title=Colonel Merian C. Cooper|url=http://www.ozatwar.com/people/meriancooper.htm|website=Ozatwar|access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref> He served with Col. [[Robert L. Scott]] in India. He worked as logistics liaison for the [[Doolittle Raid]]. Thereafter, Cooper and Scott worked with Col. [[Caleb V. Haynes]] at [[Dinjan]] Airfield. They all were involved in establishing the Assam-Burma-China Ferrying Command. This marked the beginnings of [[The Hump]] Airlift.

Colonel Cooper later served in China as chief of staff for General [[Claire Chennault]] of the [[Flying Tigers|China Air Task Force]], which was the precursor of the [[Fourteenth Air Force]].<ref name="ozatwar"/>  On October 25, 1942, a CATF raid consisting of 12 B-25s and 7 P-40s, led by Colonel Cooper, successfully bombed the Kowloon Docks at Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gwulo.com/node/18919/view-pages|title=WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China: View pages - Gwulo: Old Hong Kong|website=gwulo.com|access-date=March 23, 2018}}</ref>

He served from 1943 to 1945 in the Southwest Pacific as chief of staff for the [[Fifth Air Force]]'s Bomber Command.<ref name="who's who">{{cite book|last1=Rowan|first1=Terry|title=Who's Who in Hollywood|isbn=978-1-329-07449-1|page=75|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=prqcCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA75|access-date=13 July 2016|year=2015|publisher=Lulu.com }}</ref> At the end of the war, he was promoted to [[Brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]]. For his contributions, he was also aboard the [[USS Missouri (BB-63)|USS ''Missouri'']] to witness [[Japanese Instrument of Surrender|Japan's surrender.]]<ref name="american polish" />

===Argosy Pictures and Cinerama===
Cooper and his friend and frequent collaborator, noted director [[John Ford]], formed [[Argosy Pictures|Argosy Productions]] in 1946<ref name="John Ford">{{cite web|title=John Ford—Independent Profile|url=http://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/argosy_ford.htm|website=Hollywood Renegades|publisher=Cobblestone Entertainment|access-date=13 July 2016}}</ref> and produced such notable films as ''[[Wagon Master]]'' (1950),<ref name="the searchers" />{{rp|112}} Ford's ''[[Fort Apache (film)|Fort Apache]]'' (1948), and ''[[She Wore a Yellow Ribbon]]'' (1949).<ref name="John Ford"/> Cooper's films at Argosy reflected his patriotism and his vision of the United States.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|321}}

Argosy negotiated a contract with RKO in 1946 to make four pictures. Cooper was able to make ''Grass'' a complete picture. Cooper also produced and directed ''[[Mighty Joe Young (1949 film)|Mighty Joe Young]]'', which recruited Schoedsack as director. Cooper visited the set of the film every day to check on progress.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|335,340–342}}

Cooper left Argosy Pictures to pursue the process of [[Cinerama]].<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|350}} He became the vice president of [[Cinerama Productions]] in the 1950s and was also elected a board member. After failing to convince other board members to finance skilled technicians, Cooper left Cinerama with [[Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney]] to form C. V. Whitney Productions. Cooper continued to outline movies to be shot in Cinerama, but C. V. Whitney Productions only produced a few films.<ref name="living dangerously" />{{rp|355–358}} Cooper was the executive producer for Ford's ''[[The Searchers (film)|The Searchers]]'' (1956).<ref name="the searchers">{{cite book|last1=Eckstein|first1=Arthur M.|title=The Searchers: Essays and Reflections on John Ford's Classic Western|date=February 2004|publisher=Wayne State University Press|isbn=978-0-8143-3056-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BcQiOl0z2McC&pg=PA117|access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref>{{rp|117}}