Isabelle Cooley (born Jane Isabelle Cooley; July 20, 1924 – January 3, 2000), often credited as Isabel Cooley, was an American stage, film, and television actress.[1] Active from the late 1940s through the early 1990s, she was a versatile performer known for her roles in major motion pictures such as Cleopatra (1963) and Parenthood (1989).[2] Known for her striking appearance and versatile performances, she gained international attention in the 1950s and success on the London stage, where she was once described as "The Most Beautiful Coloured Girl in the World".[3]
Isabel Cooley | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jane Isabelle Cooley 20 July 1924 |
| Died | 3 January 2000 (aged 75) Greenville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Other names | The Most Beautiful Coloured Girl Isabelle Cooley |
| Education | Cleveland Play House |
| Alma mater | Cleveland College |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1942 – 2000 |
| Spouse |
Addison S. Collins Jr.
(m. 1946; div. 1966) |
| Parent(s) | Holly Cooley (mother) Harriett Cooley (father) |
Early life and education
editJane Isabelle Cooley was born on July 20, 1924, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Holly Cooley and Harriett (Storey) Cooley.[1] Raised on East 82nd Street, she was enrolled in the Cleveland Play House at age 12 by her mother, who intended for the program to improve Jane's poise and speech rather than to prepare her for an acting career.[1] However, Jane developed a passion for the theater and remained in the children's program until age 16.[1]
After high school, she attended Cleveland College for two years as an English major.[1] In the fall of 1945, seeking a faster pace for her career, she moved to New York City against her mother's wishes.[1]
Career
editEarly stage and "The Most Beautiful Coloured Girl"
editAfter arriving in New York, Cooley worked as a waitress for six months while honing her craft.[1] Her breakthrough came when she was cast as the lead in the all-Black comedy-drama Anna Lucasta on Broadway, replacing the original star who had fallen ill.[1] The performance made her a sensation.[4]
In the early 1950s, she moved to London, where she performed with the Players Theatre Guild in productions of Hamlet and The Square Ring.[5] It was during this period that international media dubbed her "The Most Beautiful Coloured Girl in the World".[3]
Film and Television
editCoole's film career began in earnest in the late 1950s.[6] Her most iconic role was as Charmian, the loyal handmaiden to Elizabeth Taylor's title character in the 1963 epic Cleopatra.[7] Despite a near-fatal car accident in 1962 that required extensive plastic surgery, she returned to the screen within a year.[8]
Her later film credits included I Passed for White (1960), Real Genius (1985), and Parenthood (1989).[9] On television, she was a prolific star, appearing in over 29 productions including Hogan's Heroes as Princess Yawanda, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Dallas, Matlock as Judge Jean Bailey, and Murder, She Wrote.[10]
Personal life
editDeath
editCooley died on January 3, 2000, in Greenville, Mississippi, at the age of 75.[12]
Filmography
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Lux Video Theatre | Adele | Episode: "The Great Lie" |
| 1958 | Playhouse 90 | Moran's Maid | Episode: "The Female of the Species" |
| 1961 | The Law and Mr. Jones | Nancy Mills | Episode: "A Very Special Citizen" |
| 1963 | Ben Casey | Dorris Burns | Episode: "A Memory of Candy Floss" |
| 1963 | Dr. Kildare | Phyllis Johns | Episode: "The Mosaic" |
| 1963 | The Great Adventure | Lydia | Episode: "Go Down, Moses" |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | The Operator | Episode: "Seven Miles of Bad Road" |
| 1964 | My Living Doll | Nurse Nelson | Episode: "The Beauty Contest" |
| 1965 | Profiles in Courage | Mrs. Johnson | Episode: "Frederick Douglass" |
| 1965 | General Hospital | Carol | 1 episode |
| 1965 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | Conchita Delgado | Episode: "The Very Important Zombie Affair" |
| 1966 | Hogan's Heroes | Princess Yawanda | Episode: "The Prince from the Phone Company" |
| 1966 | Run for Your Life | Barbara Jackson | Episode: "The Last Safari" |
| 1968 | The Outcasts | Sophie | Episode: "The Outcasts" |
| 1970 | The Mod Squad | Marion Lefevre | Episode: "The Decision" |
| 1970 | Storefront Lawyers | Mattie | Episode: "The Mechanics" (as Men at Law) |
| 1970 | The Bill Cosby Show | Miss Richards | Episode: "The Runaway" |
| 1971 | The Smith Family | Florence Thomas | Episode: "The Desk Clerk" |
| 1975 | Insight | Lee Anna | Episode: "The Last of the Great Male Chauvinists" |
| 1975 | Medical Story | Mrs. Andy Mayhew | Episode: "The Moonlight" |
| 1975 | Police Story | Mrs. Fielder | Episode: "Across the Line" |
| 1971–1977 | This Is the Life | Vivian | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Family | Nurse Bragge | Episode: "An Eye to the Future" |
| 1977 | Most Wanted | Judge Marian Talbot | Episode: "The Inside Man" |
| 1979 | Harris and Company | Jenny | 1 episode |
| 1979 | Walking Through the Fire | Nurse | TV movie |
| 1979 | The White Shadow | Reba Reese | Episode: "Sudden Death" |
| 1979 | Dallas | Donna's maid | Episode: "The Wheeler Dealer" |
| 1980 | The Incredible Hulk | Muriel | Episode: "Proof Positive" |
| 1980 | Haywire | The Nurse | TV movie |
| 1981 | It's a Living | Interviewer #3 | Episode: "Off the Top" |
| 1983 | Mr. Smith | Nurse | 1 episode |
| 1985 | What's Happening Now!! | Angry Makeup Customer | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Riptide | Maid | Episode: "The Lucky Penny" |
| 1987 | Jake and the Fatman | Judge | Episode: "Fatal Attraction" |
| 1989 | Hunter | Woman | Episode: "The Pit" |
| 1989–1990 | Matlock | Judge Webber / Judge Bailey | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Head Nurse | Episode: "The Sins of Castle Lake" |
| 1990 | Parenthood | Terri | 1 episode |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Raintree County | Soona | Debut |
| 1958 | Suicide Battalion | Julie | |
| 1958 | Anna Lucasta | Katie | |
| 1959 | Never So Few | Shan Girl | |
| 1960 | I Passed for White | Bertha | |
| 1963 | Cleopatra | Charmian | |
| 1965 | Brainstorm | Nurse | |
| 1968 | Uptight | Melina | |
| 1978 | Youngblood | School Principal | [13] |
| 1979 | Chapter Two | Customs Officer | |
| 1982 | Tag: The Assassination Game | Prof. Wadsworth | |
| 1982 | The Escape Artist | Secretary | |
| 1983 | Breathless | Photographer | |
| 1985 | Real Genius | TV Stage Manager | |
| 1987 | Walk Like a Man | Judge / Bystander | |
| 1989 | Parenthood | Barbara Rice | |
| 1989 | Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! | Hospital Receptionist | |
| 1991 | Rich Girl | Counselor |
Stage
editTheatre
edit| Year | Title | Role(s) | Venue(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Anna Lucasta | Anna | Mansfield Theatre | Debut |
| 1946 | Anna Lucasta | Anna | Mansfield Theatre | |
| 1947 | Anna Lucasta | Anna | National Theatre | |
| 1952 | The Merchant of Venice | Dane | New York Theatre | She is credited as the first Black woman to appear in a New York production of Shakespear play |
| 1953 | The Square Ring | Dancer | Players Theatre Guild | |
| 1953 | Anna Lucasta | Anna | Prince of Wales Theatre | |
| 1953 | Hamlet | Ophelia | London televised production | She became the first Black woman to portray Ophelia |
| 1954 | Anna Lucasta | Anna | Hippodrome, London | West End revival |
| 1960 | The Long Dream | Gladys | Ambassador Theatre |
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Mother Advised Her Not to Leave Home, But Isabelle Cooley Took a Chance and Did Anyway". St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Newspaper. October 4, 2025.
- ↑ Walking Shadows: Shakespeare in the National Film and Television Archive. University of Michigan. 1994. p. 47.
- 1 2 In Show Business Tonight. University of California. 1954. p. 32.
- ↑ Stage 'Anna' Calls Movie. Jet Magazine. 1958. p. 60.
- ↑ London 'Hamlet' Production Stars Two Negroes. Jet Magazine. 1953. p. 62.
- ↑ Isabelle Cooley May Star In British Film. Jet Magazine. 1953. p. 59.
- ↑ "'Cleopatra' Review: 1963 Movie". Hollywood Reporter. May 10, 2025.
- ↑ Motion Picture Herald - Volume 230. University of Iowa. 1963. p. 2.
- ↑ MPG Consumer Annual 1990 (Films of 1989). CineBooks. 1990. p. 184.
- ↑ Television Drama Series Programming: A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1975-1980 - Volume 3. University of Michigan. 1981. p. 255.
- ↑ New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018. New York, U.S., Marriage Records.
- ↑ "Isabel Cooley Obituary". www.weremember.com. December 28, 2025.
- ↑ Black Action Films: Plots, Critiques, Casts and Credits for 235 Theatrical and Made-for-television Releases. University of Michigan. 1989. p. 337.