Being the producer of King Kong (1933), he personally removed a scene in which four sailors, after Kong shook them off a log bridge, fall into a ravine and are eaten alive by giant spiders because, when previewed in January 1933, audience members either fled the theater in terror or talked about the ghastly scene during the entire movie.
Biography: John Wakeman, editor, "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945," pp. 147-152. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Cooper had a bizarre dream about a giant ape that was destroying New York City and recorded it when he woke up. This was the basis for the classic King Kong (1933), which he developed and produced.
During his time in Belyov, Cooper used the assumed name of Frank Mosher and was interviewed by the famous Russian author Isaak Babel.
Entered the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in the Class of 1915. He left in his senior year. In 1916, he joined the Georgia National Guard to help chase Pancho Villa in Mexico.
He and Robert Armstrong, who played Carl Denham in King Kong (1933), died within 16 hours of each other.
He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But, his name is misspelled as "Meriam C. Cooper."
His brilliant creation, King Kong in King Kong (1933), is ranked #30 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
Honored by NBC Radio's "This Is Your Life" (5 April 1949). Guests included Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Fay Wray, and wife Dorothy Jordan.
Interviewed in "Earth vs. the Sci-Fi Filmmakers" by Tom Weaver (McFarland, 2005).
Was John Ford's favorite producer with whom to work.