Ralph Cooper

Ralph Cooper was called "The Dark Gable" after Clark Gable, of course, because of his handsome, rugged good looks and his charm and wit. Too talented and handsome for Hollywood and wouldn't accept stereotype roles Hollywood gave Blacks - so he went and made and starred in films for Blacks. While choreographing a Shirley Temple movie "Poor Little Rich Girl" he studied and watching the movie-making process and made some of the best Black-cast films of the time. On screen he usually played gangsters and bad men in the same acting styles of James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. His movies were smashes in the Black community. Cooper was also an emcee and helped create the famous Apollo Theater. He helped the Legends we know now to stardom. He was a very talented man a tap dancer, choreographer, wonderful actor, bandleader, singer and writer.