{{short description|American actress and model (1924–2000)}} {{Infobox person | name = Isabel Cooley | birth_name = Jane Isabelle Cooley | birth_date = {{Birth date|1924|07|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2000|01|03|1924|07|20|df=yes}} | death_place = Greenville, Mississippi, U.S. | other_names = ''The Most Beautiful Coloured Girl'' <br> ''Isabelle Cooley'' | education = Cleveland Play House | alma_mater = Cleveland College | occupation = {{Hlist | Actress | model | theatre actress}} | years_active = 1942 – 2000 | agent = | parents = Holly Cooley (mother) <br> Harriett Cooley (father) | spouse = {{marriage|Addison S. Collins Jr.|1946|1966|end=divorced}} | children = | relatives = }}
'''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.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper/> 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).<ref>{{cite book|title=Walking Shadows: Shakespeare in the National Film and Television Archive|publisher=University of Michigan|page=47|year=1994}}</ref> 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"''.<ref name=UniversityofCalifornia/>
== Early life and education == Jane Isabelle Cooley was born on July 20, 1924, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Holly Cooley and Harriett (Storey) Cooley.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper/> 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.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper/> However, Jane developed a passion for the theater and remained in the children's program until age 16.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/133800319/|title=Mother Advised Her Not to Leave Home, But Isabelle Cooley Took a Chance and Did Anyway|website=St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Newspaper|date=October 4, 2025}}</ref>
After high school, she attended Cleveland College for two years as an English major.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper/> In the fall of 1945, seeking a faster pace for her career, she moved to New York City against her mother's wishes.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper/>
== Career == === Early stage and "The Most Beautiful Coloured Girl" === After arriving in New York, Cooley worked as a waitress for six months while honing her craft.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper/> 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.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper/> The performance made her a sensation.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eUEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60|title=Stage 'Anna' Calls Movie|publisher=Jet Magazine|page=60|year=1958}}</ref>
In the early 1950s, she moved to London, where she performed with the Players Theatre Guild in productions of ''Hamlet'' and ''The Square Ring''.<ref>{{cite book|title=London 'Hamlet' Production Stars Two Negroes|publisher=Jet Magazine|page=62|year=1953}}</ref> It was during this period that international media dubbed her ''"The Most Beautiful Coloured Girl in the World"''.<ref name=UniversityofCalifornia>{{cite book|title=In Show Business Tonight|publisher=University of California|page=32|year=1954}}</ref>
=== Film and Television === Coole's film career began in earnest in the late 1950s.<ref>{{cite book|title=Isabelle Cooley May Star In British Film|publisher=Jet Magazine|page=59|year=1953}}</ref> Her most iconic role was as Charmian, the loyal handmaiden to Elizabeth Taylor's title character in the 1963 epic ''Cleopatra''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/cleopatra-1963-movie-review-754694/|title='Cleopatra' Review: 1963 Movie|website=Hollywood Reporter|date=May 10, 2025}}</ref> Despite a near-fatal car accident in 1962 that required extensive plastic surgery, she returned to the screen within a year.<ref>{{cite book|title=Motion Picture Herald - Volume 230|publisher=University of Iowa|page=2|year=1963}}</ref>
Her later film credits included ''I Passed for White'' (1960), ''Real Genius'' (1985), and ''Parenthood'' (1989).<ref>{{cite book|title=MPG Consumer Annual 1990 (Films of 1989)|publisher=CineBooks|page=184|year=1990}}</ref> 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''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Television Drama Series Programming: A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1975-1980 - Volume 3|publisher=University of Michigan|page=255|year=1981}}</ref>
== Personal life == On August 15, 1946, Cooley married jazz musician Addison Shields Collins Jr. in Manhattan.<ref name=StLouisPostDispatchNewspaper/> The marriage ended in divorce in January 1966.<ref>{{cite book|title=New York, New York, U.S., Marriage License Indexes, 1907-2018|publisher=New York, U.S., Marriage Records}}</ref>
== Death == Cooley died on January 3, 2000, in Greenville, Mississippi, at the age of 75.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weremember.com/isabel-cooley/7t1e/memories|title=Isabel Cooley Obituary|website=www.weremember.com|date=December 28, 2025}}</ref>
== Filmography == === Television === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col"|Year ! scope="col"|Title ! scope="col"|Role ! scope="col"|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 === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- style="text-align:center;" ! scope="col"|Year ! scope="col"|Title ! scope="col"|Role ! scope="col"|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 ||<ref>{{cite book|title=Black Action Films: Plots, Critiques, Casts and Credits for 235 Theatrical and Made-for-television Releases|publisher=University of Michigan|page=337|year=1989}}</ref> |- | 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 == === Theatre === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role(s) ! Venue(s) ! class="unsortable" |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 == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|0177601}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooley, Isabel}} Category:1924 births Category:2000 deaths Category:20th-century American actresses Category:American female models Category:American stage actresses Category:American actresses Category:American musical theatre actresses Category:Actresses from Cleveland Category:American expatriates in England