Clancy Cooper

Clancy Cooper (July 23, 1906 – June 14, 1975) was an American actor born in Idaho who built a career spanning stage, film, and television. His work encompassed Broadway performance, directing, and more than a century's worth of screen appearances across several decades.

Cooper's Broadway career ran from 1938 to 1941 and included eight credited productions. His earliest stage work in New York included Casey Jones and The Fabulous Invalid, both in 1938. The following year he appeared in Summer Night and Stop Press. In 1940 he took on three productions: Horse Fever, Night Music, and The Man Who Killed Lincoln. His final Broadway appearance came in 1941 with Eight O'Clock Tuesday. In addition to performing, Cooper also worked as a director of plays.

On screen, Cooper accumulated more than 100 film appearances between 1938 and 1962. His television work was equally extensive, with guest roles on a wide range of series. Among his Western credits, he appeared on Gunsmoke, Maverick, Lawman, Wanted: Dead or Alive, and The Rifleman. He also guest-starred on Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In a 1949 episode of The Lone Ranger, he portrayed the Sheriff. Later in his career, Cooper appeared on Sanford and Son, playing Kelly, an elderly friend of Fred Sanford, in the episode "The Copper Caper," the fourth episode of the series' first season.