Biography

Elizabeth Cooper (born Isabel Rosario Cooper; January 15, 1914 (or 1909/1912) – June 29, 1960) was a Filipina film actress, vaudeville dancer, and singer. In addition to her brief movie career, Cooper was also known for being the mistress of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur.Born in Manila, she was famous for the first onscreen kiss in Philippine cinema for the movie, Ang Tatlong Hambog (1926) when she was around the age of 12. In the 1930s, she met General Douglas MacArthur and became his paramour when she was around the age of 16 (or 18/21) and he was in his 50s. He arranged for her to follow him to Washington, D.C.

While serving as Army Chief of Staff in the 1930s, MacArthur filed a libel action against a journalist at The Washington Post, Drew Pearson. When Pearson added Cooper to his list of witnesses to be deposed, MacArthur dropped the suit. MacArthur subsequently paid Cooper $15,000 to leave Washington, the money allegedly delivered by his aide, Dwight Eisenhower. However, she did not return to the Philippines, and after a few failed attempts in Hollywood and a hair dressing shop in the Midwest, she committed suicide in 1960.