Wilma Jeanne Cooper

At A Glance

Jeanne Cooper joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in 1973 as Katherine Chancellor, the grande dame of Genoa City.


Jeanne has had a wide ranging television career including appearances in the series The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason, Maverick, and Ben Casey, a performance for which she received an Emmy nomination. She appeared with her son, actor Corbin Bernsen, in the television series LA Law (a role for which she received an additional Emmy nomination), Touched by an Angel and the television movie Beyond Suspicion.

Jeanne was also seen in the motion pictures The Man from the Alamo, The Boston Strangler and Tony Rome. Her theatrical productions include On the Town, The Miracle Worker, Plain and Fancy and a successful touring production of Plaza Suite. She also starred in Love Letters at the Canon Theater in Beverly Hills, California.

Jeanne attended the College of the Pacific and performed in the Civic Light Opera Company and Revue Theater in Stockton. She graduated from the famed Pasadena Playhouse School.

Jeanne founded a national volunteer support network called the Katherine Chancellor Society. She donated her time to several charities, hospitals and organizations, including the Humane Society of Hawaii, Greenpeace, the National Wildlife Association, and the Children's Hospital of Toronto. Additionally, her other charity work included Children's Cancer Research (London), House of Hope (San Diego, California) and Drive By Agony (Lynwood, California).

Cooper was married to television producer Harry Bernsen in 1954. Before divorcing in 1977, the couple had three children, Corbin, Collin, and Caren. All three became actors themselves.


Cooper was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2004 Daytime Emmys. Four years later, the underdog Cooper won the Outstanding Lead Actress trophy.


In addition to her Emmy wins, Cooper also has nine other Daytime Emmy nominations.


Cooper also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993.


Jeanne Cooper passed away on May 8, 2013 at the age of 84. To read more about her life, please click here.

Acting Portfolio: TELEVISION

Beyond Suspicion
Renata
1993

The Young and the Restless
Marge Catrooke
1989-1990; October 14, 2008 to November 14, 2008; March 26, 2009

The San Pedro Bums
Mrs. McClory
1977

Sweet Hostage
Mrs. Withers
1975

The Young and the Restless
Katherine Chancellor
November 1973 to May 3, 2013

The All-American Boy
Nola Bealer
1973

Bracken's World
Grace Douglas
1970

The Ford Television Theatre
Lois Powell
1956

Playhouse 90
Receptionist
1956

Crusader
Helen
1956

Crossroads
Mrs. Hinton
1956

Front Row Center
Leslie
1956

Highway Patrol
Laura Douglas
1956

The Man Behind the Badge
1955

Death Valley Days
1954-1955

The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse
Martha
1954

The Adventures of Kit Carson
Joyce Hadley
1953

Acting Portfolio: FILM

Carpool Guy
Mrs. Lunsford
2005

The Tomorrow Man
Jeanine (Present Day)
2001


Zach Shepard's Mother
1992

Kansas City Bomber
Trainer Vivien
1972

There Was a Crooked Man
Prostitute
1970

The Boston Strangler
Cloe
1966

Tony Rome
1967
Lorna Boyd

The Glory Guys
Mrs. Rachael McCabe
1965

Black Zoo
Edna Conrad
1963

The Commies Are Coming, the Commies Are Coming
Helen Donovan
1962

House of Women
Helen Jennings
1962

13 West Street
Mrs. Quinn
1962

The Intruder
Vi Griffin
1961

Let No Man Write My Epitaph
Fran
1960

Unwed Mother
Mrs. Horton
1958

Plunder Road
Fran Werner
1957

5 Steps to Danger
Helen Bethke, RN
1957

The Houston Story
Madge
1956

Over-Exposed
Renee
1956

Calling Homicide
Darlene Adams
1956

The Naked Street
Evelyn Shriner
1955

The Man from the Alamo
Kate Lamar
1953

Shadows of Tombstone
Marge
1953

The Redhead From Wyoming
Myra
1953

Awards & Acclaim

Daytime Emmys Winner, Lifetime Achievement Award (2005)
Daytime Emmys Winner Outstanding Lead Actress (2008)

Daytime Emmys Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress (1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012)
Daytime Emmys Nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress (2005)

Daytime Emmys Pre-Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Daytime Emmys Pre-Nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress (2005)

Soap Opera Digest Awards Winner, Outstanding Lead Actress (1989)
Soap Opera Digest Awards Winner, Editor's Award (1989)
Soap Opera Update Winner, MVP Award (1990)

Pasadena Playhouse Alumni & Associates Winner, Woman of the Year Award (1989)

Vital Statistics

PLACE OF BIRTH: Taft, California

DATE OF BIRTH: October 25, 1928

HEIGHT: 5' 3 1/2"

HAIR: Blonde

EYES: Blue

MARITAL STATUS: Single/Divorced; Harry Bernsen (1954-1977)

CHILDREN: Three; Corbin Bernsen, Collin Bernsen and Caren Bernsen.