Gary Cooper: player, or poser?

[Russ Young]

I’ve come across a few pictures of actor Gary Cooper playing a variety of lapsteel guitars: a National tricone, a Dobro(?) and a “Hawaiian Teachers of Hollywood” student hollow neck. Does anyone know about his skill, or lack thereof, as a guitarist?

[Mark Helm]

All I could find was some IMBD trivia that says the actor, "strummed guitar." My guess is he was a dabbler. He reportedly had a ton of hobbies and, with his busy filming schedule (never mind all the starlets he was, ummm, "entertaining)," I can't imagine he would have had the time to practice.

[Russ Young]

Absolutely, Mark! I’m going to use that as an excuse for not practicing more … 😉

[Peter Harris]

..from the dog's expression in the first photo, I'd say he wasn't all that good at it...

[Tony Glassman]

Well, he is using finger picks. I think his left hand looks fairly correct and he is doing a bar slant in the lower picture. I’m gonna give him the benefit of the doubt and say he was a hobbyist steeler.