Jeanne Cooper

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Jeanne Cooper
Jeanne Cooper in an undated CBS publicity shot.
Birth name	Wilma Jeanne Cooper
Born	October 25, 1928 (age 78) Taft, California, USA
Spouse(s)	Harry Bernsen (1954-1977)
Notable roles	Katherine Chancellor on The Young and the Restless

Wilma Jeanne Cooper (born October 25, 1928 in Taft, California) is an Emmy Award-nominated American actress of Cherokee descent, best known for her role as Katherine Chancellor on The Young and the Restless. She was not on the series when the show debuted, but was cast later in 1973. She is currently the longest-tenured actor on The Young and the Restless.

Cooper began her career in the 1950s and appeared as a player in films with stars like Maureen O'Hara, Glenn Ford, Tony Curtis, and Henry Fonda. Cooper was a fixture on episodic TV throughout the 60's and 70's.

Cooper's character has broken ground in the daytime medium; Katherine has been involved in what was strongly insinuated to be a lesbian relationship, endured several bouts with alcoholism, and the loss of many men in her life (two husbands, a child, and a grandchild).

Katherine (and Cooper) had a facelift on national television (Cooper had pitched the idea of having a live facelift to CBS executives, who agreed to write the facelift into the show for Katherine Chancellor).

For many years, the story of Katherine's bitter rivalry with character Jill Foster Abbott has been a mainstay of the show; in real life, Cooper and Jess Walton are close friends. It was revealed in 2003 that Jill is Katherine's daughter born out of wedlock.

Cooper was married for 23 years to television producer Harry Bernsen, and is mother to three children, including actor Corbin Bernsen, of L.A. Law fame (she guest-starred twice as his character's mother on the series), and mother-in-law of British actress Amanda Pays.

She has received 7 Daytime Emmy nominations and 2 Primetime Emmy nominations. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys in 2004.