# Isabel Cooley
**Isabel Cooley** (born Jane Isabelle Cooley; July 20, 1924 – January 3, 2000), often credited as Isabelle Cooley, was an American stage, film, and television actress whose career ran from Broadway in the mid-1940s to film and television work into the early 1990s.[1](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/isabel-cooley) • [2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/isabelle-cooley-97111) She is known to film audiences as Charmian in *Cleopatra* (1963) and Barbara Rice in *Parenthood* (1989).[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177601/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | July 20, 1924, Cleveland, Ohio, USA[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/isabelle-cooley-97111) |
| Died | January 3, 2000, Greenville, Mississippi, USA[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/isabelle-cooley-97111) |
| Full name | Jane Isabelle Cooley; often credited as Isabelle Cooley[1](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/isabel-cooley) |
| Broadway roles | Anna in *Anna Lucasta* (1944–46 original run as replacement, 1947 revival as original); Gladys in *The Long Dream* (1960)[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/isabelle-cooley-97111) |
| Best-known film role | Charmian in *Cleopatra* (1963)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177601/) |
| Active years | 1957–1991 in film and television[4](https://www.sassyflix.com/person/166144-isabel-cooley) |
| Spouse | Addison S Collins Jr., married August 15, 1946, divorced January 1966[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177601/) |
## Broadway
Cooley's earliest recorded stage work is on Broadway. She joined the long-running original production of Philip Yordan's play *Anna Lucasta* (August 30, 1944 – November 30, 1946) as a replacement in the title role, then played Anna in the 1947 revival (September 22 – October 18, 1947) as an original cast member.[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/isabelle-cooley-97111) Her second Broadway appearance was as Gladys in the original production of *The Long Dream*, which ran from February 17 to February 20, 1960, a four-day engagement.[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/isabelle-cooley-97111)
## Film
Her screen credits began in the late 1950s. She appeared as Soona, Susanna's Maid, in the 1957 film *Raintree County*, uncredited, and as Julie in *Suicide Battalion* (1958).[5](https://www.famousfix.com/topic/isabel-cooley/characters) In 1960 she played Bertha in *I Passed for White*, released by Allied Artists on March 18, 1960.[1](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/isabel-cooley)
__Her most visible film role__ was Charmian, one of Cleopatra's attendants, in the 1963 epic *Cleopatra* with [Richard Burton](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-burton), Elizabeth Taylor, and [Rex Harrison](https://www.edgepedia.org/rex-harrison); she was credited on screen as Isabelle Cooley.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177601/) Later film work was mostly in supporting parts, including TV Stage Manager in *Real Genius* (1985) and Barbara Rice in [Ron Howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/ron-howard)'s *Parenthood* (1989), which lists her among its cast alongside Steve Martin, Keanu Reeves, and Dianne Wiest.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177601/) • [6](https://hogansheroes.fandom.com/wiki/Isabelle_Cooley) Her final screen credit was as Counselor in *Rich Girl* (1991), billed as Isabelle Cooley.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177601/)
## Television
From the late 1950s through 1990, Cooley worked mainly as a television guest performer. Her credits include Adele in *Lux Video Theatre* (1957), Phyllis Johns in *Dr. Kildare* (1963), Dorris Burns in *Ben Casey* (1963), Nurse Nelson in *My Living Doll* (1964), Conchita Delgado in *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1965), Princess Yawanda in *Hogan's Heroes* (1966), Marion Lefevre in *The Mod Squad* (1970), Miss Richards in *The Bill Cosby Show* (1970), Muriel in *The Incredible Hulk* (1980), Judge Webber and Judge Jean Bailey in two 1989 episodes of *Matlock*, and Head Nurse in *Murder, She Wrote* (1990).[6](https://hogansheroes.fandom.com/wiki/Isabelle_Cooley) • [7](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/125208/isabel-cooley) One aggregate listing records 33 known credits over her career.[4](https://www.sassyflix.com/person/166144-isabel-cooley)
## Personal life
Cooley married Addison S Collins Jr. on August 15, 1946; the marriage ended in divorce in January 1966.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177601/) She died on January 3, 2000, in [Greenville, Mississippi](https://www.edgepedia.org/greenville-mississippi), at age 75.[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/isabelle-cooley-97111)
## References
1. [References for Isabel Cooley, The Names Dictionary](https://www.thenamesdictionary.com/references-for/isabel-cooley)
2. [Isabelle Cooley – Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB (Internet Broadway Database)](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/isabelle-cooley-97111)
3. [Isabel Cooley, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177601/)
4. [Isabel Cooley (actor) Movies & Credits, SassyFlix](https://www.sassyflix.com/person/166144-isabel-cooley)
5. [Isabel Cooley Characters List, FamousFix](https://www.famousfix.com/topic/isabel-cooley/characters)
6. [Isabelle Cooley, Hogan's Heroes Wiki (Fandom)](https://hogansheroes.fandom.com/wiki/Isabelle_Cooley)
7. [Isabel Cooley, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/125208/isabel-cooley)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1940s to 1960s › Surnames Br to C*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license