Jan. 15, 1914: The birth of Isabel Rosario Cooper, Gen. MacArthur’s lover

Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Isabel Rosario Cooper/FILE PHOTOS

One of the most obscure, fascinating and controversial figures in Philippine-American history was Isabel Rosario Cooper.

If remembered at all, she was labeled as the mistress of General Douglas MacArthur.

The term mistress was incorrect and disrespectful for Isabel. She was the long-term girlfriend of General MacArthur who was the commander of the Philippine Department based in Manila.

When the general met the beautiful teenager of mixed Filipina and European ancestry in 1929, he was finalizing a divorce from his first wife.

His estranged wife was not with him in the Philippines during the legal separation and the divorce. The divorce was completed on June 17, 1929. Isabel was not some woman on the side for a married man.

At the time of Isabel and the general’s meeting in 1929, Isabel was a talented singer and actress in Manila. Her stage name was Dimples.

She must have been an intriguing figure for a man recovering from the failure of his marriage. Douglas and Isabel’s long-term relationship lasted five years.

Most of the five years were spent in Washington, D.C. when General MacArthur was the chief of staff of the U.S. Army.

General MacArthur had complications with most of the women in his life. His mother followed him to the Military Academy at West Point. She maintained a room at a fancy hotel outside the academy to keep an eye on her son.

She traveled with him to many of his army assignments including the Philippines. She died in the Philippines in 1935 when MacArthur was the military advisor to the Philippine Commonwealth.

His mother disapproved of his first marriage to divorcee, socialite and heiress, Louise Cromwell Brooks. Louise had two children from her previous marriage.

Louise and Douglas were married at a fairy tale wedding in Palm Beach, Florida, on Feb. 14, 1922. Due to incompatibility, the marriage ended in divorce on June 17, 1929.

In 1930, General MacArthur was promoted to the chief of staff of the U.S. Army. He did not end his relationship with Isabel. In fact, she traveled to Washington, D.C., and she was given an elegant apartment close to the War Department.

Naturally, rumors spread about the general and his exotic girlfriend. The general was more concerned about his mother finding out about Isabel than his superiors, subordinates or reporters.

Eventually, Isabel got tired of being discreet and a kept girlfriend. She started taking classes and tried to revive her singing and acting career.

Their relationship became greatly strained. Ultimately, the general gave her a sizable amount of money to inconspicuously end the relationship in 1934.

Instead of returning to Manila, Isabel headed to Hollywood, California. She appeared in many movies normally as a stereotypical Asian character with minimal lines. She committed suicide on June 29, 1960, at age 45.

Dennis Edward Flake is the author of three books on Philippine-American history. He is a Public Historian and a former park ranger in interpretation for the National Park Service at the Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, PA. He can be contacted at: [email protected]

 You may like: MacArthur’s Lover, Isabel Cooper: Colonialism’s Daughter