Edward Montague Hussey Cooper (August 12, 1904 – May 5, 2000) was an actor descended from an English family but born in Australia. Known by his professional name of Edward Ashley (to avoid confusion with a fellow actor Edward Cooper), Cooper performed in 60 films for Metro Goldwyn Mayer including Pride and Prejudice (1940) where he played George Wickham.

Origins 

Edward Montague Hussey Cooper was born on 12 August 1906  in Sydney, Australia, the  son of Edward Montague Hussey Cooper and Violet Coghill Maddrell. His father, Edward (known as Montague) was a Master Mariner and a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve, who worked as a second officer for the P&O Steam Navigation Company in Australia.

Despite his use of the surname Ashley-Cooper, there was no link to the Earl of Shaftesbury.

Career 

Edward Ashley made a number of films in the United Kingdom before moving to California in 1940 where his first big role was George Wickham in Pride and Prejudice. After this his career consisted of a large number of minor roles until 1988.

Selected filmography 

• Underneath the Arches (1937)
• The Villiers Diamond (1938)
• Pride and Prejudice (1940)
• Spies of the Air (1940)
• Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948)
• The Court Jester (1955)
• Waxwork (1988)

Death 

Edward Ashley died early 5 May 2000, aged 93, from congestive heart failure and was cremated with the remains scattered at sea, off the coast of San Diego County, California on May 9, 2000. He and his former wife, Nora Swinburne, died within 4 days of each other. Ashley married actress Renee Torres in 1943 in Acapulco, Mexico. The couple returned to Acapulco in 1947 when Ashley was filming "Tarzan And The Mermaids." Torres died in San Diego County, California where the couple lived preceding Edward in death. They lived in Oceanside, California.

Source: Wikipedia