Cooper leapt into history one Thanksgiving weekend in 1971.
Here’s a look at the mysterious skyjacker’s pop culture impact.
What did he want?
$200,000 in unmarked bills and four parachutes.
He was never seen again.
It was a bold and brazen move that instantly captivated the worlds imagination.
In the confused rush to get the story out there, the skyjacker was misidentified as D.B.
Cooper, and the false name stuck.
Suddenly everyone was transfixed by the Cooper story.
Did he survive the jump?
Why did he do it?
These unanswered questions only served to build up Coopers mystique and his legend grew exponentially.
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To this day, no one really knows who D.B.
Cooper was or what became of him.
In 2016,the FBI closed the case.
Cooper had committed the perfect crime, and gotten away with it.
And still, people continue to obsess about the enigmatic, and, by some accounts, charming skyjacker.
Because his crime didnt harm anyone, D.B.
Cooper became an instant folk hero.
He was a living representation of the sticking it to the man ethos of the era.
And before you knew it, a pop culture phenomenon one that continues to this day was born.
These are the most memorable ways he impacted pop culture.
Lets take a look.
The Mystery of D.B.
Cooper
Almost 50 years on and we still have no idea who D.B.
Cooper was and what his motives were.
HBO MaxsThe Mystery of D.B.
Cooper, an in-depth documentary that aims to be the definitive word on this true-crime saga.
You canread our review ofThe Mystery of D.B.
The Pursuit of D.B.
Thus in 1981,The Pursuit of D.B.
The film starred Treat Williams, a slumming Robert Duvall, and the late, great Paul Gleason.
Loosely inspired by J.D.
HA HA HA
In 1983, interest in all things D.B.
Cooper had already waned.
The most interesting aspect of this novel is how it was also a contest.
Readers could unravel clues hidden in the book to win $200,000 of their own.
One thing that bugs us though?
Somehow we never pictured Cooper portrayed in the series by character actor great Muse Watson as a cat owner.
Skyjack
In 2012, CBS Films optioned the rights to journalist Geoffrey GraysSkyjack.
Its a strange and joyous read.
Do Grays new leads result in finally identifying Cooper?
That would be telling.
Journeyman
Journeyman, we still miss you so.
Because his adventures often resulted in him putting right what once went wrong, theQuantum Leapcomparisons never stopped.
ButJourneymanwas so much more than just an adventure of the week story.
As if we didnt love it enough already, they had to go and bring Cooper into the mix.
Why was this show cancelled again?
Above you see CBS News original report about the Cooper case.
Join Walter Cronkite and Bill Kurtis for their coverage of this history-making event.
Bigfoot vs. D.B.
Cooper
Full disclosure:Weve never seen this low-budget flick that looks like the next big SyFy sweeps event.
Thats gotta be a recipe for entertainment, right?
Its a fantastic song that brings to mind the works of Slowdive and This Mortal Coil.
In other words, essential listening for the120 Minutescrowd.
The Far Side
Gary Larsons seminal comic stripThe Far Sideonce speculated on Coopers final fate.
It may not be pretty for him, but it sure is funny.
Todd Snider, D.B.
did in fact survive his leap, and celebrated with a champagne toast.
I hope they never see D.B.
After all, history needs its mysteries…
