It is one of the most memorable images in film history: King Kong standing on top of the Empire State Building holding Fay Wray in his palm while being strafed by fighter planes. It's so powerful that it has overshadowed Kong's creator, Merian C. Cooper, a filmmaker, explorer, war hero and aviation pioneer whose real-life adventures were nearly as dramatic as the movie. Indeed, the film, released in 1933, is in many ways an autobiographical work.
