I am just shocked to see how old gary looked here!!

You read my mind.

The trivia section said they used no makeup to show signs of anxiety, etc. So unlike most actors in films he had no make up.

People!!! He was sick with cancer!! John Wayne accepted his Academy Award. He was too sick to attend. I thought I remember him looking old and bad (I guess because of Academy Award memories.) but just watched the film in detail, he looked good. Weight down. One Hell of an actor (They all were!) you know who blew me away? Stole the movie scene by scene? Katy Jurado. God! What a face! What a woman! More man than any man in that film! Did she realize how good/great she was?!? The only person who understood Will Cane. The only one. Even his wife (Grace Kelly) did not understand him. I would love to take High Noon to Broadway, New York. On stage. Live. Killer!! Four of em coming for Will Kane. Put him into the audience on a "T", then walking around, the music..it would make hair on your neck stand up. What a story! What writing! Katy I need you. .......
John

I was wrong. ... Gary Cooper was filming and unable to attend. John Wayne accepted High Noon award. In 1961 Gary Cooper received lifetime achievement award. He was too sick with cancer to attend. Jimmy Stewart accepted. He died a month later just a week after 60th Birhday. John. Those old days can create urban legends. Sorry.

As I recall, Cooper had surgery just before filming. His grimaces were real. Added to the feel of what was going on.