Jerome Coopersmith

Jerome Coopersmith
Coopersmith in London, 2005
Born(1925-08-11)August 11, 1925
New York City, U.S.
DiedJuly 21, 2023(2023-07-21) (aged 97)
Rochester, New York, U.S.
EducationNew York University
Occupation(s)Playwright and television screenplay writer
Years active1947–2023
Notable credit(s)Baker Street (Broadway Musical, 1965); The Apple Tree (Broadway Musical, 1967); Hawaii 5-O (Television Series, 1967-1976); Twas the Night Before Christmas (Television Special, 1974); An American Christmas Carol (Television Movie, 1979)
Military career
Allegiance United States of America
Service / branch United States Army
Years of service1943–1945
Unit94th Infantry Division
Battles / warsWorld War II
AwardsRecipient of Purple Heart

Jerome Coopersmith (August 11, 1925 – July 21, 2023) was an American dramatist known for television, theater, and his work as a professor of screenplay writing.[1] Working in the television industry since 1947, Coopersmith authored more than 100 television scripts for anthology dramas, episodic series and television movies and specials. His television work included Johnny Jupiter (1953-1954),[2] Armstrong Circle Theater (1955–1963),[3] Hawaii Five-O (1967–1976),[4] and Streets of San Francisco (1973),[5] and the holiday classics 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)[6] and An American Christmas Carol (1979).[7] Coopersmith's theatrical plays span Broadway, off-Broadway, and regional productions.[8] His Broadway musical, Baker Street (1965),[9] based on the stories of Sherlock Holmes, earned him a Tony Nomination as Author of Best Musical.[10] He was a member of the Dramatists Guild,[11] the Mystery Writers of America,[12] and was a member and past officer of the Writers Guild of America, East.[13] On November 12, 2019, at age 94, Coopersmith was honored with the highest distinction of Chevalier, or Knight, in the National Order of the French Legion of Honor in recognition of his service to France in World War II.[14]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Roman, James W. (2005). "Johnny Jupiter". From Daytime to Primetime: The History of American Television Programs. United States: Greenwood Press. p. 145. ISBN 9780313319723.
  3. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (July 27, 2023). "Tony-Nominated Playwright Jerome Coopersmith Dies at 97". Playbill. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  4. ^ Rhodes, Karen (1997-02-01). Booking Hawaii Five-O: An Episode Guide and Critical History of the 1968-1980 Television Detective Series. McFarland. ISBN 9780786486663.
  5. ^ "Register of the Streets of San Francisco Collection".
  6. ^ 'Twas the Night Before Christmas - WorldCat Directory. OCLC 657395903.
  7. ^ An American Christmas Carol - WorldCat Directory. OCLC 43490889.
  8. ^ "Who's Who in the Cast: Jerome Coopersmith". Playbill, Studio 54: The Apple Tree. 2006.
  9. ^ League, The Broadway. "Jerome Coopersmith | IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  10. ^ "1965 Tony Award Winners and Nominees". www2.broadwayworld.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-04. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  11. ^ "Dramatists Guild | Dramatists Guild Member Profile View Edit". www.dramatistsguild.com. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  12. ^ "Jerome Coopersmith Mystery Writers of America membership directory". mysterywriters.org. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  13. ^ "Past WGAE Officers". Writers Guild of America East. Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  14. ^ "A Knight in Rockville Centre". Richner Communications. Retrieved July 26, 2020.