Who was Jerome Coopersmith? American Playwright and Television Writer Dead at 97

Jerome Coopersmith was an American playwright and television writer who landed his first television job in 1947 with pioneer TV producer Martin Stone, who had a number of shows on the air including the popular Howdy Doody. 

He had been working in the television industry since 1947 and authored more than 100 television scripts for anthology dramas, episodic series, and television movies and specials.

Coopersmith died peacefully in Rochester, New York on Friday, July 21, 2023, at age 97. His death was announced by his grandson, Kyle Cheney.

“My grandfather died this week just shy of his 98th birthday. He was a big part of the reason I went into journalism. And he was also a warm-hearted great-grandfather who relished jazz, tap dancing, magic tricks, mysteries and the NYT crossword puzzle,” he wrote.

“My grandfather died this week just shy of his 98th birthday. He was a big part of the reason I went into journalism. And he was also a warm-hearted great-grandfather who relished jazz, tap dancing, magic tricks, mysteries and the NYT crossword puzzle,” he added.