Paul W. Cooper is a seasoned freelance television and motion picture screenwriter with over three decades of experience. His impressive portfolio boasts over 70 television credits and one motion picture, earning him a multitude of prestigious awards, including three Emmys, the Humanitas Prize, and the Writers Guild Award.
Notably, Cooper wrote the critically acclaimed film "ONCE UPON A TIME WHEN WE WERE COLORED", which won Best Picture honors at the Movie Guide Awards. His television credits are equally impressive, featuring notable shows such as "MURDER, SHE WROTE", "HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN", "LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE", and "THE WALTONS". Additionally, he served as Story Editor on Oprah Winfrey's dramatic series "BREWSTER PLACE".
Cooper has written an impressive 21 ABC and CBS AFTERSCHOOL SPECIALS, tackling a wide range of significant social issues, including incest, alcoholism, physical abuse, homosexuality, and racism. Many of these projects won Emmys for their significant social and dramatic impact.
In addition to his television work, Cooper has written films for cable television, which have appeared on Showtime, Disney, the Animal Planet, and Family Channels. He also wrote and directed the interactive CD-Rom video game "CHESS WARS: A MEDIEVAL FANTASY", which won Best New Game in 1996. Cooper has instructed film and television writing at Pepperdine University.
Prior to his writing career, Cooper served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force for six years, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. After graduating from the University of Tulsa with a degree in business, he began writing scripts while sitting long hours of alert as an aircraft commander in the Strategic Air Command. Despite facing numerous agent rejections, Cooper eventually attracted the attention of Earl Hamner, creator of "THE WALTONS", who encouraged him to pursue a career in television writing.
Today, Cooper resides in the Los Angeles area with his wife, Donna.
