Jerome Coopersmith, veteran writer and Purple Heart recipient, dies at 97

Jerome Coopersmith, an extraordinary writer known for writing a 1965 Sherlock Holmes musical and more than two dozen episodes of the TV series Hawaii Five-O, has passed away at the age of 97. 

Coopersmith was a decorated veteran of the US Army and an acclaimed writer. 

The news of the death of the famed writer was confirmed by his family, who stated, "Coopersmith died peacefully on Friday in Rochester, New York.

Coopersmith was a decorated veteran who served in World War II and received a Purple Heart for his service. He joined the US Army in 1943 and left after serving for two years in 1945.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, he then began his writing career in 1947 and went on to write several quizzes and historical shows for television, including Gabby Hayes Show and Johnny Jupiter in collaboration with Horton Foote in the early 1950s.

Coopersmith was credited for writing two feature-length and almost thirty regular episodes of the TV series Hawaii Five-O.

In 1977, the acclaimed writer created a New York newspaper drama, The Andros Target starring James Sutorius, but it lasted for only 13 episodes.

In 1966-67, he wrote The Apple Tree, directed by Mike Nichols and was a Broadway hit.

Jerome Coopersmith is survived by his grandson and daughters Amy and Jill.