April 22, 2014
Los Angeles – Directors Guild of America President Paris Barclay made the following statement upon learning of the passing of former DGA Secretary and dedicated Guild member Hal Cooper:
“Hal believed in creating a collegial atmosphere on his sets so that everyone’s creative talents could contribute to the best possible final product. This belief carried over into his service to the DGA – during a quarter century on the National Board and more than 20 years as a Directors Guild Foundation Trustee, Hal was instrumental in creating a positive environment where the best ideas could surface. Whenever the Guild called upon him, he was right there, ready to serve. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
DGA Service and Awards
Hal Cooper was a Guild member for more than 50 years. He served 12 terms on the National Board, including as Secretary from 1981-1983. He also served on the Western Directors Council for six terms and on the Guild’s Negotiating Committee, and he was a member of the DGA Task Force on Social Responsibility and co-chaired the Guild's Residuals Study Committee. Cooper served as a trustee of the DGA-Producer Pension and Health Plans for a decade and as the DGA representative on the Ratings Monitoring Board. At the time of his passing, Cooper was a trustee of the Directors Guild Foundation, where he had served for multiple consecutive terms.
A prolific television director, Cooper was also a three-time DGA Award nominee for his direction of the seminal television program Maude in 1973, 1975 and 1976.
Click here to view Hal Cooper's DGA Visual History Interview.