From 1964 to 1969, Cooper was vice president of program development at Columbia Pictures Screen Gems TV division. He was responsible for packaging series, such as “Bewitched”, and other projects and selling them to the networks. He reportedly cast Sally Field as “Gidget”. Cooper died on May 3, 2011 after a short illness, in Santa Monica, California. He was survived by sons from his first and third marriages. He outlived both of his daughters as well as his third wife. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, in honor of his naval service.