RALPH COOPER II
Hailing from the Apollo Theater legacy, a true veteran to the industry, Ralph Cooper II was born into the business of entertainment by way of his father, Ralph Cooper Sr., the creator, orginator and host of the world famous “Ralph Cooper Original Harlem Amateur Night at The Apollo Theatre” which Ralph himself later went on to produce, host, co-host with his father, and because of his television experience, work with his father in producing the television version of the theatre show: “Showtime at The Apollo” on NBC for 12 years running. This is only one of many of Mr. Cooper’s Productions in Network Television, Film, and Music at companies such as CBS, NBC, SHOWTIME, MTV2, Universal Music Group, Warner Bros / Sire Records, Island Records, MCA Records, the BBC, Lions Gate, FOX, etc! Finding success as a producer, screen writer / script doctor, executive producer, Mr. Cooper is also a legacy builder, discovering and signing artists such as Ice T and founding his own record labels such as Notorious Records at MCA Universal.
Growing up at CBS TV in New York, Mr. Cooper was a series regular on “All Join Hands.” a CBS TV national children's series. After Mr Cooper grew out of the children series he segued into production at "Captain Kangaroo" and "60 Minutes."
Mr. Cooper was also associate producer of "The Rangel Report", "Frontline: District 9" and the weekly public affairs show "The Percy Sutton Show.
These television series aired on WPIX TV NY and WOR TV NY.
Mr. Cooper had huge success in radio as Associate Program Director of "Disco 92 WKTU FM", the first station to break disco as a radio format and still to this day is the highest radio station rating ever achieved in America.
Mr. Cooper went on to be National Programming Consultant for Inner City Broadcasting. Mr Cooper was a on air personality at the pioneer new music /electronica radio station WLIR -FM.
Mr. Cooper then segued into being Special Events Director for The Budweiser Superfest concert series. The series became the largest pop/urban stadium concert series in America. It was the cultural forerunner to the stadium festival concerts that populate America and Europe currently.
Mr. Cooper produced out door music festivals nationally and in New York including “Salute To Harlem””, and is currently producing festivals and curating various outdoor city and park sites in New York City.
Mr. Cooper has been involved in event planning and sponsorships having brought Revlon to “Salute to Harlem” outdoor music series, and Coca Cola to The Apollo Theater.
Mr. Cooper went on to produce, as well as host numerous international television shows for the BBC in England and two NHK television series in Japan “ What’s Hot In NY” and “Japanese Amateur Night”.
Mr. Cooper executive produced and placed a series on MTV Networks on MTV 2 -“The Rucker Park EBC“ series first time the famous Rucker Park EBC Games were televised.
Mr. Cooper worked with, programmed and consulted NBC on their digital platform and co created the Non-Stop Format; NY Non Stop, Miami Non Stop, LA Non Stop we’re created to provide content and direction for their digital channels across the NBC Owned & Operated stations.
Mr. Cooper also Executive Produced and signed numerous recording contracts for artists to major labels, making many artists stars and household names, he completed and executive produced multiple deals at Island Records, Spring Records, NuGroove Records, Nervous Records, Emergency, Pow Wow/Polygram and Capitol Records. Mr Cooper signed Ice T to Sire/Warner Brothers.
Mr.Cooper co-founded and ran Notorious Records which was distributed by MCA/Universal. Notorious Records released two number one worldwide dance hits and had dance superstar Vickie Sue Robinson on the label.
Mr. Cooper was the only Executive hired that survived what Variety headlined "The Black Sunday Purge of Cotton Club." Mr Cooper’s responsibilities on "The Cotton Club" were in all departments, he had to interface with talent, the studios, and investors. His involvement on "The Cotton Club" gave him a plethora of film business both as a creative force in front of and behind the camera. He was offered a role on the feature film," Knockout," starring Paul Winfield and William McNamara. Mr. Cooper went on to work on in production and take a role in "91/2 Weeks," starring Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger, and executive produced "Hugo Pool," a feature film starring Sean Penn and Robert Downey Jr. via the company Nomadic Pictures.
Mr.Cooper sold a horror script to The Davis Company on the Fox lot, and worked on the Fox lot for years.
Mr. Cooper worked for Victor and Grais Productions producers of “Sleepwalkers” and “Marked for Death” on their films.
Mr. Cooper set up his father’s memoirs to be published at Harper Collins and wrote the forward of the novel.
Mr. Cooper ghost rewrote the successful “Leprechaun 5 - Lep in da Hood” for Trimark Studios, it was a page one rewrite job his credit is Associate Producer on the film.
Mr. Cooper and his script writing partner wrote "Eraser" that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and sold their “Gun Point” action script to Disney.
Mr. Cooper then set up a development deal at Warner Brothers Pictures. Including a slate of films at New Line Cinema. Mr Cooper produced “Holiday Baggage”in 2008 and released the rom com “Sharon 123” in the fall of 2018.
At AFM after its theatrical release “Sharon 123” secured its cable deal in North America and premiered on Showtime March 1 st 2019.
Mr. Cooper executive produced the upcoming rom com “8 Days to Cabo”.
Mr Cooper has a slate of films in current preparation that are fully funded.
Mr. Cooper produced and co hosted, and hosted his father’s show stage show and had "Show time at The Apollo" the TV version of the stage show on the air at NBC for over twelve years. The series was re booted on Fox TV in 2018 at 8 pm.
Mr. Cooper is featured in Robert Evans best seller novel “The Kid Stays in the Picture”
Mr Cooper is in the last pictorial section of the novel.
Mr. Cooper manages Amanda Holley who is signed at a label at Sony Music.
Currently Mr Cooper has sold a television series to Tegna and another two series in negotiations at Crackle.
Mr Coopers motion pictures are responsible for box office sales over 500 million worldwide to date.
Mr Cooper created and managed multiple night club nights in NY at top clubs and owned three night clubs in New York the last club; “The Madison” - “Gypsy Tea” was taken out of bankruptcy of NY State Supreme Court.
The club was featured in the film “American Gangster”
Mr Coopers' hospitality management company hit all state appointed milestone and was awarded full operations of the club within a year's cycle. His hospitality management company is currently in excellent standing with the State of New York.
Mr Cooper has been involved in urban development and planning, having written a part of the urban development plan that is the Harlem you see today.
