Christopher Knopf, the former president of the Writers Guild of America West, died on Wednesday at age 91 of congestive heart failure.
The Emmy nominated writer also served as president of the International Writers Guild and national chairman of the WGA. He received 10 Writers Guild nominations, winning three.
Knopf’s credits included “Scott Joplin: King of Ragtime,” “Mrs. Sundance,” “Baby Girl Scott,” “Peter and Paul,” and the pilot for “The Big Valley.” His Emmy nominations came for “The Girl Who Spelled Freedom” and “Loudmouth.”
He also won an Asian Pacific Media Award and a Christopher Award for “The Girl Who Spelled Freedom.”
Born in New York City, Knopf attended UCLA, leaving during his senior year to join the Air Force during World War II. He later finished his degree at UC Berkeley before embarking on a long writing career.
Knopf received the Morgan Cox Award in 1991 and the Edmund H. North Award in 2002 from WGA West.
Survivors include his wife, Lorraine; his sister, Wendy Cooper; a daughter, Susan St. Clair, and stepdaughter, Laurie Hunter; a stepson, Andrew Gamsu; and nine grandchildren. He was predeceased by a younger brother, Jonathan, and two sons, Kevin and Brian, and a stepson, Robert Greene. A plan for a Celebration of Life memorial is pending.
