Josephine "Jo" Coppola (February 22, 1920 – October 22, 1982)"United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K9X-N3QD : Sat Oct 18 18:04:12 UTC 2025), Entry for Josephine Coppola and Frank Coppola."New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1958", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24TR-SSK : Sun Apr 13 00:03:48 UTC 2025), Entry for Josephine Coppola, 1950.Coppola, Jo (Sep 20, 1950). "Vishinsky Gives Jo Ruskie Brushoff". Newsday. p. 3. Retrieved April 26, 2026. "Nobody has ever classified me as an expert on foreign relations. But I watched Andrei Vishinsky's various brushes with the United Nations on television yesterday with as much interest as if I had a job in the State Department. You see, I had just completed a trans-oceanic trip on the Queen Elizabeth as a fellow passenger of Mr. Vishinsky, and you might It all started on the train from Paris to Cherbourg, from whence I was to regretfully board the Liz on the final lap of my first trip to Europe." was a prominent 1950s American columnist and television critic, employed by Newsday and the New York Post."Critics Who Voted for the 1944 Ten Best". The Film Daily. January 15, 1945. p. 17. Retrieved April 26, 2026. "Betty Etter, Movie Life, New York. Josephine Coppola, Newsday, Hempstead, N.Y. T.H. Wenning, Newsweek, New York."Kearns, Audrey, editor (1948). Motion Picture Production Encyclopedia : 1948. Hollywood, CA: The Hollywood Reporter. p .772. "Endicott — Bulletin (6,856) — Robert Eckert (mp). Hempstead — Newsday (64,119) — Josephine Coppola (mp). Oneonta — Star (12,004) — Francis Forrest (mp, th)."Williams (1958) Commonweal, Volume 69 p. 287 quote: "Miss Coppola is well known for her work as a television critic for Newsday and the NY Post" She was the first TV critic Newsday ever had,Keeler, Robert F. (1990) Newsday: a candid history of the respectable tabloid. p. 281 and also wrote for Commonweal,John Hadjuk (2008) Channels of Dissent: Ed Murrow, Mort Sahl, and Television's Lost Promise in The Montana Professor 18.2 Spring 2008 and others.
Early life and career Born and raised in Brooklyn, Coppola was the youngest of six children born to Anna (née Capiello) and watchmaker Francesco Coppola."United States, Census, 1930", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4NR-2VF : Wed Jul 10 19:01:26 UTC 2024), Entry for Frank Cappola and Anna Cappola, 1930."United States, Census, 1940", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQ1Y-JZG : Wed Jan 15 11:45:54 UTC 2025), Entry for Emery Cappola and Rosalie Cappola, 1940.New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2CK-HN93 : Wed Mar 26 12:25:34 UTC 2025), Entry for Francesco Coppolo and Anna Cappiello, 27 November 1910."Society". Brooklyn Eagle. October 30, 1945. p. 13. Retrieved April 26, 2026. "The marriage of Miss Rosalie Coppola, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Coppola of 636 11th St., to Joseph S. D'Aleo [...] took place Saturday in St. Saviour's Church. The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Jospehine Coppola, as matron of honor. [...] The bride is a graduate of Bay Ridge High School." A frequent correspondent with columnist / children's author Elsie-Jean, Coppola attended Holy Name School and Bay Ridge High School, graduating in 1938.Jean, Elsie (November 30, 1931). "Here's the Work of Winners of Spare Time Contest for Nov. 18". The Brooklyn Daily Times. p. 13. Retrieved April 26, 2026. "Children, Josephine Coppola, who lives at 348 17th st., Brooklyn, and who is a very nice little girl, for I know her, would like to receive letters from other Happy Timers. Josephine is 11 years old."Jean, Elsie (September , 1933). "Elsie Jean Gives Happy Timers More Data on Museum Clubs". Times Union. p. 15. Retrieved April 26, 2026 "THE BEST RESOLUTION I EVER MADE Resolved: I be faithful to Elsie-Jean. I believe this is the best resolution I ever made. When we make a resolution, we must bear in mind the fact that we are making a promise. By being faithful, I mean joining contests, sendIng famous poems, and remembering Elsie-Jean as a friend, loving and forgiving. When I made this resolution, I promised to enjoy myself and make a friend happy; I promised to occupy spare time in good work as in the pursuit of pleasure. If this resolution is carried out, I shall not only be doing good for myself, but I shall make others happy as well. – JOSEPHINE COPPOLA, age 12, card 15,892, 348 17th st., Holy Name School, grade 7B.'"Jean, Elsie (Oct 22, 1935). "Elsie-Jean Recommends Book of Poetry for Older Children". Times Union. p. 16. Retrieved April 26, 2026. "MR. BONES An open door, And a patch of sun Where a comrade used to be, And a little phantom brown-eyed tramp Is somewhere waiting the step of me. [...] I ask no mansions wrought of gold, Nor streets of precious stones. . . . Dear God, build just a little house For me-and Mr. Bones. – DIXIE WILLSON. Sent by JOSEPHINE COPPOLA, Age 15, 348 17th st. Bay Ridge H.S., Term 4.""Thousands Are Graduated at Exercises in Brooklyn and Queens High Schools: Girl, 14, Graduated By Bay Ridge High". Brooklyn Eagle. February 4, 1938. p. 19. Retrieved April 26, 2026. "Mildred Coles. Pearl Cooper. Josephine Coppola. Mary Criscuolo. Anne Crutchley."
In 1959 she wrote the script for the short film Summer of Decision, a 30-minute-long film produced by the Council on Social Work Education, directed by William A. Graham and starring Suzanne Pleshette, Kevin McCarthy and Nicholas Pryor.Not a TV Pilot – Summer of Decision (1959)
In April 1973, Coppola, along with William Casselman, Nathan W. Goldstein, and Arthur Sylvester, was named to the Board of Governors of the Society of the Silurians.[ "Silurians Choose Dudley B. Martin"]. New York Daily News. April 27, 1973. p. 43. Retrieved April 26, 2026. " Martin of The New York Times has been elected president of the Society of the Silurians, an organization of veteran journalists, it was announced yesterday. Others elected were Charles Hagedorn, first vice president; Paul Buiar, second vice president; Barnett Bildersee, secretary; Charles B. Crisman, treasurer, and Victor House, counsel. Named to the board of governors were William Casselman, Jo Coppola, Nathan W. Goldstein and Arthur Sylvester. They will be installed at the Silurians' annual awards dinner Tuesday in the Hotel Americana."
Death Coppola died at the age of 62, on October 22, 1982.
Notable quotations
Notes
References
Further reading Daniel Wolf, Edwin Fancher (1962) The Village voice reader: a mixed bag from the Greenwich Village p. 215 Kathleen Collins (2009) Watching what we eat: the evolution of television cooking shows James D Moser (1958) International Television Almanac
External links