The New York Times 
June 30, 2003
New York Times

Fielder Cook, 80, Director of Films and TV Dramas, Dies

Fielder Cook, an award-winning director of films and television dramas, died on June 20 in Charlotte, N.C. He was 80 and lived in Charlotte and San Francisco.

The cause was a stroke, said his brother-in-law, John Germany.

From the medium's earliest days, when dramas were performed live, Mr. Cook was one of television's most respected directors. He got his start in 1950 with "Lux Video Theater" and worked on "Kraft Television Theater," "Playhouse 90" and "The Kaiser Aluminum Hour."

An early success was "Patterns," a Rod Serling story about the corporate world, which was broadcast by NBC in 1955. It starred Ed Begley and Everett Sloane, and won an Emmy for best teleplay. Mr. Serling and Mr. Cook remade "Patterns" as a feature film in 1956.

During the 1960's Mr. Cook directed episodes of "The Defenders" and "The 50-Minute Hour," won two Emmys as the director and producer of "Brigadoon" for ABC (1966) and worked on the feature films "A Big Hand for the Little Lady," starring Jason Robards, Joanne Woodward and Henry Fonda (1966), and "How to Save a Marriage (and Ruin Your Life)," starring Dean Martin, Stella Stevens and Eli Wallach (1968).

He won another Emmy Award for an adaptation of Arthur Miller's play "The Price" for NBC in 1971, and the same year made "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story," which became the basis for the series "The Waltons."

Among Mr. Cook's other television credits are a version of Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" in 1979 and "Gauguin the Savage" in 1980. His film work included an adaptation of Saul Bellow's "Seize the Day" with Robin Williams in 1986.

James Fielder Cook was born in Atlanta. He graduated from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., and was an officer in the Navy during World War II.

Mr. Cook's marriage to Sally Chamberlain ended in divorce. He is survived by his wife, Katherine Belle; his daughters, Rebecca Pitts of Suffern, N.Y., and Lindsey Roth of Dorset, England; a sister, Mary Ellen Germany of Tampa, Fla.; and four grandchildren.

 

 
 
Charlotte Observer 
Death Notices and Guest Books for 6/21/2003
http://www.legacy.com/charlotte/LegacySubPage2.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=1103828


James Fielder Cook

James Fielder Cook, an acclaimed director of television movies, died June 19, 2003, at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was 80 and lived in Charlotte and San Francisco, California. Mr. Cook was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 9, 1923, son of Dr. George Lindsey Cook and Marion Fielder Cook. He was raised in Tampa, Florida, and lived most of his life in New York City and San Francisco. He was a graduate of The McCallie School, Chatanooga, Tennessee, and subsequently Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) in literature and later an honorary doctorate degree.

Mr. Cook served as an ensign in the United States Navy during World War II and in the early 1950's pursued a career as a television director in the fledgling television industry beginning with the "Lux Video Theatre" in 1950. He was a producer and director for many prestigious live television anthologies, including "Kraft Theatre," "Playhouse 90" and "The Kaiser/Aluminum Hour." In 1971, he directed the made-for-television move, "The Homecoming: A Christmas Story" which was the pilot film for the highly successful "The Waltons" television series. Mr. Cook was twice honored with the Emmy Award for his 1967 television staging of the Broadway musical, "Brigadoon" and for the 1970 telecast of Arthur Miller's "The Price." He directed numerous other films and television productions upon moving to California from New York and was truly dedicated to his career as a filmmaker.

Mr. Cook was deeply devoted to his family. He is survived by his wife, Katherine Belk Cook of Charlotte, NC; a daughter, Rebecca Pitts of Suffern, NY, her husband Howard, and their two sons, Cooper and Brendan; a daughter, Lindsey Roth of Dorset, England, her husband Robin, and their children, Gabriel and Anna Rebecca; a sister, Mary Ellen Germany of Tampa, Florida, and her husband John; three nieces, Sue Ellen Germany Lucas of Birmingham, Alabama, and Jan Germany Gruetzmacher and Lindsey Germany Robbins of Tampa, Florida; a nephew, John Germany, Jr. of Jacksonville, Florida; and the children and grandchildren of Katherine Belk Cook, Katherine Belk Morris of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and Thomas M. Belk, Jr., H.W. McKay Belk, and John R. Belk of Charlotte, North Carolina; and 16 grandchildren, Katherine Belk Morris, Charles Walker Morris, Jr., and Rebecca Price Morris of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and Adelaide Lucinda Fortune Belk, Thomas Milburn Belk, III, Katherine McKay Belk, Margaret Elizabeth Belk, Louisa Alexandra Belk, Nina Cabell Belk, Katherine Whitner Belk, Hamilton W. McKay Belk, Jr., William Daniel Belk, John Wilson Belk, Anna Dupree Belk, John Robert Belk, Jr., and Frances Whitner Belk of Charlotte.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 22, 2003 at Myers Park Presbyterian Church, 2501 Oxford Place, Charlotte, North Carolina, with the Rev. Steve Eason and the Rev. Jane Summey Mullennix officiating. In lieu of flowers, a memorial gift may be made to the charity of your choice or to The McCallie School, Washington and Lee University, or Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California.

Harry and Bryant Company is serving the Cook Family. Published in the Charlotte Observer on 6/21/2003.