Jim Cook Jr.

Jim Cook Jr. (born August 25, 1987, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American writer, actor, and filmmaker,[1] who served in the United States Army. In 2012, Cook ran a successful election campaign by only using social media.[2] He graduated from Woodstown High School in 2006.[3]

James R. Cook, Jr.
Jim Cook Jr. at the grand opening gala of the Levoy Theatre in September 2012.
Born (1987-08-25) August 25, 1987
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
NationalityAmerican
EducationB.A., Journalism
Alma materRowan University
Military career
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service2013 - 2018
RankSergeant (E-5)

Biography

Cook was raised in Pilesgrove Township, New Jersey[4] and graduated from Woodstown High School in 2006.[5] He graduated from Rowan University in May 2010 and joined the South Jersey Times as a news reporter in November the same year.

In September 2012, Cook wrote and produced Roundabout: A New Amusement, a play about the history of the Levoy Theatre. The play was performed for the theater's grand opening gala. He has served on the theater's Board of Directors since January 2019.[6]

On the night before the general 2012 election, Cook launched a last-minute bid with no funding and less than 24 hours to win a seat on the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Regional School District school board of education.[7] Later that month, it was announced Cook had won a seat representing Pilesgrove Township, using only social media to rally votes.[8]

Due to his position as an editor, Cook was urged by the South Jersey Times to decline the BOE appointment to avoid a conflict of interest, to which he agreed.[9]

On October 3, 2013, Cook announced his departure from the South Jersey Times and his enlistment into the United States Army.[10] He completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina in February 2014. He served his full enlistment at Osan Air Base in the Republic of Korea assigned to the 3rd Battlefield Coordination Detachment (3rd BCD-K).

With theaters closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cook turned to filmmaking. He released the short thriller The Roommate in July 2021.[11]

Stray electricity investigation

From 2010 to 2013 at the South Jersey Times (then The News of Cumberland County), Cook worked closely with former 1981 NFL Baltimore Colt defensive lineman Anthony “Bubba” Green on a series investigating the city of Baltimore in the electrocution death of Green's daughter Deanna in Druid Hill Park in 2006.[12] The series — along with various legal proceedings[13] — assisted in the creation of the Deanna Camille Green Rule, which requires electric companies in Maryland to survey for contact voltage (stray electricity). The overall intention of the rule is to prevent accidental electrocutions.[14]

The series — later titled Battling Stray Electricity: A family's journey — received a 2010 New Jersey Press Association award in Public Service.[15]

Writing
Year(s) Work Type
2010 A Christmas Carol Stage Play
2012 Roundabout, A New Amusement Stage Play

Awards

• New Jersey Press Association (2010) | Lloyd P. Burns Award for Public Service[16]

• New Jersey Press Association (2012) | Breaking News[17]

• Beyond the Curve International Film Festival (Aug 2021) | Finalist | The Roommate[18]

• The International Documentary Film Festival (July 2023) | Honorable Mention | Mini Doc: On Golden Pond[19][20]

Theatre credits
Year(s) Production Role Producer
2012 Roundabout Jim Levoy Theatre
2013 Biloxi Blues James Hennesey Levoy Theatre
2013 Les Misérables Enjolras Levoy Theatre
2019 To Kill a Mockingbird Nathan & Boo Radley Levoy Theatre
2021 The War of the Worlds Carl Phillips, Stranger Levoy Theatre
2022 Singin’ in the Rain (musical) Don Lockwood Oakwood Summer Theatre
2022 Our Town Simon Stimson Levoy Theatre
2022 Holiday Inn (musical) Jim Hardy Levoy Theatre
2022 A Christmas Carol Narrator, Topper Cumberland Players
2023 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Guildenstern Blue Moon Theatre

Filmography
Year(s) Production Role Producer
2005 The Pocket Director/Writer, Roger Woodstown High School (student film)[21]
2008 A Moment With Jim Cook Jr. Host JCJR Films[22]
2013 Prom Etiquette Director/Actor South Jersey Times[23]
2021 The Roommate Director/Producer/Actor JCJR Films[24]
2022 Mini-Doc: On Golden Pond Director/Producer JCJR Films[25]
2022 Mini-Doc: Technical Details in On Golden Pond Director/Producer JCJR Films[26]
2022 Command Car guy (Episode 7) Perri Films[27]

References
  1. Jim Cook Jr., Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
  2. "Journalist Uses Only Facebook To Win Local Election". Huffingtonpost.com. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  3. "Army specialist visits alma mater -- Woodstown High". 12 May 2016.
  4. Wehner, Brittany M. "Salem County reflects on life of late Woodstown native, community volunteer Forrest Eichmann", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 7,2015. Accessed February 26, 2023. "Jim Cook Jr., 27, originally from Pilesgrove and 2006 Woodstown graduate, shared some of his favorite memories of Eichmann."
  5. Cook, Jim Jr. "How I won an election by only using Facebook", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 22, 2012. Accessed February 26, 2023. "Thank you for trusting me — a proud 2006 graduate of Woodstown High School — leading in one of the most difficult local elected positions that exist. I feel the Woodstown-Pilesgrove love."
  6. Levoy celebrates grand opening with song, applause Archived 2013-04-11 at archive.today, The Daily Journal.com, Sep 23, 2012
  7. "New Jersey Journalist Uses Only Facebook To Win Local Election". AllFacebook. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  8. "Journalist wins school board seat with 24-hour write-in campaign on Facebook". Jimromenesko.Com. 2012-11-26. Archived from the original on 2012-12-31. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  9. New Jersey (22 November 2012). "How I won an election by only using Facebook". NJ.com. Retrieved 2013-03-07.
  10. New Jersey. "I Enlisted In The U.S. Army". Jim Cook Jr. Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-10-03.
  11. "The Roommate (2021)".
  12. http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2013/03/battling_stray_electricity_set.html , South Jersey Times, March 21, 2013
  13. http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2010/11/millville_native_seeks_justice.html The News of Cumberland County, November 11, 2010
  14. http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/SubtitleSearch.aspx?search=20.50.11.* Maryland: Office of the Secretary of State. 20.50.11.00. Title 20 PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Subtitle 50 SERVICE SUPPLIED BY ELECTRIC COMPANIES Chapter 11 Deanna Camille Green Rule ― Contact Voltage Survey Requirement and Reporting Authority: Public Utilities Article, §2-113, 2-121, 5-101, and 5-303, Annotated Code of Maryland.
  15. http://www.njpa.org/njpa/better_newspaper_contest/2010/2010EditorialResults-Daily.pdf New Jersey Press Association 2010 Better Newspaper Contest results. Editorial, daily.
  16. http://www.njpa.org/njpa/better_newspaper_contest/2010/2010EditorialResults-Daily.pdf
  17. http://www.njpa.org/njpa/better_newspaper_contest/2012/2012EditResults-Daily.pdf
  18. https://www.bciff.org/official-selections-july-august-2021/#roadtrip-22
  19. https://internationaldocumentaries.com/
  20. https://filmfreeway.com/projects/2425343
  21. http://www.jcjrfilms/films-1 The Pocket (2005), JCJR Films, USA.
  22. http://www.jcjrfilms/films-1 JCJR Films, USA.
  23. http://www.jcjrfilms/films-1 Prom Etiquette (2013), JCJR Films, USA.
  24. http://www.jcjrfilms/films-1 The Roommate (2021), JCJR Films, USA.
  25. http://www.jcjrfilms/films-1, JCJR Films, USA.
  26. http://www.jcjrfilms/films-1, JCJR Films, USA.
  27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUw6LlkENRQ Command The Series Pitch Video (2021).


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