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Clive Cooper (64)
Project: Nighttime soap (War of Joy)
Known as: No nicknames
Real name: Clive Custer Cooper
Group affiliation: Cooper family, Spring Toys
Physical description: Clive is a handsome man in his early 50ies. He has some gray at the temples, but his skin is smooth and youthful. He exercises daily and is in great shape. He is usually dressed in custom made suits with expensive accessories. He exudes confidence.
Personality: Clive believes the world is his oyster and the world hasn’t done much too him to make him believe otherwise. A big fish in a small pond, he is at the top of the food chain in West Spring, IN. This has meant that anything of any importance has tended to work out for him. If a teacher gave him a better grade than he served because her spouse worked at his family’s factory, that was nothing to feel guilty about – just the natural order of things. He certainly believes there are classes of people and that few are in his class. He is completely self-centered and would sell out family, friends, and employees to his own benefit. Why wouldn’t he?
History: Clive Custer Cooper was born when Spring Toys was thriving, and the money was flowing into his family freely. He didn’t want for much and was doted upon by family. Bright, charming, and handsome he quickly realized there were plenty of people that he could convince to do for him, and that hard work is for idiots and the lower-class. He cruised through life amazed at how easy winning was.
With one exception – Joy Lake. As the most attractive, intelligent, and academically successful girl his age, he thought it was manifest that they would be together (despite their families’ rivalry). Her obvious distaste for him completely befuddled him and only increased his yearning for her. Still, her tacit rejection of him angered him and he came up with the odd approach of competing with her and opposing her at every turn. At some level, he eventually thought his superiority would be made clear to her, resolving both his anger and his unrequited love (as once she realized how wonderful he was, she would be his).
This dynamic continued until today, when they are the heads of their families’ respective companies. At some unconscious level, he still feels like if he wins by destroying her company utterly, that will lead to their union. In the meantime, he is happy to play the field and is an unrepentant lecherous playboy.
Through no skill of his own, he just might reach his goal (well, for destroying Joy’s company; not necessarily getting Joy). His best friend, Ethan, runs the company by proxy and is a gifted business person. They are currently in negotiations with a major toy company to sell. The purchasing company plans to move all operations out of West Springs, which will be a big blow to the town. Furthermore, Dulac, oddly enough, has benefitted from being in the same town as Spring Toys, as it has sometimes inherited deals rejected by Spring (they just went across the street). It is also likely that the town infrastructure will collapse without Spring Toys, ultimately ruining Dulac as Joy would not consider moving it.
Little does Clive and Ethan know that Joy is aware of the deal and may have a few cards to play.
Some secrets and points of drama we may or may not encounter with Clive:
- Will he ever change his approach with Joy? Find out he has a soul? Tell her, even?
- Clive is unaware of the mole in Dulac, as that is all handled by Ethan. If it dawns on him that Ethan might be the one to truly defeat Joy, it will set off an odd jealousy and competitiveness with Ethan – which will not be good for Spring Toys.
- Clive may find out that his niece and nephew are in relationships with a Lake.
- As Clive is a jerk, he may get shot (hello, JR!).
- Clive will have problems with several of his spurned lovers – who have formed a club to bring him down.
Role in the narrative: Clive is the jerk antagonist.
Abilities: He’s smart and handsome but he has no work ethic and has never really applied himself. So he’s handy for sartorial advice, and is a skilled seducer, but not good for much else.
Inspirations: He’s something of an less-competent JR Ewing.
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