Cooper Howard was alive before the Great War and has lived for over 200 years. He was the lead actor of the box office hit Western film The Man from Deadhorse, as well as a spokesman for advertisements of Vault-Tec Vaults such as Vault 4. He was a father and husband and was with his daughter in Los Angeles during the start of the Great War. 
In his post-War life, Howard became known as The Ghoul and is currently a bounty hunter in 2296. He has a code of honor, but also a ruthless streak.