Martyn Burke
Encyclopedia
Martyn Burke is a journalist, novelist, screenwriter and director from Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
.
His career got started when he began writing and directing documentaries for CBC Television
. Burke was also a photographer and war correspondent during the Vietnam War
, the background for his first novel, The Laughing War. His second novel, The Commissar's Report, is a story that occurs during the Cold War
, and portrays the relationship between the United States
and the former Soviet Union
. He has also written screenplays for CBC Television including Connections
, State of Shock, and The Last Chase
.
Burke has also directed a number of theatrical films, including The Clown Murders
, Power Play
, Avenging Angelo
and Pirates of Silicon Valley
. He wrote the Emmy winning HBO movie The Second Civil War
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
His career got started when he began writing and directing documentaries for CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
. Burke was also a photographer and war correspondent during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the background for his first novel, The Laughing War. His second novel, The Commissar's Report, is a story that occurs during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, and portrays the relationship between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He has also written screenplays for CBC Television including Connections
Connections (Canadian documentary)
Connections: An Investigation into Organized Crime in Canada was a two-part television documentary program, created and broadcast by CBC Television in 1977 and 1979. It covered the growth of organized crime in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Each part ran for 90 minutes...
, State of Shock, and The Last Chase
The Last Chase
The Last Chase is a 1981 science fiction film starring Lee Majors, Burgess Meredith and Chris Makepeace, and directed by Martyn Burke. It was produced by Argosy Films.-Plot:The setting is the USA at an unspecified future time...
.
Burke has also directed a number of theatrical films, including The Clown Murders
The Clown Murders
The Clown Murders is a 1976 horror film directed by Martyn Burke. It was one of the earliest films in which John Candy appears. The Executive Producer was Stephen Stohn, who now produces the Degrassi: The Next Generation TV series.-Plot:...
, Power Play
Power Play (1978 film)
Power Play is a 1978 British-Canadian thriller film starring Peter O'Toole and David Hemmings, based on the non-fiction strategy book Coup d'État: A Practical Handbook by Edward N. Luttwak....
, Avenging Angelo
Avenging Angelo
Avenging Angelo is a 2002 American film directed by Martyn Burke that stars Sylvester Stallone and Madeleine Stowe. This is the last film in which Anthony Quinn appeared...
and Pirates of Silicon Valley
Pirates of Silicon Valley
Pirates of Silicon Valley is a 1999 made-for-television film directed by Martyn Burke and based on the book Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer by Paul Freiberger and Michael Swaine. The film documents the impact on the development of the personal computer of the rivalry between...
. He wrote the Emmy winning HBO movie The Second Civil War
The Second Civil War
The Second Civil War is a satirical/comedy film made for the HBO cable television network and first shown on March 15, 1997.Directed by Joe Dante, the film is a satire about anti-immigrant sentiment in the melting pot that is the United States....
Films
- The Clown MurdersThe Clown MurdersThe Clown Murders is a 1976 horror film directed by Martyn Burke. It was one of the earliest films in which John Candy appears. The Executive Producer was Stephen Stohn, who now produces the Degrassi: The Next Generation TV series.-Plot:...
(1976) - Power PlayPower Play (1978 film)Power Play is a 1978 British-Canadian thriller film starring Peter O'Toole and David Hemmings, based on the non-fiction strategy book Coup d'État: A Practical Handbook by Edward N. Luttwak....
(1978) - Avenging AngeloAvenging AngeloAvenging Angelo is a 2002 American film directed by Martyn Burke that stars Sylvester Stallone and Madeleine Stowe. This is the last film in which Anthony Quinn appeared...
(2002) - Pirates of Silicon ValleyPirates of Silicon ValleyPirates of Silicon Valley is a 1999 made-for-television film directed by Martyn Burke and based on the book Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer by Paul Freiberger and Michael Swaine. The film documents the impact on the development of the personal computer of the rivalry between...
(1999) - The KGB Connections (1982)
Screenplays and teleplays
- The Second Civil WarThe Second Civil WarThe Second Civil War is a satirical/comedy film made for the HBO cable television network and first shown on March 15, 1997.Directed by Joe Dante, the film is a satire about anti-immigrant sentiment in the melting pot that is the United States....
(teleplay) - ConnectionsConnections (Canadian documentary)Connections: An Investigation into Organized Crime in Canada was a two-part television documentary program, created and broadcast by CBC Television in 1977 and 1979. It covered the growth of organized crime in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Each part ran for 90 minutes...
- State of Shock
- The Last ChaseThe Last ChaseThe Last Chase is a 1981 science fiction film starring Lee Majors, Burgess Meredith and Chris Makepeace, and directed by Martyn Burke. It was produced by Argosy Films.-Plot:The setting is the USA at an unspecified future time...
Books
- Laughing War, 1980
- The Commissar's Report, 1984
- Ivory Joe, 1991
- Tiara: A Novel, 1995
External links
- Author video interview about The Truth About the Night
- Video trailer for The Truth About the Night