Tom Topor
Encyclopedia
Tom Topor is an American
playwright
, screenwriter
, and novelist. Topor was born in Vienna, Austria, and was brought to London in 1939, where he remained until he came to New York City
in 1949. He earned his bachelor's degree at Brooklyn College
in 1961.
Topor is the author of the 1980 play
and 1987 screenplay Nuts
, which became a starring vehicle for Barbra Streisand
. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1988 film, The Accused, which starred Jodie Foster
. Topor won the Writers Guild of America Award
for his screenplay for the 1990 made-for-television film, Judgment
, which he also directed. In 1996 he won the Dilys Award
for his novel, The Codicil.
Topor's works tend to involve courtroom drama, psychological drama, docudrama, melodrama, social problems, crime, and/or sexual abuse
issues. Prior to his career as an author, Topor was a reporter for the New York Post
, covering stories in police stations, courtrooms, hospitals, and psychiatric wards. He also did some reporting for the New York Daily News
and the New York Times.
Topor's career as a playwright began in 1969 with a series of one-act plays staged Off-Off-Broadway
. This culminated in a run of his play Nuts
on Broadway
from April 28, 1980 into August of that year. Anne Twomey
, in the lead role, received a Tony Award
nomination for her performance. The play was published in 1981, and was made into a film of the same name
starring Barbra Streisand
and Richard Dreyfuss
in 1987, with Topor himself adapting it into a screenplay.
Topor's other plays include Answers, Romance: Here to Stay, But Not For Me, Coda (L'Orchestre des ombres in French), Up the Hill, and The Playpen. His other novels include Tightrope Minor and Bloodstar. His additional screenplays and teleplays include Word of Honor (co-writer) and Perfect Murder, Perfect Town
(from the book by Lawrence Schiller
).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and novelist. Topor was born in Vienna, Austria, and was brought to London in 1939, where he remained until he came to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1949. He earned his bachelor's degree at Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
in 1961.
Topor is the author of the 1980 play
Nuts (play)
Nuts is a 1979 play by Tom Topor. It is a suspense, psychological, and courtroom drama that explores sexual abuse issues, family and social power dynamics, and aspects of the criminal court system. It was staged off-off-Broadway in 1979 and transferred to Broadway the following year...
and 1987 screenplay Nuts
Nuts (film)
Nuts is a 1987 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss. The screenplay by Tom Topor, Darryl Ponicsan, and Alvin Sargent is based on Topor's 1979 play of the same title...
, which became a starring vehicle for Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1988 film, The Accused, which starred Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
. Topor won the Writers Guild of America Award
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
for his screenplay for the 1990 made-for-television film, Judgment
Judgment (film)
Judgment is an HBO made for TV film. It first aired on October 13, 1990 and was written and directed by Tom Topor.- Plot :"No one stands beyond the reach of the law, not even the Church."...
, which he also directed. In 1996 he won the Dilys Award
Dilys Award
The Dilys Award have been presented every year since 1992 by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. It is given to the mystery title of the year which the member booksellers have most enjoyed selling. The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association is an association of retail businesses...
for his novel, The Codicil.
Topor's works tend to involve courtroom drama, psychological drama, docudrama, melodrama, social problems, crime, and/or sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
issues. Prior to his career as an author, Topor was a reporter for the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, covering stories in police stations, courtrooms, hospitals, and psychiatric wards. He also did some reporting for the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
and the New York Times.
Topor's career as a playwright began in 1969 with a series of one-act plays staged Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...
. This culminated in a run of his play Nuts
Nuts (play)
Nuts is a 1979 play by Tom Topor. It is a suspense, psychological, and courtroom drama that explores sexual abuse issues, family and social power dynamics, and aspects of the criminal court system. It was staged off-off-Broadway in 1979 and transferred to Broadway the following year...
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
from April 28, 1980 into August of that year. Anne Twomey
Anne Twomey
Anne Twomey is an American theatre, film, and television actress.-Career:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Twomey earned critical acclaim for her performance in the 1980 play Nuts, for which she won the Theatre World Award and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress...
, in the lead role, received a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nomination for her performance. The play was published in 1981, and was made into a film of the same name
Nuts (film)
Nuts is a 1987 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss. The screenplay by Tom Topor, Darryl Ponicsan, and Alvin Sargent is based on Topor's 1979 play of the same title...
starring Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
and Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
in 1987, with Topor himself adapting it into a screenplay.
Topor's other plays include Answers, Romance: Here to Stay, But Not For Me, Coda (L'Orchestre des ombres in French), Up the Hill, and The Playpen. His other novels include Tightrope Minor and Bloodstar. His additional screenplays and teleplays include Word of Honor (co-writer) and Perfect Murder, Perfect Town
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town
Perfect Murder, Perfect Town is a 2000 American television miniseries directed by Lawrence Schiller. The teleplay by Tom Topor is based on Schiller's book of the same title....
(from the book by Lawrence Schiller
Lawrence Schiller
Lawrence Julian Schiller is a noted American film producer, director and screenwriter.-Career:Schiller was born in 1936 in Brooklyn, and grew up outside of San Diego, California...
).
External links
- Tom Topor in The Great American Playwrights on the Screen, by Jerry Roberts. (2003)