Morley Torgov

{{Short description|Canadian novelist, humorist and lawyer (born 1927)}} {{More footnotes needed|date=May 2017}} {{Use Canadian English|date=June 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}

'''Morley Torgov''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|CM}} (born 3 December 1927) is a Canadian novelist, humorist and lawyer. He was a partner in the Toronto-based legal firm Olch, Torgov, Cohen LLP.

Torgov was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He wrote for ''The Sault Daily Star'' as a columnist and reporter from 1941 to 1946. Torgov has credited his experience writing for the newspaper for helping him learn to write creatively.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Helwig |first1=David |title=Novelist recalls days at Sault Star |url=https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/novelist-recalls-days-at-sault-star-87051 |website=SooToday.com |publisher=Village Media |access-date=2 January 2025}}</ref>

He studied law in Toronto at Osgoode Hall, formally becoming a lawyer in 1954.

Torgov has written and published eight books. His first, ''A Good Place To Come From'', a collection of short stories based on his experiences and Jewish up-bringing in depression-era Sault Ste. Marie was published in 1974. The book was made into a three episode TV series that aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in March 1980.<ref>{{cite web |last1=IMDb |title=A Good Place to Come From - TV Series (1980– ) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0182583/ |website=IMDb |publisher=IMDb.com, Inc |access-date=2 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=First part of trillogy is set in the Soo |work=The Ottawa Citizen |date=March 8, 1980}}</ref>

His 1982 novel ''The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick'' was adapted into the 1988 film of the same name.<ref>{{cite web |last1=IMDb |title=The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095806/ |website=IMDb |access-date=2 January 2025}}</ref>

Torgov is the father of actress and artist Sarah Torgov.<ref name=Macleans>(26 February 1979). "People", ''Maclean's'' '''92''' (9): 36.</ref>

==Honours== Torgov received an honorary doctor of letters from Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie in 1990.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Algoma University |title=Our Senate - Honorary degrees |url=https://algomau.ca/about/leadership-team/senate/ |website=Algoma University: Our Senate |access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref> In 1990, Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario awarded him an honorary doctor of letters.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Laurentian University |title=Honorary Degrees |url=https://laurentian.ca/alumni/convocation/honorary-degrees |access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref>

In 2015, Torgov was named a member of the Order of Canada<ref>[http://thechronicleherald.ca/canada/1296405-four-nova-scotians-among-order-of-canada-honourees "Four Nova Scotians among Order of Canada honourees"]. ''The Chronicle-Herald'', 1 July 2015.</ref> for his contributions to Canadian literature as a humourist and storyteller.<ref>{{cite web |last1=The Governor General of Canada |title=Mr. Morley Torgov, Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Order of Canada, Member of the Order of Canada |url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-8118 |website=Governor General of Canada - Honours |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=2 January 2025}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition== * 1975: winner, Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, ''A Good Place to Come From''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hanlon |first1=Michael |title=Morley Torgov wins Leacock Medal for humour |work=The Toronto Star |date=May 27, 1975}}</ref> * 1978: finalist, Books in Canada First Novel Award, ''The Abramsky Variations'' * 1983: winner, Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, ''The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Star staff. |title=Another Leacock award for Torgov |work=The Sault Star |publisher=Southam Inc. |date=April 29, 1983}}</ref>

==Bibliography== * 1974: ''A Good Place to Come From'' (Lester and Orpen Dennys) {{ISBN|0-919630-66-9}} * 1977: ''The Abramsky Variations'' (Lester and Orpen Dennys) {{ISBN|0-919630-80-4}} * 1982: ''The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick'' (Lester and Orpen Dennys) {{ISBN|0-919630-29-4}}, paperback {{ISBN|1-55192-548-6}}, Seal paperback {{ISBN|0-7704-2431-7}} * 1990: ''St Farb's Day'' (Lester and Orpen Dennys) {{ISBN|0-88619-333-8}} * 1998: ''The War to End All Wars'' (Malcolm Lester) {{ISBN|1-894121-06-6}} * 2002: ''Stickler and Me'' (Raincoast) {{ISBN|1-55192-546-X}} * 2008: ''Murder in A-major'' (RendezVous Crime) {{ISBN|1-894917-65-0}} * 2012: ''The Mastersinger from Minsk'' (Dundurn) {{ISBN|978-1-4597-0203-5}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930030620/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0008047 Morley Torgov profile], ''The Canadian Encyclopedia''; accessed 10 May 2017. *{{cite web|url=http://www.famouscanadians.net/books/t/torgovmorley|title=Famous Canadians: Morley Torgov|access-date=1 June 2013}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.slopenagency.ca/authors/Torgov/torgov.html|publisher=Beverley Slopen Literary Agency|title=Morley Torgov|access-date=1 June 2013}} *{{cite news|url=http://www.otclaw.ca/otclaw/who/torgov.html|publisher=Olch, Torgov, Cohen | title=Morley Torgov profile|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031226033637/http://www.otclaw.ca/otclaw/who/torgov.html|archive-date=26 December 2003|access-date=1 June 2013}} *{{cite news|url=http://www.cjnews.com/books-and-authors/novelist-hasnt-quit-his-day-job-yet|first=Sheldon|last=Kirshner|title=Novelist has not Quit His Day Job Yet|work=Canadian Jewish News|date=6 June 2012|access-date=1 June 2013}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torgov, Morley}} Category:1927 births Category:Living people Category:Lawyers in Ontario Category:Canadian male novelists Category:Jewish Canadian novelists Category:People from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Category:Stephen Leacock Award winners Category:Members of the Order of Canada