Topper Carew
American film director
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Colin Anthony "Topper" Carew[1] (born July 16, 1943)[1] is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.[2][3][4]
July 16, 1943
Topper Carew | |
|---|---|
| Born | Colin Anthony Carew[1] July 16, 1943 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Education | Yale (B.Arch, M.S.) |
| Occupations | Television producer, screenwriter, television writer, film director |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Spouse | Alyce Sprow (1982-2001, dec.) |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
Carew was born in Boston, Massachusetts,[5] and raised in the Roxbury section of Boston. He attended John D. O'Bryant School of Math & Science.[6] He initially went to college at Howard University, and later transferred to Yale, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Architecture and a master's degree in Environmental Design.[7] He also has a Doctorate in Communications from the Union Graduate School/Institute for Policy Studies.[7]
Career
Carew began his career making documentary films about the relationship between ethnic neighborhoods and the surrounding architecture.[7] In 1966, he founded The New Thing Art and Architectural Center in Washington, D.C., and it became a community hub in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, hosting music, dance, and various youth programs.[8]
In 1972, he worked at WGBH-TV.[5]
In 1974, he co-founded the non-profit Rainbow Television Workshop in with his late wife, Alyce S. Carew.[5][9]
He was a Community Fellow at MIT,[5] and a Broadcast Fellow at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.[7]
In 2018, he became a faculty fellow at Spelman College's Innovation Lab.[5]
He directed and/or produced several films, including Talkin' Dirty After Dark, D.C. Cab, Breakin’ N’ Enterin’ (1983), and Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool! (1984).[5]
He was the creator and executive producer of the television series Martin.[6][10][11][12][13][14]
Personal life
Carew was married to Alyce Sprow Carew,[5] who died from breast cancer in 2001.[9] The couple has two daughters, Cicely and Lena Carew.[9]
Honors and awards
His honors include the "National Media Hero Award," a 2013 MIT Martin Luther King Leadership Award, and more than 40 film and television awards, including four NAACP Image Awards and a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award.[5]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Name | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | This Is the Home of Mrs. Levant Graham | Director, Producer | Short documentary |
| 1972 | A Luta Continua | Narrator | Documentary |
| 1983 | Breakin' 'N' Enterin' | Director | Documentary |
| D.C. Cab | Story / Producer | ||
| 1984 | Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's Fool! | Producer | Direct-to-video |
| 1985 | And the Children Shall Lead | Producer | Made-for television |
| 1989 | A Little Bit Strange | Executive producer | Made-for-television |
| 1991 | Talkin' Dirty After Dark | Director / Screenwriter | |
| 2006 | We Don't Die, We Multiply: The Robin Harris Story | Director | Direct-to-video documentary |
Television
| Year | Name | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | The Righteous Apples | Producer | 11 episodes |
| 1987 | Bustin' Loose | Executive producer | 27 episodes |
| 1989 | Homeroom | Executive producer | 13 episodes |
| 1992-97 | Martin | Creator / Executive producer | Created 132 episodes / Produced 27 episodes |
| 1998 | The Journey of Allen Strange | Director | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Cousin Skeeter | Director | Episode "Miracle on 32nd Skeet" |
| 2000-02 | The Jersey | Director | 3 episodes |
| 2001-02 | 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd | Director | 2 episodes |
