Ivan Tors | |
|---|---|
 1960 photo | |
| Born | Iván Törzs (1916-06-12)June 12, 1916 |
| Died | June 4, 1983(1983-06-04) (aged 66) |
| Years active | 1946–1980 |
| Spouse(s) | Constance Dowling (1955–1969) (her death) (4 children Steve, Peter, David ) |
Ivan Tors (bornIván Törzs; June 12, 1916 – June 4, 1983) was aHungarianplaywright,film director,screenwriter, andfilm andtelevision producer with an emphasis on non-violent but exciting science fiction, underwater sequences, and stories involving animals. He started a Miami-based film studio now known as Greenwich Studios,[1] and later a music company.[2]
Tors was born to a Jewish family in Budapest, Hungary. He wrote several plays in his native country before moving to the United States just prior toWorld War II. He arrived with his brother Ervin in July 1939 on theSSHansa and had come to study at Fordham University in New York City. He subsequently enlisted in theUnited States Army Air Corps then transferred to theOffice of Strategic Services.[3] Following the war, he was contracted toMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a screenwriter.
In 1952, he madeStorm over Tibet, his first film as co-writer and producer. He began his partnership with his fellow HungarianAndrew Marton with this film, reusing much of Marton's footage fromDemon of the Himalayas.
Long interested in fact-basedscience fiction, often with an underwater setting, Tors partnered with actorRichard Carlson in the 1950s to create A-Men Films, a production company devoted to making films about its own fictitious exploits.
Under the A-Men banner, Tors wrote and producedThe Magnetic Monster (1953) reusing footage from the 1934 German filmGold. This was the first film in what became his "Office of Scientific Investigation" (OSI) trilogy that was followed byRiders to the Stars (1954) andGog (1954), both the same year. The following year came the syndicated television seriesScience Fiction Theater (1955–1957).
He also created the first-run syndicated underwater action and adventure seriesSea Hunt (1958–1961), starringLloyd Bridges, andThe Aquanauts (1960–1961), starringKeith Larsen,Jeremy Slate, andRon Ely, which was later renamedMalibu Run. He also createdNBC'sscience fiction seriesThe Man and the Challenge, starringGeorge Nader andJack Ging and was the executive producer of the first-run syndicated skydiving action and adventure seriesRipcord, starringLarry Pennell andKen Curtis.
Tors also produced twoKorean War films,Battle Taxi (1955) andUnderwater Warrior (1958).
In the 1960s, Tors left science fiction and concentrated on making films and television series involving animals. He typically would make a film first and then develop a television series based on that film. His animal films includedFlipper (1963),Flipper's New Adventure (1964),Zebra in the Kitchen (1965),Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion (1965),Gentle Giant (1967), andAfrica Texas Style (1967). He also directedRhino! (1964), andGalyon (1977).
Tors appeared as himself on the February 14, 1966 episode of theCBS game showTo Tell the Truth. He received two votes.[4]
His animal-themed television adventure series includedFlipper,Daktari,Gentle Ben,Cowboy in Africa, andJambo, a documentary series set in Africa.[5] He was also the executive producer ofMGM Television's 1967 TV seriesOff to See the Wizard forABC.[6]
His production company, Ivan Tors Films, did the underwater filming for theJames Bond filmThunderball as well as filming his ownAround the World Under the Sea forMGM andDaring Game andHello Down There forParamount. Tors' studio also filmedSoupy Sales' film debut inBirds Do It.
Tors was married to film actressConstance Dowling from 1955 until her death in 1969. Tors died 14 years later, eight days before his 67th birthday. He died due to aheart attack inMato Grosso, Brazil, where he was scouting a new television series.[7]
In 1989, the Academy of Underwater Arts & Sciences posthumously awarded Tors aNOGI Award in Arts.
