Colin Anthony "Topper" Carew (born July 16, 1943) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.
Early life Carew was born in Boston, Massachusetts,Ellis, Dwight (February 8, 2024). Topper Carew: Hollywood Film Director & MIT Media Lab Scientist. Bowie State University. and raised in the Roxbury section of Boston. He attended John D. O'Bryant School of Math & Science.Lunis, Kwani A. (March 10, 2024). Martin' co-creator, ‘a son of Roxbury,' on education, constructing a life of purpose: Roxbury native Topper Carew shares his journey from the John D. O'Bryant School of Math & Science to Howard University, Yale and M.I.T. led to two successful careers, in Hollywood and in architecture. NBC10 Boston. 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.Colin "Topper" Carew. Former Visiting Scholar. MIT Media Lab. https://www.media.mit.edu/people/tcarew/overview/ He also has a Doctorate in Communications from the Union Graduate School/Institute for Policy Studies.
Career Carew began his career making documentary films about the relationship between ethnic neighborhoods and the surrounding architecture. 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.
In 1972, he worked at WGBH-TV.
In 1974, he co-founded the non-profit Rainbow Television Workshop in with his late wife, Alyce S. Carew.
He was a Community Fellow at MIT, and a Broadcast Fellow at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
In 2018, he became a faculty fellow at Spelman College's Innovation Lab.
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).
He was the creator and executive producer of the television series Martin.
Personal life Carew was married to Alyce Sprow Carew, who died from breast cancer in 2001.Oliver, Myrna (July 7, 2001). Alyce S. Carew; TV Producer Promoted Diversity. Los Angeles Times. The couple has two daughters, Cicely and Lena Carew.
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.
Filmography Film +YearNameRoleNotes1970This Is the Home of Mrs. Levant GrahamDirector, ProducerShort documentary1972A Luta ContinuaNarratorDocumentary1983Breakin' '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''DirectorDirect-to-video documentary
Television +YearNameRoleNotes1980The Righteous ApplesProducer11 episodes1987Bustin' LooseExecutive producer27 episodes1989HomeroomExecutive producer13 episodes1992-97MartinCreator / Executive producerCreated 132 episodes / Produced 27 episodes1998The Journey of Allen StrangeDirector2 episodes1998Cousin SkeeterDirectorEpisode "Miracle on 32nd Skeet"2000-02The JerseyDirector3 episodes2001-02100 Deeds for Eddie McDowdDirector2 episodes
References
External links
The New Thing Art and Architectural Center (1966-), an autobiographical essay by Topper Carew