Stephen Stohn

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Stephen Stohn
Stohn in 2022
BornMay 8, 1948 (1948-05-08) (age 75)
Occupation(s)Television producer, entertainment lawyer
Spouse
(m. 1995)
ChildrenMax Stohn

John Stephen Stohn,

DHX Media in 2014.[3] On June 7, 2019, he was installed as Chancellor of Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario.[4]

Career

Stohn's work in the entertainment industry commenced with part-time appearances as a performing artist, continuing with active work as a songwriter (including two songs that reached the Canadian Top-10, Maybe Your Heart and Once In A Long Time,[5] co-written with Christopher Ward), and a primary career as an entertainment and copyright lawyer since he was called to the Ontario Bar in 1979.[6]

Trent University had barely been built when Stohn attended there starting in 1966. He helped found, and named, Trent's student newspaper Arthur.[7]

Stohn also helped found the radio station at Trent,

Room Service (hosted by Sarah Richardson
).

Book

A book of stories from Stohn's life was published by Dundurn Press in March 2018. Entitled Whatever It Takes: Life Lessons from Degrassi and Elsewhere in the World of Music and Television, the book has been written by Stohn with Christopher Ward, and includes a foreword by Martin Gero.[10]

Degrassi

Stohn co-wrote the opening theme music for

.

Other work

For nearly 20 years, until 2009, he was executive producer of the telecast of Canada's music awards show,

The Juno Awards, and during that period was a director and then Chair of Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the organization responsible for The Juno Awards.[6] He was also Chair of MusiCounts, a charity associated with The Juno Awards, which among other things distributes musical instruments to schools in need.[6]

From 2004 to 2008 Stohn executive produced the teen drama television series Instant Star about a young woman (played by Alexz Johnson) who wins a singer/songwriter contest.[12] In 2011 and 2012 he executive produced the television series The L.A. Complex (formerly called Highland Gardens) for Bell Media in Canada and The CW in the U.S., about young Canadians dreaming of fame and fortune while struggling to survive in an apartment-style hotel in Los Angeles.[13][14]

His recent projects have included the family mystery series

Family Channel in Canada and Netflix worldwide.[16]

Legal background

Stohn's industry experience includes being a partner for 10 years in Canada's largest law firm, McCarthy Tétrault. He graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (J.D. 1977) and Trent University (B.A. 1969).[6] He is a founding partner in the Canadian entertainment law firm Stohn Hay Cafazzo Dembroski Richmond LLP, where he provides strategic legal advice to performers, advertising agencies, merchandisers, recording artists, songwriters, multimedia/internet creators, broadcasters and film and television producers.[17] He and two other partners in the firm constitute three of the fourteen entertainment lawyers named in the 2014 Lexpert American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada.[18]

Personal life

Stohn was born in

Denver, Colorado. He is married to Degrassi creator Linda Schuyler
; they have one son, Max.

Awards

  • Stohn has been nominated 28 times in Canada's national television awards ceremony, the
    Peabody Award.[21] He was nominated three more times for a primetime Emmy Award, in 2012, 2014 and 2015.[22]
  • In August 2005, Stohn received a commendation from the Government of Ontario reading in part: "You are no stranger to Canadian show business, having worked, and excelled, in nearly all facets of the industry. You seem to have worn every possible hat—from performing artist to accomplished entertainment lawyer—and, in doing so, have amassed an incomparable wealth of knowledge and experience. Your skills and expertise have stood you in good stead, propelling you from success to success. Whether producing the internationally acclaimed television series Degrassi: The Next Generation or playing a key role in the development of Epitome Pictures, you take on challenges in a manner appropriately echoed by the words of the legendary Samuel Goldwyn: All opportunities in the world are waiting to be grasped by people who are in love with what they are doing.''
  • On March 10, 2011, he was inducted into the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame.[23]
  • On June 4, 2015 Trent University awarded him an honorary doctorate, Doctor of Letters (D.Litt honoris causa).[24]

Stohn was appointed to the Order of Canada in June 2023.[25]

References

  1. ^ "How 'Degrassi' Became The Most Digitally Savvy Show On (and Off) TV". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  2. ^ "Growing up Degrassi". Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  3. ^ "DHX Media buys Degrassi TV studio". The Globe and Mail. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  4. ^ "Stephen Stohn installed as new chancellor of Trent University in Peterborough". thepeterboroughexaminer.com. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  5. ^ a b "ACE Title Search". ASCAP. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  6. ^ a b c d "Stephen Stohn, Stohn Hay Cafazzo Dembroski Richmond LLP | Lexpert ALM 500". Lexpert.ca. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  7. ^ a b "Founder of Trent University Radio Inducted to Canadian Hall of Fame". Trent University News & Events. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  8. ^ "S.A.C History". Songwriters.ca. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  9. ^ "Stephen Stohn". IMDb. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  10. .
  11. ^ "Degrassi Online". Degrassithenextgeneration.degrassi.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  12. ^ "Stephen Stohn". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  13. ^ Kelly, Brendan (2010-12-09). "'Degrassi' producers cultivate 'Gardens' - Entertainment News, TV News, Media". Variety. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  14. ^ "Bell Media Site - MuchMusic". Bellmediapr.ca. 2011-12-08. Archived from the original on 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  15. ^ "Kidscreen Site". kidscreen.com. 2014-08-06. Retrieved 2014-08-12.
  16. ^ "'Degrassi' Next Season coming to Netfli". variety.com. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  17. ^ Dan Admin (2007-11-18). "Stohn Hay Cafazzo Dembroski Richmond People". Stohnhay.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  18. ^ "Lexpert速 ALM 500 - Ranking". Lexpert.ca. Archived from the original on 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  19. ^ "Awards Database". academy.ca. Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Archived from the original on 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  20. ^ "Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for 2011 - Outstanding Children's Program". Emmys.com. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  21. ^ "Degrassi: My Body Is A Cage (TeenNick)". Peabody Awards. George Foster Peabody Awards. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  22. ^ "Awards and Nominations". emmys.com. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  23. ^ "2011 Inductees to Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame Announced: | 2013 Canadian Music Week • March 20-24, 2013". Cmw.net. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
  24. ^ "Five Distinguished Canadians To Receive Honorary Degrees". trent.ca. Trent University. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  25. ^ "Order of Canada appointees – June 2023". The Governor General of Canada. June 30, 2023. Retrieved June 30, 2023.

External links