Stephen Stohn Biography
John Stephen Stohn is a Canadian-based, American-born entertainment lawyer and television producer,born on May 8, 1948. He is best known for being executive producer of the teen drama series Degrassi. He is currently the president of Epitome Pictures Inc., which he and his wife Linda Schuyler founded and which was sold to DHX Media in 2014.
Stephen Stohn Career
Stohn’s work in the entertainment industry commenced with part-time appearances as a performing artist, continuing with active work as a songwriter , and a primary career as an entertainment and copyright lawyer since he was called to the Ontario Bar in 1979. Trent University,in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada had barely been built when Stohn first attended there. He helped found Trent’s student newspaper.
Stohn helped found the radio station at Trent, now CFFF-FM, along with Peter Northrop and Christopher Ward. In the early 1990s, he helped found the Songwriters Association of Canada along with Donna Murphy, Terry McManus and internationally acclaimed songwriter Eddie Schwartz. Stohn has executive-produced two feature films, Me? and The Clown Murders. He was also executive producer of Riverdale, English Canada’s first prime-time soap opera, and of the lifestyle TV series Savoir Faire and Room Service .
Stephen Stohn Personal life
Stohn was born in Denver, Colorado. He is married to Degrassi creator Linda Schuyler; they have one son, Max.
Stephen Stohn Awards
- Stohn has been nominated 26 times in Canada’s national television awards ceremony, the Canadian Screen Awards (formerly the Gemini Awards), and has won 13 times. In 2011 he was nominated for a primetime Emmy Awardand won a Peabody Award. He was nominated three more times for a primetime Emmy Award, in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
- 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 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.
- On June 4, 2015 Trent University awarded him an honorary doctorate, Doctor of Letters .