Skip to content
balasaur
Ivan Tors

Ivan Tors

Writer · 1916–1983 · Budapest, Hungary

IMDb

Biography

Ivan Tors was a Hungarian-born American playwright, film director, screenwriter, and producer renowned for his contributions to science fiction and animal-themed entertainment. After studying at the University of Budapest, he emigrated to the United States in 1939, where he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Post-war, Tors joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a screenwriter. He co-wrote and produced Storm Over Tibet (1952) and created the "Office of Scientific Investigation" trilogy, including The Magnetic Monster (1953), Riders to the Stars (1954), and Gog (1954). Tors also developed television series like Science Fiction Theater (1955–1957), Sea Hunt (1958–1961), and Flipper (1964–1967). His Miami-based studio, now known as Greenwich Studios, was instrumental in producing underwater sequences and animal-centric stories. Tors passed away in Mato Grosso, Brazil, while scouting locations for a new television series.

Wrote 15

1970s

  1. 1970

    The Aquarians

    Story

1960s

  1. 1969

    Hello Down There

    Story

  2. 1967

    Island of the Lost

    Writer

  3. 1964

    Flipper's New Adventure

    Story

    63

1950s

  1. 1954

    Gog

    Story

  2. Riders to the Stars

    Story

  3. 1953

    The 49th Man

    Story

  4. The Glass Wall

    Screenplay

  5. The Magnetic Monster

    Screenplay

    57
  6. 1952

    Storm Over Tibet

    Screenplay

  7. 1950

    Watch the Birdie

    Screenplay

1940s

  1. 1949

    That Forsyte Woman

    Screenplay

  2. In the Good Old Summertime

    Screenplay

    68
  3. 1947

    Song of Love

    Writer

  4. 1946

    Below the Deadline

    Story

Produced 26

1980s

  1. 1980

    Galyon

    Producer

1970s

  1. 1976

    Escape from Angola

    Executive Producer

  2. 1970

    The Aquarians

    Producer

1960s

  1. 1969

    Hello Down There

    Producer

  2. 1968

    Daring Game

    Executive Producer

  3. 1967

    Gentle Giant

    Producer

  4. Cowboy in Africa

    Producer

  5. Gentle Ben

    Producer

    66
  6. 1966

    Birds Do It

    Executive Producer

  7. Namu, the Killer Whale

    Producer

  8. Daktari

    Executive Producer

    71
  9. 1965

    Around the World Under the Sea

    Producer

  10. 1964

    Flipper

    Producer

    63

  11. Flipper's New Adventure

    Producer

    63
  12. 1963

    Flipper

    Producer

    57
  13. 1961

    Everglades

    Producer

  14. Ripcord

    Producer

  15. 1960

    The Aquanauts

    Producer

1950s

  1. 1959

    Men Into Space

    Producer

  2. The Man and the Challenge

    Producer

  3. 1955

    Science Fiction Theatre

    Producer

  4. Battle Taxi

    Producer

  5. 1954

    Gog

    Producer

  6. Riders to the Stars

    Producer

  7. 1953

    The Glass Wall

    Producer

  8. The Magnetic Monster

    Producer

    57

Created 7

1980s

  1. 1987

    Sea Hunt

    Creator

1970s

  1. 1971

    Primus

    Creator

1960s

  1. 1969

    Jambo

    Creator

  2. 1966

    Daktari

    Creator

    71

1950s

  1. 1959

    The Man and the Challenge

    Creator

  2. 1958

    Sea Hunt

    Creator

    74
  3. 1955

    Science Fiction Theatre

    Creator

Directed 5

1980s

  1. 1980

    Galyon

    Director

1960s

  1. 1965

    Zebra in the Kitchen

    Director

  2. 1964

    Flipper

    Director

    63

  3. Rhino!

    Director

Acted in 2

1970s

  1. 1976

    Escape from Angola

    Ivan Mallory

1960s

  1. 1969

    Jambo

    TV

Other crew 1

1980s

  1. 1987

    Sea Hunt

    Creator

Appearances1

1960s

  1. 1964

    Rhino!

    Self - director