The weekend before Thanksgiving is going to be a film lover’s delight, especially focusing on women. Friday night the Dallas Film Society’s Art of Film will have Marisa Tomei on stage and at the dinner table at the Perot Museum.
Within 24 hours, like Saturday night, the Women in Film Dallas (WIFD) will salute two outstanding women and production executive Dennis Bishop with the presentation of the Topaz Award.
The two ladies? “Laugh-In” legend Ruth Buzzi and “Fargo”’s Allison Tolman. Talk about a range of talent and they all have true-blue Texas connections.
- “A native Texan, Bishop began his career in Dallas and moved up the ranks to Production Executive. He has overseen commercially successful and award winning feature and television productions including ‘The Trip to Bountiful’, ‘The Fast and the Furious’, ‘And the Band Played On’ and the TV pilot of ‘Dexter’. Bishop has served as adjunct professor, mentor, and guest lecturer at USC, SMU, UTA and for the PGA, DGA, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He currently chairs the Motion Picture Production program he created at KD College in Dallas.
- “Buzzi is a Golden Globe Award winner, Television Hall of Fame Inductee, NAACP Image Award winner, and 5-time Emmy nominee. The legendary comedienne is best known for her character, Gladys Ormphby, on ‘Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In’ and ‘Dean Martin Celebrity Roast’. She was a regular performer on ‘Sesame Street’ as Ruthie the Finders Keepers shop owner.*
- “Tolman, a native of Sugarland, Texas, is a 2014 Emmy nominee and Critics’ Choice Award winner for her work as Deputy Molly Solverson on the FX series, ‘Fargo.’ After graduating from Baylor University, she moved to Dallas, Texas where she co-founded Second Thought Theatre. In 2009, she was accepted into Chicago’s Second City’s Conservatory Training Program. Before her work on ‘Fargo,’ Tolman wrote and performed sketch comedy and satire with several groups in the Chicago area.
As Kerri Navarro pointed out, “This year’s recipients have earned Golden Globe, Emmy, Television Hall of Fame, Clio, Critics’ Choice and NAACP awards — a new benchmark in the 27-year history of the WIFD Topaz Awards.”
Benefiting the WIFD Grant and Scholastic Fund, the event will take place at Wendy Krispin’s 7 for Parties. It’s a marvy place to meet the honorees and others, both guys and gals, who love film and those in the industry. Seating is limited, so hustle and get your tickets. Oh, and don’t forget your autograph book!
* Oh, you’re wondering what’s Ruthie’s Texas connection? Well, she lives on a ranch in North Texas with her tall, piano playing cowboy Kent Perkins.