Steve Lopez
Encyclopedia
Steven M. Lopez is an American
journalist
who has been a columnist
for The Los Angeles Times since 2001. He is the son of Spanish and Italian immigrants.
. He has been on staff at Time Inc.
and written for Time
, Life
, Entertainment Weekly
and Sports Illustrated
. In addition, he was on staff at the Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Jose Mercury News
and the Oakland Tribune. He wrote the novels Third and Indiana
, The Sunday Macaroni Club, and In the Clear
. He has also written a collection of his works from The Philadelphia Inquirer
titled Land of Giants
.
Lopez's series of columns about his unlikely relationship with schizophrenic bassist Nathaniel Anthony Ayers inspired the film The Soloist
, which stars Robert Downey Jr.
as Lopez. Lopez has written a definitive film tie-in non-fiction work, The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music. Lopez has also written several novels. He was interviewed in the 2007 documentary Skid Row.
Ayers and Lopez's relationship was also nationally highlighted in the March 22, 2009 episode of 60 Minutes
.
In October 2010, Los Angeles
city attorney Carmen Trutanich invited Lopez to participate in a driving test while under the influence of marijuana. The purpose of this study was to gauge the potential ramifications of California Proposition 19
.
On April 29, 2011, Lopez received an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater, San Jose State University
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who has been a columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for The Los Angeles Times since 2001. He is the son of Spanish and Italian immigrants.
Life and cars
Lopez is a native of Pittsburg, CA and attended San Jose State UniversitySan José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
. He has been on staff at Time Inc.
Time Inc.
Time Inc. is a subsidiary of the media conglomerate Time Warner, the company formed by the 1990 merger of the original Time Inc. and Warner Communications. It publishes 130 magazines, most notably its namesake, Time...
and written for Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
and Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. In addition, he was on staff at the Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News
The San Jose Mercury News is a daily newspaper in San Jose, California. On its web site, however, it calls itself Silicon Valley Mercury News. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group...
and the Oakland Tribune. He wrote the novels Third and Indiana
Third and Indiana
Third and Indiana is a novel written by Steve Lopez. It is about the experiences of several people connected to 14 year old Gabriel Santoro, while living in the dangerous gang-controlled streets of the Badlands section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
, The Sunday Macaroni Club, and In the Clear
In the Clear
In the Clear is an album released by the band Ivy on March 1, 2005 on Nettwerk.When starting sessions for In The Clear, the band tried to strike a balance between the immediacy of their early recordings and the careful sonic detailing of their more recent work...
. He has also written a collection of his works from The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
titled Land of Giants
Land of Giants
Land of Giants is an album by McCoy Tyner released on the Telarc label in 2003. It was recorded in December 2002 and features performances of by Tyner with Bobby Hutcherson, Charnett Moffett, and Eric Harland...
.
Lopez's series of columns about his unlikely relationship with schizophrenic bassist Nathaniel Anthony Ayers inspired the film The Soloist
The Soloist
The Soloist is a 2009 American/French/British drama film directed by Joe Wright, and starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr. The screenplay by Susannah Grant is based on the book, The Soloist by Steve Lopez...
, which stars Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert John Downey, Jr. is an American actor. Downey made his screen debut in 1970 at the age of five when he appeared in his father's film Pound, and has worked consistently in film and television ever since. During the 1980s he had roles in a series of coming of age films associated with the...
as Lopez. Lopez has written a definitive film tie-in non-fiction work, The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music. Lopez has also written several novels. He was interviewed in the 2007 documentary Skid Row.
Ayers and Lopez's relationship was also nationally highlighted in the March 22, 2009 episode of 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
.
In October 2010, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
city attorney Carmen Trutanich invited Lopez to participate in a driving test while under the influence of marijuana. The purpose of this study was to gauge the potential ramifications of California Proposition 19
California Proposition 19 (2010)
California Proposition 19 was a ballot initiative on the November 2, 2010 statewide ballot...
.
Awards
In 2008 Lopez received the President's Award from the Los Angeles Press Club at the 50th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards.On April 29, 2011, Lopez received an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater, San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
.