ERNEST THOMPSON
In the ordinary course of a working artist’s life, reaching just one career milestone can be validating while achieving major global success comes with guaranteed bragging rights. Be it a prestigious nomination, winning a special award or being honored by your peers and colleagues at a formal induction ceremony. Indeed, for most of us, any one of those fetes would be life-affirming if not transformative. Add to that certain hard-to-ignore prefixes such as “critically acclaimed”, “Oscar winning”, “Emmy/Tony nominated” and you have the kind of professional acclaim that few people ever garner and a level of success that even fewer ever dream of achieving in one lifetime. Enter Ernest Thompson.
Ernest Thompson is a multi-faceted artist whose creative achievements span literature, theater, and film. With a career highlighted by an Oscar, two Golden Globes, and a Writers Guild Award, Ernest has left an indelible mark on the arts. His plays, including the timeless “On Golden Pond” which has been translated into 30 languages, have been performed worldwide, while his films showcase his versatility as both a writer and director. Did I mention that he is also a seasoned actor and that it was during a brief break from acting, while living in Los Angeles, that he actually wrote “On Golden Pond”? What some may not know is that in addition to his love of theatre and film, Thompson is also a gifted lyricist and celebrated songwriter boasting an expansive, ever growing, catalogue of impressive musical works.
Over the years, he has collaborated with many talented musicians – a long and distinguished list that includes both new and emerging artists and far more recognizable names such as the legendary Carly Simon with whom he co-wrote “Father Daughter Dance” and Natalie MacMaster – a Cape Breton native whose prodigious fiddle playing helped give birth to the anthemic “On Golden Pond”. Joe Deleault, an award-winning international performer and composer, also shares writing credit on these songs.
Worth noting is the fact that Thompson’s catalogue is eclectic by design as he has intentionally sought out some of the best and most accomplished musicians in order to expand his repertoire and create a well rounded anthology. The resulting work is truly genre blind and no two projects ever sound alike. And this makes the diverse nature of his catalogue particularly suitable for use in film and television.
Thompson continues to innovate with new projects, such as the upcoming film sequel “Home On Golden Pond” and his provocative indie film “The Constituent” co-starring Emmy-winning Gordon Clapp which will be screening in the coming months. His dedication to the arts is matched by his prolific output, with over 35 plays and numerous films to his name. His latest novel “The Book of Maps” is now available and his soon-to-be-released follow-up novel “Out Clause” will be AVAILABLE OCTOBER 7. To learn more about Ernest and his latest projects, please VISIT OUR SIGHTINGS PAGE.
But his influence extends beyond traditional media. From his 200-year-old farm in New Hampshire, Thompson hosts the internationally renowned Write On Golden Pond workshops and established the prison writing program Rescind Recidivism with his wife, Kerrin Thompson. His commitment to nurturing new talent and providing creative outlets for diverse voices is evident in his extensive mentorship and coaching work.
As a songwriter, playwright, director, and actor, Ernest Thompson’s legacy is one of creativity, passion, and an unwavering commitment to his many crafts.
We proudly welcome Ernest Thompson and are delighted to have him on the Verdict roster! Check out Ernest’s latest single “You Are Loved” co-written with Justin Jaymes – now available to stream on all major music streaming platforms.