07/21/2026
The Sault Ste. Marie Museum is saddened to hear of the passing of Morley Torgov.
Morley Torgov was born on December 3, 1927 in Sault Ste. Marie, son of Allan Torgov (Allan's Ladies Wear) and Jane Colish . Many of his early memories were recorded in his comical, yet moving novel, "A Good Place to Come From." Within it, he recalls the formation of Congregation Beth Jacob, his desire for bacon as a young child, his father's problems with society, and the numerous lives and personalities within the Sault's Jewish community. Morley was also an advanced pianist in his youth, taking 10 years of lessons with John Blackburn, a former choir master and organist. His first writing gig was as a journalist for the Sault Daily Star. Morley spent a year at the University of Chicago before going to Toronto to attend the University of Toronto where he pursued law.
Professionally, Morley worked as a lawyer, but he truly made a name for himself through his numerous works as an author. His first novel was the aforementioned "A Good Place to Come From," published in 1974. At the time of its release, many were not entirely thrilled with their business being shared in such a manner, but after a while, the novel became quite celebrated in the community. Over his career, he wrote eight novels, two of which were adapted for television and film. Recognized for his contributions in Canadian literature, Morley was inducted into the Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame in 2006, a recipient of the city's Medal of Merit for "extraordinary contributions to our community," named a member of the Order of Canada, and the winner of two Stephen Leacock Medals for Humour for his novels "A Good Place to Come From" and "The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick."
The Torgov family was featured in the recent Museum exhibit "ROOTED: 125+ Years of Jewish History in Sault Ste. Marie."
Morley Torgov, 1989. From the Sault Museum's Collection
Morley Torgov poem, published in the Sault Daily Star in 1940.
