PJ Torokvei, a Canadian screenwriter, actor, and television producer, was a notable alum of Second City / SCTV, where she collaborated with the talented John Candy. After her time at Second City, she went on to become the producer and head writer of the beloved sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which aired from 1979 to 1982. PJ's exceptional work on the show earned her and her colleagues two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series. In addition to her television success, PJ also made significant contributions to the film industry as a co-writer for movies such as Real Genius, Back to School, Hostage for a Day, Caddyshack II, and Guarding Tess. It is worth noting that PJ's professional credits are typically attributed to her deadname, she transitioned from male to female in 2001.Tragically, PJ Torokvei passed away on July 3, 2013, due to complications from liver failure. Her legacy as a talented and influential figure in the entertainment industry will always be remembered.
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Biography from TMDB.
- March 19, 1951
- July 3, 2013 (aged 62)
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Writer and actor
- 12 on MovieCove · 15 credits in all
What are PJ Torokvei's films like?
Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 0 · Earnest 5
Light 7 · Serious 0 · Dark 0
Grounded 3 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1
Gentle 5 · Charged 2 · Intense 0
Steady 4 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 6
Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0
Casual 7 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 6 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 0
Resolved 7 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy5
- Bittersweet2
- Cyclical1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch PJ Torokvei's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).
Subscription and free streaming for PJ Torokvei's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
15 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Stuart Saves His Family(1995)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Falling for You(1995)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Hostage for a Day(1994)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Guarding Tess(1994)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
The Earth Day Special(1990)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Caddyshack II(1988)
Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
Armed and Dangerous(1986)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Back to School(1986)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Real Genius(1985)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
The History of White People in America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
WKRP in Cincinnati(1978)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
The New Avengers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
SCTV(1976)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
Career shape
A full career of 14 titles from 1976 to 1995.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do PJ Torokvei's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 36th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up4
- 50th to 74th1
- 25th to 49th4
- Below 25th3
Shape of the crowd
4 of their 12 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved2
- Universally Panned1
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser4
- Broadly Agreed1
- Mixed2
Reviewers score the dialogue 51/100 and the plot and story 37/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is PJ Torokvei's work okay for kids?
Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.
Who does PJ Torokvei work with?
People who share at least 2 of PJ Torokvei's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harold Ramis shares the most, 4.
Writers
- Harold RamisShared titles: Caddyshack II (1988), Armed and Dangerous (1986), Back to School (1986), SCTV (1976)See all 4 shared titles with Harold Ramis
- Brian Doyle-MurrayShared titles: Caddyshack II (1988), SCTV (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Brian Doyle-Murray
- Steven KampmannShared titles: Back to School (1986), SCTV (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Steven Kampmann
Actors
- John CandyShared titles: Hostage for a Day (1994), Armed and Dangerous (1986), SCTV (1976)See all 3 shared titles with John Candy
- Eugene LevyShared titles: Armed and Dangerous (1986), SCTV (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Eugene Levy
Producers
- Stanley M. BrooksShared titles: A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story (1995), Hostage for a Day (1994)See all 2 shared titles with Stanley M. Brooks
- Patrick WhitleyShared titles: Hostage for a Day (1994), SCTV (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Patrick Whitley
- Brian GrazerShared titles: Armed and Dangerous (1986), Real Genius (1985)See all 2 shared titles with Brian Grazer
Mixed roles
- Robin DukeShared titles: Hostage for a Day (1994), SCTV (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Robin Duke
