Writer Josh Greenfeld (1928-2018) wrote the screenplay for Harry and Tonto (co-written with Paul Mazursky), which earned an Oscar nomination.
He also wrote a series of books on raising an autistic child. Greenfeld also wrote the powerful 1978 telemovie Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part II, starring Jane Alexander as real-life Mary MacCracken, a teacher of children with cognitive disabilities; and Oh, God! Book II (1980), with George Burns reprising his comedic title role.
Greenfeld was born in Malden, MA, and graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Dramatic Arts in 1953. In the spring of 1960, he married Japanese writer and artist Fumiko Kometani.
Greenfeld wrote a trilogy of books detailing the heartbreaking struggle of raising and caring for an autistic child. The first publication, 1972’s A Child Called Noah, was written in journal form and is considered a landmark book in the field of autism, receiving universal praise for its honesty.
In 1976, Greenfeld adapted Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches into the Broadway play I Have a Dream, starring Billy Dee Williams as King. His other plays included Clandestine on the Morning Line, The Last Two Jews of Kabul and Canal Street. His novels included O for a Master of Magic and The Return of Mr. Hollywood.
| Credit Type | Production | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Playwright | I Have a Dream | 1985-86 Season |