# Robert Kaufman

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{{Short description|American film producer (1931–1991)}}

{{about||the New York City attorney|Robert M. Kaufman|the perennial political candidate|A. Robert Kaufman}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2013}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox person
|name=Robert Kaufman
|birth_name=
|birth_date={{birth date|1931|3|22}}
|birth_place=United States
|death_date={{death date and age|1991|11|21|1931|3|22}}
|death_place=[Beverly Hills](/source/Beverly_Hills), California, United States
|occupation=Screenwriter, television writer, film producer
|spouse     = Robin Krause
|children   = 4
}}

'''Robert Kaufman''' (March 22, 1931 – November 21, 1991) was an American screenwriter, film producer and television writer known for such films and TV series as ''[Getting Straight](/source/Getting_Straight)'', ''[Love at First Bite](/source/Love_at_First_Bite)'', ''[Divorce American Style](/source/Divorce_American_Style)'', ''[The Cool Ones](/source/The_Cool_Ones)'', ''[Freebie and the Bean](/source/Freebie_and_the_Bean)'', ''[How to Beat the High Co$t of Living](/source/How_to_Beat_the_High_Co%24t_of_Living)'', ''[The Monkees](/source/The_Monkees_(TV_series))'', and ''[The Ugliest Girl in Town](/source/The_Ugliest_Girl_in_Town)''.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130628021719/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/96904/Robert-Kaufman The New York Times]</ref><ref name=NYTRobKaufObit>[https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/26/obituaries/robert-kaufman-60-tv-and-film-writer.html The New York Times: "Robert Kaufman, 60, TV and Film Writer"] November 26, 1991.</ref><ref name=LATimesRobKaufObit>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-11-23-mn-24-story.html The Los Angeles Times: "Robert Kaufman; Comedy Writer for Movies and TV" by Myrna Oliver] November 23, 1991</ref>

==Biography==
Born to a [Jewish](/source/American_Jews) family on March 22, 1931, Kaufman attended [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University) for three years before leaving to hitchhike across the US and Europe.<ref name=LATimesRobKaufObit /> He then took a job as a publicist for [Mort Sahl](/source/Mort_Sahl) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City) and later as a comedy writer in the late 1950s including as a writer for [Dick Shawn](/source/Dick_Shawn).<ref name=LATimesRobKaufObit /> In 1961, he moved to [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles) where he focused on television scripts before landing his first film credit in 1965 for ''[Ski Party](/source/Ski_Party)''.<ref name=LATimesRobKaufObit />

In 1983, he signed a non-exclusive deal at [Universal Pictures](/source/Universal_Pictures), where Kaufman worked as a writer-producer for the film studio.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1983-06-01|title=Bob Kaufman Inks 3-Comedy Pact with Universal; Starts Indie 'Check'|page=6|work=[Variety](/source/Variety_(magazine))}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Kaufman was raised in [Westport, Connecticut](/source/Westport%2C_Connecticut), and attended [Staples High School](/source/Staples_High_School). In a December 30, 1970, television appearance on ''[The Dick Cavett Show](/source/The_Dick_Cavett_Show)'', Kaufman revealed that when his family moved to the town in 1941 they were the first Jewish family to reside in Westport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.shoutfactorytv.com/the-dick-cavett-show/rock-icons-december-30-1970-little-richard/566a100b69702d083a210900|title=ShoutFactoryTV : Watch The Dick Cavett Show Episode : Rock Icons: December 30, 1970 Little Richard|website=www.shoutfactorytv.com|access-date=2019-04-08}}</ref>

He was married three times. He had four children from his first marriage:<ref name=LATimesRobKaufObit /> Melissa, Robin, Richard, and Christopher.<ref name=NYTRobKaufObit /> His third wife was Robin Krause.<ref name=NYTRobKaufObit />

Kaufman died in 1991. Services were held at [Hillside Memorial Park](/source/Hillside_Memorial_Park).<ref name=LATimesRobKaufObit />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0442099}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaufman, Robert}}
Category:American male screenwriters
Category:American television writers
Category:Jewish American screenwriters
Category:Film producers from Los Angeles
Category:1931 births
Category:1991 deaths
Category:American male television writers
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:20th-century American male writers
Category:20th-century American screenwriters
Category:20th-century American Jews

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robert Kaufman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kaufman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kaufman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.