Born in Highland Park, IL; educated at Oberlin College, OH, and Columbia. The younger brother of writer James Goldman. Versatile, prolific and highly successful, he has written short stories and children's fiction, as well as novels, plays and screenplays, sometimes using the pseudonym Harry Longbaugh (the real name of one of Goldman's favorite historical personalities, the Sundance Kid). He won Academy Awards for BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969) and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (1976). In MARATHON MAN (1976), he created the Nazi dentist played by Laurence Olivier, inflicting terror on Dustin Hoffman while asking the unanswerable question: "Is it safe?" Other screenplays to his credit include MASQUERADE (1965), HARPER (1966), THE HOT ROCK (1972), THE STEPFORD WIVES and THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER (both 1975), A BRIDGE TOO FAR (1977), MAGIC (1978, from his novel), HEAT (1986, from his novel), THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987), MISERY (1990), and MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN, CHAPLIN and A FEW GOOD MEN (all 1992), MAVERICK (1994), THE CHAMBER and THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS (both 1996), FIERCE CREATURES (uncredited) and ABSOLUTE POWER (both 1997), THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER (1999), HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (2001), DREAMCATCHER (2003), and THE MONKEY WRENCH GANG and SHAZAM! (both 2008). Goldman's non-fiction book Adventures in the Screen Trade (1983), offers behind-the-scenes insights into screenwriting and the movie business. He followed it with a sequel, Which Lie Did I Tell?, in 2001. Both books have three parts: stories about his movies, a deconstruction of Hollywood, and a workshop for screenwriters. His book Hype and Glory (1990) scrutinizes the Cannes Film Festival. One of Hollywood's favorite script doctors, he is often called in to do uncredited revisions on ailing screenplays, such as the 1993 Arnold Schwarzenegger blockbuster LAST ACTION HERO -- a commecial failure despite Goldman's efforts.  Writing (Best Story and Screenplay based on material not previously published or produced) 1969: BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID  Writing (Best Screenplay based on material from another medium) 1976: ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN 2 nominations, 2 Awards