Biography

He graduated from the University of Wisconsin. After moving to San Francisco, he was a film distributor, author, playwright, and member of the San Francisco Mime Troupe. He was professor emeritus at California State Polytechnic University, where he taught history and digital media.

He was born and raised a few blocks away from Yankee Stadium, the son of a teacher--his mother--and a pharmacist father.

Dropped out of school early, temporarily and hitchhiked around the U.S. before returning and being accepted into New York City's competitive Stuyvesant High School. He went on to earn both bachelor's and master's degrees in history at the University of Wisconsin, and later worked towards, but never completed, a Ph.D program at Stanford University.

All my films try to teach people without preaching too hard. I try not to be too tendentious.

[re comparing documentary to fictional films] One has to simulate reality. The other one says, 'Here's reality,' whether it is or isn't.

I found Fidel [Fidel Castro] a sympathetic figure and a hell of a good actor.