He co-wrote Straw Dogs (1971) with director Sam Peckinpah, and earned an Oscar nomination for his romantic comedy Lovers and Other Strangers (1970).
Was born in Manhattan and graduated from Queens College where he studied playwriting. Just a few years later, at age 24, his play "High Named Today," had a short Off Broadway run.
His only child, Kevis Goodman, is an associate professor of English at UC Berkeley.