Jeff 'The Dude' Dowd

Jeff “The Dude” Dowd is a Los Angeles-based writer/producer, producer’s representative, and a nationally recognized authority on marketing, distribution and exhibition of movies.

Jeff is also a politcal activist going back to his days in the Vietnam anti-war movement (He was one of the Seattle Seven indicted by Nixon and Mitchell). It ended in a mistrail, but Jeff served 6 months in a Federal prison for Contempt of Court. He has been actively especialy involved in working for racial equality, the enviornment and economic justive on a grassroots level and electoral politics. .

Jeff is now editing his multi-media book:
“The Dude Abides: Classic Tales and Rebel Rants
How We can Have Fun Making Our Future the Best of Times”
It will be released by a major publisher later this year.

He was a producer of FERNGULLY...THE LAST RAINFOREST, the animated feature starring Robin Williams, Tim Curry and Christian Slater which won the Environmental Media Association (EMA) Best Picture award. He was a producer of ZEBRAHEAD with Oliver Stone which won the Filmmakers Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Jeff helped Robert Redford start the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival. He also has helped the IFP and Film Independent over the years.

Mr. Dowd has consulted on the marketing or been a producer's representative of such diverse films as: BLOOD SIMPLE, THE BLACK STALLION, CHARIOTS OF FIRE, GANDHI, DESERT HEARTS, WAR GAMES, HOOSIERS, THE STUNT MAN, HEARTS AND MINDS, DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT BETTER LUCK TOMORROW, KISSING JESSICA STEIN, SCRATCH, NEIL YOUNG’S GREENDALE and HEART OF GOLD, METALLICA: SOME KIND MONSTER, THE THING ABOUT MY FOLKS, and DUMA.

“Everybody knows somebody like the Dude -- and so, do the Coen brothers. They based the character ”The Dude” played by Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski on a movie producer and distributor named Jeff Dowd, a familiar figure at film festivals, who is tall, large, and shaggy and a boil with enthusiasm. Dowd is much more successful than Lebowski (he has played an important role in the Coens’ careers as indie filmmakers), but no less a creature of the moment. Both dudes depend on improvisation and inspiration...”
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

Jeff Dowd has been and continues to be a featured speaker at universities, film festivals and seminars throughout the world.

www.jeffdowd.com