Robert Greenwald
A fiercely political filmmaker who weaponizes documentary to expose corporate malfeasance and media bias, building a grassroots advocacy machine in the process.
Born 1943 (age 83)·American filmmaker·Birthday: August 28·The Silent Generation
Biography
Robert Greenwald began his career not as an activist but as a producer of Hollywood entertainment, with credits including feature films and television movies. A political awakening shifted his focus entirely. In 2004, he founded Brave New Films, turning his production skills toward investigative documentaries designed for impact, not box office. His early targets were monumental: the Iraq War, Fox News, and Walmart. Greenwald pioneered a new model of political filmmaking, distributing his work online and through community screenings, partnering directly with advocacy groups to turn viewers into activists. His films are built on deep research and often feature damning insider testimony, aiming to name names and assign blame. While his unabashedly progressive stance draws criticism, his influence is undeniable, having helped shape public debate on war profiteering, media consolidation, and economic inequality through a relentless stream of exposés.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Robert was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Robert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Robert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 60
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 70
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 80
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 83 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded Brave New Films, a nonprofit production company dedicated to creating investigative documentaries for social change.
- Directed and produced 'Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism,' a critical examination of Fox News' editorial practices.
- Produced 'Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price,' which sparked national debate about the retail giant's labor and business practices.
- Created the 'War on Whistleblowers' documentary highlighting the persecution of government truth-tellers.
Did You Know?
He initially worked as a theatrical producer and director before moving into film and television production.
His early producing credits include the cult classic film 'Xanadu' starring Olivia Newton-John.
He is the nephew of sociologist and writer Paul Goodman.
“The goal is not just to make a film, the goal is to make a difference.”
