Dan Greenburg, the humorous author, playwright, and screenwriter who wrote satirical prose about Jewish angst, women and sex, and later switched to writing humorous children’s books, has passed away. Greenburg died at the age of 87 in the Bronx, from complications of a stroke that he experienced a year ago. His son, Zack O’Malley Greenburg, confirmed that his father’s passing happened in a hospice facility.
Greenburg rose to national fame in 1964 when he wrote “How to Be a Jewish Mother: A Very Lovely Training Manual,” where he comically analyzed the unique and often perplexing traits of the stereotypical Jewish mother. From there, he continued to write a dozen other books for adults, exploring topics such as “How to Make Yourself Miserable,” “What Do Women Want” and “Scoring: A Sexual Memoir.” He also dabbled in other genres like horror, occult, and murder mysteries, as well as humorous children’s fiction with the popular “The Zack Files” series inspired by his son, Zack.
In addition to writing, Greenburg acted, did stand-up comedy, and also wrote for plays and movie scripts, including for hits “Private Lessons” (1981) and “Private School” (1983). His humorous work, published in leading publications like The New Yorker, Esquire, Playboy, and Vanity Fair, earned him widespread acclaim.
Mr. Greenburg was married to journalist Nora Ephron in 1967, with whom he remained on friendly terms after their nine-year marriage ended in an amicable divorce. He later married writer Suzanne O’Malley, with whom he had his son, Zack. After their divorce, he married Judith C. Wilson.
While moving away from adult fiction, Greenburg began to write children’s books, which became deeply gratifying for him. He stated in a 1998 interview with The New York Times, “It’s the most fun I ever had in my life. There’s nothing more fulfilling than hearing that you’ve turned a kid on to books. That’s enough for a career right there.”
Greenburg is survived by his son, Zack, and his wife, Judith C. Wilson. He was beloved by fans of all ages and his impact will be profoundly felt.