Lionel Goldstein

Lionel Goldstein is a British playwright and screenwriter. Originally engaged in commerce and business, he did not turn to professional writing until later in life. The breakthrough in his career came in 1983 when he wrote the screenplay for the television film Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson, starring Laurence Olivier and Jackie Gleason. He subsequently adapted this highly successful text into a stage play that travelled the world. The brilliant conversational comedy about two older men who loved the same woman their entire lives became a massive hit in the Czech Republic as well. The popular Czech production features acting legends Petr Kostka and František Němec in the leading roles. As a screenwriter, Goldstein has also worked on other acclaimed projects, such as writing the screenplay for the 1987 British television film Mandela. Both critics and audiences appreciate his extraordinary ear for human dialogue, dry British humor, and his ability to handle the theme of aging with ease and nostalgia.