Ruth C. Sullivan family member with developmental disabilities. She retired from the Autism Services Center on November 1, 2007 at the age of 83. Sullivan assisted in the production of the 1988 movie "Rain Man" by serving as a consultant on autistic behavior, and Dustin Hoffman worked with Sullivan and her son Joseph, who has autism, when practicing for his role. Hoffman thanked her and Joseph in his Oscar speech. Sullivan has the last credit in the movie, and the extended DVD version features an interview with Joe. (Joe Sullivan was not the only inspiration for Hoffman's role; the role was originally written
Dustin Hoffman Hoffman then studied at Actors Studio and became a dedicated method actor. Sidney W. Pink, a producer and 3D-movie pioneer, discovered him in one of his off-Broadway roles and cast him in "Madigan's Millions". Through the early and mid-1960s, Hoffman made appearances in television shows and movies, including "Naked City", "The Defenders" and "Hallmark Hall of Fame". His first critical success was in the play "Eh?", by Henry Livings, which had its U.S. premiere at the Circle in the Square Downtown on October 16, 1966. Hoffman made his film debut in "The Tiger Makes Out" in 1967, alongside Eli Wallach.