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
Cliff Gorman "Lenny". Although the film version, directed by Bob Fosse, featured Dustin Hoffman, Gorman was recruited to portray a Dustin Hoffman-like character portraying Lenny Bruce, in a side-story in Fosse's autobiographical film "All That Jazz" (1979). He played Joseph Goebbels in the 1981 TV movie "The Bunker", and co-starred as Lt. Andrews in the film "Angel" (1984). He had roles in movies like "Cops and Robbers" (1973), "Rosebud" (1975), "" (1976), "An Unmarried Woman" (1978) with Jill Clayburgh, "Night of the Juggler" (1980), "Hoffa" (1992) with Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito, and "Night and the City" (1992). His TV work included