Ralph Leighton (; born 1949) is an American

biographer Biographers are authors who write an account of another person's life, while autobiographers are authors who write their own biography. Biographers Countries of working life: Ab=Arabia, AG=Ancient Greece, Al=Australia, Am=Armenian, AR=Ancient Rome ...

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

, and friend of the late

physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate caus ...

Richard Feynman Richard Phillips Feynman (; May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988) was an American theoretical physicist, known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the physics of the superflu ...

. He recorded Feynman relating stories of his life. Leighton has released some of the recordings as ''The Feynman Tapes''. These interviews (available as The Feynman Tapes on audio) became the basis for the books ''

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! ''"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character'' is an edited collection of reminiscences by the Nobel Prize–winning physicist Richard Feynman. The book, released in 1985, covers a variety of instances in Feynman's l ...

'' and '' What Do You Care What Other People Think?'', which were later combined into the hardcover anniversary edition ''Classic Feynman: All the Adventures of a Curious Character''. Leighton is an amateur drummer and founder of the group Friends of Tuva. In 1990 he wrote '' Tuva or Bust! Richard Feynman's Last Journey.'' He is credited as associate producer and originator of the concept for the

Academy-Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

–nominated documentary film ''

Genghis Blues ''Genghis Blues'' is a 1999 American documentary film directed by Roko Belic. It centers on the journey of blind American singer Paul Pena to the isolated Russian Republic of Tuva to pursue his interest in Tuvan throat singing. It won the 1999 ...

'' (2000), which came about through the nexus provided by Friends of Tuva. He is the son of the late

Caltech The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...

physicist

Robert B. Leighton Robert Benjamin Leighton (; September 10, 1919 – March 9, 1997) was a prominent American experimental physicist who spent his professional career at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). His work over the years spanned solid s ...

, who was also a close friend of Feynman. He is married to Phoebe Kwan; they have two children, Nicole and Ian.

External links

Feynman's Tips on Physics by Richard P. Feynman, Michael A. Gottlieb, Ralph Leighton

() A Review by Bobby Matherne

The Feynman Tapes
1949 births American biographers Ghostwriters Living people Richard Feynman Place of birth missing (living people) {{US-bio-writer-stub