Benedict Freedman

Benedict Freedman (December 19, 1919 – February 24, 2012) was an American novelist and mathematician, the co-author of Mrs. Mike and a professor of mathematics at Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Life Upbringing Freedman was born to a Jewish family in New York City. His father, David, emigrated to America from Romania. He studied at Columbia University from ages 13 to 16, but dropped out without graduating after the death of his father. He took up his father's profession as a radio writer, and moved to the west coast where he worked for MGM Studios.

Family Freedman's son, Michael Freedman, is also a noted mathematician, and they have collaborated. Freedman's two daughters also work in academia as a musician at the University of California, Berkeley and as the director of the medical humanities program at the University of California, Irvine. He died in 2012 in Corte Madera, California.