- Born
- Birth nameWilliam Ronald Judson Jones
- Nickname
- Buddha
- Ron Jones is an author, playwright, and spoken word artist. Three of his stories have been made into movies: The Wave (1981), The Wave (2008), The Acorn People (1981), and One Special Victory (1991); which have garnered an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody for their producers. Ron was the real-life basketball coach of the team of disabled people who inspired the movie One Special Victory (1991). And as the original teacher of the 1967 high school classroom experiment in extremism known as "The Third Wave" (aka "The Wave"), he is featured in both Wave documentaries Lesson Plan (2010) and The Invisible Line (2019). That story is widely taught in schools around the world.
Ron's book entitled "Kids Called Crazy" was nominated for a Pulitzer, and "Say Ray," the story of a disabled man abducted to Mexico, was honored as the American Book of the Year. Ron holds a Master's in Education from Stanford University, and was a counselor and basketball coach for 30 years at the Janet Pomeroy Center for the mentally and physically disabled in San Francisco.- IMDb Mini Biography By: ronjoneswriter
- Author of around 30 books and winner of a Peabody Award for Outstanding Journalism and a Pulitzer Prize nominee.
- Son of a Jewish mother and an Irish Catholic father.
- Was teaching 10th grade social studies, at Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, California, when he performed the "Third Wave" experiment in March/April 1967.
- Ron Jones is a native San Franciscan. He shared his Haight Ashbury home with his wife, grandchildren, and a peaceful garden. He was a graduate of Stanford University masters degree program in education. Upon retirement from the Janet Pomeroy Center, where he taught theater and sports to the physically and mentally disabled for 30 years, he continued writing and performing as a spoken word artist.
As an author he had written about everyday heroes that enrich our life. Three of his stories The Acorn People, The Wave, and B-Ball have been made into television specials garnering an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody for their producers. A book entitled Kids Called Crazy was nominated for a Pulitzer. And Say Ray the story of a disabled man abducted to Mexico was honored as the American Book of the Year.
His classroom experiment in Fascism, The Wave has been produced as a feature film Die Welle and documentary Lesson Plan. The novelized version of The Wave, available through Random House, is printed in 23 languages and required reading in German and Israeli schools. In 2013 Ron completed a musical version of his Wave experience. The Third Wave Musical has been available through Dramatic Publishing. Theatric and musical productions of The Wave have been performed in theaters worldwide.
Ron took to the stage as spoken word artist. Solo shows include Buddha Blues, Say Ray, and When God Winked. He produced his first CD, Soulful Blessing as a unique blend of poetry and jazz.
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