Dan Wakefield was an author and screenwriter who wrote the novels “Going All the Way” and “Starting Over,” and he created the television show “James at 15.”
- Died: March 13, 2024 (Who else died on March 13?)
- Details of death: Died in Miami at the age of 91.
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Dan Wakefield’s legacy
Born and raised in Indianapolis, Wakefield wrote for the same high school newspaper at Shortridge High School that author Kurt Vonnegut (1922– 2007) once wrote for. The pair would later become close friends. For a time, he wrote for local newspapers before moving to New York City to attend Columbia College, where he earned his degree in English. In the 1950s and ‘60s, Wakefield was an independent journalist who wrote articles for Esquire, The Atlantic, and many others, including coverage of the Emmett Till (1941–1955) trial.
His first book, “Island in the City,” came in 1959. His best-known work, “Going All the Way,” was released in 1970 to widespread acclaim. It was made into a movie in 1997 starring Jeremy Davies, Ben Affleck, and Rachel Weisz. His 1973 novel, “Starting Over,” was also a bestseller that was adapted for the big screen. Additionally, Wakefield was the creator of the 1970s TV show “James at 15,” which earned both praise and controversy for its realistic depiction of Lance Kerwin’s (1960–2023) formative years.
After the publication of his 1988 memoir, “Returning: A Spiritual Journey,” Wakefield, previously a self-declared atheist, began to explore his spirituality. This journey became a prominent part of his later life. In the 2010s, he edited a series of works collecting unpublished letters and speeches from his friend, Vonnegut.
Wakefield is in the Indianapolis Public Schools Hall of Fame and the Indy Reads Literacy Leaders Hall of Fame. He has won both the Nieman and Bernard DeVoto Fellowships, and the news weekly NUVO honored him with a Cultural Vision Award.
Notable quote
“I am always shocked when people ask me ‘Are you still writing?’ Why would I stop?”—Image journal, issue #82
Tributes to Dan Wakefield
Full obituary: Indianapolis Star
