Jeff Dowd  Jeff Dowd (born November 20, 1949) is an American film producer and political activist best known as a member of the "Seattle Seven," who went to jail (briefly, for contempt of court) following a violent protest against the Vietnam War. He later moved to Los Angeles and became an independent movie producer and promoter, producing such films as "Zebrahead". He met the Coen brothers while they were promoting their first film, "Blood Simple". He is the basis for one of their most popular characters, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski from "The Big Lebowski". In 2009, Dowd was involved in an altercation with movie critic John Anderson at the Sundance Film Festival, after Anderson panned "Dirt! The Movie", a film Dowd produced. Anderson was eating breakfast when Dowd reportedly confronted him, and then incited a food fight and brief melee at the Yarrow Hotel Restaurant. Police did not press charges. In 2011, Dowd was the subject of an 18-minute documentary-short directed by Jeff Feuerzeig and broadcast on the USA Network as part of its "Character" series.