Quiz

Before becoming a writer, he worked at his parents' motel in Bethel, New York and organized a number of local cultural events. He was eventually appointed to be in charge of issuing public event permits in Bethel. In 1969, after learning the organizers of the Woodstock Festival had been denied a permit in Wallkill, New York, he not only issued a permit for the festival to be held at Max Yasgur's dairy farm, but he also helped to negotiate the agreement. Without Elliot Tiber's work, Woodstock might never have happened.

He studied art at Brooklyn College and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Hunter College. He later received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Pratt Institute. He worked as a decorator for the W.&J. Sloane department store in Manhattan, and developed a successful career decorating private homes and apartments.

His father was a roof mechanic who had emigrated from Austria. His mother had come from Russia, and managed a housewares shop. In 1955, they acquired a rooming house that they expanded into the El Monaco Motel and moved to Bethel, New York.

He departed from Bethel, New York shortly after Woodstock and soon moved to Los Angeles, where he became a movie set designer. He taught creative writing at New School University, fine art at Hunter College, and art design history at the New York Institute of Technology.