Leonard Gardner (born 3 November 1933) is an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. His writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Esquire, The Southwest Review, and other publications, and he has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. Gardner was born in Stockton, and went to San Francisco State University. He currently lives in Larkspur, California. Gardner adapted his short story "Jesus Christ Has Returned to Earth and Appears Here Nightly" into the screenplay for the low-budget 1989 film . He has a small part in the film, playing a character named Lyle.