Greenwald moved to Los Angeles in 1972, where he continued working as a theater director at the Mark Taper Forum. He later launched a career as a director for television, establishing first Moonlight Productions and then Robert Greenwald Productions (RGP), and began creating theatrical films, television movies, miniseries and documentaries with a distinct social and political sensibility. Moonlight Productions was responsible for 34 films, and RGP has brought more than 45 films to audiences worldwide. In 1977, Greenwald received his first of three Emmy Award nominations for producing the television movie "21 Hours at Munich" about the massacre at the 1972 Olympics. His next Emmy nomination came in 1984 for directing "The Burning Bed", one of the most-watched television movies of all time. Based on a true story, "The Burning Bed" has been credited as "a turning point in the fight against domestic violence." Greenwald also directed theatrical films such as "Breaking Up" (1997), "Steal This Movie!" (2000) and "Xanadu" (1980).