Neil Simon Biography (1927-)

Full name, Marvin Neil Simon; born July 4, 1927, in Bronx, NY; son of Irving(a garment salesperson) and Mamie Simon; married Joan Baim (a dancer), September 30, 1953 (died, July 17, 1973); married Marsha Mason (an actress), October 25, 1973 (divorced, 1982); married Diane Lander (an actress), 1987 (divorced, 1988), remarried, 1990 (divorced, 1998); married Elaine Joyce (an actress), September 11, 1999; children: (first marriage) Ellen, Nancy; (third marriage) Bryn (adopted daughter). Addresses: Agent: Jim Wiatt, William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Contact: Armstrong, Hirsch, Jackoway, Tyreman, and Wertheimer, 1888 Century Park, 18th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90067.

Gender: Male
Occupation: Producer, playwright, screenwriter
Birth Details: July 4, 1927; Bronx, New York

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Pitch, 1997
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Magic of Live TV (video), 2000
The Sid Caesar Collection: Inside the Writing Room (video), 2000
The Sid Caesar Collection: Creating the Comedy (video), 2000
Hail Sid Caesar! The Golden Age of Comedy, 2001
Film Work
Associate producer, Barefoot in the Park, Paramount, 1967
Producer (with Roger M. Rothstein), Only When I Laugh (also knownas It Hurts Only When I Laugh), Columbia, 1981
Producer (with Herbert Ross), I Ought to Be in Pictures, TwentiethCentury-Fox, 1982
Producer (with Ross), Max Dugan Returns, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
Executive producer, The Marrying Man, Buena Vista, 1991
Producer, The Odd Couple II, Paramount, 1998
Television Appearances
Specials
The Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope's World of Comedy, 1976
The 3rd Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1989
The L.A. Music Center's 25th Anniversary Celebration, PBS, 1990
Street Scenes: New York on Film, American Movie Classics, 1992
Honoree, The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1995
Host, Urban Heartlands: Neil Simon's New York City, The Disney Channel, 1996
Episodic
"Neil Simon: Not Just for Laughs" (also known as "Simply Simon: A Neil Simon Retrospective"), American Masters, PBS, 1989
"The World of Jewish Humor," Great Performances, PBS, 1990
"Bob Fosse: Steam Heat" (also known as "Fosse, the Ultimate Showman"), Dance in America (also known as Great Performances), PBS, 1990
Alan King: Inside the Comedy Mind, syndicated, 1991
The Class of the 20th Century, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo, 1995
Interviewee, Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman, Arts and Entertainment, 1996
Caesar's Writers, PBS, 1996
Interviewee, "Alan Alda," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
Andy, "Frasier's Edge," Frasier, NBC, 2001
Television Work
Movies
Executive producer, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Showtime, 2000
Specials
Executive producer, The Trouble with People, NBC, 1972
WRITINGS
Plays
Contributor (with Danny Simon), Catch a Star (revue), produced atPlymouth Theatre, New York City, 1955
Contributor (with Simon), New Faces of 1956, produced at Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1956
Contributor (with Simon), Come Blow Your Horn, produced at Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA, 1960, then Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1961-62, later Prince of Wales Theatre, London, 1962, published by Samuel French, 1961
Adapter, Little Me (musical; music by Cy Coleman; lyrics by Carolyn Leigh), produced at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1962, then Cambridge Theatre, London, 1964, revival, Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1998
Nobody Loves Me (revised as Barefoot in the Park), producedat Bucks County Playhouse, 1962, then Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1963,later in London, 1965, published by Random House, 1964
The Odd Couple, produced at Plymouth Theatre, 1965, then Queen's Theatre, London, 1966, later at Jupiter Theatre, Jupiter, FL, 1994-95; published by Random House, 1966, reprinted, Samuel French, 1986
Author of book for the musical, Sweet Charity (music by Cy Coleman; lyrics by Dorothy Fields), produced at Palace Theatre, New York City, 1966,then Prince of Wales Theatre, 1967, published by Random House, 1966
The Star-Spangled Girl, produced at Plymouth Theatre, 1966, published by Random House, 1967
Plaza Suite (three one-acts: "Visitor from Mamaroneck," "Visitor from Hollywood," and "Visitor from Forest Hills"), produced at Plymouth Theatre, 1968, then Lyric Theatre, London, 1969, published by Random House, 1969
Contributor, Broadway Revue, produced at Bloomgarden Theatre, NewYork City, 1968
Author of book for the musical, Promises, Promises, produced at Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1968, then Prince of Wales Theatre, 1969, published by Random House, 1969
Last of the Red Hot Lovers, produced at Shubert Theatre, New Haven, CT, then Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, both 1969, published by Random House, 1970
The Gingerbread Lady (originally titled It Only Hurts When I Laugh), produced at Shubert Theatre, New Haven, then Plymouth Theatre, both1970, later in London, 1974, published by Random House, 1971
The Prisoner of Second Avenue, produced at Shubert Theatre, New Haven, then Eugene O'Neill Theatre, both 1971, published by Random House, 1972
The Sunshine Boys, produced at Shubert Theatre, New Haven, CT, then Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, both 1972, later in London, 1975, revival, Lyceum Theatre, 1998, published by Random House, 1974
Adapter, The Good Doctor (play with music; lyrics by Simon; musicby Peter Link), produced at Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1973, published by RandomHouse, 1974
Text editor, Seesaw, produced at Uris Theatre, New York City, 1973
God's Favorite, produced at Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1974, published by Random House, 1975
California Suite (three one-acts: "Visitor from New York," "Visitor from Philadelphia," and "Visitors from London"), produced at Eugene O'NeillTheatre, then Los Angeles, both 1976, published by Random House, 1977
Chapter Two, produced at Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1977, published by Random House, 1979
Author of book for the musical, They're Playing Our Song, producedat Imperial Theatre, 1979, published by Random House, 1980
I Ought to Be in Pictures, produced at Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1979, then Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1980, published by Random House, 1980

(Author of book for the musical) Little Me, produced at Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1981
Fools, produced at Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1981, published by Random House, 1982
Brighton Beach Memoirs, produced at Ahmanson Theatre, 1982, then Alvin Theatre (renamed Neil Simon Theatre), New York City, 1983, published byRandom House, 1984
Biloxi Blues, produced at Neil Simon Theatre, 1985, published by Random House, 1985
The Odd Couple (female version), produced at Broadhurst Theatre, 1985, published by Samuel French, 1986
(Author of book for the musical) Sweet Charity, produced at Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1986-87
Broadway Bound, produced at Broadhurst Theatre, 1986, published byRandom House, 1987
Jake's Women, produced at Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA, 1988,later Neil Simon Theatre, New York City, 1992, published by Samuel French, 1993
Rumors, produced at Broadhurst Theatre, 1988-89, then Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, 1989-90, published by Random House, 1990
Lost in Yonkers, produced at Richard Rodgers Theatre, New York City, 1991, then Strand Theatre, London, 1993, later at Allenbury Playhouse, Boiling Springs, PA, 1994-95, published by Random House, 1991
The Goodbye Girl, produced at Marquis Theatre, New York City, 1993
Laughter on the 23rd Floor, produced at Richard Rodgers Theatre, 1993, later at Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson/Doolittle Theatres, 1994-95
London Suite (four one-acts: "Settling Accounts," Going Home," Diana & Sidney," and "The Man on the Floor"), produced at Union Square Theatre, New York City, 1995
Proposals, produced at Broadhurst Theatre, 1997
Promises, Promises, produced at City Center Theatre, New York City, 1997
The Sunshine Boys, produced at Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1998
(Author of book for the musical) Little Me, produced at RoundaboutTheatre, New York City, 1999
The Hotel Suite, produced at Gramercy Theatre, New York City, 2000
The Dinner Party, produced at Music Box Theatre, New York City, and Mark Taper Forum, 2000-
Laughter on the 23rd Floor, produced at Angel Island Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2000
Sweet Charity, produced at Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Storrs Theatre, 2000
Adapter (with William Friedberg) of the play Heidi, published by Samuel French, 1952; author (with Friedberg) of the book for the musical The Adventures of Marco Polo: A Musical Fantasy, published by Samuel French, 1959.
Screenplays
Come Blow Your Horn (based on his play), 1963
After the Fox, United Artists, 1966
Barefoot in the Park (based on his play), Paramount, 1967
The Odd Couple (based on his play), Paramount, 1968
Sweet Charity, Universal, 1969
The Out-of-Towners, Paramount, 1970
Plaza Suite (based on his play), Paramount, 1971
Star-Spangled Girl (based on his play), Paramount, 1971
The Heartbreak Kid, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1972
Last of the Red Hot Lovers (based on his play), Paramount, 1972
The Prisoner of Second Avenue (based on his play), Warner Bros., 1975
The Sunshine Boys (based on his play), United Artists, 1975
Murder by Death, Columbia, 1976
The Goodbye Girl, Warner Bros., 1977
California Suite (based on his play), Columbia, 1978
The Cheap Detective, Columbia, 1978
Chapter Two (based on his play), Columbia, 1979
Seems Like Old Times, Columbia, 1980
(With Danny Simon) Only When I Laugh (based on his play; also known as It Hurts Only When I Laugh), Columbia, 1981
I Ought to Be in Pictures (based on his play), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1982
Max Dugan Returns, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
Adapter (with Ed Weinberger and Stan Daniels), The Lonely Guy (based on the novel The Lonely Guy's Book of Life), Universal, 1984
The Slugger's Wife, Columbia, 1985
Brighton Beach Memoirs (based on his play), Universal, 1986
Biloxi Blues (based on his play), Universal, 1988
The Marrying Man, Buena Vista, 1991
The Odd Couple, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1991
Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers" (also known as Lost in Yonkers), Columbia, 1993
The Odd Couple II (also known as Neil Simon's The Odd Couple II), Paramount, 1998
The Out of Towners, Paramount, 1999
Author of the screenplay Bogart Slept Here.
Television Series
(With Danny Simon) The Phil Silvers Arrow Show, NBC, 1948
Your Show of Shows, NBC, 1950-54
The Tallulah Bankhead Show, NBC, 1951
Stanley, 1956
The Sid Caesar Show (also known as Caesar's Hour), NBC, 1956-57
Sid Caesar Invites You, ABC, 1958
(With Danny Simon and Mel Brooks) The Phil Silvers Show (also known as Sergeant Bilko), CBS, 1958-59
The Garry Moore Show, CBS, 1959-60
A Quiet War, 1976
Writer for The Jackie Gleason Show, CBS, and The Red Buttons Show, CBS.
Television Movies
The Good Doctor, 1978
Plaza Suite (based on his play), ABC, 1987
Neil Simon's "Broadway Bound" (based on his play), ABC, 1992
Podivne jmeno pro psa, 1993
Neil Simon's "London Suite" (based on his play), NBC, 1996
Neil Simon's "Jake's Women" (based on his play), CBS, 1996
The Sunshine Boys (based on his play), CBS, 1997
Sonny Boys, 1999, 2001
Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Showtime, 2000
Television Specials
The Trouble with People, NBC, 1972
Love, Life, Liberty, and Lunch, 1976
The Sunshine Boys (based on his play), 1977
Barefoot in the Park (based on his play), 1982
"Big Joe and Kansas," Happy Endings, 1975
Adapter of material for Best Foot Forward, Dearest Enemy, and Connecticut Yankee.
Radio Series
Writer for The Robert Q Lewis Show, CBS, and (with Danny Simon) Goodman Ace, CBS.
Nonfiction
Rewrites: A Memoir (autobiography), Simon & Schuster, 1996
Collected Writings
The Comedy of Neil Simon (includes Come Blow Your Horn, Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, The Star-Spangled Girl, Plaza Suite, Promises, Promises, and Last of the Red HotLovers), Random House, 1972
The Collected Plays of Neil Simon, Volume II (includes Little Me, The Gingerbread Lady, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, The Sunshine Boys, The Good Doctor, God's Favorite, California Suite, and Chapter Two), Volume III (includes Sweet Charity, They're Playing Our Song, I Ought to Be in Pictures, Fools, The Odd Couple--Female Version, and The Brighton BeachTrilogy: Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, Broadway Bound), Random House, 1979
The Collected Plays of Neil Simon, Volume I (includes The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, Barefoot in the Park, Come Blow YourHorn, The Star-Spangled Girl, Last of the Red Hot Lovers,and Promises, Promises), American Library Trade, 1986
Neil Simon's Monologues: Speeches from the Works of America's ForemostPlaywright, Dramaline Publications, 1996
The Collected Plays of Neil Simon, Volume IV (includes Lost inYonkers, Jake's Women, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and London Suite), Touchstone Books, 1998

Further Reference

ADAPTATIONS

Neil Simon's play The Odd Couple has been adapted by other writersfor two television series, The Odd Couple, 1970, and The Oddball Couple, 1975, and for the television movie The Odd Couple: Together Again (also known as The Odd Couple: One More Time), CBS, 1993.

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series, Volume 54, Gale, 1997

Periodicals

American Theatre, October, 1996, p. 90
New York Times, November 13, 1988
New York Times Magazine, February 17, 1991, p. 30
Newsweek, November 17, 1997, p. 94

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