 |
Neil SimonAmerican playwright and screenwriter
Date of Birth: 04.07.1927
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Neil Simon
Neil Simon, an American playwright and screenwriter, was born on July 4, 1927, in the Bronx, New York, USA. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School and spent a year at New York University and the University of Denver. After quitting his job as a mailroom clerk at Warner Bros. in Manhattan, Simon, along with his brother Danny, began writing scripts for radio and television with the support of radio humorist Goodman Ace. One of their revues in the early 1950s caught the attention of Sid Caesar, and both brothers started performing as a duo on the popular comedy television series "Your Show of Shows." Later, Neil wrote the script for the television comedy "The Phil Silvers Show" and received two Emmy nominations and gratitude from Phil Silvers for his work.
Broadway Success
Neil Simon's first Broadway play, "Come Blow Your Horn," was shown 678 times at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. His second production, the musical "Little Me," received mixed reviews and failed to attract a large audience, but it earned Neil his first prize, the Tony Award. In total, the playwright has received 11 Tony nominations and has three statuettes in his hands, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1991 for the script of the play "Lost in Yonkers."
Screenwriting Career
Neil Simon is the author of scripts for more than twenty films, some of which are adaptations of his plays, while others were specifically created for the cinema. Among the most famous are the comedy "The Out-of-Towners" starring Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn, the thriller "Murder by Death," and the television film "The Goodbye Girl." Neil has been nominated four times by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the category of Best Original Screenplay.
Personal Life
Neil Simon has been married five times. He was married to dancer Joan Baim, actress Marsha Mason, and twice to Diane Lander. Currently, he is still married to actress Elaine Joyce. Neil Simon is the father of Nancy and Ellen, children from his first marriage, and Brin, Diane Lander's daughter from her previous relationships.
Legacy
Neil Simon is widely recognized as one of the most successful and influential playwrights in American theater history. His numerous Broadway works and film adaptations continue to be enjoyed worldwide, and his contributions to the world of theater and screenwriting have left a lasting impact.
