Neil Simon: biography, theatrical performances, films, awards

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Neil Simon is an American screenwriter, playwright, winner of the Tony Award in 1965, the Golden Globe Award in 1977 and the Pulitzer Prize in 1991. Neil died in 2018 at the age of 91 from complications from pneumonia at a Presbyterian hospital.

Early years

The screenwriter's full name is Marvin Neil Simon. His biography tells us that the future playwright was born on 1927-04-07 in the city of New York in the USA, in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is the most populous borough in New York City (2.64 million inhabitants) in the western part of Long Island.

Not much is known about Neal's childhood years. In 1946, the guy was demobilized from the army and entered New York University. Simon also attended the University of Denver.

Neal had a brother named Danny. He worked with Neil on television after the playwright graduated from university. Together they came up with sketches for comedians, TV hosts.

Career start

In the 50s, Simon devoted himself entirely to work on the television program "Your Best Show". Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and others worked on this program with Neil.well-known personalities in the film industry.

In 1961, the Simon Brothers' play "Come Blow Your Horn" was presented to the public on Broadway. In 1962, Neil began to write plays on his own. First, he writes the libretto for the musical based on the book by Patrick Dennis "Little Me". In 1963, the playwright created the play Barefoot in the Park. It was from this work that Simon's popularity as a playwright and screenwriter began.

Best works of the 60s - 70s

In 1965, screenwriter Neil Simon writes the play The Odd Couple. This comedy work immediately won the love of the public. For this work, Simon was awarded the Tony Award, and in 1986 the screenwriter even wrote a female version of the play.

In 1966 and 1967, four plays by the screenwriter were staged on Broadway - "The Odd Couple", "Sweet Charity", "Barefoot in the Park" and "The Girl Spangled with Stars".

In the 70s, Neil wrote a new play every year. Often his works are not only put on stage, but also immediately filmed. The playwright writes scripts for film adaptations on his own.

Examples of such work:

• The 1970 play "The Big Lady" was filmed in 1981, at the box office was called "Only When I Laugh";
• The play Prisoner of Second Avenue from 1971 was filmed in 1975 with the same title;
• 1972 production of The Sunshine Boys became a film in 1975;
• The 1976 California Hotel Room became a film in 1979.

Musical "The Kind Doctor"

In 1973, Neil wrote a musical based on Anton Chekhov's The Good Doctor. The play was first shown at the Eugene O'Neill Theater on Broadway on November 27, 1973. The audience liked The Good Doctor so much that the musical continued to be played until May of the following year. During this time, the production was shown 208 times.

Starring René Auberjonois, Marsha Mason, Barnard Hughes, Christopher Plumer and Francis Sternhagen. The musical received several Tony awards at once, including Best Actress (Frances Sterhagen), Best Sound, Best Acting (Rene Auberjonois), and Best Lighting. Critics in The New York Times wrote that Neil Simon's The Good Doctor was admirable.

During the auditions for this production, the screenwriter met his wife, Marsha Mason.

In 1998, it was decided to relaunch the musical in two New York theaters at once: the Riverside Church Theater and the Melting Pot Theatre. This version of the production stars Jane Connell, Gordon Connell and André de Shields.

The play was also filmed. In November 1978, a television version of the work was shown on American public television.

Plays and scripts from the 1980s - 2000s

In 1983-1988, Neil worked on a trilogy. This work is autobiographical and consists of the following plays:

• in 1983 - "Memories of Brighton Beach" (filmed in 1986);
• in 1985 - "Biloxi Blues" (filmed in 1988);
• in 1986 - "Frontiers of Broadway".

Other pieces from this periodwere not particularly popular with the audience and did not bring success to the screenwriter.

In 1991, the play "Lost in Yonkers" by Neil Simon is staged. Films succeeded the screenwriter no less than plays. The adaptation of Lost in Yonkers was released in theaters in 1993. The play earned Simon another Tony Award and the very prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Literature.

In 1996, Neil wrote the book "Rewritten" in which he described some moments of his life.

The screenwriter and playwright ended his career only in 2004. His last play, The Rose Dilemma, was presented to the public in 2003. Neil's last script, Goodbye Girl, was completed in 2004.

Rewards and death

During his life, Neil Simon has earned the following awards and prizes:

• in 1965 - "Tony" for the production of "The Odd Couple";
• in 1967 - Evening Standard Award for "Barefoot in the Park";
• 1978 Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay for Goodbye Darling;
• in 1985 - "Tony" for the play "Biloxi Blues";
• in 1989 - American Comedy Awards;
• in 1991 - Drama Desk Theater Award, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Lost in Yonkers;
• in 1995 - Kennedy Center Award;
• in 2006 - Mark Twain Prize.

The screenwriter and playwright died at the age of 92 in the Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. This happened on August 26, 2018. The cause of death was complications from pneumonia.