1. Neil Simon

2. Early Years Born Marvin Neil Simon in the Bronx: July 4, 1927
Began writing comedy sketches with his brother Dan at age 15
Graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx at 16
Wrote for TV in the 1950s
“Your Show of Shows” with many comedic television minds

3. Establishing Himself 1961: Began writing plays for Broadway
Based plays on his own past experiences
Many of his works take place in the New York neighborhoods he knew as a child
The only writer who has had four Broadway productions running at the same time
2006: Awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

4. Famous Plays Come Blow Your Horn (comedy) 1961
Barefoot in the Park (comedy) 1963
The Odd Couple (comedy) 1965 – Tony for best play
Chapter Two (drama/ memoir) 1977
They’re Playing Our Song (musical) 1979
Brighton Beach Memoirs (memoir/ comedy)1983
Biloxi Blues (memoir/ comedy)1985 – Tony for best play
Broadway Bound (memoir /comedy) 1986
Rumors (comedy)1988
Lost in Yonkers (memoir/ drama/ comedy) 1991 – Tony for best play and Pulitzer Prize for Writing
The Goodbye Girl (Drama/ comedy)1993

5. "Neil has the ability to write characters -- even the leading characters that we’re supposed to root for -- that are absolutely flawed. They have foibles. They have faults. But, they are human beings. They are not all bad or all good; they are people we know.”
-Jack Lemmon

6. The Neil Simon Theater

7. Lost in Yonkers Set in Yonkers, New York in 1942
After the death of their mother, two brothers live with their grandmother
Grandma is cold and has intolerance
Caused her children to have low self esteem, be a gangster, mental problems, and speech impediments

8. Major Ideas in Play Survival Dreams The importance of family
Acceptance