-
Neil Simon was born
Marvin Neil Simon, his full name, was born in the Bronx, New York, US to his father Irving (a garment salesman), and his mother Mamie (a department store worker). Simon also had an older brother named Danny that he was very close to. https://www.notablebiographies.com/Sc-St/Simon-Neil.html -
Interest in Theatre
There isn't a specific date when Simons's parents divorced, but his entire childhood prior to the divorce was filled with his parents fighting and arguing. To cope with this Neil Simon would watch early comedians like Charlie Chaplin in movie theaters. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Neil_Simon -
Attends University
After graduating high school, Simon enrolled in New York University but for a small, unknown time. Soon after he enlisted in the Army Force Reserve. -
Army Air Force
At age 16, Simon enlisted in the Army Air Force. After 2 years in service, he was released from his duty as a corporal. https://news.va.gov/89776/veteranoftheday-army-air-forces-veteran-neil-simon/#:~:text=On%20the%20anniversary%20of%20his,the%20Bronx%2C%20New%20York%20City. -
Attends University Again
While in the Airforce, Simon was sent to Colorado to the Lowry Air Force Base. Here he attended the University of Denver for a year. Neil Simon did not achieve any degrees. -
Married Joan Baim
Neil Simon was married to Joan Baim, a Martha Graham dancer, for 20 years (1953-1973). She died in 1973 of bone cancer, leaving Simon a widower. -
Ellen Simon was born
Ellen Marie Simon was born to Neil Simon and Joan Baim April 25, 1957 in New York City, New York. She went into theatrical work, like her father, and has written movies like One Fine Day (1996) and Moonlight and Valentino (1995). https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0800124/bio -
First Produced Play
Come Blow Your Horn, took Simon 3 years to complete. The play premiered on Broadway and had a London production a year later. The play tells the story of a young man's decision to leave the home of his parents for the bachelor pad of his older brother who leads an outgoing and eventful '60s lifestyle. This play jumpstarted Neil Simons's career because of the hit premiere, allowing him to leave his full-time job to write stage and film scripts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_Blow_Your_Horn -
Nancy Simon was born
Nancy Simon was born in 1962 to Neil Simon and Joan Baim. Although both her parents were part of the showbiz industry and her sister Ellen, she wanted to keep a long distance from the media. She did marry Woody Harrelson, an American actor and playwright, but parted ways after 24 hours of marriage. https://wikilama.com/otherhalf-biography/nancy-simon/ -
Neil Simon's Inspiration
No specific date for this but Danny, Simon's brother, play a huge role in his writing. Danny helped bring Simon into the business and was the inspiration for The Odd Couple (1966) after Danny's divorce. -
Neil Simon create The Odd Couple (play)
In 1965, Simon premiered his play on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre on March 10. The play was about 2 recently single friends choosing to become roommates and repeating the same mistakes they did in their past relationships, with each other. https://www.supersummary.com/the-odd-couple/summary/ -
Neil Simon won his first Tony Award
In 1965, Simon won a Tony Award for Best Author for his work The Odd Couple -
Married Marsha Mason
Neil Simon married Marsha Mason in 1973, not long after his first wife death, and were married for 10 years (1973-1983). She was also and actress and had 4 Oscar nominees that Simon has written 3 of. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsha_Mason -
Neil Simon won a special Tony Award
In 1975, Simon won a unique Tony Award for his contribution to American theatre. This was a huge deal since his overall work was being appreciated and not one specific play/film. -
Neil Simon create Chapter Two
In 1977, Simon released Chapter Two as a "semi-autobiographical play." It was on Broadway and ran for 857 performances. It was about a brother introducing an actress, to his mourning brother that leads to a whirlwind relationship. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapter_Two_(play) -
The Goodbye Girl film
The Goodbye Girl is a 1977 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross, written by Neil Simon. The film was about a mother and her young daughter that end up sharing an apartment with a past lover. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goodbye_Girl -
Won a Golden Globe Award
In 1978, Simon won Best Screenplay Motion Picture for the Goodbye Girl. https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/neil-simon -
Biloxi Blues
Another semi-biographical play from Simon that premiered in Ahmason Theater in Los Angeles. The play centers on the experiences of a young army recruit, Eugene Morris Jerome, during World War II. https://stageagent.com/shows/play/2433/biloxi-blues#:~:text=Part%20of%20Neil%20Simon's%20Eugene,detailed%20memoirs%20about%20his%20experiences. -
Neil Simon won a Tony Award for Best Play
In 1985 and 1991, Simon won Best play for his 2 works Biloxi Blues and Lost in Yonkers. -
Married Diane Lander
Neil Simon married Diane Lander in 1987, but one lasted 1 year before their divorce in 1988. -
Married Diane Lander Again
2 Years later, Neil Simon and Diane Lander remarry for 8 years (1990-1998). Where he also adopted Bryn, Lander's daughter from a previous relationship. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Simon#:~:text=Simon%20married%20actress%20Marsha%20Mason,previous%20relationship%2C%20whom%20he%20adopted. -
Neil Simon is mentioned in Seinfeld
In 1992, Simon was mentioned in the Seinfeld episode The Letter, season 3, episode 21, for his play Chapter Two. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Letter_(Seinfeld) -
Married Elaine Joyce
In 1999, Neil Simon married Elaine Joyce, which lasted almost 20 years before he passed in 2018. -
The Goodbye Girl (2004 film)
The Goodbye Girl is a 2004 American television comedy film directed by Richard Benjamin and written by Neil Simon, based on Simon's screenplay to the 1977 film of the same name. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goodbye_Girl_(2004_film) -
Neil Simon Died
On August 26, 2018, Simon died in a hospital in New York of pneumonia. He was originally hospitalized for kidney failure, even after having a kidney transplant from his friend in 2004.