Neil Simon (born Marvin Neil Simon July4, 1927 in The Bronx, _New York City), is an American playwright and screenwriter. He is one of the most reliable hitmakers in Broadway history, as well as one of the most performed playwrights in the world. From the mid sixties to the mid Eighties, Simon's name became a synonym for popular and financial success, like Spielberg's later. Though primarily a comic writer, some of his plays, particularly the Eugene Trilogy and The Sunshine Boys, reflect on the 20th century Jewish-American experience.

Simon briefly attended New York University in 1946. Two years later, he quit his job as a mailroom clerk in the Warner Brothers offices in Manhattan to write radio and television scripts with his brother Danny Simon. Their revues for Camp Tamiment in Pennsylvania in the early 1950s caught the attention of Sid Caesar, who hired the duo for his popular TV comedy series Your Show of Shows. (Simon later incorporated their experiences into his play Laughter on the 23rd Floor.) His work won him two Emmy Award nominations and the appreciation of Phil Silvers, who hired him to write for his eponymous sitcom in 1959.

In 1961, Simon's first Broadway play, Come Blow Your Horn, opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran for 678 performances. Six weeks after its closing, his second production, the musical Little Me (starring former boss Caesar), opened to mixed reviews. Although it failed to attract a large audience, it earned Simon his first Tony Award nomination. Overall, he has garnered seventeen Tony nominations and won three. He has also won a Pulitzer Prize in drama for Lost In Yonkers.

In 1966 Simon had four shows running on Broadway at the same time: Sweet Charity, Star Spangled Girl, The Odd Couple, and Barefoot in the Park. His prolific output includes light comedies (Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple), darker, more autobiographical works (Chapter Two, the Eugene Trilogy comprised of Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound) and books for musical comedies (Sweet Charity, Promises, Promises).

He has also written screenplays for over 20 films. These include adaptations of his own plays as well as original work, including The Out-of-Towners, Murder by Death and The Goodbye Girl. He has received four Best Screenplay Academy Award nominations.

Simon has been married five times, to dancer Joan Baim (1953-1973), actress Marsha Mason (1973-1981), twice to Diane Lander (1987-1988 and 1990-1998), and currently actress Elaine Joyce. He is the father of Nancy and Ellen, from his first marriage, and Bryn, whom he adopted with Lander.

Simon has an honorary L.H.D. degree from Hofstra University and an honorary D.H.C. degree from Williams College. He is the namesake of the former Alvin Theatre, (now the Neil Simon Theatre) a legitimate Broadway theater, and an honorary member of the Walnut Street Theatre's board of trustees.

Playwright.

Brother of Danny Simon (I).

(28 November 2001) Received newly established 'Apple Award' from The Nederlander Company and Wayne State University. Named in honor of Sarah Applebaum Nederlander, who was known affectionately as 'Apple', the Apple Award will be presented annually to a nationally recognized theatre professional who has made significant contributions in his or her field. The Nederlander's and WSU established the award this year in celebration of the Fisher Theatre's 40th anniversary.

Children: daughters Ellen, Nancy by Joan Baim; Bryn (adopted) with Diane Lander.

He loves playing tennis.

His became so financially successful that he backs his own plays.

His brother, Danny Simon (I), actually started writing the "The Odd Couple" but was not able to finish it. He asked Neil to take it over, Neil did in exchange for sole author credit. He has paid Danny 10% of everything the property has generated.

The Alvin Theater at 250 W. 52nd Street on Broadway was renamed the Neil Simon Theater on June 23, 1983.

2004: Received kidney transplant donated by Bill Eveans, his publicist.

His play, "Laughter on the 23rd Floor", was nominated for a 1997 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best New Comedy of 1996.

He won both a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize for "Lost In Yonkers" in 1991.

Has won two Tony Awards as author of Best Play winners: in 1985 for "Biloxi Blues" and in 1991 for "Lost in Yonkers." Additionally, he has been Tony-nominated an impressive 15 times: in 1963, as Best Author (Musical) and book for Best Musical nominee "Little Me," in 1964, as author of Best Play nominee "Barefoot in the Park;" in 1965, as Best Author (Dramatic) and author of Best Play nominee "The Odd Couple;" in 1966, for book of Best Musical nominee "Sweet Charity;" in 1968, as author of Best Play nominee "Plaza Suite;" in 1969, for book for Best Musical nominee "Promises, Promises;" in 1970, as author of Best Play nominee "Last of the Red Hot Lovers;" in 1972, as author of Best Play nominee "The Prisoner of Second Avenue;" in 1973, as author of Best Play nominee "The Sunshine Boys;" in 1974, as Best Score, his lyrics with Peter Link (I)'s music, for "The Good Doctor;" in 1978, as author of Best Play nominee "Chapter Two;" in 1979, as Best Book (Musical) for "They're Playing Our Song;" and in 1987, as author of Best Play nominee "Broadway Bound."

Will receive the 2006 Mark Twain prize on October 15, 2006 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.