July 4th marks the anniversary of the arrival of Neil Simon, American playwright, screenwriter, and all-around wit, on this day back in 1927. Part of the amazing legacy of Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” (1950-54), which included Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Woody Allen, Simon is an important member of what is likely the greatest generation of film writers.
One of the rare instances of a non-director to whom one is almost tempted to apply the term “auteur,” Simon’s plays have launched some of the greatest comedy films ever made, including The Odd Couple (1968), The Sunshine Boys (1975), Lost in Yonkers (1993), Come Blow Your Horn (1963), Biloxi Blues (1988), and The Goodbye Girl (1977)… And, as with anyone, some true stinkers, as well, such as the unfortunate The Odd Couple II (1998).
Ranking amongst the most admired, successful and influential writers of all time, Simon also remains one of the most beloved observers of the post-war Jewish community, as well as the variety and depth of modern male experiences. His stories are filled with charm and nostalgia, but also an impressive range of comedic styles and devices, but also deep pathos and sensitivity. Underlying most of his works there is a dark layer of humanity which makes the comedy all the more enjoyable. In The Odd Couple, there is suicide and divorce; The Sunshine Boys, bitterness and mortality; and in his own autobiographical “Eugene Trilogy,” there is everything from economic hardship to war to prostitution to racism.
Whether it is romance, slapstick, autobiography, friendship, or two old vaudevillians at each other’s throats, there are few better times to be had than a good selection of Neil Simon creations.
Happy Birthday.
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