Neil Simon, the playwright behind hits like “Barefoot in the Park” and “The Odd Couple,” died on Sunday. Mr. Simon wrote for television and movies, but his work on Broadway came to define his legacy. He was remarkably prolific, racking up over 9,000 performances of his work between 1965 to 1980.
After his death, writers, actors and others spoke to The New York Times and took to social media to remember his life and influence.
Actors“I owe him a career.” — Matthew Broderick, whose first role on Broadway was as Mr. Simon’s alter ego, Eugene Jerome, in “Brighton Beach Memoirs” (1983)
“You wanted Neil Simon in the room while you were rehearsing his plays, because when he laughed you knew you’d hit his truth!!! He was extremely generous to me in his writing and in his care of the process of bringing that writing off the page. He was the one and only, and I am grateful beyond words for what he gave me … for what he gave us all.” — Linda Lavin, a Tony Award winner for “Broadway Bound” (1986)
“Before I met him, Neil Simon taught me how to tie a tie without looking. I was forced to learn in ‘The Odd Couple’ in high school. Years later, when I first met him I told him he had made a big impact on me when I was a kid. He responded with, ‘When, last week?’ ” — Santino Fontana, starred in 2009 Broadway revival of “Brighton Beach Memoirs”
“Neil Simon will always be one of my theatrical heroes and I am so proud to have played a small part in his unparalleled career and remarkable legacy.”— Nathan Lane, starred with Matthew Broderick in the 2005 Broadway revival of “The Odd Couple”
“When someone commends me on having been a funny kid, I always say ‘That was the writer.’ No one ever looks funnier than when Neil Simon’s words are coming out of their mouths. A kind, brilliant man has left us today.”— Quinn Cummings, starred in “The Goodbye Girl” film (1977) at the age of 10.
“I was in college when I got my first Broadway show — Neil Simon’s ‘Plaza Suite.’ There couldn’t have been a better way to begin a career. Doc Simon was the Albert Einstein of funny.” — Bob Balaban
“Neil Simon, you wrote every character for me, you just didn’t know it at the time. Thank you. Rest in Hilarity.” — Jackie Hoffman
“Neil Simon’s ability to chronicle the humor of everyday relationships makes doing his play eight times a week in San Diego in 2018 feel as fresh and relatable as it did in New York in the early ‘60s. There’s a tendency to consign these plays to the dusty past, but you’d be wrong to do so. It’s Neil’s words that bring us vividly to life night after night. And they consistently bring audiences laughter, tears, and tears of laughter.” — Kerry Bishé and Chris Lowell, now starring in “Barefoot in the Park” at the Old Globe through Sept. 16.
“There was no sweeter sound a young actor could hear than the laughter of Neil Simon during your audition.” — Josh Radnor
“I think Neil Simon is the Norman Rockwell of comedy. His artistry will only gain ground as the years pass.” — Treat Williams
Writers“Hard to overstate the impact that #NeilSimon has had on comedy in our lifetime. ‘The Odd Couple’ is a Master class in character creation and his plays hold up to this day. We all learned from him.” — Steve Levitan, co-creator of “Modern Family”
“If you write comedy, if you write period, you learned something from Neil Simon. A truly great American storyteller.” — Randi Mayem Singer, “Mrs. Doubtfire” screenwriter
“I loved ‘The Odd Couple’ on TV but never really appreciated Neil Simon. Then I read his book. I learned how dedicated he was to his craft & how insanely hard it is. I was blown away. Then I saw ‘Lost In Yonkers’ & soon after I wrote my 1st play. MUCH RESPECT to a GREAT WRITER!” — Stephen Adly Guirgis, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
“A certain Broadway era is over with the death of writer Neil Simon. In 2004, he received a kidney transplant from his press agent, which is really getting your ten percent back.” — Lucy Prebble, playwright and television writer
”Thank you, Neil Simon. For the laughs, for the inspiration and for the example you set for this comedy writer. The times we were together are among my most memorable.” — Alan Zweibel, television writer and producer
“The world is permanently less funny now.” — Larry Wilmore, television personality and creator
Fans“Neil Simon channeled the New York sensibility, helping to show the world, character by character, what it means to be a New Yorker.” — Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York
“‘If no one ever took risks, Michaelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor.’ Neil Simon, RIP, and thanks for a million laughs, and quite a few good cries, too.” — Scott Simon, NPR
“Neil Simon brought a unique eye for life to stage and screen. Through sharp characters and dialogue, he prodded us — in laughter and tears — to contend with the traits that make us human. Another voice who understood the power of art in our American story now belongs to eternity.” — Dan Rather, journalist
