Neil Simon: As the Playwright & Screenwriter Turns 80, a Look Back at his Career

"When it's 100 in New York, it is 72 in Los Angeles. When it's 20 in New York, it's 72 in Los Angeles. However, there are six million interesting people in New York - and 72 in Los Angeles."

Neil Simon - On why he prefers New York over Los Angeles.

"With a play, I have only two people to please - myself and the director. With this movie it was a room filled with stuffy executives in suits with ties so tight they cut off circulation to their brains, a first-time director intimidated by his actors, and two movie stars who kept telling me which lines they would and wouldn't say."

Neil Simon - Regarding the tumultuous shooting of 1991's The Marrying Man.

This past July 4^th marked the 80^th birthday of one of our most renowned playwrights and screenwriters, Neil Simon. "Doc," as he is known to his friends and co-workers, has amassed an impressive resume of television, stage and film credits spanning 50 years. He is a Pulitzer Prize winner, two-time Tony Award winner (not counting 15 additional nominations) and a multiple Emmy and Academy Award nominee.

Simon began his career in the 1950's in television working on such shows as Cavalcade of Stars, The Garry Moore Show and, most notably, Your Show of Shows with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca in which Simon wrote with fellow writing luminaries Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Woody Allen and Larry Gelbart.

Simon's comedies have originated on Broadway and been revived in different incarnations more times then a theatergoer can count thanks to his humorous set-ups and witty dialogue that stand the test of time. The Odd Couple, for instance, has played many times on Broadway not only in its original form but with women in the leads and with African-Americans in the leads as well. Simon's work transcends sex and race.

One of his greatest honors came in 1983 when a theater on Broadway changed its name to the Neil Simon Theater.

Here is a year by year look at this marvelous talent and all the joy that he has heaped upon us through the years through the different mediums making us laugh and cry but always feeling good. First I will cover his plays and then I will cover his films.