Neil Simon, Tony & Pulitzer Winner of Lost in Yonkers & The Odd Couple, Dies at 91

Neil Simon, the award-winning writer who made his mark with the acclaimed plays The Odd Couple and Brighton Beach Memoirs and the beloved musicals Sweet Charity and Promises, Promises, died on August 26 in New York City from complications due to pneumonia. He was 91.

Marvin Neil Simon was born on July 4, 1927 in the Bronx. He made his first mark on Broadway contributing sketches to the revues Catch a Star! (1955) and New Faces of 1956 (1956), followed by his first original Broadway play, Come Blow Your Horn (1961).

Simon's first gig as a Broadway book writer, the musical Little Me (1962), earned him his first pair of Tony nominations. This was followed by his play Barefoot in the Park (1963), netting him another Tony nod.

Simon hit it big with the original comedy The Odd Couple (1965), marking his first Tony Award win. Following this success, he reverted back to bookwriting, penning the script to the musical Sweet Charity (1966), receiving an additional Tony nomination for his work.

Among Simon's most revered projects is his semi-autobiographical "Eugene Trilogy": Brighton Beach Memoirs (1983), Biloxi Blues (1985) and Broadway Bound (1986). In addition to appearing in celebrated runs on Broadway, each play was adapted for the screen. During the original run of Brighton Beach Memoirs, Broadway's Alvin Theatre was renamed the Neil Simon Theatre.

Simon's other acclaimed plays include the seminal drama Lost in Yonkers (1991), which earned him the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in addition to the Tony Award. The play was adapted into a 1993 film, featuring original stars Mercedes Ruehl and Irene Worth repeating their Tony-winning stage performances.

Simon's extensive list of Broadway credits also includes Plaza Suite (1968), Promises, Promises (1968), Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1969), The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1971), The Sunshine Boys (1972), They're Playing Our Song (1979) and The Goodbye Girl (1993).

Many of Simon's works have received Broadway revivals, including The Sunshine Boys (1997), Little Me (1998), Sweet Charity (2005), The Odd Couple (2005), Barefoot in the Park (2006) and Promises, Promises (2010).

In 2009, a main-stem repertory production featuring Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound was announced, billed as "The Neil Simon Plays." Despite a talent-packed company led by Laurie Metcalf, Brighton Beach closed early; Broadway Bound did not begin previews.

Simon's résumé of film and television projects, much of which includes adaptations of his plays and musicals, earned him four Emmy nominations, four Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe Award.

Simon's final original Broadway work was the play 45 Seconds From Broadway (2001), his tribute to the former theater-district restaurant Café Edison.

Simon is survived by his wife, Elaine Joyce Simon, as well as three daughters, three grandchildren and one great-grandson.