Neil Simon, the prolific playwright whose comedies dominated Broadway for the second half of the 20th century, passed away today at the age of 91. The genius behind such works as "Come Blow Your Horn," "Barefoot in the Park," "Sweet Charity," "The Sunshine Boys," and "The Odd Couple, " Simon was honored with 4 Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and the Kennedy Center Honors, among many other honors. His own life was reflected in his play trilogy, "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Biloxi Blues," and "Broadway Bound."
Before launching his Broadway career, Simon was one of the brilliant writers who wrote comedy sketches for Sid Caesar's "Your Show of Shows," with Carl Reiner, Woody Allen, and Mel Brooks.
Some tributes to Simon from all walks of life are being collected by Variety. He was an original, and Broadway's irreplaceable king of comedy.
(photo: Simon and Schuster)
