There are many people who, until recently, may not have been as familiar with Neil Simon as they should have been. Sure, he has a Broadway theater named in his honor, which has hosted major productions like Cats and Angels in America, and is set to feature the upcoming tribute musical, The Cher Show. But his last play, Rose’s Dilemma, was staged back in 2003, and his final movie script, The Odd Couple II, came out in 1998. In recent years, Neil faced numerous health challenges, which ultimately led to his passing at the age of 91 on August 26.
Neil Simon’s Impact on My Life
Neil Simon's passing, if you'll allow me a personal reflection, resonates on two profound levels. First, in 1965, he wrote the Broadway play The Odd Couple, which was adapted into a film three years later. This production captured my imagination when I was just eight years old. Following that, there were no fewer than three live-action TV series, a Saturday morning cartoon, a female version of the play on Broadway, and countless stage productions worldwide. Simply put, The Odd Couple has been a part of my pop culture journey for most of my life. Not to mention, his 1977 film The Goodbye Girl, starring Richard Dreyfuss and Neil's then-wife, Marsha Mason, remains one of my all-time favorites.
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Another significant moment in my life involving Neil Simon dates back to 1981 when I was a student at Hofstra University and a writer for the campus newspaper, The New Voice. That year, Neil was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from the university, and I was assigned to interview him at his apartment in New York City. When I heard about his passing this weekend, I decided to explore my personal archives—stored in the basement among dozens of cassette tapes—and managed to find that specific conversation. The tape's sound quality held up surprisingly well. I'm referring to the tape’s sound, not my own. Listening to it again, I heard exactly what it was at the time—a 21-year-old kid just starting out, nervous, unprepared, and face-to-face with a writing legend. Yet somehow, I managed to get through it.
Discussing Neil Simon's Play "Fools"
Our discussion began with his play Fools, described as a comic fable, which ran for only 40 performances between April and May of 1981. In response to its limited run, he reportedly planned to open future plays Off-Broadway to gauge audience reactions. When asked about this, he expressed his frustrations with the changing theater landscape, a sentiment that feels even more relevant today.
