Neil Simon, legendary playwright who wrote Odd Couple and Barefoot in the Park, dies at 91
After a prolific career including 17 Tony nominations and 3 wins, playwright Neil Simon has passed away. He was on life support and suffered from Alzheimer's and dementia.
Neil Simon, one of the most prolific playwrights in American history, has died aged 91.
According to a report by TMZ, Simon died Sunday morning at 1 am ET after being on life support. He reportedly had a failing kidney and was also suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Simon grew up in New York City during the Great Depression, with his parents' financial hardships affecting their marriage, leaving him with an unhappy and unstable childhood. He often took refuge in movie theaters where he enjoyed watching the early comedians like Charlie Chaplin. After a few years in the Army Air Force Reserve, and after graduating from high school, he began writing comedy scripts for radio and some popular early television shows.
