Rewrites: A Memoir

Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, The Goodbye Girl, The Out-of-Towners, The Sunshine Boys - Neil Simon's plays and movies have kept many millions of people laughing for almost four decades.
Since Come Blow Your Horn first opened on Broadway in 1960, few seasons have passed without the appearance of another of his laughter-filled plays, and indeed on numerous occasions two or more of his works have been running simultaneously. But his success was something Neil Simon never took for granted, nor was the talent to create laughter something that he ever treated carelessly: it took too long for him to achieve the kind of acceptance - both popular and critical - that he craved, and the path he followed frequently was pitted with hard decisions.
All of Neil Simon's plays are to some extent a reflection of his life, sometimes autobiographical, other times based on the experiences of those close to him. What the reader of this warm, nostalgic memoir discovers, however, is that the plays, although grounded in Neil Simon's own experience, provide only a glimpse into the mind and soul of this very private man.
In Rewrites, he tells of the painful discord he endured at home as a child, of his struggles to develop his talent as a writer, and of his insecurities when dealing with what proved to be his first great success - falling in love. Supporting players in the anecdote-filled memoir include Sid Caesar, Jerry Lewis, Walter Matthau, Robert Redford, Gwen Verdon, Bob Fosse, Maureen Stapleton, George C. Scott, Peter Sellers, and Mike Nichols. But always at center stage is his first love, his wife Joan, whose death in the early seventies devastated him, and whose love and inspiration illuminate this remarkable and revealing self-portrait.

Simon has built his playwrighting career by creating funny, indelible characters. Who can forget Oscar Madison and Felix Unger? This illuminating memoir, which takes Simon into the 1970s, reveals his creative influences, as well as his personal triumphs and tragedies. He is brutally honest in describing his bouts with writer's block, and he's not afraid to admit that directors and actors have often helped him complete some of his most endearing plays. He confides, for instance, that the third act of The Odd Couple went through numerous rewrites and was salvaged only after director Mike Nichols suggested Simon not set the act in the middle of a poker game. Simon's forthright account of his work with Bob Fosse on Sweet Charity illustrates how two immensely talented individuals can work through their differences to create a highly successful show. Anecdotes about actors Simon has worked with make for particularly entertaining copy, and his description of George C. Scott's erratic behavior while he starred in The Gingerbread Lady shows how a playwright's success can hinge on the whims of a troubled actor. However, many digressions, though humorous, distract from the story at hand. Simon's account of his family and personal life beyond the theater lacks resonance, particularly when dealing with his experience with psychotherapy?the only section of the book written in the third person. While this memoir won't bring down the house, in general it's a well-told tale by a man whose talent, diligence and luck have made him Broadway's shining son. 100,000 first printing; Reader's Digest Condensed Book; Fireside Book Club main selection; first serial to Reader's Digest; author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The prolific master of Broadway fun hops over the footlights to recall much--but not all--of his personal history. This is an intelligent and diverting memoir, artfully constructed. The work of crafting Simon's first dozen or so plays, from Come Blow Your Horn and Little Me to The Sunshine Boys and The Good Doctor, is presented in the order of their creation. The periods of Simon's life that they recall do not fall so neatly in order, and yet the memories that eddy around the landmarks of the plays are somehow all the more effective without strict chronology. There is a funny set piece on young Neil's sexual initiation. His native wit is as abundant as ever, but he can easily write a simple declarative sentence without punctuating it with a gag. There are poignant glimpses of a childhood in a strangely inoperative family, of a sometimes loving, always complex relationship with gagwriter brother Danny. Simon hasn't much use for agents or their advice on business deals. (Following such advice, he ``never saw a dime, a nickel, or a penny'' from the TV series of The Odd Couple.) There are third-act problems, out-of-town rewrites, and missing stars. Though there are no lessons on how to be funny, the book is full of clues on the craft of playwriting. There are deft character sketches, but, by far, the most touching parts of Simon's story deal with his love for wife Joan. With her early passing some two decades ago Simon brings down the curtain. Not covered: military escapades, much of life as a TV gag writer, and later uxorial adventures. There are more plays, of course, so let's have the next installment soon, Mr. Simon. Neil Simon delivers, from the heart, a fine portrait of the artist. (First printing of 100,000; first serial to Reader's Digest; author tour) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Although comedy brings you success (Barefoot in the Park) and popularity (The Odd Couple), drama brings you respect, notes playwright Neil Simon, perhaps sharing some of his motivations behind the writing of his new memoir. Simon's book provides a warm, nostalgic account of the golden age of television comedy and Broadway musicals, when New York's most famous theaters offered more than Cats for tourists or resurrected musicals, and is grounded by details on the writing life. Simon's anecdotes of his early career working for comedians Sid Caesar and Jerry Lewis and his collaborations as a playwright with director Mike Nichols and choreographer Bob Fosse are humorous and compelling. Still, his meteoric success in theater was not all roses, and Simon reveals the darker side, including childhood traumas, bouts of severe claustrophobia, drugs, and adultery. Simon's memoir, punctuated with his trademark sense of humor, is both entertaining and engrossing. Ted Leventhal

Simon has taken a break from play writing to offer the first volume of his memoirs, covering childhood to middle age. His narrative proves that playwrights are born, not made, and its most interesting element is his explanation of how the common events in his life became the raw material from which he molded some of the funniest American plays of the 20th century. As expected, the bulk of the text involves his career in entertainment from writing skits in high school to TV to Broadway. This is a gentleman's autobiography, and Simon never stoops to dishing the dirt on his show biz cronies, as he no doubt easily could. In telling his story, Simon reports the events of his life rather than offering deep insight into his personality. The reader won't come away really knowing him well, but he's such a witty and charming host that one can't help but enjoy his company. Simon is an American treasure, and, like his plays, Rewrites is the stuff that hits are made of. Recommended for all collections.
-?Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.