Home / Quotes / Quote by Neil Simon

Quote by Neil Simon

“A lot of your personality is formed before you're 12, obviously, but only a few of my plays use characters from my childhood. The more mature plays are affected only by my adult experiences.”

Quote by Neil Simon

Author

Neil Simon is an American playwright known for his humorous and satirical style. His works cover a wide range of themes from family life to social issues, with many adapted into films and television shows. Born on July 4, 1927, Simon's career spanned over half a century, with more than 30 plays to his name. more

You May Also Like

“I never write a play with an eye to film.”

Writing Play Eye Film

Author:Neil Simon

“I don't like losing the words, as you have to, when I'm asked to turn a play into a movie. It's not a matter of ego . . . I'm just better able to create the character for an audience through words rather than through actions.”

Matter Play Character Able Action Turns Audience Ego Losing

Author:Neil Simon

“I much prefer writing an original movie with the screen in mind to transferring a play to the screen.”

Writing Mind Play Originals Screens

Author:Neil Simon

“I go to see plays all the time, and whenever I see Chekhov, I'm amazed at how this Russian play strikes home to me living 100 years later in New York City. I'm drawn to him because of his way with characters and their relationships with each other.”

Way Years Play Character Home Cities New York Strikes New York City Amazed Chekhov

Author:Neil Simon

“I don't want to restrict the life of a play to a particular production. The original actors might leave after the first six months, and I want the play to last 30 or 40 years. You write for the character, not the actor on the stage.”

Want Writing Years Firsts Play Character Might Lasts Actors Stage Particular Months Six Originals Productions Six Months

Author:Neil Simon

“Writers feel like a middleman, standing with pen in hand over the page. A force greater than me stands above telling me what to write. That may sound romantic, but that's how it feels.”

Feels Writing May Hands Force Sound Greater Pages Standing Pens Middlemen

Author:Neil Simon

“You get attached to the way you write, and I'm attached to notebooks. That's where I really write the plays. Just two or three pages at a time, then I transfer to the typewriter and rewrite while I type.”

Way Writing Two Play Three Type Pages Notebook Transfers Typewriters

Author:Neil Simon

“I don't use computers... I'm someone who needs to see the page right away in my hand.”

Needs Use Hands Computer Pages

Author:Neil Simon

“I don't like dating or just living with a woman. I like to create a relationship, a marriage. And almost all of my marriages have involved children, so I'm really a family man as well.”

Men Wells Children Involved Dating Family Man

Author:Neil Simon

“I think what's cool about about going on a co-headline tour is everyone's bringing a huge show, so it's not like opening band, opening band, then here's the big show. It's like two big shows.”

Thinking Two Shows Bigs Huge Band Opening Headlines

Author:Jack Antonoff