Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Odd Couple, The Out-of-Towners, The Sunshine Boys – are just a few of Neil Simon's most successful plays which have kept millions of people amused for many years now. His success in the playwriting business has earned him respect from his readers and recognition not only as the most successful playwright, but one of the best. Brighton Beach Memoirs was written as a reflection upon his own childhood life.
             Simon was born in the Bronx, an area located in New York City. He joined the United States Army at the age of 16 and studied for a short time at New York University and at the University of Colorado. Simon was later discharged from the Army in 1946, he then worked for Warner Bros., where his older brother Danny, worked for the publicity department. The two wrote many comedy sketches for radio and television comedy stars. Simon wrote his first play, Come Blow Your Horn (1961), which was featured on Broadway for over 2 years.
             Brighton Beach Memoirs (1983), was just one of out of his three autobiographical plays. It was written as a reflection upon his own childhood life growing up during the depression in New York City. Like the Jerome and Morton family in the play, Simon lived in a house occupied by 8 people. According to Simon, life was very much like that of the life in Brighton Beach Memoirs. Making ends meat was tough and Simon's own father was similar to Jack Jerome. Simon expresses his own deep and personal feelings for his father in Brighton Beach Memoirs. In reality, Simon's father was not as "vulnerable" to care and love, as he wanted him to be. He never checked his report cards, nor did he ever ask about them. Jack Jerome, however, seems to care about Eugene's schooling with great concern. It is as if Simon created Jack Jerome to the father he wanted as a child growing up in the Bronx. Simon incarnated his r
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