Like Ira News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

He was 91 years old. >> the playwright and screenwriter will long be remembered for his popular comedies including "the odd couple," "barefoot in the park" and "the sunshine boys." cnn's sara sidner has more on simon's memorable contributions to the stage. >> reporter: it didn't really matter who the stars were. if neil simon wrote it, people wanted to see it. "time" magazine wants once called him the patron saint of laughter. a native new yorker, simon learned his craft in the early days of television, writing for comedian sid caesar. >> we didn't know how to write. we would just string old j...

>> a comedy writer? why? you really want to be like me, like val, like ira, like any of us? >> more than anything else in the world! >> helen, you know us. we're disgusting. >> reporter: many of simon's plays were part autobiography. his 1961 broadway debut "come blow your horn" was based on simon's relationship with his older brother danny. simon later remembered how worried he was when that first play opened. >> if that play failed, then i go to hollywood and write some sitcom for the rest of my life. >> reporter: "come blow your horn" did not fail. it ran 677 performances and later became a...