The playwright Neil Simon is a five-letter word, 'Simon'. Neil Simon was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than thirty plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly adaptations of his plays. He received more combined Oscar and Tony nominations than any other writer. His work often focused on the complexities of family life and the struggles of ordinary people. He was one of the most successful and prolific playwrights of the 20th century.