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ContainerContents
Writings, 1957-2013 (continued)
Scripts, 1957-2009 (continued)
Multiple Works, 1977-2008
This sub-subseries consists of 127 individual notebooks created by Neil Simon. Each notebook contains multiple handwritten drafts, rehearsal notes, or rewrites for Simon's film, stage, and television projects. They also include drafts of articles, speeches, and other miscellaneous writings by Simon. Drafts for a single motion picture, musical, or play may occur within the same notebook and also across several different notebooks that are not arranged in consecutive order. Works are listed in the order they appear within each notebook.
Arranged alphabetically by notebook title. Untitled notebooks arranged alphabetically by first identified work.
BOX-FOLDER 68/15 [1] "'202 & 204' / letters to 'Yonkers' cast," 1991 and undated
Contents:
  • 202 and 204; character studies
  • Letter to David, theater critic, 1991 February 14
  • Letters to the Lost in Yonkers cast; Jamie [Marsh], Danny [Gerard], Lauren [Klein], Mark [Blum], Kevin [Spacey], Irene [Worth], Mercedes [Ruehl], Peter [Lawrence?], Tharon [Musser], Santo [Loquasto], Jay [Binder], 1991 February 21
  • London Suite; notes
  • The Prisoner of Central Park West; title page
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
BOX-FOLDER 68/16 [2] "202 & 204 and London Suite," undated
Contents:
  • 202 & 204 (play)
  • London Suite (play); crossed out title "The House on 82nd Street"; synopsis of three acts
  • London Suite (play); first draft; Act 1 "The Reunion"; Act 2 "The Nanny"
BOX-FOLDER 68/17 [3] "202 & 204 and Rewrites," undated
Contents:
  • [202 and 204] (play)
  • [Rewrites] (play)
  • [Four Can Tango/Hotel La Plata] (play)
  • [202 and 204] (play)
BOX-FOLDER 68/18 [4] "'Alone in Venice' 1st draft," undated
Contents:
  • Alone in Venice (play); first draft
  • "Past, Present and We’ll See," chapter
  • "Mr. Simon Goes to Washington," chapter from The Play Goes On
BOX-FOLDER 69/1 [5] "Another Beginning of Another...," undated
Contents:
  • [Sometimes My Mother – Never Mind] (play); monologue by a character named Josie
  • Sometimes My Mother – Never Mind (play), October 12
  • Brighton Beach Memoirs (play)
BOX-FOLDER 69/2 [6] "Arnold, a Retrospective and Broadway Bound," undated
Contents:
  • Arnold, a Retrospective (play)
  • Broadway Bound (play)
BOX-FOLDER 69/3 [7] "Biloxi Blues and The Odd Couple (female version)," undated
Contents:
  • Biloxi Blues (play)
  • The Odd Couple (play); female version
BOX-FOLDER 69/4 [8] "Broadway Bound," 1986 and undated
Contents:
  • Unidentified play; scene for characters Eugene and Josie
  • Broadway Bound (play)
  • "Union League Address" speech, 1986 November 10
  • [Biloxi Blues] (motion picture)
  • The Suitcase (motion picture); synopsis
BOX-FOLDER 69/5 [9] "Broadway Bound and Honor's Speech," undated
Contents:
  • Broadway Bound (play)
  • Walter Matthau tribute for the United Jewish Appeal speech
BOX-FOLDER 69/6 [10] "Broadway Bound and Man Made Women (a new musical)," undated
Contents:
  • Broadway Bound (play)
  • Note: "Peter Brook, Peter Hamm, Mr. Abbott and Gadge welcome you to their ranks, Love -"
  • Lyric sketches
  • Man Made Woman (musical); based on the motion picture Love Me or Leave Me
BOX-FOLDER 69/7 [11] "Broadway Bound, My Son's Brother (movie), and Jake's Women," undated
Contents:
  • Broadway Bound (play); first draft
  • My Son's Brother (motion picture)
  • Unidentified motion picture; characters are Robin, Jake, and Kate
BOX-FOLDER 70/1 [12] "Broadway Bound and The Suitcase," undated
Contents:
  • [Biloxi Blues] (motion picture)
  • The Suitcase (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 70/2 [13] "Bogart Slept Here," undated
Contents:
  • Bogart Slept Here (motion picture)
  • God’s Favorite (play)
  • Bogart Slept Here (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 70/3 [14] "California Suite, Chapter Two, Zero Mostel tribute, and Fools or The Good Doctor," undated
Contents:
  • [George Feiffer, Meet Annie Malone] (play); early title for Chapter Two
  • California Suite (motion picture)
  • [The Cheap Detective] (motion picture); [1] page
  • Chapter Two (play); listings of possible titles also include: "Personal Items." "Slightly Personal," "Pieces"
  • California Suite (motion picture)
  • Mister Ex; character and actor list with two-sentence description
  • [George Feiffer, Meet Annie Malone/Chapter Two] (play)
  • Zero Mostel tribute speech
  • Invited list
  • Fools (play)
BOX-FOLDER 70/4 [15] "Century (a new musical - 1st draft), Africa Hot (Intro - 3rd volume of plays), and A Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose," undated
Contents:
  • Century (musical); first draft; music and lyrics by Jerry Herman
  • A Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose (play)
  • "Africa Hot"; introduction to the third volume of collected plays
  • A Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose (play)
  • [Lost in Yonkers] (play); final page
BOX-FOLDER 70/5 [16] "'Charley Come Back' / 'Rewrites' autobiography," 1993 August-September
Contents:
  • Charley Come Back (motion picture); first draft, 1993 August
  • Rewrites memoir, 1993 August 10
  • Charley Come Back (motion picture); more rewrites of second draft, 1993 September
BOX-FOLDER 70/6 [17] "Cooking Class and Josie," undated
Note: "Cooking Class" is a possible earlier title for Rumors
Contents:
  • [Rumors] (play)
  • Temporary title Josie; synopsis; crossed out title "The Dog Leg" followed by "A Golf Term"
  • [A Foggy Day] (musical)
BOX-FOLDER 70/7 [18] "'Cop of the Year' / Speeches," 1991-1992 and undated
Contents:
  • Cop of the Year (motion picture); first draft
  • Anti-Defamation League speech, 1991 December 8
  • List: "N. Y. Movies"
  • Lost in Yonkers (motion picture); additional scene
  • "Letter to Cast of 'Jake's [Women]'/closing night party," 1992 October 25
BOX-FOLDER 70/8 [19] "Embraceable You and A Foggy Day," undated
Note: "Musical w/ Gershwin scores" written on cover
Contents:
  • Embraceable You (musical); alternate title "New New Yorkers"
  • A Foggy Day (musical)
BOX-FOLDER 70/9 [20] "Fools, Bill Bradley Oxford Cambridge Dinner Speech, Hofstra Commencement speech (5/17/81), and The Heartbreak Kid," 1981 and undated
Contents:
  • [Max Dugan Returns] (motion picture)
  • Fools (play); rewrites; titled "Kulyenchikov"; Boston, 1981 February
  • [Max Dugan Returns] (motion picture)
  • "Bill Bradley - Prince Charles/Oxford-Cambridge Dinner" speech; may have been written by Simon for Bradley to present
  • Hofstra Commencement speech, 1981 May 17
  • [Actors and Actresses] (play)
  • The Heartbreak Kid (musical)
BOX-FOLDER 71/1 [21] "'Four Can Tango' A New Comedy," undated
Note: "Four Can Tango" does not appear in the notebook; original envelope marked: "Four Can Tango (unfinished play & Latin American book)"
Contents:
  • Little Me (musical); notes only
  • [The Play Goes On] memoir
BOX-FOLDER 71/2 [22] "The Ghost of August and Arnold Moss, a Retrospective," undated
Contents:
  • The Ghost of August (play)
  • Arnold, A Retrospective/Arnold Moss, a Retrospective (play)
  • Heaven on Earth (motion picture)
  • [Actors and Actresses] (play)
BOX-FOLDER 71/3 [23] "'The Goodbye Girl' rewrites," undated
Contents:
  • [The Goodbye Girl] (musical); crossed-out is the misidentifying title "Laughter on the 23rd Floor"
  • "Section: 7"; possibly for "Rewrites" memoir
  • [Little Me] (musical)
  • California Suite (play); includes characters Janet and Walter who do appear in the produced play or motion picture
BOX-FOLDER 71/4 [24] "Heaven on Earth, 202 and 204, Lost in Yonkers (cast suggestions), Proposals, and The Marrying Man," undated
Contents:
  • Heaven on Earth (motion picture)
  • Letter to Manny Azenberg
  • 202 and 204 (play)
  • [Lost in Yonkers] (play); notes on possible titles including "The Witchest of Yonkers"; list of casting suggestions
  • Fieffer and Moss (play); outline and character description; alternate title "Sentimental Claptrap"
  • The Marrying Man (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 71/5 [25] "Heaven on Earth, Robert, The Robot (a sketch), Hampton House (Four Plays - Michael & Donna), Feiffer & Moss, The Odd Couple (female version - Sept., 1982), The Heartbreak Kid, and Brighton Beach," 1982, 1991, and undated
Contents:
  • Heaven on Earth (motion picture)
  • Robert, the Robot; a sketch
  • Hampton House "Michael and Donna" (play); ends with following note: "Just read this, written about 15 years ago and damn if it doesn't all show up later in 'Jake's Women'…Dec. 8th 1991) N. S."
  • Feiffer and Moss (play)
  • Untitled character studies/synopsis, possibly for The Shakespeare Murders
  • The Odd Couple (play); female version, 1982 September
  • Actors and Actresses (play)
  • The Heartbreak Kid (musical); lyrics
  • Brighton Beach Memoirs
  • Notes on finances
BOX-FOLDER 71/6 [26] "I Oughta Be In Pictures, The Good Doctor, Letter to Dan Sullivan, The Bungalow, Only When I Laugh, Blue Period, and George Burns 85th Birthday Party speech," undated
Contents:
  • I Ought to Be in Pictures (play)
  • The Curse of Kulyenchikov (play)
  • Fools (play)
  • Letter "To the Editor, and Dan Sullivan"
  • Bungalow (motion picture); lists other possible titles as "The House on Melrose," "Trade Only"
  • Only When I Laugh (motion picture)
  • Blue Period (motion picture); the title is crossed through and the script may have been re-titled "Russell McPhee"
  • [Max Dugan Returns] (motion picture)
  • "George Burns 85th Birthday" speech to be read by Simon and Marsha Mason
  • Only When I Laugh (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 71/7 [27] "I Ought to Be in Pictures, Macho Man, The Good Doctor and Seems Like Old Times," undated
Contents:
  • I Ought to Be in Pictures (play)
  • Macho Man (motion picture); scene description
  • The Good Doctor (play)
  • Seems Like Old Times (motion picture)
  • The Good Doctor (play)
BOX-FOLDER 71/8 [28] "Jake & Kate (original screenplay)," undated
Contents:
  • Jake and Kate (motion picture); first draft
  • [Rewrites][?] (play)
BOX-FOLDER 72/1 [29] "Jake & Kate and Biloxi Blues (rewrite)," undated
Contents:
  • Jake & Kate (motion picture)
  • Biloxi Blues; rewrites for unknown version; note: "Mike [Nichols?] called from Fort Smith"
BOX-FOLDER 72/2 [30] "'Jake's Women' / Interview between Simon and Neil," 1992-1993 and undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (play); rewrites, Winston Salem tryout, pages 1-45, 1992 February
  • "New York Times interview 'Jake's Women'"; formatted as Simon interviewing himself, a conceit that did note maintain in the Simon-authored article that was ultimately published, 1992 March 22
  • "N. Y. Times Piece"; crossed-out title "A View from the 25th Play" very close to the version that was published, 1992 March 22
  • Jake's Women (play); new ending
  • [The Goodbye Girl] (musical)
  • [Lost in Yonkers] (motion picture)
  • [The Goodbye Girl] (musical)
  • [Lost in Yonkers] (motion picture)
  • Letters to The Goodbye Girl cast; Martin [Short], Michael [Kidd], Tammy [Minoff], Carol [Woods], Bernadette [Peters], 1993 March 4
BOX-FOLDER 72/3 [31] "Jake's Women, Biloxi Blues (narration rewrites), and The Automat (piece for New York Magazine)," undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (play); out-of-town rewrites
  • Biloxi Blues (play); narration rewrites
  • Jake's Women (play)
  • "The Automat," story for New York Magazine
BOX-FOLDER 72/4 [32] "Jake's Women, Biloxi Blues (narration), Jake's Women (2nd draft), My Son's Brother, Bob Fosse memorial speech, and The Suitcase," undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (play)
  • Biloxi Blues (motion picture); narration rewrites
  • Bob Fosse memorial speech
  • Jake's Women (play); second draft
  • My Son's Brother (motion picture)
  • Jake's Women (play)
  • The Suitcase (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 72/5 [33] "Jake's Women, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and The Goodbye Girl," undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (play)
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
  • The Goodbye Girl (musical)
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
  • The Goodbye Girl (musical); rewrites and "Notes for Michael Kidd"
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
BOX-FOLDER 72/6 [34] "Jake's Women (screenplay), Lost in Yonkers, London Suite (Play - continued) and Pieces That Fit," undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (motion picture)
  • Lost in Yonkers (play)
  • London Suite (play)
  • "Pieces that Fit"; an autobiographical piece, with crossed out titles: "Waiting for the Darkness," "Sitting in the Dark," and "[?] of Dreams"; subjects include Simon's childhood belief that dreams were movies in your head, Charlie Chaplin, and listening to the radio in the dark.
BOX-FOLDER 72/7 [35] "Jake's Women and The Marrying Man," undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (play)
  • The Marrying Man (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 72/8 [36] "Jake's Women and The Marrying Man," undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (play)
  • The Marrying Man (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 72/9 [37] "Jake's Women (the play) and The Suitcase (screenplay)," undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (play)
  • The Suitcase (motion picture)
  • Jake's Women; list of character names and descriptions
BOX-FOLDER 72/10 [38] "Jake's Women, The Suitcase, and The Marrying Man," undated
Contents:
  • Jake's Women (play)
  • The Suitcase (motion picture)
  • The Marrying Man (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 73/1 [39] "'Laughter on the 23rd Floor' / 'Goodbye Girl' musical," 1992 and undated
Contents:
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
  • The Goodbye Girl (musical); rewrites, 1992 July
  • Sean Connery tribute speech delivered at the Beverly Hills Hilton, 1992 July 24
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play); "rewrites for national and international versions...(different than New York version)"
  • Untitled personal reflection on identity as writer; [1] page
BOX-FOLDER 73/2 [40] "Laughter on the 23rd Floor and The Goodbye Girl (musical - second draft)," undated
Contents:
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
  • The Goodbye Girl (musical); second draft
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
BOX-FOLDER 73/3 [41] "'Laughter on the 23rd Floor' Screenplay," 1996 and undated
Contents:
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (motion picture), 1996
  • [The Odd Couple II] (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 73/4 [42] "'Laughter on the 23rd Floor' (Screenplay)," undated
Crossed out on cover: "Eugene's Debut"
Contents:
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (motion picture)
  • [The Odd Couple II] (motion picture); one exchange on one page
  • The Play Goes On memoir; on the film The Sunshine Boys
  • "For Ronald Schwartz’s Book"; possibly an introduction, on the subject of favorite book
BOX-FOLDER 73/5 [43] "Letters and Miscellaneous," undated
Contents:
  • Letter to Fort regarding kitchen renovation
  • [The Sunshine Boys] (television movie)
  • Governor's Award speech
  • [Proposals] (play)
  • "You Actually Liked that Movie"; article for Live magazine
  • "The Ants Are Back"; article for Live magazine
  • [Run for Your Money] (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 73/6 [44] "'Little Me' 1st preview cuts," undated
Contents:
  • Little Me (musical); attached note reads: "1st premiere cuts"
  • The Odd Couple III (motion picture)
  • Little Me (musical)
BOX-FOLDER 73/7 [45] "'London Suite,'" undated
Contents:
  • London Suite "The Man on the Floor" (play)
  • London Suite "Settling Accounts" (play)
  • London Suite "Going Home" (play)
  • The Odd Couple II (motion picture)
  • Run for Your Money (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 73/8 [46] "'London Suite' 2nd draft," undated
Contents:
  • [Going Home "Settling Accounts"] (play)
  • [Going Home] "Diana and Sidney" (play)
  • Going Home (play)
  • Rewrites memoir
BOX-FOLDER 74/1 [47] "'London Suite' Act 2, Scene 1," undated
Contents:
  • London Suite "Going Home" (play)
  • The Man From Poland (play)
  • London Suite "Going Home" (play)
  • Laid in typescript for London Suite "Going Home" (play); Act 2, Scene 1
BOX-FOLDER 74/2 [48] "Parts of 'London Suite,'" undated
Contents:
  • London Suite
  • Unidentified screenplay; the only character in this segment is named Jake
  • 45 Seconds from Broadway (play); includes audition notes
BOX-FOLDER 74/3 [49] "'London Suite' / 'Settling Accounts' Act 2, Scene 1 / 'The Man on the Floor' Act 2, Scene 2 / Act 2, Scene 1 'When Widows Meet,'" undated
Contents:
  • London Suite "Settling Accounts" (play)
  • London Suite "When Widows Meet" (play); two different versions, the second becomes "Going Home"
  • London Suite "The Man on the Floor" (play)
  • London Suite (play); additional notes and outline
BOX-FOLDER 74/4 [50] "'The Book Tour' for 'London Suite,'" undated
Contents:
  • London Suite "The Book Tour" (play)
  • Me, You, Him and Her (television program)
BOX-FOLDER 74/5 [51] "Rewrites on 'London Suite' TV / 'Proposals' 4th draft," undated
Contents:
  • London Suite (television movie)
  • Note to Diane: "trying to write with my left…"
  • Proposals (play); fourth draft
  • London Suite (television movie)
  • Proposals (play)
BOX-FOLDER 74/6 [52] "Lost in Yonkers," 1990-1991 and undated
Contents:
  • Lost in Yonkers (play); first and second drafts; includes detached pages, 1990 September and 1991
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
BOX-FOLDER 74/7 [53] "Lost in Yonkers (Formerly Louis the Gangster)," undated
Contents:
  • Louis the Gangster (play); first draft; became "Lost in Yonkers"
  • [The Marrying Man] (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 74/8 [54] "Lost in Yonkers," undated
Contents:
  • Louis the Gangster (play); became "Lost in Yonkers"
  • Jake’s Women (play)
  • A Foggy Day (musical); second draft
BOX-FOLDER 74/9 [55] "Love Is Not for People or Jane Coppertwist, California Suite, and The War of the Rosens or Brighton Beach Memoirs," undated
Contents:
  • Love Is Not for People; character and situation descriptions
  • Jane Coppertwist; based on some elements of Love Is Not for People but with different character names
  • [Chapter Two] or [George Feiffer, Meet Annie Malone] (play)
  • California Suite (motion picture)
  • [Chapter Two] or [George Feiffer, Meet Annie Malone] (play)
  • The War of the Rosens (play); character descriptions and the beginning of Act I, Scene 1; earlier title for Brighton Beach Memoirs
  • Louis and Lillian (play)
  • They're Playing Our Song (musical); synopsis
BOX-FOLDER 75/1 [56] "The Marrying Man (continued), Jake's Women (1st run through), and Laughter on the 23rd Floor," 1989 and undated
Contents:
  • The Marrying Man (motion picture)
  • Jake's Women (play), sixth draft, 1989 Summer
  • [Proposals] (play); two pages only
  • [The Goodbye Girl] (musical)
  • Jake's Women (play); notes from first run through
  • [The Goodbye Girl] (musical)
  • Laughter on the 23rd Floor (play)
BOX-FOLDER 75/2 [57] "The Marrying Man (rewrites), Jake's Women (rewrites), and Rewrites (autobiography)," undated
Contents:
  • The Marrying Man (motion picture); rewrites
  • Jake's Women (play); rewrites
  • The Marrying Man (motion picture); rewrites continued
  • Rewrites memoir; opening paragraph only
BOX-FOLDER 75/3 [58] "The Marrying Man and The Odd Couple II," undated
Contents:
  • The Marrying Man (motion picture)
  • The Odd Couple II (motion picture)
BOX-FOLDER 75/4 [59] "The Marrying Man and Rumors (rewrites)," undated
Contents:
  • Charley Pearl (motion picture); became The Marrying Man
  • Rumors (play); rewrites
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