Danny Simon

Danny Simon (December 12, 1918, New York City – July 26, 2005, Portland, Oregon) was an American television writer and comedy teacher. He was also older brother to acclaimed American playwright Neil Simon. The elder Simon wrote for television shows including Your Show of Shows, The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Phil Silvers Show, Make Room for Daddy, My Three Sons, The Carol Burnett Show, The Kraft Music Hall, Diff'rent Strokes, and The Facts of Life. He later became a world-renowned comedy teacher. Woody Allen said about Simon, "I've learned a couple of things on my own since and modified things he taught me, but everything, unequivocally, that I learned about comedy writing I learned from him." Also, Danny Simon was the inspiration for the character of Felix Unger in The Odd Couple and was the play's original creator.