Spotlight on Neil Simon

Three-time Tony Award winner Neil Simon is the author of "45 Seconds from Broadway," which premieres this week at the Vam York Theater.

Simon was born July 4, 1927 in The Bronx, and grew up in Washington Heights. Before turning his attention to the stage, he wrote for hit television shows, including "The Phil Silvers Show," "Your Show of Shows" and "Sergeant Bilko."

His first Broadway play, "Come Blow Your Horn," premiered in 1961 and ran for 678 performances. He went on to write other hits, including "Sweet Charity," "The Star-Spangled Girl," "The Odd Couple," "Barefoot in the Park," Brighton Beach Memoirs," and "Lost in Yonkers." Simon received Tony Awards for "The Odd Couple," "Biloxi Blues" and "Lost in Yonkers," and also received a Pulitzer Prize for "Lost in Yonkers."

The restaurant in "45 Seconds" is based on a coffee shop adjacent to Manhattan's Hotel Edison, a hot spot for Broadway hopefuls located just off Broadway. The play is a slice-of-life look at the action in the cafe through the seasons, and events in the lives of those who frequent the Polish Tea Room.