15. Danny Simon and Roy Gerber
Danny Simon was the older brother of playwright Neil Simon, and a comedy writer for radio and television. With his younger brother, he wrote scripts for comedy stars in the early days of television, including Jackie Gleason, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, and Phil Silvers. In the early 1960s, Danny and his wife separated, later to divorce, and Danny took rooms with another Hollywood personality, agent Roy Gerber. When the two invited friends over for dinner one of them, the story claims it was Danny, burned the pot roast. Danny decided to use the story and subsequent events as the basis for a play.
Danny later gave the unfinished script to younger brother Neal, who finished it in 1965 and presented it as The Odd Couple. It later spawned a film and television series of the same name, as well as numerous onstage revivals and adaptations. Danny and Roy are largely unknown today, but they were the inspiration for Felix Unger and Oscar Madison, though other stories of their genesis have emerged to conflict with the one based on Danny, and confirmed by Neil Simon in interviews since. Danny’s subsequent omission from the credits for the play and film caused a rift between the brothers which lasted for over a decade.
