Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

David Simon

Role / Field:

Acclaimed American writer and producer known for deep-dive narratives on urban life.

Born:

1960-02-09

Century / Era:

1960s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

David Judah Simon (born 1960) is an American author, journalist, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work on The Wire (2002–2008). He worked for The Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years (1982–1995), wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets (1991), and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood (1997) with Ed Burns. The former book was the basis for the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999), on which Simon served as a writer and producer. Simon adapted the latter book into the HBO mini-series The Corner (2000).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He is the creator, executive producer, head writer, and showrunner of the HBO television series The Wire (2002–2008). He adapted the non-fiction book Generation Kill into a television mini-series and served as the showrunner for the project. He was selected as one of the 2010 MacArthur Fellows and named an Utne Reader visionary in 2011. Simon also created the HBO series Treme with Eric Overmyer, which aired for four seasons. Following Treme, Simon adapted former New York Times reporter Lisa Belkin's nonfiction Show Me A Hero (1999), into an HBO mini-series, with journalist William F.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Zorzi, a colleague at The Baltimore...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adam Clayton — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Irish-English bassist and founding member of the globally renowned rock band U2.
• Adam Schiff — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Long-serving Democratic politician, former Congressman, and current U.S. Senator from California.
• Aimee Mann — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Literary American singer-songwriter known for sardonic lyrics about the underdog.
• Adolf Galland — Shared historical date (02-09 · Died) (1996): German Luftwaffe general and celebrated flying ace of World War II.
• Adolph Menzel — Shared historical date (02-09 · Died) (1905): Pioneering German Realist master, celebrated for his detailed etchings and genre scenes.
• Albert Camus — Historical peer (Died in 1960) (1960): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
• Alex Gorsky — Historical peer (Born in 1960) (1960): American businessman, former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson.
• Abba Eban — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Aileen Wuornos — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): American serial killer known for murdering seven male clients in Florida.
• Aimé Césaire — Historical peer (Died in 2008) (2008): Afro-Martinican poet, politician, and founder of the Négritude movement.
• 1960 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1960
• February 9 (02-09) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 9

Frequently Asked Questions about David Simon