John Simon was a highly influential and often controversial American theater, film, and literary critic known for his erudite and acerbic prose. Born in what is now Serbia, he emigrated to the United States and earned a Ph.D. from Harvard University before embarking on his long career. For over three decades, he served as the theater critic for New York magazine, where his sharp-witted and sometimes scathing reviews became legendary. Despite the frequent controversy surrounding his opinions, Simon was respected for his intellectual rigor and unwavering commitment to high artistic standards.