VIDEO : Comedy Legend Neil Simon Dies At 91

(CNN)Neil Simon operated in a space few writers could, successfully navigating the formidable gaps that separate the worlds of theater, movies and TV in a manner that established him as one of the most influential comedy writers of the 20th century. Although the stage was his preferred medium, almost everything Simon wrote -- from "The Odd Couple" to the semi-autobiographical "Brighton Beach Memoirs" trilogy, from "Barefoot in the Park" to "The Sunshine Boys" -- found its way to the screen. And his gift with words, his rat-a-tat patter and comic rhythms, also left an indelible mark on television, the venue in which he cut his professional teeth alongside a host of other creative titans, writing for Sid Caesar in the 1950s.