Paul Simon

Biography

Paul Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who came to prominence in the 1960s as part of the folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel with Art Garfunkel. Born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Queens, he wrote songs for the duo, including Mrs. Robinson and The Boxer, and the duo's last album was Bridge over Troubled Water (1970), one of the best-selling records of all time. After the duo split in 1970, Simon pursued a solo career that explored gospel, reggae, soul, and world music, with acclaimed albums including Paul Simon (1972), There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), Still Crazy After All These Years (1975), and Graceland (1986). He made his acting debut in Annie Hall (1977) and had a cameo in The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978). He has won 16 Grammy Awards, including three Album of the Year prizes, and is a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

85years old

Turns 86 on October 13in 346 days

Born October 13, 1941Newark
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Paul Frederick Simon (birth name)Also credited as Paul Frederic Simon, Jerry, Jerry Landis, Paul Kane and True Taylor

Movie Career

Films: 9
Career span: 58 years1968 to 2026

Genres

Documentary78%, 7 films
Music56%, 5 films
Comedy33%, 3 films
Biography11%, 1 film
History11%, 1 film

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Simon and Art Garfunkel first performed together in a sixth-grade production of Alice in Wonderland, and by age 13 they were singing at school dances.
Big break
In early 1964, Simon and Garfunkel tried out for Columbia Records, which signed them for an album. The label chose Simon & Garfunkel over Tom & Jerry, and Simon said surnames had never before been used in pop without first names.
Early training
Simon said he learned finger-picking on the acoustic guitar from Martin Carthy, who had ties to the Watersons from Hull, and that this led to "Scarborough Fair".
A change of course
In 1970, Paul Simon gave songwriting lessons at New York University. He explained that teaching had appealed to him for some time, and that he wanted to help students steer clear of errors he himself had made.
Behind the camera
In 1980, Simon wrote and starred in the motion picture One-Trick Pony, which was paired with his album of the same name.

Paul Simon movies on Netflix

Lorne2026IMDb rating 7.0as Himself
The Greatest Night in Pop2024IMDb rating 7.9as Himself
Ron Delsener Presents2023IMDb rating 7.5as Himself
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives2017IMDb rating 7.5as Himself
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985IMDb rating 8.1as Himself
Steve Martin: Homage to Steve1984IMDb rating 8.0as Himself
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash1978IMDb rating 7.3as Self - Interviewee
Annie Hall1977IMDb rating 7.9as Tony Lacey
Monterey Pop1968IMDb rating 7.9as Self - Simon and Garfunkel

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Annie Hall1977 Comedy, Romanceas Tony Lacey
IMDb rating 7.9293K votes
The Greatest Night in Pop2024 Documentary, Musicas Himself
IMDb rating 7.917K votes
Monterey Pop1968as Self - Simon and Garfunkel
IMDb rating 7.95.5K votes
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives2017as Himself
IMDb rating 7.51.4K votes
Lorne2026as Himself
IMDb rating 7.01.3K votes
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash1978as Self - Interviewee
IMDb rating 7.37.4K votes
Ron Delsener Presents2023as Himself
IMDb rating 7.517 votes
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985as Himself
IMDb rating 8.11.0K votes

Most often with

Gary Weis directed two of these films. Bruce Springsteen appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Bruce Springsteen

Dan Aykroyd

Michael Jackson

Quincy Jones

Stevie Wonder

Patti SmithGary WeisDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bruce Springsteen4 films together, 1985 to 2024
Bruce Springsteen's page
- The Greatest Night in Pop2024IMDb rating 7.9Simon as HimselfSpringsteen as Himself
- Ron Delsener Presents2023IMDb rating 7.5Simon as HimselfSpringsteen as Himself
- Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives2017IMDb rating 7.5Simon as HimselfSpringsteen as Himself
- We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985IMDb rating 8.1Simon as HimselfSpringsteen as Himself
Dan Aykroyd2 films together, 1978 to 1985
Dan Aykroyd's page
- We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985IMDb rating 8.1Simon as HimselfAykroyd as Himself
- The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash1978IMDb rating 7.3Simon as Self - IntervieweeAykroyd as Brian Thigh
Michael Jackson2 films together, 1985 to 2024
Michael Jackson's page
- The Greatest Night in Pop2024IMDb rating 7.9Simon as HimselfJackson as Himself
- We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985IMDb rating 8.1Simon as HimselfJackson as Himself
Quincy Jones2 films together, 1985 to 2024
Quincy Jones's page
- The Greatest Night in Pop2024IMDb rating 7.9Simon as HimselfJones as Himself
- We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985IMDb rating 8.1Simon as HimselfJones as Himself
Stevie Wonder2 films together, 1985 to 2024
Stevie Wonder's page
- The Greatest Night in Pop2024IMDb rating 7.9Simon as HimselfWonder as Himself
- We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985IMDb rating 8.1Simon as HimselfWonder as Himself
Patti Smith2 films together, 2017 to 2023
Patti Smith's page
- Ron Delsener Presents2023IMDb rating 7.5Simon as HimselfSmith as Himself
- Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives2017IMDb rating 7.5Simon as HimselfSmith as Himself
Gary WeisDirector, 2 films, 1978 to 1984
All films by Gary Weis
- Steve Martin: Homage to Steve1984IMDb rating 8.0Simon as Himself
- The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash1978IMDb rating 7.3Simon as Self - Interviewee
Also two films together8 more actors
- Tina TurnerThe Greatest Night in Pop (2024) and We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song (1985)
- Kenny RogersThe Greatest Night in Pop (2024) and We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song (1985)
- Dionne WarwickThe Greatest Night in Pop (2024) and We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song (1985)
- Lionel RichieThe Greatest Night in Pop (2024) and We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song (1985)
- Art GarfunkelClive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives (2017) and Monterey Pop (1968)
- Billy JoelRon Delsener Presents (2023) and We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song (1985)
- Kenny LogginsThe Greatest Night in Pop (2024) and We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song (1985)
- James IngramThe Greatest Night in Pop (2024) and We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song (1985)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Eleven awards and honors from 1998 to 2012, two of them major.

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Paul Simon's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Emmy Awards
	Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special	Won
Grammy Awards
	Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award	Won
Other honors
2012	Polar Music Prize	Won
2007	Gershwin Prize	Won
2001	MusiCares Person of the Year	Won
2001	Rock and Roll Hall of Fame	Won
1998	Johnny Mercer Award	Won
	CASBY Award	Won
	Ellis Island Medal of Honor	Won
	Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences	Won
	Kennedy Center Honors	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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