Paul Simms
{{short description|American television writer and producer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Paul Simms
|birth_name = {{birth year and age|1966}}
|occupation = Television writer and producer
}}
Paul Simms (born 1966) is an American television writer and producer. He is known for creating NewsRadio and contributing to The Larry Sanders Show, Flight of the Conchords and Atlanta.
Early life and career
Simms spent much of his childhood living abroad in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia where his parents were school teachers. He later returned to the United States and graduated from Harvard University where he wrote for the Harvard Lampoon and was a part-time student security guard, often during the night shift. After graduating, he worked for Spy magazine from 1988 to 1990.{{cite news |last1=Meisler |first1=Andy |title=A Precocious Sitcom Freshman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/09/arts/television-a-precocious-sitcom-freshman.html |work=New York Times |date=9 April 1995}}
Television
He began his career in television writing for Late Night with David Letterman in 1990. Simms later wrote for the HBO program The Larry Sanders Show. He was the creator and head writer for the NBC sitcom NewsRadio, a workplace comedy. More recently, he has directed and produced the HBO series Flight of the Conchords and the FX series Atlanta.{{cite news |last1=Wagmeister |first1=Elizabeth |title='Atlanta' Executive Producer Paul Simms Inks Overall Deal With FX Productions |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/fx-atlanta-paul-simms-overall-deal-1202493508/ |work=Variety |date=12 July 2017}} He has contributed pieces to The New Yorker and also wrote a sitcom pilot, Beach Lane, starring Matthew Broderick, for executive producer Lorne Michaels.Andreeva, Nellie. "[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i8decb5ca03594f57a8c873befc5ddbc0 Matthew Broderick takes TV role]". The Hollywood Reporter. February 1, 2010. Retrieved on February 19, 2010. His production company is 343 Incorporated. In 2017, he signed a deal with FX.{{Cite web|last=Wagmeister|first=Elizabeth|date=2017-07-12|title='Atlanta' Executive Producer Paul Simms Inks Overall Deal With FX Productions|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/fx-atlanta-paul-simms-overall-deal-1202493508/|access-date=2020-12-27|website=Variety|language=en-US}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role |
|---|
| 1990–1992
| Late Night with David Letterman | Writer |
| 1992–1994
| Writer, executive producer, executive story editor |
| 1995–1999
| Creator, writer, executive producer |
| 2007–2009
| Writer, consulting producer, director |
| 2009
| Writer, director |
| 2009
| Consultant producer |
| 2010
| Writer |
| 2014
| Consulting producer |
| 2014–2015
| Girls | Writer, co-executive producer/executive producer |
| 2016–2022
| Atlanta | Executive producer |
| 2016
| Divorce | Writer, executive producer |
| 2019–present
| Writer, executive producer |
| 2024
| Executive producer |
Bibliography
{{Expand list|date=October 2019}}
- {{cite magazine |author=Simms, Paul |date=March 11, 2013 |title=Crafting Projects for Sociopaths |magazine=The New Yorker |volume=89 |issue=4 |pages=28–29 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/03/11/crafting-projects-for-sociopaths }}
- {{cite magazine |last1=Simms |first1=Paul |title=The Hothead's Guide to Herbal Supplements |magazine=The New Yorker |date=December 9, 2013 |volume=89 |issue=40 |page=40 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/09/the-hotheads-guide-to-herbal-supplements |accessdate=16 April 2020}}
- {{cite magazine |last1=Simms |first1=Paul |title=Eight Short Science-Fiction Stories |magazine=The New Yorker |date=September 14, 2015 |volume=91 |issue=27 |page=50 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/09/14/eight-short-science-fiction-stories |accessdate=16 April 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0799995}}
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061001144852/http://wiredforbooks.org/paulsimms/ 1989 audio interview of Paul Simms at Wired for Books.org]}} by Don Swaim
- [http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/07/05/040705sh_shouts A Paul Simms humor piece in the New Yorker]
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Category:American television producers
Category:American television writers
Category:The Harvard Lampoon alumni
Category:American male television writers