Biloxi Blues


Biloxi Blues is Neil Simon's G.I. Blues--and it's Matthew's second running stumble at manhood as the surrogate Boy Simon, one Eugene Morris Jerome. Matthew came back as the lead role in part two of Simon's trilogy (the last installment is called "Broadway Bound", but Matthew never reprised the role for it. You can rent the movie with Jonathan Silverman)
If you're a real Matthew fan, you should recognize a few of these faces. Matthew's in the center, and right in front of him in is Alan Ruck, better known as Ferris Bueller's best friend Cameron Frye. Their great onscreen work in Ferris is a result of their work on stage together.

Sitting in the front all the way on the right is Matt Mulhern. A long time friend of Matthew's, he can be seen with Matthew in "Infinity" (gate guard) and "Walking the Waterline". He also appeared with Matthew in the movie version of Biloxi Blues as the same role he had on stage.

And sitting in the middle on the left is Penelope Ann Miller who starred opposite Matthew in 1990's "The Freshman" with Marlon Brando. She also reprised her role in the movie version of Biloxi Blues.

Biloxi Blues opened on March 28, 1985, at the Neil Simon Theatre on W. 52nd. It won the 1985 Tony Award for best play.
  • "BILOXI BLUES is a glorious burst of Americana, the best play of the year and a dazzling lyrical leap forward in the already astonishing career of Neil Simon. Gene Saks has directed brilliantly. Matthew Broderick is outstanding."--Dennis Cunningham, WCBS-TV
  • "Neil Simon has done the seemingly impossible: he has topped Neil Simon. BILOXI BLUES is an uproarious, deeply affecting, extraordinary comedy hit-with-a-heart. All of the men in its consummate cast deserve every Tony in town."--Gene Shalit, NBC-TV/TODAY
  • "The role of Eugene is brilliantly written and brilliantly played by Matthew Broderick. A truly great performance."--Joel Siegal, WABC-TV
  • BILOXI BLUES ranks as the best new American play of the Broadway season."--William A. Henry III, Time Magazine
This is Matthew's bio as it reads in the 1985 Souvenir Book for Biloxi Blues:

MATTHEW BRODERICK originated the role of Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs, for which he won a Tony Award and a Theater World Award. The son of actor James Broderick and painter Patricia Broderick, he was born and raised in New York City and made his professional acting debut just prior to his graduation from Walden School in the H.B Studio production of Horton Foote's Valentine's Day, co-starring with his father. During the fall of 1981, Mr. Broderick began his six-month run as David in the Off Off-Broadway production of Torch Song Trilogy, receiving critical acclaim, as well as both the Outer Critics' Circle and Villager awards, when the play moved to Off-Broadway. Biloxi Blues marks Matthew's third association with Neil Simon, since he had previously co-starred in Mr. Simon's film Max Dugan Returns, under the direction of Herbert Ross. He starred in the MGM/UA release Wargames, directed by John Badham:Ladyhawke, directed by Richard DOnner: Horton Foote's 1918, directed by Ken Jarrison: and 'Master Harold'...and the boys for pay television, which was written by Athol Fugard and directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Mr. Broderick has studied acting with Bruce Cornwall.


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