Biography
Matty Simmons, born in Brooklyn, played basketball in high school and college before becoming a newspaper reporter for the New York World Telegram and Sun at seventeen. After a short period in the army, he worked as a New York press agent, eventually opening his own firm representing show business clients and commercial accounts like Heineken Beer. He was one of the three founders of The Diners Club, the first all-purpose credit card company, serving as Executive Vice President and overseeing marketing and publishing, including founding Signature Magazine soon after the company started. In the late 1960s, he left to establish 21st Century Communications, which later became National Lampoon, Inc. The company went public in 1972 with Simmons as Chairman and CEO. Its first magazine, Weight Watchers Magazine, launched in 1968. In 1970, National Lampoon debuted and became the most popular humor magazine in publishing history. In 1972, Simmons produced the musical comedy Lemmings, introducing talents like John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Christopher Guest. He produced three more Lampoon stage shows: The National Lampoon Show, That's Not Funny, That's Sick, and The Class of '86. During this time, he also produced the National Lampoon Radio Hour, the top radio show in America in 1973 and 1974, and 12 comedy albums. In 1978, he produced National Lampoon's Animal House, regarded as the most popular comedy film ever. He also produced the National Lampoon Vacation series, the highest-grossing family movie series of all time. In 1979, he received the Producer of the Year award, and in 1980, Publisher of the Year from industry groups. Simmons discovered film and TV stars including Michelle Pfeiffer, Tom Hulce, and Kevin Bacon. Animal House won the 1978 People's Choice Award. Over the years, he authored eight books, including several best-sellers, and in the 1960s, he was the principal owner of the San Francisco Warriors, later the Golden State Warriors. His most recent books, If You Don't Buy This Book, We'll Kill This Dog and The Credit Card Catastrophe, were published in 1995 and 1996. In March 1989, he sold his controlling interest in National Lampoon, Inc. He now lives in Los Angeles, continuing to write and produce films and television.
