Johannes Mario Simmel (7 April 1924 – 1 January 2009), also known as J. M. Simmel, was an Austrian writer.
He was born in Vienna and grew up in Austria and England. He was trained as a chemical engineer and worked in research from 1943 to the end of World War II. After the end of the war, he worked as a translator for the American military government and published reviews and stories in the Vienna Welt am Abend. Starting in 1950, he worked as a reporter for the Munich illustrated Quick in Europe and America.
He wrote a number of screenplays and novels, which have sold tens of millions of copies. Many of his novels were successfully filmed in the 1960s and 1970s. He won numerous prizes, including the Award of Excellence of the Society of Writers of the UN. Important issues in his novels are a fervent pacifism as well as the relativity of good and bad. Several novels are said to have a true background, possibly autobiographic.
According to his Swiss lawyer, Simmel died on 1 January 2009 in Lucerne, at 84 years of age. This date was the 99th birthday of "Thomas Lieven", the main character of "It can't always be caviar."
Awards and honors
1959 First prize in the competition playwright Mannheim1981 Culture Award of German Freemasons (Lessing-Ring)1984 Gold Medal of the City of Vienna1992 Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class1993 Hermann Kesten Prize2004: Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria2005 Merit Cross 1st Class of the Federal Republic of Germany (Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse)2011 naming of Simmelgasse in Floridsdorf (the 21st district of Vienna)Mein Schulfreund, directed by Robert Siodmak (1960, based on the play Der Schulfreund)L'Affaire Nina B., directed by Robert Siodmak (1961, based on the novel Affäre Nina B.)Es muß nicht immer Kaviar sein, directed by Géza von Radványi (1961, based on the novel Es muß nicht immer Kaviar sein)Diesmal muß es Kaviar sein, directed by Géza von Radványi (1961, based on the novel Es muß nicht immer Kaviar sein)Und Jimmy ging zum Regenbogen, directed by Alfred Vohrer (1971, based on the novel Und Jimmy ging zum Regenbogen)Love Is Only a Word, directed by Alfred Vohrer (1971, based on the novel Liebe ist nur ein Wort)The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of, directed by Alfred Vohrer (1972, based on the novel Der Stoff aus dem die Träume sind)All People Will Be Brothers, directed by Alfred Vohrer (1973, based on the novel Alle Menschen werden Brüder)Gott schützt die Liebenden, directed by Alfred Vohrer (1973, based on the novel Gott schützt die Liebenden)Only the Wind Knows the Answer, directed by Alfred Vohrer (1974, based on the novel Die Antwort kennt nur der Wind)To the Bitter End, directed by Gerd Oswald (1975, based on the novel Bis zur bitteren Neige)Lieb Vaterland magst ruhig sein, directed by Roland Klick (1976, based on the novel Lieb Vaterland magst ruhig sein)Es muss nicht immer Kaviar sein, directed by Thomas Engel (TV miniseries, 1977, based on the novel Es muß nicht immer Kaviar sein)The Roaring Fifties, directed by Peter Zadek (1983, based on the novel Hurra wir leben noch)Bitte laßt die Blumen leben, directed by Duccio Tessari (1986, based on the novel Bitte laßt die Blumen leben)Mit den Clowns kamen die Tränen, directed by Reinhard Hauff (TV miniseries, 1990, based on the novel Doch mit den Clowns kamen die Tränen)1951: Spring on Ice (dir. Georg Jacoby)1953: Diary of a Married Woman (dir. Josef von Báky)1955: Hotel Adlon (dir. Josef von Báky)1955: Dunja (dir. Josef von Báky)1956: Kitty and the Great Big World (dir. Alfred Weidenmann)1957: The Girl and the Legend (dir. Josef von Báky)1958: Stefanie (dir. Josef von Báky)1960: Mit Himbeergeist geht alles besser (dir. Georg Marischka)
