Matty Simmons, born in Brooklyn, was a high school and college basketball player, who, at the age of seventeen, became a newspaper reporter for the "New York World Telegram and Sun". After a brief stint in the army he became a New York press agent, opening his own firm and representing show business clients as well as commercial accounts such as Heinekein Beer. He then became one of the three men who started "The Diners Club", the first all purpose credit card company and served as Executive Vice President of that company primarily directing its marketing and publishing operations including "Signature Magazine", which he founded shortly after the company's inception. He resigned in the late 1960s to form 21st Century Communications which was later to become National Lampoon, Inc. The company went public in 1972 with Mr. Simmons as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Its first magazine was "Weight Watchers Magazine", founded in 1968. In 1970, the company introduced "National Lampoon" which was to become the most popular humor magazine in publishing history. In 1972, Mr. Simmons produced the musical comedy "Lemmings" in which he introduced a number of new faces including John Belushi, Chevy Chase and Christopher Guest. Over the next years, Mr. Simmons produced three other Lampoon stage shows: The National Lampoon Show, That's Not Funny, That's Sick, and The Class of '86. During that period, he also produced the "National Lampoon Radio Hour," which was the most popular radio show in America in 1973 and 1974, and 12 comedy albums. In 1978 he produced, National Lampoon's Animal House (1978), considered the most popular movie comedy of all time. He has also produced, among other films the National Lampoon "Vacation" series, the most popular family movie series (box office) of all time. In 1979, he was named "Producer of the Year" and in 1980, "Publisher of the Year" by industry organizations. His film and television discoveries include Michelle Pfeiffer, Tom Hulce and Kevin Bacon. His film "Animal House" won the 1978 People's Choice Award. Over the years, Mr. Simmons has written eight books including several best-sellers and in the 1960s was the principal owner of the San Francisco Warriors, later to become the Golden State Warriors. His most recent books, "If You Don't Buy This Book, We'll Kill This Dog", and "The Credit Card Catastophe" were published in 1995 and 1996. In March of 1989, he sold his controlling interest in the National Lampoon, Inc., and now lives in Los Angeles and continues to write and produce movies and television.
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Biography from IMDb.
- October 3, 1926
- April 29, 2020 (aged 93)
- Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- Producer and writer, also actor
- 10 on MovieCove · 14 credits in all
Known for
What are Matty Simmons' films like?
Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
A split, not a type: Ironic 2 · Wry 2 · Earnest 5
Light 10 · Serious 1 · Dark 0
Grounded 4 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2
A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 3 · Intense 2
A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 5
Straight-faced 0 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 9
A split, not a type: Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 3
Casual 11 · Engaged 0 · Full focus 0
Easy watch 11 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 0
Resolved 11 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Happy5
- Bittersweet5
- Cyclical1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Matty Simmons' films?
As of October 24, 2026, 1 of their 10 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.
Subscription and free streaming for Matty Simmons' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
14 credits, 10 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Breakaway(2011)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Pucked (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
Vegas Vacation(1997)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Class of '86 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Class Reunion(1982)
Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
Movie Madness(1982)
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
Disco Beaver from Outer Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Delta House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Career shape
A full career of 14 titles from 1978 to 2011.
Biggest box office
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
Highest rated
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Most popular right now
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do Matty Simmons' films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 39th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 47th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up3
- 25th to 49th3
- Below 25th4
Shape of the crowd
2 of their 10 titles are Universally Loved.
- Universally Loved2
- Universally Panned2
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser1
- Broadly Agreed2
- Mixed1
Reviewers score the dialogue 49/100 and the plot and story 32/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Matty Simmons' work okay for kids?
Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity and profanity run heavier than most films and violence & gore and frightening / intense lighter.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Matty Simmons work with?
People who share at least 2 of Matty Simmons' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Hughes shares the most, 5.
Writers
- John HughesShared titles: John Hughes: Life Moves Pretty Fast (2012), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Class Reunion (1982)See all 5 shared titles with John Hughes
Actors
- Miriam FlynnShared titles: Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003), Vegas Vacation (1997), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Class Reunion (1982)See all 4 shared titles with Miriam Flynn
- Randy QuaidShared titles: Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003), Vegas Vacation (1997), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)See all 4 shared titles with Randy Quaid
- Stephen FurstShared titles: Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003), Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure (1999), Class Reunion (1982), National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)See all 4 shared titles with Stephen Furst
- Beverly D'AngeloShared titles: Vegas Vacation (1997), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)See all 4 shared titles with Beverly D'Angelo
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Nathan FurstShared titles: Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003), Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure (1999)See all 2 shared titles with Nathan Furst
- Pembroke J. HerringShared titles: National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)See all 2 shared titles with Pembroke J. Herring
- Charles CorrellShared titles: Movie Madness (1982), National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)See all 2 shared titles with Charles Correll
Producers
- Robert GrandShared titles: Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure (1999), National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)See all 2 shared titles with Robert Grand
Mixed roles
- Harold RamisShared titles: National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)See all 2 shared titles with Harold Ramis
