# Is "Barefoot in the Park" by Neil Simon a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon (Random House, 1964) is identified by: Cloth-backed boards in pictorial dust jacket; Random House, 1964, with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page (removed on later printings). US Random House edition is the true first, identified by the 'First Printing' statement on the copyright page.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Cloth-backed boards in pictorial dust jacket
- Random House, 1964, with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page (removed on later printings)
- Photo-illustrated title spread and plates of the original cast
- Publisher imprint reads Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Neil Simon |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Year | 1964 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Cloth-backed boards in pictorial dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Cloth-backed boards in pictorial dust jacket; Random House, 1964, with 'First Printing' stated on the copyright page (removed on later printings). Photo-illustrated title spread and plates of the original cast.

## Is this the true first?
US Random House edition is the true first, identified by the 'First Printing' statement on the copyright page.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issue lacks the copyright-page 'First Printing' statement and the priced jacket, and often carries a blindstamp to the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Barefoot in the Park* by Neil Simon a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/barefoot-in-the-park
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.