Premiering January 14, 1990, The Simpsons is the longest-running primetime animated series in history, and the longest running sitcom currently on primetime television. The Simpsons is also a cultural institution. The Simpsons has an extremely loyal and dedicated fan base worldwide. Intelligently written, subversively humorous and delightfully witty, the show pokes fun at itself and everything in its wake.
The series has been critically praised and bestowed with numberous honors, including a Peabody Award, 18 Emmy Awards, 16 Annie Awards, 3 Genesis Awards, 8 International Monitor Awards, and 5 Environmental Media Awards. The Simpsons were recently nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
The Simpsons currently holds the Guiness Book of World Records titles for Longest-Running Primetime Animated Series and Most Celebrities Featured in an Animated Series. Recognized as a pop culture icon, Homer Simpson’s annoyed grunt – “D’oh!” was added as an official word in the 2001 edition of the Oxford Dictionary. The Simpsons also received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On February 16, 2003, The Simpsons celebrated its remarkable 300th episode featuring professional skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, alternative rock band blink-182 and Malcolm in the Middle’s Jane Kaczmarek. Also paying a visit to Springfield this season are Elliot Gould, Marisa Tomei, Little Richard, Steve Bucsemi, Eric Idle and The Simpsons’ own James L. Brooks.
The Simpsons reside in the town of Springfield. Homer works as a safety inspector at the local nuclear power plant; Marge tries to keep peace in her family; Bart is the mischieveous ten-year-old hellion; Lisa is the intelligent, saxophone-playing vegetarian member of the family; and baby Maggie conveys emotions via pacifier sucks. Viewers also have come to know and love the rich, and sometimes quirky, universe of characters that inhabit Springfield.
Giving voice to the Simpsons and other Springfield citizens are Dan Castellaneta as Homer, Krusty, Grampa, Barney, Mayor Quimby and Groundskeeper Willie; Julie Kavner as Marge, Patty and Selma; Nancy Cartwright as Bart, Nelson and Ralph Wiggum; Yeardley Smith as Lisa; Hank Azaria as Moe, Apu, Chief Wiggum, Professor Frink, Comic Book Guy and Dr. Nick Riviera; and Harry Shearer as Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Reverend Lovejoy and Kent Brockman.
In October 2002, The Simpsons’ most recent episode guide book – seasons 11, 12, and 13 – entitled “The Simpsons Beyond Forever: The Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family Still Continues” was released and graced the New York Times bestseller list.
Matt Groening Biography
Matt Groening, creator and executive producer of Fox’s Award-winning series The Simpsons, made television history by bringing animation back to primetime and creating an immortal nuclear family. In February 1997, The Simpsons became the longest- running comedy on television. On March 28, 1999, Groening premiered his newest creation, the Emmy Award-winning Futurama, now in its fifth season on Fox.
Originally brought to life in 1987 for the Emmy Award-winning series The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons was Groening’s introduction into the animation world. Previously, he was best known for his “Life In Hell” cartoon strip, an irreverent portrayal of broken life that debuted in 1977 and currently appears in more than 250 newspapers worldwide.
In 1993, he formed Bongo Comics Group, for which he serves as publisher of the following: Simpsons Comics, Bart Simpson Comics, Radioactive Man Comics, and the annual Bart Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror Comics. In addition to producing his weekly comic strip, keeping on top of the ongoing production demands of two television series, and meeting regularly with the Bongo team, Groening oversees all aspects of the licensing and merchandising of The Simpsons and Futurama.