Although Simon left "The Simpsons" in 1993, he held on to an executive producer title that earned him tens of millions of dollars a year....
Groening once said that Simon was "brilliantly funny and one of the smartest writers" he had ever worked with," but that he could also be "unpleasant and mentally unbalanced."...
Nonetheless, Simon was instrumental in developing the wry sensibility that catapulted "The Simpsons" to ratings gold. ..."Sam Simon, from 'Taxi' to 'The Simpsons,' was a one-man comedy revolution," [James] Brooks said ...[after Simon's death]. "He lived ahead of the curve. 'The Simpsons" luckily bears his mark."
Born in Los Angeles ... Samuel Simon attended Beverly Hills High School and later went to Stanford University, where he studied psychology...
[He]...cut his teeth on animation as a storyboard artist and writer for Filmation Studios in Reseda. He took the job after graduating from college in 1977, and worked on animated shows including "The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse "...
Simon, however, wasn't a fan of the light, kid-oriented fare he made...
It was Brooks who approached Simon with the idea of developing "The Simpsons" into a full-blown series. A primitive version of the show had been running since 1987 as a series of shorts during "The Tracey Ullman Show." Groening had conceived the show and created its five main characters. Simon worked alongside Brooks and Groening as an executive producer and show runner for the first two seasons. He was also the show's creative supervisor for its first four seasons, and is credited with assembling and leading its first team of writers...
After leaving "The Simpsons" ... Simon worked as a director on shows including... "Friends"...
Simon was married twice, once to the actress Jennifer Tilly, and later to Playboy playmate Jami Ferrell. Both marriages ended in divorce... Simon and Tilly remained friends after their split, even appearing in celebrity poker tournaments together...
But it was in philanthropy that Simon found his true calling. In 2002 he created the Sam Simon Foundation, which is on six acres in Malibu, and rescues and retrains stray and abused dogs. In 2011 he expanded his foundation to include the Feeding Families program, which delivers vegan food to 200 needy families a day.
"Everything the Sam Simon Foundation does is supposed to help dogs and people," Simon told the Hollywood Reporter in 2013. "The truth is, I have more money than I'm interested in spending. Everyone in my family is taken care of. And I enjoy this."
After his diagnosis in 2012, Simon immediately teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) president Ingrid Newkirk, and dedicate[d] his time to the rescue of maltreated animals and conservation.
A big animal rights advocate, Simon had previously announced that he would donate his $100 million fortune to his charity once he passed. He died at home in L.A..surrounded by his family and his beloved dog...
Here is a picture I probably got from The Daily Mail.
Above the creators of "The Simpsons" (Left to right) : Matt Groening, James Brooks, and Sam Simon.
No surprises about Sam Simon not leaving cash for Scratchy, in whose stories Simon was sometimes caricatured
Simon was married twice, once to the actress Jennifer Tilly, and later to Playboy playmate Jami Ferrell. Both marriages ended in divorce... Simon and Tilly remained friends after their split, even appearing in celebrity poker tournaments together...
But it was in philanthropy that Simon found his true calling. In 2002 he created the Sam Simon Foundation, which is on six acres in Malibu, and rescues and retrains stray and abused dogs. In 2011 he expanded his foundation to include the Feeding Families program, which delivers vegan food to 200 needy families a day.
"Everything the Sam Simon Foundation does is supposed to help dogs and people," Simon told the Hollywood Reporter in 2013. "The truth is, I have more money than I'm interested in spending. Everyone in my family is taken care of. And I enjoy this."
After his diagnosis in 2012, Simon immediately teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) president Ingrid Newkirk, and dedicate[d] his time to the rescue of maltreated animals and conservation.
A big animal rights advocate, Simon had previously announced that he would donate his $100 million fortune to his charity once he passed. He died at home in L.A..surrounded by his family and his beloved dog...
Here is a picture I probably got from The Daily Mail.
Above the creators of "The Simpsons" (Left to right) : Matt Groening, James Brooks, and Sam Simon.
No surprises about Sam Simon not leaving cash for Scratchy, in whose stories Simon was sometimes caricatured
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