The Mind Creative - NOVEMBER 2013 NOVEMBER 2013 | Page 27

The Mind Creative Nov 2013

In 1987, Matt Groening created a dysfunctional middle-class
American family called The Simpsons, for the Fox Broadcasting
Company. The members of the family, Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa
and Maggie were named after the family members of Matt’s own
family (except for Bart, which was a replacement for his own
name). The short animation films became a part of The Tracey
Ullman Show and then in 1989, the sketch was converted to a
30 minute prime-time show
Since then, the show has broadcast 533 episodes over 25
seasons. The Simpsons is the longest running American sitcom
and is also the longest-running American animated program. In
2009 it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest-running American
prime-time, scripted television series.
The feature film (called The
Simpsons
Movie)
was
released on 26th July 2007
and grossed over $527
million.
Today,
The
Simpsons is considered to
be one of the best TV series
of all time and has won
27
Primetime
Emmy
awards, 30 Annie awards
and a Peabody Award. In 1999, the Time magazine declared the
series to be the best TV series of the 20th century and in the year
2000 the Simpson family was awarded a spot on Hollywood’s
Walk of Fame. In fact, Homer's exclamatory catchphrase "D'oh!"
has been adopted into the English language!

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