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- This article is about the crew member. For the character, see Matt Groening (character).
Matt Groening
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Crew Information
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Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening (born February 15, 1954) is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, producer, animator, author, musician, comedian, and voice actor. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell and television series' The Simpsons and Futurama. Groening made his first professional cartoon sale of Life in Hell to the avant-garde Wet magazine in 1978. The cartoon is still carried in 250 weekly newspapers. He was also interviewed in The Simpsons: Celebrity Friends, The Simpsons: Mischief & Mayhem, The Simpsons: Access All Areas, The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!, The Simpsons: America's First Family, and The Simpsons: A Culture Show. He will also appear in The Simpsons Take the Bowl.[1]
History
Life in Hell caught the attention of James L. Brooks. In 1985, Brooks contacted Groening with the proposition of working in animation for the FOX variety show The Tracey Ullman Show. Originally, Brooks wanted Groening to adapt his Life in Hell characters for the show. Fearing the loss of ownership rights, Groening decided to create something new and came up with a cartoon family, the Simpsons, and named the members after his own parents and sisters — while Bart was an anagram of the word brat. The shorts would be spun off into their own series: The Simpsons, which has since aired over 450 episodes in 21 seasons. In 1997, Groening got together with David X. Cohen and developed Futurama, an animated series about life in the year 3000, which premiered in 1999. After four years on the air, the show was canceled by Fox in 2003, but Comedy Central commissioned 16 new episodes from four direct-to-DVD movies. In June 2009, Comedy Central ordered 26 new episodes of Futurama, to be aired over two seasons. His advice to beginning cartoonists is to not care about what over peaple think and just try to make yourself laugh. He said that if he did not think up the Simpsons, he would probably be in a tire shop, drawing doodles of his boss on the break room wall.
Groening has won 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, ten for The Simpsons and one for Futurama as well as a British Comedy Award for "outstanding contribution to comedy" in 2004. In 2002, he won the National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award for his work on Life in Hell. In some Simpsons Comics, he gives himself a fake title, such as "Big Daddy" (Taming Your Wild Child), "Cartoonist Gone Wild" (Bart's Beard), and "Former Heartthrob" (Faking the Band).
Groening has voiced himself on a few occasions, "My Big Fat Geek Wedding", The Simpsons Game and "Homer the Whopper". He also voiced a soccer announcer in "Holidays of Future Passed".[2]
Biography
Early life
Groening was born on February 15, 1954 in Portland, Oregon. He grew up in Portland, and attended Ainsworth Elementary School, and Lincoln High School. He was the middle child of five children. His Norwegian mother, Margaret Wiggum, was once a teacher, and his German father, Homer Philip Groening, was a filmmaker, advertiser, writer and cartoonist. Homer, born in Main Centre, Saskatchewan, Canada, grew up in a Mennonite, Plautdietsch-speaking family. Matt's grandfather Abram Groening was a professor at Tabor College, a Mennonite Brethren liberal arts college in Hillsboro, Kansas before moving to Albany College (now known as Lewis and Clark College) in Oregon in 1930.
From 1972 to 1977, Groening attended The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, a liberal school which he described as "a hippie college, with no grades or required classes, that drew every weirdo in the Northwest." He served as the editor of the campus newspaper, The Cooper Point Journal, for which he also wrote articles and drew cartoons. He befriended fellow cartoonist Lynda Barry after discovering that she had written a fan letter to Joseph Heller, one of Groening's favorite authors, and had gotten a reply back. Groening has credited Barry with being "probably [his] biggest inspiration." He has also cited the Disney animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians as what got him interested in cartoons.
Futurama
After spending a few years researching science fiction, Groening got together with Simpsons writer/producer David X. Cohen (still known as David S. Cohen at the time) in 1997 and developed Futurama, an animated series about life in the year 3000. By the time they pitched the series to Fox in April 1998, Groening and Cohen had composed many characters and storylines; Groening claimed they had gone "overboard" in their discussions. Groening described trying to get the show on the air as "by far the worst experience of [his] grown-up life." The show premiered on March 28, 1999. Groening's sole writing credit for the show was the premiere episode, "Space Pilot 3000", co-written with Cohen.
After four years on the air, the show was cancelled by Fox. In a similar situation as Family Guy, however, strong DVD sales and very stable ratings on Cartoon Network brought Futurama back to life. When Comedy Central began negotiating for the rights to air Futurama reruns, Fox suggested that there was a possibility of also creating new episodes. When Comedy Central committed to sixteen new episodes, it was decided that four straight-to-DVD films—Bender's Big Score (2007), The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008), Bender's Game (2008) and Into the Wild Green Yonder (2009)—would be produced. Since no new Futurama projects were in production, the movie Into the Wild Green Yonder was designed to stand as the Futurama series finale. However, Groening had expressed a desire to continue the Futurama franchise in some form, including as a theatrical film. In an interview with CNN, Groening said that "we have a great relationship with Comedy Central and we would love to do more episodes for them, but I don't know...We're having discussions and there is some enthusiasm but I can't tell if it's just me."
Awards
Groening has been nominated for 25 Emmy awards and has won eleven: ten for The Simpsons and one for Futurama in the "Outstanding Animated Program (for programming one hour or less)" category.
Groening received the 2002 National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award, and had been nominated for the same award in 2000. He received a British Comedy Award for "outstanding contribution to comedy" in 2004.
Credits
Created by / Developer / Character designer / Creative consultant
Created by
Written by
Comics
- Note: Each Simpsons Comics story features a credit for Matt Groening, in the vain of "created by", usually a humorous pun on the comic story.
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* Comic story – Taming Your Wild Child (Big Daddy)
- Comic story – An Anime Among Us! (Feudal Lord)
- Comic story – Scheme Supreme (Thin Mint Addict)
- Comic story – Bart Fink and the Mighty Mississip (Steamboat Captain)
- Comic story – From Lichtenslava With Love (Justice of the Peace)
- Comic story – Tango Tangle (Dance Instructor)
- Comic story – Bartzilla (King of Kaiju
- Comic story – Balloon Payment (Hot Air)
- Comic story – Bart's Beard (Cartoonist Gone Wild)
- Comic story – Snow Brawl (Slush-Ball King
- Comic story – Of Mice and Menace! (Preschool Prankster)
- Comic story – The Madness of Milhouse (Local Sponsor)
- Comic story – Bart's Nasty Shirt (Fashion Policeman
- Comic story – Cooking with Kang and Kodos (Taste Tester
- Comic story – Prize Possession (Knick-Knack Maker
- Comic story – Cyrano de Bart (Peotic Muse
- Comic story – Hill of Beans (Bean Counter)
- Comic story – O Bart, Where Art Thou? (Marked for Life)
- Comic story – A Chair of One's Own (Bookworm)
- Comic story – The Dickens You Say (Speed Reader)
- Comic story – Li'l Kang and Kodos: Baby's First Abduction! (Tank Cleaner)
- Comic story – Sashimi Bart! (Catch of the Day)
- Comic story – Almost Excellent Adventure (Hillbilly At Heart)
- Comic story – All's Veldt That Ends Veldt! (Head Zookeeper)
- Comic story – The Case of the Missing Moon Waffles (Mr. Butterworth)
- Comic story – See You Later, Alligator! (Sewer Inspector)
- Comic story – The Invisible Nerd! (Missing Person)
- Comic story – 24 Hours in the Life of Ralph Wiggum (Encouraged)
- Comic story – The Supercat of Springfield! (Something Funny)
- Comic story – Bart Simpson's Day Off
- Comic story – The Case of The Hanging Shoes (Super Sleuth)
- Comic story – Wild, Wild Bart (as Matt "Bat Masterson" Groening), (Big Boss)
- Comic story – Talent Hunt (Talent Scout)
- Comic story – Big Fat Trouble in Little Springfield (Liposuctionist)
- Comic story – Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind (Space Cowboy)
- Comic story – Bart's Day at the Zoo (Chaperone)
- Comic story – Maximum Bart! (One in a Million)
- Comic story – Futility Belt (Comedic Crusader)
- Comic story – Battle of the Boy-Bands! (New Kid on the Block)
- Comic story – Sky-High Bart! (Top Nut)
- Comic story – ...Who Wants to Win a Pocketful of Quarters? (Tolerated by Matt "The Big Bucks Stop Here" Groening)
- Comic story – Professor Frink's Partly Probable Parables: Quantum Cola (Best Burps)
- Comic story – Bully for You! (Master of Yubawazit)
- Comic story – Laughter is the Worst Medicine (Matt Groening Presents a Madcap Comedy of Manic Malpractice!)
- Comic story – It's in the Cards (Player to be Named Later)
- Comic story – The Gnarly Adventures of Busman (Fellow Traveller)
- Comic story – When Bongos Collide! (Nuclear Regulator)
- Comic story – Be-bop-a-Lisa (Head Roadie)
- Comic story – Chief Wiggum's Pre-Code Crime Comics: The End of El Barto (Bailiff)
- Comic story – The Greatest D'oh! on Earth (Ringmaster)
- Comic story – I Shrink, Therefore I'm Small (Lab Assistant)
- Comic story – Edna, Queen of the Congo: Jungle Bungle (Bushwhacker)
- Comic story – The Purple Prose of Springfield (Stetistician)
- Comic story – Homer Simpson's Pathetic Pal Barney Gumble: Asleep at the Well (Braumeister)
- Comic story – Fan-Tasty Island (Tour Guide)
- Comic story – Apu Nahasapeemapetilon's Kwik-E-Comics: Apu's Incredible 96 Hour Shift (Without Having a Break) (Night Manager)
- Comic story – Fallen Flanders (Doppelganger)
- Comic story – Homer on the Range: The Kwik-E and the Dead! (Man With No Name)
- Comic story – Survival of the Fattest (Climate Controller)
- Comic story – White-Knuckled War Stories: Spare the Rod, Spoil the Grunt! (Military Advisor)
- Comic story – Give Me Merchandising or Give Me Death! (Boy Genius)
- Comic story – Jimbo Jones' Wedgie Comics: Rebel Without a Clutch (Hooligan)
- Comic story – A Trip to Simpsons Mountain (Hall Decker)
- Comic story – Waitresses in the Sky (Autopilot)
- Comic story – To Heir I$ Homer (Mr. Salty)
- Comic story – Bongo Cantankerous Coot Classics: Nostalgia Ain't What it Used to Be (Packrat)
- Comic story – The Artist Formerly Known as Bart (Mr. Tambourine Man)
- Comic story – Don't Cry for Me, Jebediah! (Mister Miracle)
- Comic story – Get Fatty (Mr. Olympia)
- Comic story – Bart's Pal, Milhouse: The Quest for Yaz (The Green Monster)
- Comic story – What's the Frequency, Simpson? (Mr. Television)
- Comic story – Headlight Comics: The Dame and the Clown (Soda Jerk)
- Comic story – Stand and Deliverance (Mountain Man)
- Comic story – Little Big Mart (Paper or Plastic)
- Comic story – Bart de Triomphe (Maitre D')
- Comic story – Reverend Lovejoy's Hellfire Comics: Citizen Shame! (Pew Warmer)
- Comic story – Send in the Clowns (Photo Opportunist)
- Comic story – Li'l Homey: Homey Alone (Inner Child)
- Comic story – Marge Attacks! (Publisher Who Loves Too Much)
- Comic story – Itchy & Scratchy: Game Called Because of Pain (Beach Ball Confiscator)
- Comic story – Diner Violations (Steady Customer)
- Comic story – They Fixed Homer's Brain! (2 18 1 9 14 9 1 3)
- Comic story – Tales of the Briny Deep Featuring Captain McCallister in: Down the Hatches, Boys! (Landlubber)
- Comic story – Krustonia (Account Executive)
- Comic story – Flanders' Big Score (Usual Suspect)
- Comic story – Maggie Simpson: Bringing Down Baby (Barred From Picnic After Last Year's "Incident")
- Comic story – Smitherses! (The Clone Ranger)
- Comic story – Bart and Milhouse: Bore Us-The Movie-Gruel (Mule Dialect Coach)
- Comic story – To Live and Diaper in Springfield (Mother's Little Helper)
- Comic story – The Simpsons Supporters Suggestion Spin Cycle (Survey Says)
- Comic story – Burnsie on Board (Snow Miser)
- Comic story – The Great Springfield Frink-Out (The Watcher)
- Comic story – Rhymes and Misdemeanors (Light, No Sugar)
- Comic story – Radioactive Homer (The Amazing Don'thaveacow-Man)
- Comic story – The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth (Reformed Nerd)
- Comic story – The Heroic Life and Mortifying Death of Radioactive Man: Chapter I (Pulse Poundin' Publisher)
- Comic story – The Absent-Minded Protester (America's Most Wanted)
- Comic story – The Heroic Life and Mortifying Death of Radioactive Man: Chapter II (Benevolent Bossman)
- Comic story – The Heroic Life and Mortifying Death of Radioactive Man: Chapter III (Hip Head Honcho)
- Comic story – Dullards to Donuts (Lard Lord)
- Comic story – Sense and Censorability (Star Witness)
- Comic story – The Incredible Edible Exploits of Lard Lad: In Search of the Lost Donut Holes (Lard Lad's Best Customer)
- Comic story – Sideshow Simpsons (Cue Card Boy)
- Comic story – The Heroic Life and Mortifying Death of Radioactive Man: Chapter IV (Former Ultimate Eczema)
- Comic story – The Prime of Miss Lisa Simpson (Teacher's Pet)
- Comic story – Hamburger's Little Helper (Our Proud Sponsor)
- Comic story – Mr. Sparkle: Destroy All Manga! (Sushi Catered)
- Comic story – The Homer Show (Mr. Television)
- Comic story – Classics Illustrative: Slobberwacky (Jabberwocky)
- Comic story – Journey to the Cellar of the Kwik-E-Mart (Suburban Legend)
- Comic story – Poochie! (Endured by)
- Comic story – Bart Simpson and the Krusty Brand Fun Factory (The Candy Man)
- Comic story – The Day the Nagging Stopped (Nitpicker)
- Comic story – Angels With Yellow Faces (Judge, Jury and Executioner)
- Comic story – Picture Perfect (Art Critic)
- Comic story – The Rise and Fall of Bartholomew J. Simpson (Disorderly Orderly)
- Comic story – Where Has All The Flour Gone? (Weevil Inspector)
- Comic story – Tic-Tac-D'oh! (Fabulous Prizes Provided by)
- Comic story – The Official Cockamamie's Mail Order Cult-alog of Cool Pop-Cultural Collectibles (Night Watchman)
- Comic story – Maggie Come Home (Switched at Birth)
- Comic story – Lisa Simpson, Storeroom Raider (Resident Evil)
- Comic story – Wall or Nothing (City Water Comissioner)
- Comic story – Bartman - The 1001 Costumes of Bartman (Inspector #5)
- Comic story – Itchy & Scratchy in Love Gory (Lifting Us Up Where We Belong)
- Comic story – Krusty's 11 (Chairman of the Board)
- Comic story – Radioactive Man in Planet of the Strange-O's (Bizarro No. 1)
- Comic story – Lisa Simpson in Li'l Goodfellas (Chief Fungineer)
- Comic story – ...Inside Bongo Comics! (Town Marshal)
- Comic story – Bart and Lisa and Marge and Homer and Maggie (to a lesser extent) vs. Thanksgiving (Addicted to L-Tryptophan)
- Comic story – What Would Possibly Happen If...Cletus Went to College? (Ombudsman)
- Comic story – Worst Christmas Ever! (Milk and Cookies Provided by)
- Comic story – A Springfield Christmas Carol (Happy Little Elf)
- Comic story – The Beer Boys (Designated Driver)
- Comic story – Tanks for Nothing (Peacenik)
- Comic story – Homer vs. the Wallpaper (Interior Design)
- Comic story – Siege on Evergreen Terrace (Towel Boy)
- Comic story – Duff Daddy (Brought to you by Our Proud Sponsor)
- Comic story – The Yes-Man Who Would Be King (Monarch of Mirth)
- Comic story – Ned Flanders: Blind Luck (Chaperone)
- Comic story – How the Vest Was Won! (Hangin' Judge)
- Comic story – A Swingin' Affair (The Bees Knees)
- Comic story – Lisa's Historical Dream (History Channeler)
- Comic story – Faking the Band (Former Heartthrob)
- Comic story – Kent's State (Toastmaster)
- Comic story – The Man With Two Wives (Our Man Friday)
- Comic story – Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl: My Sister, My Sidekick (Freak Accident Investigator)
- Comic story – The Paper Chase (Beat Reporter)
- Comic story – Asphalt Bungle (Pavement Pounder)
- Comic story – Bart Simpson's Bible Stories (Heavenly Host)
- Comic story – Give a Hoot, Stay in School! (Bad Apple)
- Comic story – The Bogey Man (Dancing Gopher)
- Comic story – Judge Marge (Court Reporter)
- Comic story – Malibu Stacy: Stacy's Busy Day (Living Doll)
- Comic story – Viva Bart (Benevolent Dictator)
- Comic story – Beauty School Hellcats (Driving Instructor)
- Comic story – Cruisin' for a Bruisin' (O Captain, My Captain)
- Comic story – …So You Want To Work for Globex, Huh? (Model Employee)
- Comic story – Growing Pains! (Mr. Green Jeans)
- Comic story – The Abominable Dr. Colossus (Colosso-Boots Supplied by)
- Comic story – Merchants of Vengeance! (Hero at Large)
- Comic story – Crime Family Practice (Doc Hollywood)
- Comic story – In Burn$ We Tru$t (Archbishop of Bongo)
- Comic story – How Marge Got Her Curtains Back (Interior Decorator)
- Comic story – …The Permanent Record Room! (Archivist)
- Comic story – Bummer Vacation (Bikini Inspector)
- Comic story – Down Home Doctorin' Time, with Dr. Hibbert (Medical Cadaver)
- Comic story – Day of the Nerd (Dungeon Master)
- Comic story – The Secret Origin of Sideshow Mel! (Second to None)
- Comic story – Homer's Run (Fully Vested)
- Comic story – Marge Simpson in: A Recipe For Disaster (Happy Homemaker)
- Comic story – Bard Boiled (Shrew Tamer)
- Comic story – The Many Faces of Bob (Trustee)
- Comic story – Homer vs. the Racoon (Pest Controller)
- Comic story – The Buck Stops Everywhere (The Great Anticipator)
- Comic story – Homer for the Holidays (Nutcracker)
- Comic story – All Fired Up (Beloved Employer)
- Comic story – Lisa Simpson's Book Club (Refreshments)
- Comic story – Ned the Simpson (Neighborhood Watch)
- Comic story – Lisa Goes To Camp (Camp Councelor)
- Comic story – The Homer Effect (Ant Farmer)
- Comic story – How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Lisa Simpson / To HELL And Back by Bart Simpson (Your Cruise Director)
- Comic story – Brain Drain (Public Relations)
- Comic story – The Principal of the Thing (Superintendent of Cool)
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Publisher (Bongo Comics Group)
Thanks
Interviewee
Additional vocals
Percussion
Additional sampling
See also
External links
References