Matt Groening

Matt Groening Headshot

Writer • Producer • Animator • Cartoonist

Birth Date: February 15, 1954

Age: 70 years old

Birth Place: Portland, Oregon

As the creator of the long-running animated TV series "The Simpsons" (Fox, 1989- ), as well as the equally venerable weekly comic strip "Life in Hell," cartoonist Matt Groening watched his creations spawn numerous print and merchandise incarnations that helped make him a influential figure in world pop culture.

Born on Feb. 15, 1954, Groening moved from his hometown of Portland, OR to Los Angeles in 1977 with the intent of becoming a writer. It was in LA that he began "Life in Hell" as a hand-copied strip that was distributed via the record store at which he worked. The strip gained notoriety among comic and underground press aficionados, and received its largest exposure in the weekly independent newspaper The Los Angeles Reader. The Reader also granted Groening a music column, which he devoted to personal issues and fabricated write-ups of fictitious bands and albums. In 1984, Groening and his wife Deborah Caplan published his first "Life in Hell" book, called Love in Hell, and eventually set up a distribution company, Life in Hell Co., which handled the syndication and merchandise for all of Groening's projects.

The following year, he was contacted by writer/producer/director James L. Brooks to create animation for an upcoming project. Brooks' original idea was to use the angst-ridden "Life in Hell" characters, but Groening created a whole new set in order to avoid jeopardizing his comic strip. The new characters - a nuclear family based on his own parents and siblings, which utilized several of their real names - were dubbed the Simpsons."

The Simpsons" debuted on "The Tracey Ullman Show" (Fox, 1987-90) in 15-minute skits, and immediately took off with audiences. A half-hour spin off show followed in 1989, before a "Simpsons" series was launched that same year. Groening himself confessed that he was surprised by the show's massive popularity, which continued throughout the 1990s and into the next century. In the mid-'90s, Groening attempted to create several spin-off projects, including several live-action features and series based on "Simpsons"-related characters, but none came to fruition.

Meanwhile, Groening expanded further into publishing by creating Bongo Comics Group in 1993; the company published the many "Simpsons" comic books, while a second company, Zongo Comics, released more mature titles by artists such as Mary Fleener and Gary Panter.

In 1999, Groening and "Simpsons" writer David X. Cohen created "Futurama" (Fox, 1999-2003), an animated science-fiction/comedy series which earned a small but loyal audience during its four years on the network. Following its cancellation, the series did remarkably well in syndication on The Cartoon Network and on DVD, helping to spawn a series of direct-to-DVD movies that continued the series' storylines. In 2006, Groening announced he would serve as a writer and producer on the long-awaited theatrical "Simpsons" movie. He also found time to perform as a member of the Rock and Roll Remainders, a rock band that featured several popular writers (including Stephen King, Amy Tan, and Scott Turow) among its rotating members.

Credits

Maggie Simpson in 'Rogue Not Quite One'Stream

Producer
Movie
2023

Maggie Simpson in The Force Awakens From Its Nap

Producer
Movie
2021

The Good, The Bart, and The LokiStream

Producer
Special
2021

DisenchantmentStream

Executive Producer
Series
2018
65%

Maratona Especial Os Simpsons

Creator
Show
2017

Theory of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents

Actor
Movie
2015

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

Sex and Broadcasting

Self
Movie
2014

Beauty Is Embarrassing

Actor
Movie
2012

Maggie Simpson in the Longest Daycare

Screenwriter
Movie
2012

PortlandiaStream

Guest Star
Series
2011
94%

Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder

Executive Producer
Movie
2009

Futurama: Bender's Game

Executive Producer
Movie
2008

The Simpsons Movie

Producer
Movie
2007

The Simpsons Movie

Writer
Movie
2007

The Simpsons MovieStream

Producer
Movie
2007
87%

The Simpsons MovieStream

Writer
Movie
2007
87%

Les Simpson, le film

Producer
Movie
2007

Les Simpson, le film

Writer
Movie
2007

Die Simpsons - der Film

Producer
Movie
2007

Die Simpsons - der Film

Writer
Movie
2007

Hair High

Voice
Will
Movie
2004

Olive, the Other Reindeer

Executive Producer
Special
1999

Olive, the Other Reindeer

Voice
Special
1999

FuturamaStream

Creator
Series
1999

FuturamaStream

Executive Producer
Series
1999

FuturamaStream

Guest Voice
Himself
Series
1999

FuturamaStream

Writer
Series
1999

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

Guest
Talk
1999

Classic Albums

Self
Series
1997

Space Ghost Coast to CoastStream

Guest
Series
1994

The SimpsonsStream

Creator
Series
1989
85%

The SimpsonsStream

Executive Producer
Series
1989
85%

The SimpsonsStream

Guest Voice
Matt Groening
Series
1989
85%

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