Groening grew up in Portland, Ore., with a father named Homer, a mother named Marge and sisters named Maggie and Lisa. He ran for student body president on the "Teens for Decency" ("If You're Against Decency, What Are You For?") Born in 1954 in Portland, Oregon, The Simpsons creator Matt Groening had, in many ways, an idyllic childhood. The duo left the newspaper company and Matt Groening founded the Acme Features Syndicate that distributed Life in Hell. From 1972 through 1977, Groening studied at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, a liberal arts school that Groening described as a hippie college, with no grades or required classes, that drew every weirdo in the Northwest. Let us look in detail into Groenings family tree. Deborah Caplan (m.1986, d.1999) Agustina Picasso (m.2011) Children: Abe Groening, Homer Groening, Nathaniel Philip Picasso Groening, India Mia Groening, Venus Ruth Groening, Luna Margaret Groening, Sol . [106] Groening received the 2002 National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award, and had been nominated for the same award in 2000. The shorts were spun off into their own series, The Simpsons, which has since aired 742 episodes. [61] The half-hour series premiered on December 17, 1989, with "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", a Christmas special. Groening also collectively donated to the Democratic senatorial campaign committee and to the Senate campaigns of Barbara Boxer (California), Dianne Feinstein (California), Paul Simon (Illinois), Ted Kennedy (Massachusetts), Carl Levin (Michigan), Hillary Clinton (New York), Harvey Gantt (North Carolina), Howard Metzenbaum (Ohio), and Tom Bruggere (Oregon). So the story goes, and it has, as they say, legs. Groening stands at a height of 5 ft 8 in (approx:1.7 m). Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. Simon was also responsible for hiring the writing staff, who shaped the characters into what they are today. Even to this date, it continues to appear in many other alternative newspapers. Matt Groening sa constellation est Verseau et . It was thanks to Brooks' reputation that "The Simpsons" was granted a level of autonomy not normally given to television shows -- especially one as risky as "The Simpsons" seemed at the time. [55] Groening storyboarded and scripted every short (now known as The Simpsons shorts), which were then animated by a team including David Silverman and Wes Archer, both of whom would later become directors on the series. In 1988, James L. Brooks, looking for a filler in the television show, The Tracey Ullman Show (1987), turned towards a framed "Life in Hell" strip on his wall and contacted Groening. All rights reserved. Meanwhile, Groening was up to his old tricks of rocking the boat, writing silly reviews of bands based on their publicity photos and even making up phony acts to cover. Or rather, he is the struggling, penurious pre-"Simpsons" Matt Groening. Groening worked at the Reader for six years, as a typesetter, editor, paste-up artist and rock critic. [49] Marge's distinct beehive hairstyle was inspired by Bride of Frankenstein and the style that Margaret Groening wore during the 1960s, although her hair was never blue. Menu Log In Sign Up [30] Groening distributed the comic book in the book corner of Licorice Pizza, a record store in which he worked. Ten years later, at the age of 46, Groening is responsible for a comic strip syndicated in 250 newspapers, more than 25 books, two prime-time animated series and untold containers full of valuable merchandise. In 2012, a 3-D short film based on The Simpsons was released with the title The Longest Daycare. And it's not going to be dark and drippy like "Blade Runner." Despite his status as an ultimate insider, Groening's writing has always been that of an outsider. Groening made his first professional cartoon sale of Life in Hell to the avant-garde magazine Wet in 1978. "If I could pay my rent, I was deliriously happy. Spouse/Ex-: Agustina Picasso, Deborah Caplan, siblings: Lisa Groening, Maggie Groening, Mark Groening, Patty Groening, children: Abe Groening, Homer Groening, Nathaniel Philip Picasso Groening, Ancestry: Norwegian American, Canadian American, Notable Alumni: The Evergreen State College, Founder/Co-Founder: Bongo Comics Group, Zongo Comics, The Curiosity Company, Quotes By Matt Groening | His father Homer, born in Main Centre, Saskatchewan, Canada, grew up in a Mennonite, Plautdietsch-speaking family. [81] The cast includes Abbi Jacobson, Eric Andre, and Nat Faxon. They have a son, Nathaniel, and twin daughters, Luna and India. At its peak, the cartoon was carried in 250 weekly newspapers. [15] At the end of its run, Life in Hell was carried in 250 weekly newspapers and has been anthologized in a series of books, including School is Hell, Childhood is Hell, The Big Book of Hell, and The Huge Book of Hell. He then married Argentinian artist Augustina Picasso in 2011, after dating for four years. As a third-grader, he entered a short-story contest set up with the premise that a child walks into his attic, bumps his head and then knows what he wants to become when he grows up. He first sold his comic to magazine Wet, in 1978. Matt has a son with his wife, Argentinian artist Agustina Picasso, and two children with his former wife, Deborah Caplan. "[46], Maggie Groening has co-written a few Simpsons books featuring her cartoon namesake. 1. "When I was a kid, my friends and I used to put on puppet shows, make comic books, and I decided that's what I wanted to do, to play in every medium," he said. So it is not surprising that when people learn that the creator of America's favorite dysfunctional family, the Simpsons, named the characters after his closest relatives, they want to know if he is, well, you know, a little hostile. He made his first professional cartoon sale of Life in Hell to the avant-garde magazine Wet in 1978. During this time the show has done for animated cartoons what "thirtysomething" did for yuppies: proved that despite some annoying tendencies, they can be successful in prime time. This show won many Emmy Awards. View Matt Groening results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Deborah Caplan (29 October 1987 - 1999) . He went through what he described as "a series of lousy jobs," including being an extra in the television movie When Every Day Was the Fourth of July,[25] busing tables,[26] washing dishes at a nursing home, clerking at the Hollywood Licorice Pizza record store, landscaping in a sewage treatment plant,[27] and chauffeuring and ghostwriting for a retired Western director. "So much humor is based on 'life is horrible, sex is nasty and you can't trust anyone,' " he said. ", .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}James Cameron Keeps Smashing His Own Records, The Cocaine Bear Drug Smuggler Was a Real Person, Meet The Last of Us Creator Neil Druckmann, The Last of Us Cast Guide: Actors and Characters, Biography: Jon Stewart (Community Heroes), Biography: You Need to Know: Dorothy Arzner. His then-girlfriend and co-worker at the Reader Deborah Caplan offered to publish Love is Hell, a series of relationship-themed Life in Hell strips, in book form. Groening's position is an interesting one for a satirist to find himself in. Futurama (1999-2013) Deborah Caplan: Net Worth: $600 million: Birth Place: Portland, OR: Nationality: American: Education: Evergreen State College: Father: Homer Philip Groening: Mother: "I wanted to write something they couldn't teach in high school because it had too much foul language," he said. So, how much is Matt Groening worth at the age of 67 years old? [17] He served as the editor of the campus newspaper, The Cooper Point Journal, for which he also wrote articles and drew cartoons. [47], The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings. Matt Groening has stated that he was inspired to draw cartoons after watching the animation movie One Hundred and One Dalmatians. From teachers who forced him to rip up his cartoons in front of the class, to the petty tyranny of bosses ("I was told that I would never get a job in the Pacific Northwest in journalism after my disgraceful stewardship of the Cooper Point Journal," Groening told the graduating class in a commencement address at his alma mater, Evergreen State College. [34], Life in Hell became popular almost immediately. The final strip of the comic strip "Life in Hell" was published on June 16, 2012. Le fils de pre Homer Philip Groening et mre Margaret Ruth est comdien de stand-up, crivain & caricaturiste, anno 2023 clbre pour The Simpsons & Futurama. In 1973, he moved to LA and sold his comic strip Life in Hell to the LA weekly. By high school, Groening had learned to channel his subversive leanings in a manner that engaged his classmates. The team included what is now the Klasky Csupo animation house. They had been married for 11.1 years. He was also given the responsibility of handling the papers music column for a short period. The same year his direct-to-video film Futurama: Bender's Big Score earned him the Annie Award for Best Animated Home Entertainment. The world is full of literalists (Elmer Fudds, Mr. Groening would say). Sometime after midnight on the day of his arrival, his car stalled in the fast lane of the Hollywood Freeway in 100 degree heat. In 2016, Groening developed a new series for Netflix, Disenchantment, which premiered in August 2018. He wasn't serious. As to his position on the "Simpsons" voice actors' recent contract negotiations, he told Mother Jones, "I have sympathy. She married Groening in 1987 and they got divorced in 1999, after 13 years of marriage. One of his first employers was an aging B-movie director who needed help both getting around and writing his memoirs. Groening is estimated to be worth US$ 500 million. Groening said: "Nobody thought The Simpsons was going to be a big hit. He found some work along those lines, whipping up slogans for horror movies, but also took on. Work is Hell soon followed, also published by Caplan. He finally added staff cartoonist to his resume when Life in Hell first appeared in the paper in the spring of 1980. After four years the show was cancelled, however, it maintained a strong fan following. "[17] The Simpsons was co-developed by Groening, Brooks, and Sam Simon, a writer-producer with whom Brooks had worked on previous projects. In fact, to prove that he didn't mean anything by naming a fat, incompetent slob like Homer Simpson after his father, he named his first son Homer, too. It is currently running in its 27th season. Groening's writing credits for the show are for the premiere episode, "Space Pilot 3000" (co-written with Cohen), "Rebirth" (story) and "In-A-Gadda-Da-Leela" (story). I like the idea of trying to be successful on some level, at least reaching an audience enough so that you can sustain it and keep on going." In the early days of "The Simpsons," Mr. Groening used to preside over all aspects of production, from scripts to story boards to voice-overs to animation. Deborah Caplan and Matt Groening are divorced after a marriage of 13 years. Television and those who watch it are remorselessly lampooned. However, he began doing a series of odd jobs while at the city. But for a few brief moments in the early '90s, the idea that anything "alternative" could suddenly overtake the mainstream was still surprising. He used to write articles and draw cartoon illustrations for the journal. [104], In an interview with Wired from 1999, he stated that if he was president, his first act would be "campaign finance reform", stating that it is "a real detriment to democracy". Groening went to Ainsworth Elementary School and Lincoln High School. From his office on the Fox lot Mr. Groening cheerfully presides over this merchandising mania. [15] 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 received a reply. Hold out for as much money as you can get, but make the deal. He found some work along those lines, whipping up slogans for horror movies, but also took on a series of jobs that included chauffeur, dishwasher and record store clerk to make a living. Surname is pronounced "gray-ning" (rhymes with "raining"); born February 15, 1954, in Portland, OR; son of Homer (a filmmaker) and Margaret Ruth (ateacher; maiden name, Wiggum) Groening; married Deborah Lee Caplan (Groening's manager and business partner), October 29, 1986; children: Homer, Abraham. Originally, Brooks wanted Groening to adapt his Life in Hell characters for the show. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell (19772012) and the television series The Simpsons (1989present), Futurama (19992003, 20082013, 2023present[2]), and Disenchantment (2018present). In Groening's version, the boy dies from his head injury and returns as a ghost every Halloween, a morbid tale that surprisingly became the winning entry. Matt Groening was the writer and executive producer of this project. [57] Another family member, Grampa Simpson, was introduced in the later shorts. [72] Groening described trying to get the show on the air as "by far the worst experience of [his] grown-up life. In fact, when "Simpsons" writers wax elegaic, they tend to do so about George Meyer, a writer who first became involved with the show late in 1989, a few months before its Fox premiere. When he and former "Simpsons" show runner David X. Cohen (now the show runner on "Futurama") first approached Fox with the new idea, the network went into instant paroxysms of ecstasy. In a situation similar to Family Guy, however, strong DVD sales and very stable ratings on Adult Swim brought Futurama back to life. "I wake up every morning thinking how lucky I am. Groening worked as the editor of the campus newspaper, The Cooper Point Journal, for which Groening also wrote articles and drew cartoons. The weekly comic strip chronicles the miseries of Bongo, the one-eared rabbit, as well as those of Akbar and Jeff, the lovelorn look-alikes. It sneaked up on everybody. Where Does Matt Groening Live? [107] He received a British Comedy Award for "outstanding contribution to comedy" in 2004. She died of heart failure on January 24, 2013. Images of "The Simpsons" have been licensed to sell everything from T-shirts to toys to potato chips to cheese, suggesting that mainstream culture has gotten pretty good at marketing genuine hipness as well. In 2008, Matt Groening won the Annie Award in the Writing in a Feature Production for comedy film The Simpsons movie. In 2002, he won the Reuben Award by the National Cartoonists Society for his work, Life in Hell. Groening was born on February 15, 1954,[3][4] in Portland, Oregon,[5] the middle of five children (older brother Mark and sister Patty were born in 1950 and 1952, while the younger sisters Lisa and Maggie in 1956 and 1958, respectively). Netflix has also renewed the series for twenty additional episodes, which are expected to start in ten-episode batches in 2020 and 2021. [48] When Groening originally designed Homer, he put his own initials into the character's hairline and ear: the hairline resembled an 'M', and the right ear resembled a 'G'. [29][68] Groening has also pitched "Young Homer" and a spin-off about the non-Simpsons citizens of Springfield. In 2011, Groening married Argentine artist Agustina Picasso after a four-year relationship, and became stepfather to her daughter Camila Costantini. In the mid-1980s, he moved to Los Angeles and started drawing a comic strip named "Life in Hell", which eventually became published in the newspaper where he worked. The network resisted giving Groening the autonomy he needed and plied him with notes. Matt Groening's then-girlfriend, Deborah Caplan, published "Love is Hell" in November 1984 which is a book form of series of relationship-themed "Life in Hell" strips and followed by "Work is Hell" which was also published by her. More than just a television hit, "The Simpsons" is also a mass marketing phenomenon: probably not since Mickey Mouse raised his ears has a silhouette appeared on as many paraphernalia as Bart Simpson's crown-roast-shaped head. He described life in Los Angeles to his friends in the form of the self-published comic book Life in Hell, which became loosely inspired by the chapter How to Go to Hell in Walter Kaufmanns book Critique of Religion and Philosophy. After graduating in 1977, Groening headed to Los Angeles with the idea of pursuing a writing career. Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008) [19][72] 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. Carina Chocano writes about TV for Salon. The PJs (1999-2001) Groening was one of four children. Groening won a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 14, 2012. Born Matthew Abram Groening on 15th February, 1954 in Portland, Oregon, he is famous for Creator of The Simpsons, Futurama and Life In Hell. However, the couple divorced in 1999 after thirteen years of marriage. "He was a deviant.". After that, he married actress Augustina Picasso in 2011, after a four-year relationship. (After 13 years of marriage, Caplan filed for divorce in March 1999, the same month as Groening's second show, "Futurama," premiered. Published a month later, the book was an underground success, selling 22,000 copies in its first two printings. Groening started sending the comic back home to friends in Portland in lieu of doleful letters about his miserable life. Life in Hell caught the attention of American producer James L. Brooks. Clerks: The Animated Series (2000-2002) From his friends at the "alternative" newspapers like The Village Voice that run his comic strip, Mr. Groening gets a fair amount of flak, he says, about "selling out." So he resurrected a family he had created in high school as an answer to what he saw as the co-opting of "The Catcher in the Rye.". He was fired from the L.A. I vowed I would never forget what it was like.". As Flaubert might have said, "Binky, c'est tout le monde." The book became a success with over 20000 copies being sold in its initial two printings. Groening claimed that he feared viewers would "see it as nothing but a pathetic attempt to advertise The Critic at the expense of The Simpsons," and was concerned about the possible implication that he had created or produced The Critic. Deborah Caplan and Matt Groening are divorced after a marriage of 13 years. Homer Groening (born 1991) While at college, he befriended famous cartoonist Lynda Barry, whom he also regards as a great inspiration. (2005). The Simpsons premiered in 1989 with him as creator, writer, voice actor and executive producer. And the idea of creating a show on his own appealed to him. The Simpsons is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. [39], Life in Hell caught the attention of Hollywood writer-director-producer and Gracie Films founder James L. Brooks, who had been shown the strip by fellow producer Polly Platt. "I don't consider anything beneath me. [102], Groening has made a number of campaign contributions, all towards Democratic Party candidates and organizations. Groening's career got a boost in the early 1980s when the L.A. It was Mr. Groening's girlfriend, Deborah Caplan (now his wife), who in 1984 gave the comic strip its first lift by forming a small company to publish a collection of his cartoons, "Love Is Hell." Brooks' and Simon's hand in shaping the show was significant. "Of course, those are all true. [17] In an effort to add more music to the column, he "just made stuff up,"[25] concocting and reviewing fictional bands and nonexistent records. His sister Maggie is not mute. "The Simpsons" has earned Fox's parent company, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., well over a billion dollars, and its role in the network's growth has been incalculable. The /s signifies sarcasm. Matt Groening (1954-) biography on Film Reference. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. (29 October 1987 - 1999) ( divorced) ( 2 children) According to Groening, the goal with Bongo is to "[try] to bring humor into the fairly grim comic book market. 4) Disagreeably damp and jittery? Twenty-four years ago, Groening was just another unrecognized genius driving to Los Angeles in a crummy car with a coat hanger for a radio antenna. "Hey, they were right! Bob Cesca Show, Bio, Wiki, Age, Married, Salon, Salary, And Net Worth, Mark Blyth Political Scientist, Bio, Wiki, Age, Height, Wife, Books, Podcast, and Net Worth, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, List of States in the US, Alphabetical list of States in the U.S., and Abbreviation of States in United States. Has two sons with Deborah Caplan: Homer Groening (born 1991) and Abe Groening (born 1993). Groening feared that he would have to give up his ownership rights, and that the show would fail and take down his comic strip with it. The show went on to become the longest running US primetime TV series and earn multiple awards. They had 2 children. During this time he was the editor of college paper The Cooper Point Journal. The Simpsons (1989-present) He is not. A few years earlier they had set up their own syndicate, ACME Features, to distribute the strip. The company published comics related to The Simpsons and Futurama. 2. The pilot episode of "Futurama" was scheduled to air in the coveted slot between "The Simpsons" and "The X-Files" on Sunday night, and was watched by 19 million viewers. Matt Groening. Matt Groening received the British Comedy Award for his Outstanding contribution to comedy. [86] He guest-edited Da Capo Press's Best Music Writing 2003[87] and curated a US All Tomorrow's Parties music festival in 2003. If you answered no, you are also probably a fan of Matt Groening. His first cousin, Laurie Monnes Anderson, was a member of the Oregon State Senate, representing eastern Multnomah County. Patricia was an art dealer. Though Groening has continued to churn out his comic strip every week, it's been about a decade since he wrote an episode of "The Simpsons." His mission, Groening has said, was to create a sofa-centric sitcom about a typical American family and turn it upside down in retaliation for all the bad TV he watched as a kid. They have two sons, Homer and Abe, now 13 and 10.). Following this success, came his next work, Work is Hell, also published by Deborah Caplan. Groening has received 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, 11 for The Simpsons and 2 for Futurama, and a British Comedy Award due to outstanding contribution to comedy in 2004. Ark3n 7 yr. ago. In 1987, Groening married fellow Weekly staffer Deborah Caplan. [11], Groening grew up in Portland,[12] and attended Ainsworth Elementary School[13] and Lincoln High School. A self-published anthology of. It was at the Reader that Groening also met Deborah Caplan, a sales represen- tative with a background in publishing and a head for business - all qualities notoriously absent in Groening's psychological framework. Groening's success owes as much to his own work as it does to the work of a slew of others, including co-creators James Brooks and Sam Simon, and "The Simpsons'" writing staff. [46] He requested his name be taken off the episode.[70]. This is likely influenced by the name of Groening's own parents. Good Grief, Charlie Brown: A Tribute to Charles Schulz (since 2000) The Simpsons is the longest-running U.S. primetime-television series in history and the longest-running U.S. animated series and sitcom. Deborah Kaplan Entertainment - Director Why Famous: is an American screenwriter and film director Age: N/A Deborah Kaplan's Relationships (2) Matt Groening Arts - Other Why Famous: The Simpsons and Futurama Matt Groening and Deborah Caplan married in 1986 and have two children: Homer (who goes by the name of Will) and Abe. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 14, 2012. [30] The strip, titled "Forbidden Words," appeared in the September/October issue of that year. And judging from the success of "The Simpsons," what Americans hold most dear is disrespect itself. But mainly, he is Matt Groening. [56], The Simpsons shorts first appeared in The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. (2002). Leslie Jordan. In the mid-1980s, he moved to Los Angeles and started drawing a comic strip named Life in Hell, whi . Illustrated commentary for ", Groening, Matt. In interview after interview, he has recalled his youthful vow never to forget what childhood was like -- a gauntlet of petty rules and restrictions that exist only to be broken. He currently serves at The Simpsons as an executive producer and creative consultant. [105], Groening has been nominated for 41 Emmy Awards and has won thirteen, eleven for The Simpsons and two for Futurama in the "Outstanding Animated Program (for programming one hour or less)" category. [16] A liberal arts school that he described as "a hippie college, with no grades or required classes, that drew every weirdo in the Northwest". Executive producer and show runner Mike Scully once told the New Yorker, "People are always asking why 'The Simpsons' is still so good after all these years, and, at the risk of pissing off all the other writers, I think I'd have to say that the main reason is probably George." Nowadays, you can't throw a rock at a TV set without hitting an irreverent animated social satire. Over the years, "The Simpsons" and its irreverently unsentimental outlook have provoked a mountain of commentary about the decline of American culture. He married Agustina Picasso 2011 . A thousand years in the future -- a wry, bleak version of a future where suicide booths and celebrity heads preserved in jars are part of the landscape -- work is still hell. Comedian, screenwriter, and television producer Groening is the multitalented creator of The Simpsons, the longest-running entertainment series in 2009 on primetime television. I said, 'It's not going to be like "Blade Runner."' What may never happen again is another show that comes along and had the overall importance to a particular company like 'The Simpsons' has had for News Corp.", Groening was outspoken about his criticisms of Fox's business practices and its inexplicably shabby treatment of him and his new show. [82], In 1994, Groening formed Bongo Comics (named after the character Bongo from Life in Hell[83]) with Steve Vance, Cindy Vance and Bill Morrison, which publishes comic books based on The Simpsons and Futurama (including Futurama Simpsons Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis, a crossover between the two), as well as a few original titles. "What's happened is that mainstream culture has gotten so good at marketing pseudo-hipness that it overwhelms other choices that are out there.". Groening knew this would have meant losing ownership rights to his characters, so he decided to start from scratch. Quote Of The Day | Top 100 Quotes, See the events in life of Matt Groening in Chronological Order, (Cartoonist, Writer and Producer Known for His TV Series The Simpsons, Futurama and Disenchantment), https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/matt-groening-netflix-in-talks-report/, http://www.technobuffalo.com/2016/01/17/simpsons-creator-matt-groening-in-talks-with-netflix-for-new-animated-series/, http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/matt-groening-netflix-comedy-talks/, http://www.shannonmcclean.com/new-pagemosaics/. It was Mr. Groening's girlfriend, Deborah Caplan (now his wife), who in 1984 gave the comic strip its first lift by forming a small company to publish a collection of his cartoons, "Love Is Hell . He is a man of above-average stature. 2) Disappointed? But the conformity of a suburban existence soon proved dull, even to a young Groening. He made his first professional cartoon sale to the avant-garde Wet magazine in 1978. "I judge my life by how miserable it used to be," Groening told an interviewer last year, speaking of his early days as a lowly alternative cartoonist.