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Matt Groening- Creator of The Simpsons, Futurama, and Life in Hell
Early Life
Matthew Abram Groening was born in Portland, Oregon on February 15, 1954 to Margaret Wiggum and Homer Phillip Groening. Groening was the middle of five children and grew up in Portland, the city of his birth and attended Lincoln High School. His father was a filmmaker, writer and cartoonist, and his mother was a teacher.Groening attended The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington from 1972 to 1977, where he served as editor, writer and cartoonist of the schools campus newspaper The Cooper Point Journal Groening has referred to the school as "a hippie college, with no grades or required classes, that drew every weirdo in the Northwest."
Early Career
The Life in Hell Series
While working at a record store in Los Angeles, Groening distributed a copy of a self published comic book, Life in Hell, which was his take on life in Los Angeles. The book was loosely inspired by the chapter "How to Go to Hell" from the Walter Kaufman Book Critique of Religion and Philosophy. Distribution of this book led to his first professional cartoon sale to "Wet" Magazine in 1978. The strip entitled "Forbidden Words" ran in the September/October 1978 issue.
Shortly after, Groening gained a position at the newly formed Los Angeles reader answering phones, typesetting, writing and delivering papers. He showed his cartoons to the editor and was soon given a spot in the newspaper for his "Life in Hell" cartoon strip. The comic strips official debut was April 25, 1980.
The "Life in Hell" series caught on quickly and in November of 1984 Deborah Caplan, Groening's co-worker and girlfriend at that time, offered to publish a series of relationship based Life in Hell strips titled "Love is Hell". The book sold 22,000 copies in the first two printings and led to the production of the book "Work is Hell" and shortly thereafter the creation of the "Life in Hell" Company which handled merchandising for the series. Groening also started Acme Features Syndicate which syndicated Life in Hell, Lynda Barry and John Callahan.
The Life in Hell series has since been syndicated in over 250 newspapers and anthologized in a several other books including School is Hell, Childhood is Hell, The Big Book of Hell and The Huge book of Hell.
Vote for your favorite Matt Groening Life is Hell Book
The Big Book of Hell by Matt Groening
Painstakingly assembled and rigorously organized by that master of clutter, Matt Groening, this is not another mini-jumbo, hard-to-read, abbreviated compendium in that seemingly endless series of discourses on hell but a gargantuan historical extravaganza of ten years' worth of the everpopular "Life in Hell "RM" " cartoon strip, which still mysteriously appears weekly in several hundred newspapers tricoastally. Read the whole story of "Life in Hell "RM" ,"...0 points
Love Is Hell by Matt Groening
It's the 10th Anniversary Edition of Love Is Hell! A book that's been in the making for a solid decade! This medium-sized guide is now available to the public with extra bonus fun-pages never-before-included in previous volumes of the same name! Slightly less scrawny than the original Love Is Hell, this behemoth-style handbook is jam-packed with all the info YOU need to keep your love-fight burnin'! Frankly written and profusely illustrated by famed cartoonist and merchandising monarch Matt Groe...0 points
How to Go to Hell: A Cartoon Book by Matt Groening by Matt Groening
Life in Hell was the syndicated newspaper cartoon strip by Matt Groening which ran in the States during the 80s and early 90s. Asked to turn the characters into TV animation, Groening instead developed The Simpsons, retaining many of the characteristics of Binky, Bongo, Sheba, Jeff and Akbar in the series. In a world where The Simpsons and Futurama are as popular as ever, these hellish cartoons featuring Matt Groening's zany brand of comic genius are simply gold dust.0 points
The Huge Book of Hell by Matt Groening
and The Simpsons comes an oversized compendium of cartoons that explore the zany details of life in hell as Binky remains the last liberal rabbit on Earth, Bongo refuses to salute the flag, and Akbar and Jeff continue their anxious romance.0 points
Will and Abe's Guide to the Universe by Matt Groening
Why do skeletons dance?Is there a Queen Kong? Are zombies ever happy? These are just a few of the many perplexing questions asked, and sometimes answered, in . . . Will and Abe's Guide to the UniverseThis is the very latest in the ever-expanding series of mini-jumbo cartoon compendia by that rabbit-drawing rabble-rouser Matt Groening, author of Love Is Hell, Childhood Is Hell, and many, many more hell-bound books.0 points
The Road to Hell by Matt Groening
Ride the highway to hell with Matt Groening in this collection of comic strip originals from the genius behind the Simpsons. Are you driving yourself crazy?Then relax and leave the driving to Matt Groening as you cruise through some of the finest cartoon strips from the Life in Hell series. Life in Hell was the syndicated newspaper cartoon strip by Matt Groening which ran in the States during the 80s and early 90s. Asked to turn the characters into TV animation, Groening instead developed The Si...0 points
Childhood Is Hell by Matt Groening
Another Inevitable Mini-Jumbo Compendium of Hellish Cartoons by Child-At-Heart Matt Groening, author of Love Is Hell, Work Is Hell, School Is Hell, etc., etc., etc.
This pint-size yet chunky cartoon book contains dozens of zany, daffy, downright insolent comic strips-specially designed to be read under the covers late at night with a secret flashlight and a bowl of ice cream for nourishment. Don't let Mom catch you.
Childhood Is Hell is jam-packed with 48 of the wittiest and weirdest cartoons from...0 points
Work Is Hell by Matt Groening
The popular underground comic creator of Life in Hell and author of the recent Love is Hell now takes on the one subject everyone needs to laugh about; the nine-to-five, modern office war-zone of work.0 points
Greetings from Hell by Matt Groening
Attention, Life in Hell "TM" Fans! Let Binky, Bongo, Sheba, Akbar, and Jeff help you tell the world the truth: Love ... work ... school ... childhood ... life is hell! Here are 32 ready-to-mail postcards featuring your favorite cartoons from the bestselling books by Matt Groening. There's a perfect one for every Lonely Tyrant or Sullen Teen in your life.0 points
School Is Hell by Matt Groening
Having given readers the last word (and laugh) on work and love, Matt Groening turns to that most hellish subject of all: childhood. Black-and-white cartoons throughout.0 points
The Simpsons
Originally Airing in 1987 as a series of 30 second shorts on The Tracy Ullman Show, The Simpsons was Matt Groening's first venture into animated Television. Producer James L. Brooks approached Groening after being impressed with his Life in Hell series. Brook's original idea was to make a collection of shorts based on the Life in Hell series, however Groening was afraid of losing his ownership rights, and created "The Simpsons" , supposedly in 10 minutes, while in the waiting area of Brooks' office. Groening took the names of the Characters from his parents and two of his sisters, and the character Bart is an anagram for "Brat".
The first Simpsons short aired on April 19, 1987 and by December 17, 1989 they had their first half hour Christmas Special leading off a regular series on January 14, 1990. The Simpsons has become the longest running animated series in primetime and also the longest running comedy and will culminate its 20th year on the air this season, with the final episode airing on January 14, 2010 exactly 20 years to the day from its first regular season episode.
One of My Favorite Simpsons Quotes
Marge: Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday.
Homer: Woo-hoo. Four-day weekend.
The Simpsons Family
Matt Groening- The Simpsons Interview
The Simpsons Cast
Recurring Characters
Secondary Characters that have become regulars
There are quite a few Simpsons characters who started out as a one time joke or necessary character to fulfill the story needs. Many of these characters have become regulars on the series, developing their own stories and gaining a fan base.
Lisa the Vegetarian
Being a Vegetarian One of my Favorite Episodes from The Simpsons is Episode 3F03 "Lisa the Vegetarian" which first aired on October 15, 1995. At this time I had been a vegetarian for a few years and I really identified with the episode, plus it's just a funny episode with some great lines. Here are a few of my favorites:Homer: Are you saying you're never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad, those all come from the same animal.
Homer: Heh heh heh. Ooh, yeah, right, Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.
Homer: Marge? Since I'm not talking to Lisa, would you please ask her to pass me the syrup?
Marge: Dear, please pass your father the syrup, Lisa.
Lisa: Bart, tell Dad I will only pass the syrup if it won't be used on any meat product.
Bart: You dunkin' your sausages in that syrup homeboy?
Homer: Marge, tell Bart I just want to drink a nice glass of syrup like I do every morning.
Marge: Tell him yourself, you're ignoring Lisa, not Bart.
Homer: Bart, thank your mother for pointing that out.
Marge: Homer, you're not not-talking to me and secondly I heard what you said.
Homer: Lisa, tell your mother to get off my case.
Bart: Uhhh, dad, Lisa's the one you're not talking to.
Homer: Bart, go to your room.
Lisa:
Relax? I can't relax! Nor can I yield, relent, or... Only two synonyms? Oh my God, I'm losing my perspicacity! Aaaaa!
Cool Simpsons Collectibles
Latest News from The Simpsons
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The Simpsons on Romance
Lisa: Mom, romance is dead. It was acquired in a hostile takeover by Hallmark and Disney, homogenized, and sold off piece by piece.
The Simpsons Poll
Futurama
Unfortunately the show was canceled by Fox in 2003, but recently Comedy Central has commissioned sixteen new episodes.
Matt Groening Futurama Interview
The Latest News about Futurama
- Paleo-Future - Paleo-Future Blog - Miss Futurama (1940)
- Wearing a dress of the year 1960, Miss Futurama, Betty Crain, presents Harvey D. Gibson, chairman of the board of the New York World's Fair, with the General Motors streamlined car of 1960 in these photos from 1940. ...
- GEARFUSE » Futurama Meets The Fifth Element
- Somebody needs to make this movie? right now. Matt Groening, you reading this? Link. Posted by Andrew Dobrow | December 30, 2009; Share this post · Tweet it; Leave a comment. bruce willis, futurama, mashups, the fifth element. Read more ...
- Futurama Meets The Fifth Element – Geekstir
- News, Pictures, Videos, Movies, Gaming, Trailers, Arts, Culture, Television, Comics, and everything from the World of Geek.
Futurama DVD's
Futurama DVD's
The Latest Buzz about Matt Groening
- Voice for Equality: Matt Groening
- Matt Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama. Groening made his first professional cartoon ...
- Ionarts: Smile! Matt Groening and Gary Panter to Curate Next AVAM Show
- Matt Groening and I have been invited to curate a show on the topic of SMILE and we are working to that end with Rebecca Hoffberger. It will be a pleasure to share our ideas and humor and laughter with the community of Baltimore and ...
- What is Matt Groening's favorite episode of The Simpsons? - TV Squad
- The new issue of Emmy magazine asks several writers and producers from the show what their favorite episodes are, including creator Matt Groening. Can you guess which episode he picked? He picked "Lisa the Skeptic," which aired during ...
Awards and Honors
Shout Out For Matt Groening!
Share your stories, sightings, thoughts, rants, raves...
If you liked this lens, please add it to your favorites or send it to a friend.
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- joko hendro_indonesia joko hendro_indonesia Oct 24, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
- your work inspiring me......
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- The_Party_Animal The_Party_Animal May 31, 2009 @ 9:35 am
- I love the Simpsons - they are classic
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- AndrewShim AndrewShim Apr 17, 2009 @ 6:37 pm
- Like the Simpsons best when they're singing - esp their album "The Simpsons Sing The Blues". Nicely done lens though.
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- FunGifts4All FunGifts4All Apr 16, 2009 @ 8:28 pm
- Not a big fan of futurama or haven't read the Life is Hell books, but used to watch a lot of the Simpsons. Nicely done lens.
by klieneine
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