Sam Simon, ‘Simpsons’ co-creator, dies at 59

LOS ANGELES (JTA) – Sam Simon, who co-created “The Simpsons,” one of the most successful shows in television history, has died.

Simon died on March 9 of colorectal cancer.

Simon only spent four years writing for “The Simpsons,” but many of the early writers credit him with shaping the show’s sensibility. The terms of his exit made him a wealthy man for the rest of his life, and he spent much of his later years focused on giving away his fortune.

A Beverly Hills native, Simon’s father, Arthur, owned what Simon called “a shmatte factory in downtown Los Angeles,” making cheap clothing for department stores.

Simon wrote for several successful shows, including “Taxi” and “Cheers,” but he achieved his greatest fame for developing “The Simpsons” in 1989, along with James Brooks and Matt Groenig, who created the original characters. Simon often said at the time that he only expected to last one season, and he often expressed awe at the show’s success.

Simon left “The Simpsons” in 1993 with a percentage of profits that in recent years, he said, amounted to “tens of millions” of dollars per year.

He was an active philanthropist, donating to causes including wildlife conservation, shelters for stray animals and a program serving free vegan meals to the hungry.