Sam Simon, co-creator of long-running animated program The Simpsons and well-known philanthropist has died. He was 59.
Simon, who had been battling colon cancer, has a long history in Hollywood that spans several decades.
Though he first got his feet wet writing for series like Barney Miller and others, his first major gig was on the TV series Taxi, for which he served as showrunner. It was there that he met James L. Brooks, with whom he'd go on to create The Simpsons.
On that show, which debuted in 1989, Simon had a hand in assembling the team that would get the series up and running and, eventually, establish the voice that made The Simpsons what it is today.
Current showrunner Al Jean was in that first class of writers, and he tweeted a tribute to Simon on Monday, saying in part, "I owe him everything."
.@thesimpsons #everysimpsonsever Just heard terrible news of death of @simonsam. A great man; I owe him everything.— Al Jean (@AlJean) March 9, 2015
.@thesimpsons #everysimpsonsever If you would like to honor Sam's memory, do something nice for the next animal you meet. An enormous loss.— Al Jean (@AlJean) March 9, 2015
Simon exited the series in 1993 but remained credited as an executive producer.
He went on to do some directing but put much of his efforts into philanthropy, including work with PETA and Save the Children.
Following his diagnosis with Stage IV colon cancer two years ago, Simon announced he'd be leaving his sizable fortune to nonprofit organizations.
Rest in peace and thank you for The Simpsons, Sam Simon.— Hank Azaria (@HankAzaria) March 9, 2015
"Cancer is a horrible disease, I'm struggling with it. It's everything everyone tells you about...but if you want publicity and if you want to pick up girls, cancer is the greatest thing in the world," Simon joked when asked about his efforts by Maria Shriver in an interview.
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Kidding aside, Simon said his passion for animals, in particular, stemmed from the knowledge "that these creatures that feel and think can't speak for themselves."
"They're dependent on us for that and I feel like it's my responsibility to speak for those who can't speak for themselves," he said.