'The Simpsons' paid tribute to the late Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking has been honored by The Simpsons.

The astrophysicist had a number of cameos on the show in its now 29-season run, perhaps most notably in 1999 when he appeared at the end of the episode "They Saved Lisa's Brain."

The show ended Sunday's episode with an image of Hawking in his now iconic helicopter and jet-powered wheelchair, complete with Lisa Simpson sitting on his lap.

The Simpsons' executive producer Matt Selman, who called Hawking the show's "most intelligent guest star," posted the image on Twitter.

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In the days following Hawking's death, it's been revealed the scientist would drop into table reads as a fan, Selman told the BBC.

The show's longtime producer Al Jean also told the Hollywood Reporter that Homer's line in the 1999 episode about Larry Flynt was all Hawking's idea, but drew the line at being depicted as drunk on screen -- even as he was having a beer with Homer at the end.

Jean added Hawking's cameo put the scientist's ideas to people who may not have ordinarily come across them.

"He popularized science for people who may not have been interested in it. And that is something we have tried to do on The Simpsons: Put science and math inside the show," Jean told the publisher.

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