The Simpsons" to clinch television record

[Sonny]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Fox said on Thursday it has ordered two more seasons of animated comedy "The Simpsons," ensuring the show that started in 1989 will surpass "Gunsmoke" as the longest-running prime-time U.S. television series.

"The Simpsons" will start its 21st season in the fall, after last year tying the longevity record of "Gunsmoke," which ended in 1975 after 20 seasons. Its second season in the two-year deal will come in 2010.

The cops and courts show "Law & Order" on network NBC has run for 19 prime-time seasons, starting in 1990.

"The Simpsons" has won 24 Emmy Awards and was already the longest running animated series on prime-time television in the United States. It was created by cartoon artist Matt Groening.

The Simpsons are a family of five made up of dull-witted father Homer, good-intentioned mom Marge and kids Bart and Lisa and Maggie, who all live in a town called Springfield that serves as a microcosm of the United States.

It has featured the voice work of major celebrities in guest starring roles, from Paul McCartney to Elizabeth Taylor, and it casts a comedic glance at weighty issues, including racial discrimination, world affairs and religion.

In 2007, "The Simpsons Movie" hit theaters and went on to make more than $527 million worldwide.

"Gunsmoke," a western about straight-shooting lawman Matt Dillon, began in 1955 during TV's black and white era, and later switched to color. Sam Peckinpah, who went on to make the 1969 western classic "The Wild Bunch," was among the many directors on "Gunsmoke," which starred James Arness as Dillon.

This is unbelievable! I remember watching them in 1989. Anyone know where the Simpsons originally started?

I do...because I watched it with my parents.

[Truckman]

It was the "Tracy Ullman Show" I think...Where is she today?...Ben

[ndsimm]

yeap, it was Tracy's Show and that's a good "where are they now" question...

what would be really funny is if they put Tracy on one of the upcoming shows, I'm sure they can write it in somehow...

[Sonny]

Both Are Correct!

[Truckman]

Originally Posted by Sonny

Both Are Correct!

What did I win?......Ben

[HaloZ]

yeah, i remember watching it way back in the early Fox days, with Beans Baxtor, married w/children and later with AMW.

tracy was doing a show on showtime or CC last i heard.

[kenw]

Tracy's doing quite well these days, mostly behind the sceens producing. Before she became a US citizen she was one of Britain's most wealthy women.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by Truckman

What did I win?......Ben

A $1 gift card to Circuit City.

[Truckman]

Originally Posted by Sonny

A $1 gift card to Circuit City.

Great, I'll put that together with my stimulus check and get me a new rubberband strap for my pinhole camera......Ben

[d2creative]

Tracy is still going.
http://www.sho.com/site/tracey/home.do

[photonewb]

it's kinda funny to go back and look at some of the art work and see how it's evolved.

Also the voices. In the early years some of the voices are not the same as they are now. I believe Bart and Lisa are like the only ones that have remained the same.

How many people know Bart is a girl?
The girl that does the voice for Lisa was on a couple of shows back in the 80's as well...her voice really is exactly like that, there's no voice work going on there. (at least from what I could get from watching sitcoms in the 80's)

[venchka]

Gunsmoke started on radio several years before TV. Does Gunsmoke get extra credit for all of the 1 hour episodes, hey?

Apples and oranges if you ask me. Nobody did.