‘The Simpsons’ turns 35: Here’s a brief history of the iconic animated series

"The Simpsons" is one of the most successful shows in television history with a huge cultural following dating back more than 30 years. 

This hit animated sitcom, which was created based on animated shorts that aired on "The Tracey Ullman Show" in 1987, debuted on the Fox network on Dec. 17, 1989, with its first episode titled "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." 

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The innovative animated series is celebrating its 35th anniversary and to mark the milestone, fans can tune in for a special anniversary Christmas episode airing Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, called "O C’mon All Ye Faithful" airing on Disney+.

What is The Simpsons about?

FILE-A visitor poses for a picture in a photo station depicting the cartoon The Simpsons on the first day of Comic Con Yorkshire at the Yorkshire Events Centre on June 22, 2024 in Harrogate, England. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

The Simpsons, created by Matt Groening, is an animated show that follows a dysfunctional family featuring Homer, a beer loving father, Marge, a hardworking homemaker wife, Bart a 10-year-old underachiever, Lisa an 8-year-old genius, and Maggie, the pacifier loving silent infant. The family lives in the fictional town of Springfield. 

RELATED: Was Marge Simpson an Egyptian deity?

The "Simpsons Roasting" episode was the only one that aired in the 1980s and was viewed by 13.4 million people and earned two Emmy nominations. But weekly episodes were broadcast beginning on Jan. 14, 1990. 

A hallmark of the sitcom is its satire of society, pop culture, and politics, which makes it easy for viewers of different generations to relate to it. 

An inside look at The Simpsons creative process

Nearly 200 animators were constantly drawing and painting at least 24 drawings for every second of airtime for The Simpsons and once this was completed, the script writing began, and the actors recorded their voiceovers for the characters. 

The series cast consisted of Dan Castanella (voice of Homer Simpson), Julie Kavner (voice of Marge Simpson), Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson), Harry Shearer Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson), Harry Shearer (voice of Ned Flanders) and Hank Azaria (voice of Moe Szyslak).

"You’re doing the voice, but you don’t know. I mean it’s written in the script a lot of the animation, but a lot of it you don’t know what the facial expressions are gonna be," Kavner told FOX 2 San Francisco in 1990.

Cartwright explained her process for doing the voice of Bart Simpson with FOX 2 in 1990 sharing "When I saw his (Bart’s) picture, I got an idea in my mind once I found out his attitude, what Bart might sound like."

With so many people involved in the show’s production - writers, actors, editors, and animators - early episodes of "The Simpsons" ended up costing more than most live action shows and could take six months to produce, and a lot of the work related to the show was shipped overseas to Korea because it was more affordable, FOX 2 reported. 

Celebrity cameos in The Simpsons

The animated series became widely popular and celebrity guests from the film and music industry offered their voices to characters for episodes throughout the show's long run.

Several notable celebrity appearances included entertainer Michael Jackson, musician Paul McCartney, actress Betty White, actor Dustin Hoffman, actress Michelle Pfeiffer, actress Kerry Washington, actress Glen Close, actress Lisa Kudrow, musicians Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, actress Meryl Streep, and actor Patrick Stewart.

The Simpsons & Barbara Bush controversy

Former first lady Barbara Bush once told People magazine in 1990 that the popular animated series was "the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen."

And The Simpsons writers responded to Bush with a letter penned from Marge Simpson that read in part "I recently read your criticism of my family. I was deeply hurt. Heaven knows we’re far from perfect and, if truth be known, maybe just a wee bit short of normal; but as Dr. Seuss says, ‘a person is a person.'"

Weeks later Bush replied to the letter by apologizing adding a little humor writing ""How kind of you to write," penned Bush. "I am glad you spoke your mind; I foolishly didn’t know you had one. I am looking at a picture of you, depicted on a plastic cup, with your blue hair filled with pink birds peeking out all over. Evidently, you and your charming family — Lisa, Homer, Bart and Maggie — are camping out. It is a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue." 

While that seemed to end the tension between the show and first lady, her husband, President George H.W. Bush, took a shot at the show in 1992, saying, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons!" 

The show later featured the Bushes as characters – including a less-than-flattering portrayal of the former president as the Simpsons' neighbor.

The Simpsons accomplishments

"The Simpsons" has enjoyed major success, winning numerous awards, including 37 Emmy awards and eight People’s Choice awards, while earning the title as the longest-running sitcom and the longest-running animated series in television history.

In 2009, the show eclipsed "Gunsmoke" as the longest-running, primetime scripted series. And in 1999, Time Magazine named "The Simpsons" the 20th century’s best television series. In 2008, the show ranked No. 1 on Entertainment Weekly’s "Top 100 Shows of the Past 25 Years."  And in 2017, TV Guide named it the No. 1 animated series. And in 2000, The Simpsons received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

Moreover, the animated franchise expanded its brand to comic books, video games, and, in 2007 "The Simpsons Movie," hit theaters nationwide and grossed over $530 million at the box office, according to IMDb.com.