The Simpsons Co-Creator Sam Simon Passes Away At 59

Sam Simon, who wrote episodes of Taxi and Cheers before going on to co-create the iconic animated TV show The Simpsons, has died. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer in late 2012 and passed away in his Los Angeles home Sunday. He was 59.

News of Simon's death was shared on Facebook by The Sam Simon Foundation. A full obituary is available at Variety.

Simon co-created The Simpsons in 1989 with Matt Groening and James L. Brooks. He co-wrote numerous episodes of the popular animated show before leaving in 1993 while retaining an executive producer title for the program.

Simon, who won nine Emmy awards, underwent a colonoscopy in 2012 and was diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer. Doctors told him he had three months to live.

"They showed me my scans. And they said these are the scans of a dead man," Simon told GameSpot parent company CBS in 2014.

Simon made headlines late last year when he announced plans to give away his $100 million fortune through The Sam Simon Foundation and other charitable efforts. The Sam Simon Foundation rescues stray dogs and trains them to help people with disabilities.

The Simpsons franchise is one of the most well-known media brands in existence. In addition to the TV show, which will air new episodes at least through 2016, the franchise has crossed over into video games, theme parks, movies, and more.

The Simpsons showrunner Al Jean and voice actor Hank Azaria shared heartfelt messages on Twitter about Simon's passing. Other celebrities chimed in, too.