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TV writer and producer Sam Simon is perhaps best known as one of the original creators of the landmark animated series The Simpsons. A veteran of the writer's room, Simon began his career writing and producing shows like Cheers, Taxi, and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. When The Simpsons debuted in 1989, the show proved to be a huge success, but even as he continued writing and producing the series, Simon continued to take on new projects. He wrote, produced, and even directed the The George Carlin Show and The Drew Carey Show, but The Simpsons would remain important in Simon's career, and he would eventually take home seven Emmys for his work with the series (he won another two for his work on The Tracey Ullman Show). After being diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2012, Simon dedicated much of his time and vast wealth to helping animals, including starting the Sam Simon Foundation, which rescued dogs and assisted with medical attention for animals. He died in 2015, at age 59.