Kevin Curran obit

Kevin Curran, Writer and Producer on ‘The Simpsons,’ Dies at 59

He also wrote for 'Late Night With David Letterman' and 'Married … With Children' and won six Emmys. 

He was not on the list.

Kevin Curran, a six-time Emmy-winning writer and producer who worked on Late Night With David Letterman and The Simpsons, died Tuesday, Fox confirmed. He was 59.

Curran started with The Simpsons in 1998 as a consulting producer and stayed with the show through 2015, sharing three Emmys for outstanding animated program in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

Curran received his first three Emmys (1985 through 1987) for his writing on NBC’s Letterman show, where in 1985 he suggested and wrote the very first Top Ten list, “Top Ten Words That Almost Rhyme With Peas.” (The No. 1 word on the list was “Meats.”)

He received 20 Emmy nominations in all.

Said Simpsons executive producer and showrunner Al Jean in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “Kevin Curran was a sweet, brilliant man who said many hilarious things, some unprintable, others which will live forever in a children’s cartoon.”

A native of Hartford, Conn., Curran attended Harvard and also wrote and produced for Married … With Children and a takeoff of that fabled Fox sitcom, Unhappily Ever After.

He was in a previous relationship with English novelist and screenwriter Helen Fielding, creator of the Bridget Jones character. Survivors include their children Dashiell and Romy.

 

Producer

Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)

The Simpsons

8.7

TV Series

co-executive producer

supervising producer

consulting producer

1998–2015

309 episodes

 

The Simpsons Take the Bowl (2014)

The Simpsons Take the Bowl

7.3

Video

co-executive producer

2014

 

Unhappily Ever After (1995)

Unhappily Ever After

6.9

TV Series

executive producer

co-executive producer

consulting producer

1997–1999

43 episodes

 

Alexandra Wentworth, Chris Browning, Dann Florek, Bruce Greenwood, Adam Hendershott, Steve Hytner, Phill Lewis, Rose Marie, Joe Rogan, Mike Starr, and Sholom Gelt in Hardball (1994)

Hardball

5.9

TV Series

executive producer

1994

3 episodes

 

The Good Life (1994)

The Good Life

7.3

TV Series

executive producer

1994

13 episodes

 

Christina Applegate, David Faustino, Katey Sagal, and Ed O'Neill in Married... with Children (1987)

Married... with Children

8.1

TV Series

supervising producer

producer

1990–1993

76 episodes

 

Writer

Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)

The Simpsons

8.7

TV Series

written by

2002–2018

12 episodes

 

The Pub of Heaven (2000)

The Pub of Heaven

TV Series

created by

2000

5 episodes

 

Unhappily Ever After (1995)

Unhappily Ever After

6.9

TV Series

writer

1998–1999

2 episodes

 

Alexandra Wentworth, Chris Browning, Dann Florek, Bruce Greenwood, Adam Hendershott, Steve Hytner, Phill Lewis, Rose Marie, Joe Rogan, Mike Starr, and Sholom Gelt in Hardball (1994)

Hardball

5.9

TV Series

created by

written by (creator)

1994

9 episodes

 

The Good Life (1994)

The Good Life

7.3

TV Series

created by

written by (creator)

1994

13 episodes

 

Christina Applegate, David Faustino, Katey Sagal, and Ed O'Neill in Married... with Children (1987)

Married... with Children

8.1

TV Series

written by

story editor

1989–1993

30 episodes

 

Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams in The Earth Day Special (1990)

The Earth Day Special

5.8

TV Special

Writer (segment Married with Children)

1990

 

David Letterman in Late Night with David Letterman (1982)

Late Night with David Letterman

7.5

TV Series

writer

1984–1989

168 episodes

 

Late Night with David Letterman: 7th Anniversary Special (1989)

Late Night with David Letterman: 7th Anniversary Special

6.4

TV Special

Writer

1989

 

Late Night with David Letterman: 6th Anniversary Special

7.5

TV Special

Writer

1988

 

David Letterman's 2nd Annual Holiday Film Festival (1986)

David Letterman's 2nd Annual Holiday Film Festival

7.4

TV Movie

Writer

1986

 

David Letterman's Holiday Film Festival (1985)

David Letterman's Holiday Film Festival

8.1

TV Movie

writer

1985

 

Actor

Christina Applegate, David Faustino, Katey Sagal, and Ed O'Neill in Married... with Children (1987)

Married... with Children

8.1

TV Series

Lucky

Buck

Buck the Dog ...

1990–1996

54 episodes

 

David Letterman in Late Night with David Letterman (1982)

Late Night with David Letterman

7.5

TV Series

Larry (uncredited)

1986

1 episode