Homer Philip Groening (December 30, 1919 - March 15, 1996) was a Canadian-American filmmaker, advertiser, writer, and cartoonist.^[1][2] He was also the father of Matt Groening and inspired the name of Homer Simpson.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]} Groening was known for experimental short films as well as commercials, industrial films, public service announcements, and educational films.^[9][10]

Biography

Groening was born in Main Centre, Saskatchewan, Canada to a German-speaking Mennonite family;^[11][12] he was named after the Greek poet Homer.^[13][14][15] The family would later move to Oregon.^[16] Groening would later attend Linfield University, and, in 1941, marry Marge Wiggum. Homer later would serve in World War II and flew a B-17.^[17][18]

Groening's career began in 1958 when he produced an advertisement for a local station KGW-TV.^[17] Groening also worked on many documentaries and films including The Big Three, Timberline, A Study in Wet,^[19] Man and His World Psychedelic Wet, the Story^{[20][21][22][23][24]} and Linfield Revisited.^[25]

Groening also was a cartoonist. On April 28, 1962, the New Yorker ran an advertisement written by Groening. Groening also worked on several comic strips.^[25]

Family and personal life

Groening is the father of Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, Lisa Groening, who is married to Craig Bartlett the creator of Hey Arnold!,^[26][27] as well as Maggie, Mark, and Patty Groening.^[20][28][29]

Groening died on March 15, 1996, of cancer.^{[30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]}

In 2013, Groening's wife Marge died at the age of 94.^[37][38][39]

References

External links

• Homer Groening at IMDb