This Was Television On December 17
1989: The Tracy Ullman Show tries a spinoff
Known for its lead’s wacky impressions and the comic range of a cast that included Dan Castellaneta and Julie Kavner, The Tracy Ullman Show—one of the Fox network’s earliest hits—also featured animated interstitials about a slightly off-kilter, yellow-toned suburban family named The Simpsons. Matt Groening’s creations, modeled loosely on his own relatives, proved popular enough to get a shot at their own series on this date, with the Christmas-centric pilot “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.” It worked out okay for all involved: 24 seasons and more than 500 episodes later, The Simpsons is the longest-running sitcom, animated program, and scripted primetime program in American TV history. -A.D.
Today’s Birthdays: Jaimee Foxworth, forgotten Winslow (33); Laurie Holden, zombie apocalypse survivor (40); Ernie Hudson, warden (67); Eugene Levy, SCTVer (66); Barry Livingston, adopted son (59); Christ Matthews, talking head (67); Sarah Paulson, governess (38); Giovanni Ribisi, wacky brother (38); Michele Tafoya, sportscaster (48).
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