Simpsons star dies 'unexpectedly' after heart issues as family share sad tribute
A writer who worked on The Simpsons has died "unexpectedly", his family has confirmed. Steve Pepoon, who won an Emmy award for writing an episode of the his animated comedy, died aged 68 outside of his home in Paola, Kansas.
His family said he had been receivng treatment for a heart condition called cardiac amyloidosis for two years before his death on May 3. In a statement on Facebook, his devastated family said: "It is with deep sadness that the family of Steve Pepoon announces his passing on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
"Steve was a beloved member of our family and was cherished by many friends. He will be greatly missed. A celebration of life event is being planned, and details will be shared soon."
Steve's first break in the industry came when he sold a script for an episode of Silver Spoons in late 1985, with his episode airing the following year.
He later sold scripts to the producers of huge show, Alf. He was then hired to be a writer for the series and stayed there for three years.
An episode he later penned for The Simpsons earned him an Emmy in 1991 or Best Animated Special. Elsewhere, he also wrote for the likes of Ferris Beuller and Get a Life.
The long list of shows on his CV went on, including production titles for shows such as Roseanne and Tom.
Steve later went on to release a hugely popular cartoon. He was the co-creator of The Wild Thornberrys, which ran between 1998 and 2004.
He also made an appearance in front of the camera during his time working on the Naked Gun 33 1/3 movie. He was offered the chance to have a cameo role after it was found one scene didn't have enough audience members.
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