The Simpsons. The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series of animated shorts with the producer James L.
Brooks. Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family, substituting Bart for his own name. The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. After a three-season run, the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and was an early hit for Fox, becoming the network's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season (1989–1990). The Simpsons (TV Series 1989– The Simpsons on FOX – Official Site.