Who Was Sam Simon?
What do the hit shows, Taxi, Cheers, and The Simpsons all have in common? Each was worked on by the witty mind of Sam Simon. Simon contributed to many popular works in his time; Yet, his biggest claim to fame is by and far his role as the co-creator of The Simpsons. The Simpsons is the longest running animated series in television history. He finally left the show in 1993 to work on The George Carlin Show and The Drew Carey Show. During this time, Simon also began to pursue other passions. He competed as a high-ranking poker player, managed the boxing career of heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster, and focused more on his work in philanthropy.
From Comedy Gold to a Heart Made of Gold
Simon earned tens of millions of dollars over the years from his share of The Simpsons. He invested much of these earnings into a number of charitable causes. Animal welfare was one of his primary missions. Thus, the Sam Simon Foundation was born in 2002. The program rescues dogs from animal shelters and humane societies to train as service dogs. The foundation then provides these service dogs to veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They also train hearing dogs for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Beyond Simon’s own foundations, he has made major contributions to Save the Children, PETA and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Sam Simon’s Legacy
When Simon was diagnosed with a severe cancer in 2012, he became dedicated to giving away his fortune to a number of charities right up to the time of his death. After he passed way, there was an unusual estate battle that arose over his Will. However, Simon had done a good job in planning. Working alongside Rockefeller advisors, the Will was sound. Eventually, a private foundation called the Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation popped up with a hardly modest $13 million in assets filed.
We honor Sam Simon for not only his contribution to Television but also his philanthropic work in life and in death. If you want to be a Legacy Champ in your own special way, contact The Mendel Law Firm, L.P. for a free initial consultation on estate planning, trust planning, and/or probate issues.
Sources
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0800376/
https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2017/6/8/how-will-sam-simons-eccentric-philanthropy-translate-to-a-foundation
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