Al Jean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Al Jean
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Jean in 2010
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| Born | Alfred Ernest Jean III January 9, 1961 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Spouse |
Stephanie Gillis
(m. 2002) |
| Children | 2 |
Alfred Ernest Jean III, born on January 9, 1961, is an American writer and producer. He is famous for his work on the popular TV show The Simpsons. Al Jean grew up near Detroit, Michigan. He later graduated from Harvard University in 1981.
Jean started his writing career in the 1980s. He often worked with his friend from Harvard, Mike Reiss. They wrote and produced shows like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, ALF, and It's Garry Shandling's Show.
In 1989, Al Jean was offered a job to write for The Simpsons. He and Mike Reiss were among the first writers for the show. They became the main producers, called showrunners, for the third (1991–92) and fourth (1992–93) seasons. After season four, they left The Simpsons to create their own animated show, The Critic. This show was about a film critic named Jay Sherman. It first aired in January 1994 and was liked by critics. However, it did not become popular with viewers and only lasted two seasons.
Al Jean returned to The Simpsons full-time in 1998. He became the showrunner again in 2001, this time without Mike Reiss. He stayed in this important role until 2024. Jean also helped write and produce The Simpsons Movie, a film based on the series, which came out in 2007.
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Early Life and Education
Alfred Ernest Jean III was born in Detroit, Michigan, on January 9, 1961. He grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan. He went to Harrison High School. Al Jean has Irish family roots.
After working at his father's hardware store, Jean went to Harvard University. He was only sixteen years old when he started. In 1981, he earned a degree in mathematics. One of his college roommates, Daryl Libow, said Al was a "math whiz." But he soon found his talent for comedy.
At Harvard, Jean met Mike Reiss. They became good friends. They worked together writing for the humor magazine Harvard Lampoon. Another writer there, Jeff Martin, said they were "very funny guys." He added that they were "unusually polished comedy writers" for their age. Jean said they spent most of their time at the Lampoon. He even called it his "second dorm room." He later became the magazine's vice-president.
Career Highlights
Starting in Television
After graduating in 1981, Jean and Reiss were hired by National Lampoon magazine. In the 1980s, they started working together on different TV shows. They wrote and produced for shows like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, ALF, and It's Garry Shandling's Show.
In 1989, Al Jean got a job writing for The Simpsons. This animated show was created by Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon. Many of Jean's friends did not want to work on a cartoon. They thought it would not last long. But Jean liked the work of Groening, Brooks, and Simon. So, he took the job with Mike Reiss.
Working on The Simpsons
Jean and Reiss were the first writers hired for The Simpsons. They worked on the first thirteen episodes of the first season (1989–90). When Jean watched the first episode, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", in December 1989, he felt it was the best project he had ever worked on. He wanted to keep working on it forever. He liked that the show was funny but also had deep feelings and warmth.
Even though Jean is credited as the writer for some episodes, he believes writing is a team effort. He says the main writer only writes about 40% of the script. The writer named in the opening credits is the one who came up with the idea and wrote the first draft. Jean has said that Lisa Simpson is one of his favorite characters to write for. He feels he is most like her because of their similar childhoods. He also has a daughter.
Jean and Reiss became the main producers, or showrunners, for The Simpsons starting with the third season (1991–92). A showrunner is in charge of everything. This includes writing, animation, voice acting, and music. Jean said that when he started, he just thought, "Don't mess up this thing everyone loves." The first episode they ran was "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington". They felt a lot of pressure to make it good. They rewrote the script many times to make it funnier. Jean kept thinking, "It's not good enough."
Jean and Reiss were showrunners until the end of the fourth season in 1993. By then, the show was already very popular. They were able to add more depth to the stories. Jean thinks this is why many fans believe seasons three and four are the best. Bill Oakley, another Simpsons writer, said that Mike and Al created "the best thing that ever appeared on television."
The Critic and Other Projects
After the fourth season of The Simpsons, Jean and Reiss left to create The Critic. This animated show was about a film critic named Jay Sherman. It first aired in January 1994. Critics liked it, but not many people watched it. It was canceled after six weeks. It later returned for a second season on the Fox network.
Since The Simpsons was also on Fox, a special episode was made. It was called "A Star Is Burns" (1995). This episode featured characters from both The Simpsons and The Critic. The Critic was canceled again after ten episodes on Fox. Only 23 episodes were made in total. The show later gained a cult following from reruns and DVD releases.
In 1994, Jean and Reiss signed a deal with The Walt Disney Company. They were to create other TV shows for ABC. One show they made was Teen Angel. It was a live-action comedy, but it was canceled in its first season. Reiss said it was "compromised and overworked." While working for Disney, they were still allowed to write for The Simpsons. They wrote four episodes, including "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious" (1997).
Continuing with The Simpsons
After Teen Angel was canceled, Jean and Reiss stopped working together as a team. Al Jean returned to The Simpsons full-time in 1998. He became a main writer and executive producer for three seasons. In 2001, he became the showrunner again, this time by himself. Jean called it "a great job with a lot of responsibility." He said the hardest part was thinking of new ideas. He noted that fans know everything they have done before. So, the challenge is to create something new and good.
Some critics have said the show's quality has gone down in recent years. Jean has responded to this. He said people have been saying the show declined since season two. He is glad they did not stop then.
Al Jean was also a writer and producer for The Simpsons Movie. This full-length film came out in 2007. The voice actors signed on for the movie in 2001. Work then began on the script. The producers were worried that making a movie would hurt the TV show. They did not think they had enough staff for both. But they hired more writers and animators. This allowed both the show and the film to be made at the same time.
Jean often appears on The Simpsons DVD audio commentaries. He enjoys doing them because he has not seen some episodes in many years. He says it is like a reunion to see people he worked with before.
As of 2020, he shares the showrunner role with Matt Selman. Jean runs four to six episodes per season himself. He has also helped write and produce several Simpsons short films. These include "Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare’" (nominated for an Oscar) and "The Force Awakens From its Nap" (nominated for an Emmy).
Awards and Recognition
Al Jean has won ten Emmy Awards for his work on The Simpsons. He has also received two Peabody Awards. In 1997, he and Mike Reiss won an Annie Award. This was for "Best Producing in a TV Production" for The Simpsons episode "The Springfield Files". In 1991, they won a CableAce Award for writing an episode of It's Garry Shandling's Show.
In 2006, Jean and Reiss received the Animation Writers Caucus Animation Award. The Writers Guild of America gives this award. It honors writers who have greatly helped animation in film or TV.
Personal Life
As of 2005, Al Jean lives in Los Angeles, California. His wife is television writer Stephanie Gillis. Jean also has two daughters.
See also
In Spanish: Al Jean para niños
