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Simpsons
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The Simpsons have been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Simpsons' opening sequence is one of the show's most memorable hallmarks. Most episodes open with the camera zooming through the show's title towards the town of Springfield. The camera then follows the members of the family on their way home. Upon entering their house, the Simpsons settle down on their couch to watch television. The opening was created by David Silverman, the first task he did when production began on the show.[58] The series' distinctive theme song was composed by musician Danny Elfman in 1989, after Groening approached him requesting a retro style piece. This piece, which took two days to create, has been noted by Elfman as the most popular of his career.[59]
The Simpsons was a watershed program in the establishment of the FOX network. The cartoon has been the FOX program most consistently praised by television critics. It was the first FOX program to reach the Top 10 in ratings, despite the network's smaller number of affiliates compared to the Big Three. When FOX moved The Simpsons to Thursday night in 1990, it directly challenged the number one program of the network establishment at the time, The Cosby Show. Eventually, The Simpsons [B]ested this powerful competitor in key male demographic groups. The schedule change, and the subsequent success, signaled FOX's staying power to the rest of the industry, and for viewers it was a powerful illustration of the innovative nature of FOX programming when compared to conventional television fare.
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Hank Azaria has been a part of the Simpsons regular voice cast since the second season. The Simpsons has six main cast members. Dan Castellaneta performs Homer Simpson, Abraham Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and other adult, male characters.[31] Julie Kavner speaks the voices of Marge Simpson and Patty and Selma, as well as several minor characters.[31] Nancy Cartwright performs the voice of Bart Simpson and other children.[31] Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, is the only cast member who regularly voices only one character, although she occasionally plays other episodic characters.[31] There are two male actors who do not voice members of the title family but play a majority of the male townspeople. Hank Azaria voices recurring characters such as Moe, Chief Wiggum, and Apu, and Harry Shearer provides voices for Mr. Burns, Smithers, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, and Dr. Hibbert.[31] With the exception of Harry Shearer, every main cast member has won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance.[32]
In 1995, 20th Century Fox, producers of The Simpsons, sued in the Australian Federal District court. The Court found an illegal effort to "exploit a strong association" with the cartoon and issued an injunction barring further sale of the beer. Three years later... newspaper ads are offering Duff for sale again. Buyers who still own three-year-old cases are offering them for sale; not at the $15 they paid originally, but at $2,800 for 24 bottles.
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Despite its family sitcom format, The Simpsons draws its animated inspiration more from Bullwinkle J. Moose than Fred Flintstone. Like The Bullwinkle Show, two of the most striking characteristics of The Simpsons are its social criticism and its references to other cultural forms. John O'Connor, television critic for The New York Times, has labeled the program "the most radical show on prime time" and indeed, The Simpsons often parodies the hypocrisy and contradictions found in social institutions such as the nuclear family (and nuclear power), the mass media, religion and medicine. Homer tells his daughter Lisa that it is acceptable to steal things "from people you don't like." Reverend Lovejoy lies to Lisa about the contents of the Bible to win an argument. Krusty the Clown, the kidvid program host, endorses dangerous products to make a quick buck.
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In 2006, two recordings of Simpson’s 3rd Symphony were released. Also in 2006, Hyperion records re-released their pioneering series of complete Simpson Symphonies as a boxed set. The Hyperion recording of the 11th Symphony and Variations on a theme by Carl Nielsen was released in August 2004, see Forthcoming and Recent Releases. Martin Anderson's interview with Matthew Taylor is online in The Recordings and Reviews.
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