Matt Groening Net Worth

What Is Matt Groening's Net Worth and Salary?

Matt Groening is an American animator, author, television producer, and cartoonist who has a net worth of $600 million. Matt Groening is best known as the creator of the popular show "The Simpsons," which is the longest-running primetime television series in history.

Groening began his career in the late 1970s as a struggling cartoonist in Los Angeles. He gained early recognition with his syndicated comic strip "Life in Hell," a darkly funny, semi-autobiographical series about anxiety, relationships, and life in the city. The comic's popularity brought him to the attention of producer James L. Brooks, who approached Groening about creating animated shorts for "The Tracey Ullman Show."

Instead of adapting "Life in Hell," Groening quickly sketched out a new family—The Simpsons—naming the characters after members of his own family (with Bart as an anagram of "brat"). The shorts debuted in 1987 and became so popular they were developed into a standalone prime-time series, launching on Fox in 1989. "The Simpsons" became a cultural phenomenon, widely credited with revolutionizing adult animation and influencing generations of animated comedies. It remains the longest-running scripted primetime TV show in U.S. history, winning dozens of awards including more than 30 Emmys.

Groening followed up that success by co-creating the sci-fi animated comedy "Futurama" in 1999, which gained a devoted fan base and ran for seven seasons across two networks. In 2018, he launched the Netflix animated fantasy series "Disenchantment," further expanding his legacy as a pioneer of adult animation.

Beyond television, Groening has been involved in publishing, music (as a fan and festival curator), and philanthropy. His distinct drawing style, biting wit, and satirical lens on American culture have made him one of the most influential cartoonists of the modern era. Through his creations, Groening has left an indelible mark on comedy, animation, and pop culture.

Early Life

Matthew Abraham Groening was born on February 15, 1954, in Portland, Oregon. He is the middle of five children born to Margaret Ruth, a former teacher, and Homer Philip, a filmmaker, advertiser, writer, and cartoonist. His siblings' names are Mark, Patty, Lisa, and Maggie. He graduated from Lincoln High School, and from 1972 to 1977, he attended the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Matt first became interested in cartoons after watching the Disney animated film "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" and cites Robert Crumb, Monty Python, Ernie Bushmiller, Ronald Searle, and Charles M. Schulz as his inspirations.

Early Career

In 1977, when he was twenty-three years old, Groening moved to Los Angeles to be a writer. During this time, he worked various odd jobs at restaurants, a nursing home, a record store, and a sewage treatment plant, among others. He started drawing the self-published comic book "Life in Hell" for his friends, describing life in Los Angeles. His first professional cartoon sale came in 1978 to the avant-garde "Wet Magazine." The strip "Forbidden Words" appeared in Wet's September/October 1978 issue. He then started working at the "Los Angeles Reader," initially as a newspaper deliverer, typesetter, and editor, but then joined the paper as a cartoonist. "Life in Hell" officially debuted as a comic strip in the "Reader" on April 25, 1980.

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Life in Hell

"Life in Hell" was an almost immediate hit, and eventually, Groening and his then-girlfriend Deborah Caplan started publishing books of "Life in Hell" strips with different themes, such as "Love is Hell" and "Work is Hell." Caplan and Groening started the company Life in Hell Co. to handle the merchandising for "Life in Hell." At its peak, "Life in Hell" ran in 250 weekly newspapers. Its final strip was published on June 16, 2012.

The Simpsons

"Life in Hell" caught the attention of Hollywood writer-producer James L. Brooks. Brooks, who had recently signed a development deal with the upstart Fox network, approached Groening in 1987 about creating a series of short animated segments for the variety show "The Tracey Ullman Show. Initially, Groening planned to adapt "Life in Hell" for television but changed course at the last minute, fearing he might lose the rights to his own creation. Instead, he sketched out a dysfunctional cartoon family on the spot, naming the characters after members of his own family: Homer, Marge, Lisa, and Maggie. He replaced his own name with "Bart," an anagram of "brat," to represent himself as the mischievous son.

These early "Simpsons" shorts debuted on "The Tracey Ullman Show" in April 1987 and quickly became a breakout success. Their popularity led to the development of a standalone half-hour prime-time series, which premiered on Fox on December 17, 1989, with the holiday special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." Groening co-developed the series with James L. Brooks and veteran television writer Sam Simon. The trio brought a unique blend of satire, character-driven storytelling, and social commentary to animation, helping to redefine what a cartoon could be in a primetime slot.

Although Groening and Simon frequently clashed over creative direction, the show thrived. Simon eventually left the series in 1993, while Groening remained deeply involved, shaping the tone, style, and irreverent voice of the show. He has continued to serve as executive producer and creative consultant for the series and is credited as a writer or co-writer on several episodes, as well as on "The Simpsons Movie" (2007), which grossed over $500 million worldwide.

"The Simpsons" became a cultural juggernaut and is the longest-running scripted prime-time television show in U.S. history. It has won over 30 Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and was named by Time magazine as the best television series of the 20th century. Beyond its critical success, the franchise has generated billions in merchandising revenue and expanded into comic books, video games, and theme park attractions.

Groening's influence on the show remains integral even decades later, and "The Simpsons" continues to be praised for its impact on comedy, animation, and American pop culture. His creation helped pave the way for future animated hits like "South Park," "Family Guy," and "Rick and Morty," solidifying his legacy as a groundbreaking force in television history.

Futurama and Other Work

Groening has produced several other shows and projects outside of "The Simpsons." Together with "Simpsons" writer/producer David X. Cohen, he developed the animated series "Futurama" in 1997. The show is about life in the year 3000. "Futurama" premiered on Fox in March 1999 but was canceled after four years on the air. However, it was brought back after strong DVD sales and good ratings on Adult Swim. Comedy Central started negotiating for the rights to air "Futurama" reruns and committed to sixteen new episodes. Four straight-to-DVD films were also produced: "Bender's Big Score" (2007), "The Beast with a Billion Backs" (2008), "Bender's Game" (2008), and "Into the Wild Green Yonder" (2009). Comedy Central commissioned 26 new episodes in 2010, and the final episode aired in September 2013.

Another series Groening has developed is "Disenchantment," in partnership with streaming company Netflix. The first ten episodes were released on Netflix in August 2018, and the second batch of ten episodes was released in September 2019. Netflix renewed the show for an additional 20 episodes, to be released in ten-episode batches in 2020 and 2021.

Groening has won a dozen Primetime Emmy Awards for The Simpsons and Futurama. In 2012, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. He has also won a British Comedy Award and a National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award.

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Boingo Comics

In 1994, Groening teamed up with Steve Vance, Cindy Vance, and Bill Morrison to form Bongo Comics. The company publishes comic books based on the shows "The Simpsons" and "Futurama," in addition to some original titles. Matt also formed Zongo Comics, an imprint of Bongo Comics, in 1995. It publishes comics for more mature readers.

Personal Life

Groening was married to Deborah Caplan from 1986 to 1999. They had two sons together, Homer and Abe. After dating for four years, he married Argentinian artist Agustina Picasso in 2011. He became the stepfather to her daughter from a previous relationship. Groening and Picasso would eventually have eight children of their own, including two separate sets of twins! Including his two sons from his previous marriage and her daughter from a previous relationship, the couple has 11 children.

Real Estate

In 2011, Groening spent $11.65 million on a large home in Santa Monica, California, that was built in 1910 by architect Robert D. Farquhar. Matt did extensive renovations and expansions on the property. In May 2019, he spent $11.9 million to buy the house next door. The resulting compound is more than an acre of the most desirable land in Santa Monica. Groening also owns a beachfront home in Malibu that he bought in 2000 for $8.5 million. That house today would likely sell for at least $20 million.

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