‘Simpsons’ And ‘Thornberrys’ Writer Steve Pepoon Passes Away

Steve Pepoon, an Emmy-winning writer best known for his work on The Simpsons, ALF, The Wild Thornberrys, and It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, has passed away at the age of 68.

His wife, Mary Stephenson, told The Hollywood Reporter that Pepoon died unexpectedly on May 3 outside their home in Paola, Kansas. He had been receiving treatment for cardiac amyloidosis, a heart condition, for the past two years.

Pepoon moved from Kansas to Los Angeles in 1979 to chase his dream of becoming a screenwriter. His break came in late 1985 when he sold his first script, which became a 1986 episode of Silver Spoons. A year later, he joined NBC’s ALF as a staff writer and contributed to its last three seasons through 1990.

While continuing to write scripts on spec, he submitted one for The Simpsons titled “Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment.” It earned him and 13 others an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program. “For whatever reason, they chose my episode [for Emmy consideration],” he said in a 2016 interview.

In the early ’90s, Pepoon worked closely with Tom Arnold and Roseanne Barr. He served as head writer on The Jackie Thomas Show and later created and led the short-lived CBS sitcom Tom in 1994. He also wrote for ABC’s Roseanne.

Pepoon co-created The Wild Thornberrys, an animated show about a family of wildlife documentarians, alongside Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, David Silverman, and Stephen Sustarsic. The show ran on Nickelodeon from 1998 to 2004 and featured Tim Curry as the voice of Sir Nigel Archibald Thornberry.

Born Stephen Robert Pepoon on May 19, 1956, in Kansas City, Missouri, he moved with his family at age 2 to Paola, Kansas. His father ran a construction company, and his mother volunteered at the local library. At Paola High School, he wrote for the school newspaper and became inspired to pursue writing after watching The Dick Van Dyke Show. “This planted the seed of Steve’s career dream to become a screenwriter,” his family shared.

After graduating from Kansas State University in 1978, he worked various jobs—bank teller, hamburger cook, video arcade manager—while writing over 30 scripts before getting hired on ALF.

His resume also included writing roles on It’s Garry Shandling’s Show (1990), Ferris Bueller (1990–91), Get a Life (1991–92), and Dinosaurs (1992). He also contributed to shows like Cleghorne!, The PJs, You Wish, and Teen Angel. He even appeared briefly in Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult simply because he owned a tuxedo.

Pepoon had a passion for magic and was a member of the Academy of Magical Arts and the Magic Castle in Los Angeles. Inspired by Back to the Future, he bought a DeLorean.

In 2009, Pepoon returned to Paola for his 35th high school reunion. There, he reunited with Mary Stephenson, a childhood friend he first met in kindergarten. They married later that year, and Pepoon chose not to return to Hollywood again.

He is survived by his wife, brothers Michael and Bill, sisters-in-law Sonja and Francesca, stepchildren Katie and Nick, and grandchildren Micah, McKenzie, Lily, Audrey, and Dean.

A celebration of his life will take place on Saturday at the Paola Community Center. The family is collecting donations to establish a scholarship fund for Paola High School students interested in writing, theater, or film.

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