Simpsons set for record
2009-02-28 10:53
Los Angeles - The Simpsons, television's most famous animated dysfunctional family, is poised to become the United States' longest running prime-time show, US media said on Friday.
After more than 450 episodes, the program's creators have been asked Fox, the studio behind the show, to do two more series of antics from Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart and Maggie, the Hollywood Reporter said.
That would make the series the longest running prime-time program, ahead of the western Gunsmoke which ran between 1955 and 1975, it said.
The yellow-tinged cartoon family debuted in 1990 and has long since surpassed The Flintstones as the longest running animated series.
Although many other programs have been running for longer, they are largely news and current affairs programs, or shows that air outside prime-time.
Fox said actors responsible for the characters' instantly recognisable voices have agreed to stay on for two more years.
The next series is to begin in September, with at least one more to follow in 2010.
Homer and Bart Simpson were the first creations of Matt Groening at the end of the 1980s and were produced by James Brooks.
In 2007 a feature film documented the family's exploits to great box office success.