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Saturdays Of Thunder
"Saturdays of Thunder" is the ninth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 14, 1991. In the episode, Homer realizes he knows little about Bart and strives to be a better father. When he learns Bart is competing in a Soap Box Derby, Homer helps him make a racer. Bart drives Martin's far superior racer instead, hurting Homer's feelings. Homer eventually realizes he must be a good father by supporting Bart. The episode was written by Ken Levine and David Isaacs, and directed by Jim Reardon. American actors Larry McKay and Phil Hartman voiced guest appearances as a television announcer and Troy McClure respectively. "Saturdays of Thunder" features cultural references to films such as '' Ben-Hur'', ''Lethal Weapon'', and ''Days of Thunder''. Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics, who praised its sports theme. It ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Reardon
Jim Reardon is an American animator, storyboard artist, television writer, television director, and screenwriter. He is best known for his work on the animated TV series ''The Simpsons''. He has directed over 30 episodes of the series and was credited as a supervising director for seasons 9 through 15. Reardon attended the Character Animation program at the California Institute of the Arts in 1982, where one of his student projects, the satirical cartoon '' Bring Me the Head of Charlie Brown'' (1986), has become a cult classic through the likes of YouTube. He was hired by John Kricfalusi as a writer on '' Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures'' and later worked on ''Tiny Toon Adventures''. He has been described by Ralph Bakshi as "one of the best cartoon writers in the business". Reardon supervised the storyboard department and co-wrote the Pixar film ''WALL-E'' with Andrew Stanton, which was released on June 27, 2008. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Scree ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soap Box Derby
The Soap Box Derby is a youth soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1933. World Championship finals are held each July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio. Cars competing in this and related events are unpowered, relying completely upon gravity to move. History In the wake of the first car races, local youth auto races took place in the US at a very early stage. In 1914 the motion picture Kid Auto Races at Venice starring Charlie Chaplin was shown in the cinemas. In 1933 Myron Scott, a photographer for Dayton, Ohio, newspaper Dayton Daily News, saw Robert A. Gravett and friends racing down a hill in Dayton Ohio and put together an impromptu race for 19 boys. There was so much interest that Scott arranged a bigger race, with prize money for August 19. "An amazing crowd of 362 kids showed up with homemade cars built of orange crates, sheet tin, wagon and baby-buggy wheels...." The following year, the first All-American race was held on August 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Itchy & Scratchy Show
''The Itchy & Scratchy Show'' (often shortened as ''Itchy & Scratchy'') is a fictional animated television series featured on ''The Simpsons''. Description The show depicts a blue mouse named Itchy who repeatedly and violently maims or kills a black cat, Scratchy. It is typically presented as 15- to 60-second-long cartoons that are a part of ''The Krusty the Clown Show.'' The show is filled with gratuitous violence that almost invariably prompts uproarious laughter from Bart and Lisa, and Homer when he occasionally watches. The Itchy and Scratchy characters are extremely violent and bloody parodies of cat and mouse cartoons such as ''Tom and Jerry,'' '' Herman and Katnip'', and '' Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks''. The Italian comic strip ''Squeak the Mouse'' is also considered to be inspiration for the characters.''The Comics Journal'', Issues 280-283, Comics Journal Incorporated, 2007, p.27.Giuseppe Pollicelli (28 August 2011), "Massimo Mattioli: il Disney del porno-horror", ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series '' The Simpsons''. She is the middle child and most accomplished of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa was born as a character in '' The Tracey Ullman Show'' short " Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening created and designed her while waiting to meet James L. Brooks. Groening had been invited to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic '' Life in Hell'', but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the older Simpson daughter after his younger sister Lisa Groening Bartlett. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family were moved to their own series on Fox, which debuted on December 17, 1989. Intelligent, kind and passionate about the planet and all living things, Lisa Simpson, at nine years old, is the second child of Homer and Marge, the younger sister of Bart, and the older sister of Maggie. Lisa's high in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Itchy & Scratchy & Marge
"Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" is the ninth episode of the The Simpsons (season 2), second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox network in the United States on December 20, 1990. In the episode, which is a satire of censorship issues, Maggie Simpson, Maggie bullies Homer Simpson, Homer by attacking him with a mallet and Marge Simpson, Marge blames ''The Itchy & Scratchy Show'' for Maggie's actions. It was written by John Swartzwelder and was the first episode to be directed by Jim Reardon. Alex Rocco makes his first of three guest appearances as Roger Meyers, Jr. Plot As Homer Simpson, Homer clumsily attempts to build a spice rack for Marge Simpson, Marge, Maggie Simpson, Maggie suddenly knocks him out by hitting him on the head with a mallet. Puzzled why Maggie would attack Homer, Marge notices that she imitates the violence depicted on ''The Itchy & Scratchy Show''. She blames the show's producers for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sam Simon
Samuel Michael Simon (June 6, 1955 – March 8, 2015) was an American director, producer, writer, animal rights activist and philanthropist, who co-developed the television series ''The Simpsons''. While at Stanford University, Simon worked as a newspaper cartoonist and after graduating became a storyboard artist at Filmation Studios. Simon submitted a spec script for the sitcom ''Taxi'', which was produced, and he later became the series' showrunner. Over the next few years, Simon wrote and produced for ''Cheers'', '' It's Garry Shandling's Show'' and other programs, as well as writing the 1991 film ''The Super''. Simon turned to fields outside television in his later years. He regularly appeared on Howard Stern's radio shows, managed boxer Lamon Brewster and helped guide him to the World Boxing Organization Heavyweight Championship in 2004, and was a regular poker player and six-time in the money finisher at the World Series of Poker. Simon founded the Sam Simon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nelson Muntz
Nelson Mandela Muntz is a fictional character and the lead school bully from the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', where he is best known for his signature mocking laugh "Ha-ha!". He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright. Nelson was first introduced in Season 1's "Bart the General" as an antagonist, but later became more of an anti-hero, continuing to bully those weaker than him while occasionally showing a friendly and sensitive nature underneath. Nelson lives in poverty with his mother in a run-down home, and often shoplifts from convenience stores to get by. Role in ''The Simpsons'' Nelson is a 12-year-old student and bully at Springfield Elementary School. He is known to have terrorized virtually every child in Springfield at one point or another. Most often, it is the school nerds and less popular students, such as Milhouse and Martin, who are the subjects of his cruelty. Nelson shows the occasional glimpse of humanity, and other characters have warmed to him because ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marge Simpson
Marjorie Jacqueline "Marge" Simpson () is a character in the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' and part of the Simpson family, eponymous family. Voiced by Julie Kavner, she first appeared on television in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' short "Good Night (The Simpsons), Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''Life in Hell'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He based the character on his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three seasons, the Simpson family received their own series on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989. Marge is the Matriarchy, matriarch of the Simpson family. With her husband Homer Simpson, Homer, she has three children: Bart Simpson, Bart, Lisa Simpson, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson, Maggie. Marge is th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen ratings, an audience measurement system of television viewership that for years has been the deciding factor in canceling or renewing television shows by television networks. As of May 2012, it is part of Nielsen Holdings. NMR began as a division of ACNielsen, a 1923-founded marketing research firm. In 1996, NMR was split off into an independent company, and in 1999, was purchased by the Dutch conglomerate VNU. In 2001, VNU also purchased ACNielsen, thereby bringing both companies under the same corporate umbrella. NMR is also a sister company to Nielsen//NetRatings, which measures Internet and digital media audiences. VNU was reorganized and renamed the Nielsen Company in 2007. History The Nielsen TV Ratings have been produced in the U ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Days Of Thunder
''Days of Thunder'' is a 1990 American sports action drama film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes, Caroline Williams, and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances by real life NASCAR racers, such as Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace, Neil Bonnett, and Harry Gant. Commentator Dr. Jerry Punch, of ESPN, has a cameo appearance, as does co-producer Don Simpson. This is the first of three films to star both Cruise and Kidman (the other two being '' Far and Away'' and '' Eyes Wide Shut''). The film received mixed reviews, with criticism aimed at its unrealistic special effects, characters, screenplay, acting, dialogue and similarities to '' Top Gun'', but was widely praised for its action sequences, Hans Zimmer's musical score, fast pace, and the performances of Cruise and Kidman. Plot Young racer Cole Trickle, from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lethal Weapon
''Lethal Weapon'' is a 1987 American buddy cop action comedy film directed and co-produced by Richard Donner, written by Shane Black, and co-produced by Joel Silver. It stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover alongside Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, and Mitchell Ryan. In ''Lethal Weapon'', a pair of mismatched LAPD detectives – Martin Riggs (Gibson), a former Green Beret who has become suicidal following the death of his wife, and veteran officer and family man Roger Murtaugh (Glover) – work together as partners. The film was released on March 6, 1987. Upon its release, ''Lethal Weapon'' grossed over $120 million (against a production budget of $15 million) and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound. It spawned a franchise that includes three sequels and a television series, with a fourth sequel in development. Plot Following the recent death of his wife, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) narcotics Sergeant Martin Riggs, a former Special ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
