Don Payne (The Simpsons writer)
Encyclopedia
Don Payne is an American writer and producer. He has written several episodes of The Simpsons
since 2000, many of which he co-wrote with John Frink
who he met while studying at the University of California, Los Angeles
. The duo began their careers writing for the short-lived sitcom Hope and Gloria
. Recently, Payne has moved into writing feature films. So far he has written My Super Ex-Girlfriend
and co-written Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
and Thor
.
with a master
in screenwriting. He began his career as a writer for several sitcoms together with his writing partner at the time, John Frink
. The two met at UCLA, where Frink was the boss of the Media Laboratory in which Payne worked. Payne has said to the website TheFutonCritic.com that "one day we were both trying to write individually so I said, 'why don't we pool our resources and write together and see what happens?'" In 2006, Payne told the Los Angeles Times
that "I hooked up with a writing partner, John Frink, out of college. I wanted to do films. He wanted to do television." The pair reached the agreement that they would pursue a career in the medium that they first got a job offer in—whether it be film or television. They eventually ended up writing for television sitcoms such as Hope and Gloria
(1995–1996) and The Brian Benben Show
(1998). These sitcoms were short-lived and Payne has deemed them as failures.
", which they co-wrote. "Treehouse of Horror XI
", another 2000 episode they wrote, was broadcast earlier than "Insane Clown Poppy", but was produced after. Payne said in an interview with TV Squad in 2006 that "My partner and I were actually working on one of a long string of failed sitcoms (and most sitcoms are failed sitcoms!) On the day a show is officially cancelled, it's kind of a tradition for the writing staff to go out to a restaurant, eat a nice meal, and drown their sorrows. On the way there, a writer named Jace Richdale
(who had also worked on The Simpsons) told my partner and me that The Simpsons was looking for some writers. He wanted to know if we'd be interested in it, because he would recommend us. My jaw literally dropped. So he contacted the show-runner, a guy named Mike Scully
, who read our spec script
and met with us, then hired us on." After a few years of working on The Simpsons together, Frink and Payne's writing partnership ended. They both continued to work on the show, though, and Payne has described their split-up as amicable.
In later years, Payne has moved into writing feature films. So far he has written My Super Ex-Girlfriend
, and co-written Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
and Thor
. My Super Ex-Girlfriend was released in 2006 and was his first feature film. He said in an interview with the website Cinematical that "I've always wanted to write features. That's why I moved to Los Angeles in the first place. I started writing with John Frink when I was in college at UCLA. He wanted to do TV, and that's where we got our first break. But my goal was always to write movies. And I've been a comic book geek from way back. So this romantic comedy with a superhero twist was a fitting first feature for me."
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
since 2000, many of which he co-wrote with John Frink
John Frink
John Frink is an American television writer and producer. He has written several episodes of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, many of which he co-wrote with his former writing partner Don Payne. Frink and Payne started their career in television writing for the short-lived sitcom Hope...
who he met while studying at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. The duo began their careers writing for the short-lived sitcom Hope and Gloria
Hope and Gloria
Hope and Gloria is an American sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Television and aired on NBC from March 9, 1995, through June 22, 1996. The show was canceled after 35 episodes...
. Recently, Payne has moved into writing feature films. So far he has written My Super Ex-Girlfriend
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
My Super Ex-Girlfriend is a 2006 American romantic comedy superhero film, directed by Ivan Reitman and stars Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson with Anna Faris, Eddie Izzard, Rainn Wilson, and Wanda Sykes.-Plot:...
and co-written Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a 2007 American superhero film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story...
and Thor
Thor (film)
Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the comic book character of the same name published by Marvel Comics. It is the fourth film released as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
.
Early career
Payne graduated from University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
with a master
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in screenwriting. He began his career as a writer for several sitcoms together with his writing partner at the time, John Frink
John Frink
John Frink is an American television writer and producer. He has written several episodes of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, many of which he co-wrote with his former writing partner Don Payne. Frink and Payne started their career in television writing for the short-lived sitcom Hope...
. The two met at UCLA, where Frink was the boss of the Media Laboratory in which Payne worked. Payne has said to the website TheFutonCritic.com that "one day we were both trying to write individually so I said, 'why don't we pool our resources and write together and see what happens?'" In 2006, Payne told the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
that "I hooked up with a writing partner, John Frink, out of college. I wanted to do films. He wanted to do television." The pair reached the agreement that they would pursue a career in the medium that they first got a job offer in—whether it be film or television. They eventually ended up writing for television sitcoms such as Hope and Gloria
Hope and Gloria
Hope and Gloria is an American sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Television and aired on NBC from March 9, 1995, through June 22, 1996. The show was canceled after 35 episodes...
(1995–1996) and The Brian Benben Show
The Brian Benben Show
The Brian Benben Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS on Mondays from September 21, 1998 to October 12, 1998.-Premise:The show centered on Brian Benben, an anchor on KYLA-TV news in Los Angeles, who was replaced in favor of a younger person...
(1998). These sitcoms were short-lived and Payne has deemed them as failures.
Further work
Payne and Frink joined the writing staff of the animated sitcom The Simpsons in 2000 with the season twelve episode "Insane Clown PoppyInsane Clown Poppy
"Insane Clown Poppy" is the third episode of the twelfth season of The Simpsons. It aired on November 12, 2000 in the US. In the episode, during an outdoor book fair, Krusty finds out he has a daughter , but loses her trust after gambling away her violin to Fat Tony, prompting Homer and Krusty to...
", which they co-wrote. "Treehouse of Horror XI
Treehouse of Horror XI
"Treehouse of Horror XI" is the first episode of The Simpsons twelfth season and the 249th overall, and the eleventh Halloween episode. The episode features "G-G-Ghost D-D-Dad", "Scary Tales Can Come True" and "Night of the Dolphin" and was written by Rob LaZebnik , John Frink and Don Payne and...
", another 2000 episode they wrote, was broadcast earlier than "Insane Clown Poppy", but was produced after. Payne said in an interview with TV Squad in 2006 that "My partner and I were actually working on one of a long string of failed sitcoms (and most sitcoms are failed sitcoms!) On the day a show is officially cancelled, it's kind of a tradition for the writing staff to go out to a restaurant, eat a nice meal, and drown their sorrows. On the way there, a writer named Jace Richdale
Jace Richdale
Jace Richdale is an American producer and writer. He served as co-executive producer for seasons 5 and 6 of The Simpsons and wrote the season five episode "Burns' Heir". He was a part of the Simpsons writing staff during seasons 5, 6, 9 and 10. Other writing credits include Family Ties, Get a Life...
(who had also worked on The Simpsons) told my partner and me that The Simpsons was looking for some writers. He wanted to know if we'd be interested in it, because he would recommend us. My jaw literally dropped. So he contacted the show-runner, a guy named Mike Scully
Mike Scully
Mike Scully is an American television writer and producer. He is known for his work as executive producer and showrunner of the animated sitcom The Simpsons from 1997 to 2001. Scully grew up in West Springfield, Massachusetts and long had an interest in writing. He was an underachiever at school...
, who read our spec script
Spec script
A spec script, also known as a speculative screenplay, is a non-commissioned unsolicited screenplay. It is usually written by a screenwriter who hopes to have the script optioned and eventually purchased by a producer, production company, or studio....
and met with us, then hired us on." After a few years of working on The Simpsons together, Frink and Payne's writing partnership ended. They both continued to work on the show, though, and Payne has described their split-up as amicable.
In later years, Payne has moved into writing feature films. So far he has written My Super Ex-Girlfriend
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
My Super Ex-Girlfriend is a 2006 American romantic comedy superhero film, directed by Ivan Reitman and stars Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson with Anna Faris, Eddie Izzard, Rainn Wilson, and Wanda Sykes.-Plot:...
, and co-written Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a 2007 American superhero film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story...
and Thor
Thor (film)
Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the comic book character of the same name published by Marvel Comics. It is the fourth film released as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
. My Super Ex-Girlfriend was released in 2006 and was his first feature film. He said in an interview with the website Cinematical that "I've always wanted to write features. That's why I moved to Los Angeles in the first place. I started writing with John Frink when I was in college at UCLA. He wanted to do TV, and that's where we got our first break. But my goal was always to write movies. And I've been a comic book geek from way back. So this romantic comedy with a superhero twist was a fitting first feature for me."
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Hope and Gloria Hope and Gloria Hope and Gloria is an American sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Television and aired on NBC from March 9, 1995, through June 22, 1996. The show was canceled after 35 episodes... |
Writer | Co-wrote the episode "A Fine ROM-ance" |
| 1995 | Pride & Joy Pride & Joy (TV series) Pride & Joy, is an American comedy series that aired on NBC in 1995. The series revolved around a Manhattan couple with a newborn son, Greg and Amy Sherman , and a couple across the hall, Nathan and Carol Green . The series soon folded after one season.... |
Writer | Co-wrote the episode "Brenda's Secret" |
| 1995–1996 | Can't Hurry Love Can't Hurry Love Can't Hurry Love is a US sitcom that ran for less than five months between September 1995 and February 1996.The show starred Nancy McKeon as a 20-something placement coordinator at a New York City personnel agency. McKeon plays Annie O'Donnell, a single career woman living in New York City and... |
Writer | Co-wrote the episodes "Annie Get Your Armoire", "Glove Story", and "Valentine's Day Massacred" |
| 1997 | Men Behaving Badly Men Behaving Badly (U.S. TV series) Men Behaving Badly is an American sitcom that ran on NBC from 1996 to 1997. It was based on the earlier British sitcom of the same name.... |
Writer | Co-wrote the episodes "Wet Nurse" and "Playing Doctor" |
| 1997 | Veronica's Closet Veronica's Closet Veronica's Closet is a sitcom which aired on NBC from September 25, 1997, to June 27, 2000.The show starred Kirstie Alley as Veronica “Ronnie” Chase, the head of her own lingerie company.- Season one :... |
Co-producer | Co-produced the episode "Veronica's First Thanksgiving" |
| 1998 | The Brian Benben Show The Brian Benben Show The Brian Benben Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS on Mondays from September 21, 1998 to October 12, 1998.-Premise:The show centered on Brian Benben, an anchor on KYLA-TV news in Los Angeles, who was replaced in favor of a younger person... |
Writer and producer | Co-wrote the episode "House of Blues" |
| 2000–present | The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie... |
Writer and producer | For a list of episodes written, see below |
The Simpsons episodes
- "Treehouse of Horror XITreehouse of Horror XI"Treehouse of Horror XI" is the first episode of The Simpsons twelfth season and the 249th overall, and the eleventh Halloween episode. The episode features "G-G-Ghost D-D-Dad", "Scary Tales Can Come True" and "Night of the Dolphin" and was written by Rob LaZebnik , John Frink and Don Payne and...
" (Scary Tales Can Come True) (co-written by John FrinkJohn FrinkJohn Frink is an American television writer and producer. He has written several episodes of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons, many of which he co-wrote with his former writing partner Don Payne. Frink and Payne started their career in television writing for the short-lived sitcom Hope...
) - "Insane Clown PoppyInsane Clown Poppy"Insane Clown Poppy" is the third episode of the twelfth season of The Simpsons. It aired on November 12, 2000 in the US. In the episode, during an outdoor book fair, Krusty finds out he has a daughter , but loses her trust after gambling away her violin to Fat Tony, prompting Homer and Krusty to...
" (co-written by John Frink) - "Bye Bye NerdieBye Bye Nerdie"Bye Bye Nerdie" is the sixteenth episode of the twelfth season of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 11, 2001. In the episode, when she becomes the target of a female bully, Lisa discovers a scientific reason as to why...
" (co-written by John Frink) - "Simpsons Tall TalesSimpsons Tall Tales"Simpsons Tall Tales" is the twenty-first episode and season finale of The Simpsons twelfth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 20, 2001. In the episode, Homer refuses to pay a five dollar airport tax to fly to Delaware, which forces the family to ride in a...
" (co-written by John Frink) - "Treehouse of Horror XIITreehouse of Horror XII“Treehouse of Horror XII” is the first episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. Because of Fox’s contract with Major League Baseball’s World Series, the episode first aired on the Fox Network in the United States on November 6, 2001, nearly one week after Halloween. It is the twelfth annual...
" (co-written by John Frink) - "The Bart Wants What It WantsThe Bart Wants What It Wants"The Bart Wants What it Wants" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 17, 2002. In the episode, Bart befriends Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta...
" (co-written by John Frink) - "The Great Louse DetectiveThe Great Louse Detective"The Great Louse Detective" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons fourteenth season. It features Kelsey Grammer in his eighth appearance as Sideshow Bob...
" (co-written by John Frink) - "Old Yeller BellyOld Yeller Belly"Old Yeller Belly" is the nineteenth episode of the fourteenth season of The Simpsons. It aired on May 4, 2003.-Plot:Bart and his friends in his treehouse try to eavesdrop on Lisa and her friends having a tea party, and the treehouse gets destroyed in the ensuing fight...
" (co-written by John Frink) - "The Wandering JuvieThe Wandering JuvieThe Wandering Juvie" is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. The episode aired on March 28, 2004. It guest starred Sarah Michelle Gellar as Gina Vendetti.-Plot:...
" (co-written by John Frink) - "Fraudcast NewsFraudcast News"Fraudcast News" is the 22nd and last episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, first aired on May 23, 2004 in the United States on the FOX network...
" - "Thank God It's DoomsdayThank God It's Doomsday"Thank God, It's Doomsday" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons sixteenth season. The episode aired for the first time on May 8, 2005, in the US.-Plot:After Homer sees the film Left Below, he fears that the Rapture will soon be coming...
" - "Simpsons Christmas StoriesSimpsons Christmas Stories"Simpsons Christmas Stories" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons seventeenth season.-The First Do'h-El:When Reverend Lovejoy can not attend the Christmas sermon due to a horrible train wreck , Flanders immediately takes over. However, he gets a paper cut and faints...
" - "Little Big GirlLittle Big Girl"Little Big Girl" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons eighteenth season, which was originally broadcast on February 11, 2007. It was written by Don Payne, and directed by Raymond S. Persi. Natalie Portman guest starred as a new character, Darcy. The title is a play on the Dustin Hoffman movie...
" - "Love, Springfieldian StyleLove, Springfieldian Style"Love, Springfieldian Style" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season and was first broadcast on the Fox Network on February 17, 2008, three days after Valentine's Day. It includes three self contained stories about romance...
" - "Take My Life, PleaseTake My Life, Please"Take My Life, Please" is the tenth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 15, 2009...
" - "Thursdays with AbieThursdays with Abie"Thursdays with Abie" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons twenty-first season. It aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States on January 3, 2010. In the episode, Grampa meets a human interest journalist who writes and publishes Grampa's life stories making Homer jealous and while...
" (co-written by Mitchell H. Glazer)
Film
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | My Super Ex-Girlfriend My Super Ex-Girlfriend My Super Ex-Girlfriend is a 2006 American romantic comedy superhero film, directed by Ivan Reitman and stars Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson with Anna Faris, Eddie Izzard, Rainn Wilson, and Wanda Sykes.-Plot:... |
Writer |
| 2007 | Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a 2007 American superhero film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story... |
Writer |
| 2011 | Thor Thor (film) Thor is a 2011 American superhero film based on the comic book character of the same name published by Marvel Comics. It is the fourth film released as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe... |
Writer |
| 2013 | Maximum Ride | Writer |
| 2013 | Thor 2 | Writer |