Richard Appel
Encyclopedia
Richard "Rich" Appel is an American
writer
, producer
and former attorney
. Growing up in Wilmette, Illinois
, Appel developed a love of comedy and dreamt of a career as a comedy writer; he attended Harvard University
and wrote for the Harvard Lampoon
. Following in his mother's footsteps Appel instead became a lawyer. After attending law school he started out as a law clerk for Judge John M. Walker, Jr.
before becoming a federal attorney, serving as assistant U.S. attorney for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
for three years. In 1994, he moved into comedy writing when he was hired for The Simpsons
, writing seven episodes of the show including "Mother Simpson
". He moved on to become showrunner and executive producer
of King of the Hill
before creating the sitcom A.U.S.A.
. He then worked on The Bernie Mac Show
, Family Guy
and American Dad!
before co-creating The Cleveland Show
. He was married to the novelist Mona Simpson.
, to Nina and Alfred Appel
. His mother was a lawyer, taught law and served as dean of Loyola University Chicago
's law school from 1983–2004, and his father was professor of English at Northwestern University
and an expert on Vladimir Nabokov
(he died May 2, 2009). Appel has a sister, Karen Oshman. Appel lived in California
while his parents taught at Stanford University
before the family moved to Wilmette, Illinois
, where Appel went to North Shore Country Day School
. Appel became interested in comedy from a young age, noting: "I grew up watching The Dick Van Dyke Show
and always thought that what Rob Petrie did for a living was what I wanted to do." His father introduced him to the works of Buster Keaton
and Laurel and Hardy
and encouraged him to "read comic books and watch quality [sic] television", and he and a friend produced parody adverts and news pieces with a Betamax
and often engaged in prank phone calls. At high school, he wrote sketches and routines and dreamt of being a comedy writer but "didn't know anyone who did it, and it didn't seem like a career that was open to me."
He attended Harvard University
and wrote for the Harvard Lampoon
, alongside Conan O'Brien
and Greg Daniels
, both of whom he beat for the chance to give the comic graduation speech, the Ivy Oration. Tad Friend
noted: "Everyone thought it would be Conan automatically, but Rich's speech was funny and self-deprecating, in a way that was both silly and profound." After graduation in 1985 with a degree in history and literature, Appel attended Harvard Law School
rather than moving into comedy, because the idea of following his mother and grandfathers into the legal profession "appealed" to him. He then worked for two years as a law clerk for Judge John M. Walker, Jr.
, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
, working on the trials of people such as Michael Milken
and Leona Helmsley
. Subsequently, for three years from 1990, Appel served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Fellow attorney Geoffrey Berman stated Appel "was an excellent lawyer. He was good on his feet, articulate, with a sense of the law that was common-sensical, more intuitive than based on books." Appel still had dreams of becoming a comedy writer despite the security working as a lawyer offered him, but only in 1993, after his wife became pregnant, was Appel "reminde[d] that this was [his] life and [he] could shape it." Three months later he had retained an agent, had written and submitted two spec-scripts, and had moved to California.
hired him for the writing staff of The Simpsons in 1994, initially on a ten-week contract, and served as a writer and producer there for four years. There, he wrote seven episodes, often employing the use of "joke sequences, a narrative approach to humor that eschews the quick laugh in favor of something that develops over time." Appel found work on The Simpsons to be a learning curve because it was a "very tough show to write for." His first episode was season seven's
"Mother Simpson
". Appel was desperately trying to think of a story idea to show and decided that he had to really reach out and opted to do something about Homer
's mother, who previously had only been mentioned once. He named her Mona Simpson
, after his wife. Many of the writers could not believe that an episode about Homer's mother had not previously been produced. The writers used the episode to solve several little puzzles, such as where Lisa
's intelligence came from. Also for season seven he penned "Bart on the Road
", in which he utilized the plot devices of "go to work with your parents day" and Bart
getting a driving license, and contributed to the episode "22 Short Films About Springfield
"; the two segments he wrote for the episode (one about Marge
, the other about Lionel Hutz
) were both cut. Appel wrote two episodes from season eight
, "Bart After Dark
" and "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson
", as well as season nine's
"The Two Mrs Nahasapeemapetilons" and season 10's
"When You Dish Upon A Star
".
Daniels hired Appel as executive producer and showrunner on King of the Hill
in 1997, leading the show's writing process and overseeing all aspects of the show. Daniels noted: "It was essential that Rich was a good writer who could deal with people, who could help manage the business in the room. But equally important was the fact that he was someone I could trust, who had a similar sense of taste and values." He stayed until 2001. For his work on The Simpsons and King of the Hill, Appel won three Primetime Emmy Awards. Appel created the short-lived series A.U.S.A.
, which aired in 2003, which he based on his own experiences as a U.S. assistant attorney. He conceived it in 2001 and NBC
ordered 13 episodes the following year; the show's original pilot used a single-camera setup
but the NBC's executives felt it would have more appeal as a multiple-camera setup
, so it was re-shot. Appel noted of the show: "There's a sense sometimes in Hollywood that writers and producers who come from animated shows maybe have something to prove to justify their credibility as live-action show-runners or writers. My own experience has been fortunate. I haven't felt that. But I know it exists." He was inspired by the comedic side of working as a lawyer when writing the show: "Whether you're working on a case that you're proud to tell you mother and grandmother about, you're still going to encounter possibly really shifty dishonest lawyers, or a judge who is a little crazy, or witnesses who self-destruct on the stand." The show was not acclaimed: Scott D. Pierce of The Deseret News praised the premise but felt the show was "sort of like watching a train wreck," while Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
said it was "too cartoonish to work." Appel then wrote and worked as a co-executive producer on The Bernie Mac Show
and Kitchen Confidential
, and appeared as Josh in the 2004 film I ♥ Huckabees. In 2006, Appel produced a pilot called My Ex Life about two divorcing couples for CBS
, which was directed by Kelsey Grammer
.
In 2008, he served as a co-executive producer on Family Guy
and executive producer on American Dad!
from 2008 until 2009. Appel wrote the Family Guy seventh season episode "Family Gay
". Appel co-created, alongside Mike Henry and Seth MacFarlane
, the Family Guy spin-off The Cleveland Show
, which they began discussing in 2007 and which premiered September 27, 2009. He and Henry serve as the show's executive producers and showrunners, handling the day-to-day operations, with limited involvement from MacFarlane. Henry and Appel conceived the show as "more of a family show, a sweeter show" than Family Guy. The show, which was picked up to air a first season consisting of 22 episodes, was picked up by Fox
for a second season, consisting of 13 episodes, bringing the total number to 35 episodes. The announcement was made on May 3, 2009 before the first season even premiered. It was extended to a full second season. Appel signed a new three-year, seven figure deal with Fox to continue serving as showrunner on The Cleveland Show in 2010. Fox chairman Gary Newman commented: "What is special about him is his incredible leadership ability. He is a terrific showrunner, and he really sets the tone on a show that is exactly what you're looking for."
founder Steve Jobs
, in 1993. They have two children. Appel and Simpson have since divorced.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and former attorney
Attorney at law
An attorney at law in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Alternative terms include counselor and lawyer...
. Growing up in Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...
, Appel developed a love of comedy and dreamt of a career as a comedy writer; he attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and wrote for the Harvard Lampoon
Harvard Lampoon
The Harvard Lampoon is an undergraduate humor publication founded in 1876 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.-Overview:Published since 1876, The Harvard Lampoon is the world's longest continually published humor magazine. It is also the second longest-running English-language humor...
. Following in his mother's footsteps Appel instead became a lawyer. After attending law school he started out as a law clerk for Judge John M. Walker, Jr.
John M. Walker, Jr.
John Mercer Walker, Jr. is a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and a cousin of U.S. Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush...
before becoming a federal attorney, serving as assistant U.S. attorney for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
for three years. In 1994, he moved into comedy writing when he was hired for 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...
, writing seven episodes of the show including "Mother Simpson
Mother Simpson
"Mother Simpson" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons seventh season and first aired on November 19, 1995. After faking his own death to get a day off of work, Homer reunites with his mother Mona, who he thought had died 27 years ago. It was directed by David Silverman and was the first episode to...
". He moved on to become showrunner and executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
of King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
before creating the sitcom A.U.S.A.
A.U.S.A.
A.U.S.A. is an American sitcom television series that aired in 2003 on NBC, starring Scott Foley.-Plot:Adam Sullivan is a naive, but well-intentioned federal prosecutor in New York City, who must contend with the difficulties of both his work life and his romantic life...
. He then worked on The Bernie Mac Show
The Bernie Mac Show
The Bernie Mac Show is an American sitcom featuring comic actor Bernie Mac and his wife Wanda raising his sister's three kids: Jordan, Bryana and Vanessa. The show aired for five seasons , concluding with a half-hour series finale on Fox....
, Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
and American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
before co-creating The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
. He was married to the novelist Mona Simpson.
Early life and law career
Appel was born May 21, 1963 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, to Nina and Alfred Appel
Alfred Appel
Alfred Appel, Jr. was a scholar noted for his investigations into the works of Vladimir Nabokov, modern art and Jazz modernism.As a student at Cornell University, Appel took a course from Nabokov...
. His mother was a lawyer, taught law and served as dean of Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
's law school from 1983–2004, and his father was professor of English at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and an expert on Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a multilingual Russian novelist and short story writer. Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Russian, then rose to international prominence as a master English prose stylist...
(he died May 2, 2009). Appel has a sister, Karen Oshman. Appel lived in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
while his parents taught at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
before the family moved to Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...
, where Appel went to North Shore Country Day School
North Shore Country Day School
North Shore Country Day School, is a small private school founded in 1919 and located in Winnetka, Illinois. It consists of a lower school, a middle school, and an upper school.-History:...
. Appel became interested in comedy from a young age, noting: "I grew up watching The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Dick Van Dyke Show is an American television sitcom that initially aired on the Columbia Broadcasting System from October 3, 1961, until June 1, 1966. The show was created by Carl Reiner and starred Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. It was produced by Reiner with Bill Persky and Sam Denoff....
and always thought that what Rob Petrie did for a living was what I wanted to do." His father introduced him to the works of Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
and Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
and encouraged him to "read comic books and watch quality [sic] television", and he and a friend produced parody adverts and news pieces with a Betamax
Betamax
Betamax was a consumer-level analog videocassette magnetic tape recording format developed by Sony, released on May 10, 1975. The cassettes contain -wide videotape in a design similar to the earlier, professional wide, U-matic format...
and often engaged in prank phone calls. At high school, he wrote sketches and routines and dreamt of being a comedy writer but "didn't know anyone who did it, and it didn't seem like a career that was open to me."
He attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and wrote for the Harvard Lampoon
Harvard Lampoon
The Harvard Lampoon is an undergraduate humor publication founded in 1876 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.-Overview:Published since 1876, The Harvard Lampoon is the world's longest continually published humor magazine. It is also the second longest-running English-language humor...
, alongside Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
and Greg Daniels
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
, both of whom he beat for the chance to give the comic graduation speech, the Ivy Oration. Tad Friend
Tad Friend
Tad Friend is a staff writer for The New Yorker. His current focus of coverage is the entertainment industry, and he often writes the "Letter from California" for The New Yorker. His memoir, Cheerful Money: Me, My Family, and the Last Days of Wasp Splendor, was published by Little, Brown in...
noted: "Everyone thought it would be Conan automatically, but Rich's speech was funny and self-deprecating, in a way that was both silly and profound." After graduation in 1985 with a degree in history and literature, Appel attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
rather than moving into comedy, because the idea of following his mother and grandfathers into the legal profession "appealed" to him. He then worked for two years as a law clerk for Judge John M. Walker, Jr.
John M. Walker, Jr.
John Mercer Walker, Jr. is a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and a cousin of U.S. Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush...
, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
, working on the trials of people such as Michael Milken
Michael Milken
Michael Robert Milken is an American business magnate, financier, and philanthropist noted for his role in the development of the market for high-yield bonds during the 1970s and 1980s, for his 1990 guilty plea to felony charges for violating US securities laws, and for his funding of medical...
and Leona Helmsley
Leona Helmsley
Leona Mindy Roberts Helmsley was an American businesswoman and real estate entrepreneur. She was a flamboyant personality and had a reputation for tyrannical behavior that earned her the nickname Queen of Mean...
. Subsequently, for three years from 1990, Appel served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Fellow attorney Geoffrey Berman stated Appel "was an excellent lawyer. He was good on his feet, articulate, with a sense of the law that was common-sensical, more intuitive than based on books." Appel still had dreams of becoming a comedy writer despite the security working as a lawyer offered him, but only in 1993, after his wife became pregnant, was Appel "reminde[d] that this was [his] life and [he] could shape it." Three months later he had retained an agent, had written and submitted two spec-scripts, and had moved to California.
Writing career
When starting out as a comedy writer, Appel recalled: "One reason I caught up to my contemporaries is that when I started to send out my scripts, the idea that I'd been on the Lampoon, even 8 or 10 years before, was a credential I could use." Appel got his first television job when David MirkinDavid Mirkin
David Mirkin is an American feature film and television director, writer and producer. Mirkin grew up in Philadelphia and intended to become an electrical engineer, but abandoned this career path in favor of studying film at Loyola Marymount University. After graduating, he became a stand-up...
hired him for the writing staff of The Simpsons in 1994, initially on a ten-week contract, and served as a writer and producer there for four years. There, he wrote seven episodes, often employing the use of "joke sequences, a narrative approach to humor that eschews the quick laugh in favor of something that develops over time." Appel found work on The Simpsons to be a learning curve because it was a "very tough show to write for." His first episode was season seven's
The Simpsons (season 7)
The Simpsons seventh season originally aired on the Fox network between September 17, 1995 and May 19, 1996. The show runners for the seventh production season were Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein who would executive produce 21 episodes this season. David Mirkin executive produced the remaining...
"Mother Simpson
Mother Simpson
"Mother Simpson" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons seventh season and first aired on November 19, 1995. After faking his own death to get a day off of work, Homer reunites with his mother Mona, who he thought had died 27 years ago. It was directed by David Silverman and was the first episode to...
". Appel was desperately trying to think of a story idea to show and decided that he had to really reach out and opted to do something about Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
's mother, who previously had only been mentioned once. He named her Mona Simpson
Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)
Mona J. Simpson is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She has been voiced by several actresses, including Maggie Roswell, Tress MacNeille and most prominently, Glenn Close. Mona is the estranged wife of Abe Simpson and the mother of Homer Simpson...
, after his wife. Many of the writers could not believe that an episode about Homer's mother had not previously been produced. The writers used the episode to solve several little puzzles, such as where Lisa
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
's intelligence came from. Also for season seven he penned "Bart on the Road
Bart on the Road
"Bart on the Road" is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons seventh season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 31, 1996. In the episode, Bart makes his own fake driver's license. He rents a car with it and takes Milhouse, Martin, and Nelson on a road trip to...
", in which he utilized the plot devices of "go to work with your parents day" and Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
getting a driving license, and contributed to the episode "22 Short Films About Springfield
22 Short Films about Springfield
"22 Short Films About Springfield" is the twenty-first episode of The Simpsons seventh season, which originally aired on April 14, 1996. It was written by Richard Appel, David S. Cohen, Jonathan Collier, Jennifer Crittenden, Greg Daniels, Brent Forrester, Rachel Pulido, Steve Tompkins, Josh...
"; the two segments he wrote for the episode (one about Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
, the other about Lionel Hutz
Lionel Hutz
Lionel Hutz is a recurring character from the animated television series The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman, and his first appearance was in the season two episode "Bart Gets Hit by a Car". Due to the death of Hartman, his final speaking role was in the episode "Realty Bites"...
) were both cut. Appel wrote two episodes from season eight
The Simpsons (season 8)
The Simpsons eighth season originally aired between October 27, 1996 and May 18, 1997, beginning with "Treehouse of Horror VII". The show runners for the eighth production season were Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein. The aired season contained two episodes which were hold-over episodes from season...
, "Bart After Dark
Bart After Dark
"Bart After Dark" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons eighth season, first aired by the Fox network on November 24, 1996. After accidentally breaking a stone gargoyle at a local house, Bart is forced to work there as punishment. He assumes it will be boring work, but is pleasantly surprised when...
" and "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson
The Secret War of Lisa Simpson
"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" is the season finale of The Simpsons eighth season, first aired by the Fox network on May 18, 1997. Bart gets sent to a military academy as punishment for bad behavior. While visiting the academy, Lisa sees that the school is far more challenging than hers and she...
", as well as season nine's
The Simpsons (season 9)
The Simpsons ninth season originally aired between September 1997 and May 1998, beginning on Sunday, September 21, 1997 with "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson". The show runner for the ninth production season was Mike Scully...
"The Two Mrs Nahasapeemapetilons" and season 10's
The Simpsons (season 10)
The tenth season of the animated television series The Simpsons was originally broadcast on the Fox network in the United States between August 23, 1998 and May 16, 1999. It contains twenty-three episodes, starting with "Lard of the Dance". The Simpsons revolves around a working class family that...
"When You Dish Upon A Star
When You Dish upon a Star
"When You Dish Upon a Star" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons tenth season, which was originally broadcast on November 8, 1998. When the family spend the day at Lake Springfield, Homer meets Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, who are hiding from the media in their secluded summer home...
".
Daniels hired Appel as executive producer and showrunner on King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
in 1997, leading the show's writing process and overseeing all aspects of the show. Daniels noted: "It was essential that Rich was a good writer who could deal with people, who could help manage the business in the room. But equally important was the fact that he was someone I could trust, who had a similar sense of taste and values." He stayed until 2001. For his work on The Simpsons and King of the Hill, Appel won three Primetime Emmy Awards. Appel created the short-lived series A.U.S.A.
A.U.S.A.
A.U.S.A. is an American sitcom television series that aired in 2003 on NBC, starring Scott Foley.-Plot:Adam Sullivan is a naive, but well-intentioned federal prosecutor in New York City, who must contend with the difficulties of both his work life and his romantic life...
, which aired in 2003, which he based on his own experiences as a U.S. assistant attorney. He conceived it in 2001 and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
ordered 13 episodes the following year; the show's original pilot used a single-camera setup
Single-camera setup
The single-camera setup, or single-camera mode of production, is a method of filmmaking and video production. A single camera—either motion picture camera or professional video camera—is employed on the set and each shot to make up a scene is taken individually...
but the NBC's executives felt it would have more appeal as a multiple-camera setup
Multiple-camera setup
The multiple-camera setup, multiple-camera mode of production, or multicam is a method of filmmaking and video production. Several cameras—either film or professional video cameras—are employed on the set and simultaneously record or broadcast a scene...
, so it was re-shot. Appel noted of the show: "There's a sense sometimes in Hollywood that writers and producers who come from animated shows maybe have something to prove to justify their credibility as live-action show-runners or writers. My own experience has been fortunate. I haven't felt that. But I know it exists." He was inspired by the comedic side of working as a lawyer when writing the show: "Whether you're working on a case that you're proud to tell you mother and grandmother about, you're still going to encounter possibly really shifty dishonest lawyers, or a judge who is a little crazy, or witnesses who self-destruct on the stand." The show was not acclaimed: Scott D. Pierce of The Deseret News praised the premise but felt the show was "sort of like watching a train wreck," while Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
said it was "too cartoonish to work." Appel then wrote and worked as a co-executive producer on The Bernie Mac Show
The Bernie Mac Show
The Bernie Mac Show is an American sitcom featuring comic actor Bernie Mac and his wife Wanda raising his sister's three kids: Jordan, Bryana and Vanessa. The show aired for five seasons , concluding with a half-hour series finale on Fox....
and Kitchen Confidential
Kitchen Confidential (TV series)
Kitchen Confidential is an American television sitcom that debuted on September 19, 2005 on the Fox network, based on Anthony Bourdain's New York Times bestselling book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly...
, and appeared as Josh in the 2004 film I ♥ Huckabees. In 2006, Appel produced a pilot called My Ex Life about two divorcing couples for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, which was directed by Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey Grammer
Allen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier...
.
In 2008, he served as a co-executive producer on Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
and executive producer on American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
from 2008 until 2009. Appel wrote the Family Guy seventh season episode "Family Gay
Family Gay
"Family Gay" is the eighth episode of the seventh season of the animated television comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on March 8, 2009. In the episode, Peter Griffin purchases a brain damaged horse who ends up causing a great deal of collateral damage at the...
". Appel co-created, alongside Mike Henry and Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
, the Family Guy spin-off The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
, which they began discussing in 2007 and which premiered September 27, 2009. He and Henry serve as the show's executive producers and showrunners, handling the day-to-day operations, with limited involvement from MacFarlane. Henry and Appel conceived the show as "more of a family show, a sweeter show" than Family Guy. The show, which was picked up to air a first season consisting of 22 episodes, was picked up by Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
for a second season, consisting of 13 episodes, bringing the total number to 35 episodes. The announcement was made on May 3, 2009 before the first season even premiered. It was extended to a full second season. Appel signed a new three-year, seven figure deal with Fox to continue serving as showrunner on The Cleveland Show in 2010. Fox chairman Gary Newman commented: "What is special about him is his incredible leadership ability. He is a terrific showrunner, and he really sets the tone on a show that is exactly what you're looking for."
Personal life
He married novelist Mona Simpson, the biological sister of AppleApple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
founder Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
, in 1993. They have two children. Appel and Simpson have since divorced.
Credits
Appel worked on the listed shows and wrote all the listed episodes:- The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe 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...
(1994–1997) - writer, producer, co-executive producer, consulting producer and story editor- "Mother SimpsonMother Simpson"Mother Simpson" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons seventh season and first aired on November 19, 1995. After faking his own death to get a day off of work, Homer reunites with his mother Mona, who he thought had died 27 years ago. It was directed by David Silverman and was the first episode to...
" - "Bart on the RoadBart on the Road"Bart on the Road" is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons seventh season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 31, 1996. In the episode, Bart makes his own fake driver's license. He rents a car with it and takes Milhouse, Martin, and Nelson on a road trip to...
" - "22 Short Films About Springfield22 Short Films about Springfield"22 Short Films About Springfield" is the twenty-first episode of The Simpsons seventh season, which originally aired on April 14, 1996. It was written by Richard Appel, David S. Cohen, Jonathan Collier, Jennifer Crittenden, Greg Daniels, Brent Forrester, Rachel Pulido, Steve Tompkins, Josh...
" (co-writer) - "Bart After DarkBart After Dark"Bart After Dark" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons eighth season, first aired by the Fox network on November 24, 1996. After accidentally breaking a stone gargoyle at a local house, Bart is forced to work there as punishment. He assumes it will be boring work, but is pleasantly surprised when...
" - "The Secret War of Lisa SimpsonThe Secret War of Lisa Simpson"The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" is the season finale of The Simpsons eighth season, first aired by the Fox network on May 18, 1997. Bart gets sent to a military academy as punishment for bad behavior. While visiting the academy, Lisa sees that the school is far more challenging than hers and she...
" - "The Two Mrs. NahasapeemapetilonsThe Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons"The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons" is the seventh episode of The Simpsons ninth season, that originally aired on November 16, 1997. It was written by Richard Appel and directed by Steven Dean Moore. The episode sees Apu Nahasapeemapetilon marry Manjula, and incorporates several aspects of Hindu...
" - "When You Dish Upon a StarWhen You Dish upon a Star"When You Dish Upon a Star" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons tenth season, which was originally broadcast on November 8, 1998. When the family spend the day at Lake Springfield, Homer meets Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, who are hiding from the media in their secluded summer home...
"
- "Mother Simpson
- King of the HillKing of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
(1997–2001) - executive producer - A.U.S.A.A.U.S.A.A.U.S.A. is an American sitcom television series that aired in 2003 on NBC, starring Scott Foley.-Plot:Adam Sullivan is a naive, but well-intentioned federal prosecutor in New York City, who must contend with the difficulties of both his work life and his romantic life...
(2003) - creator, executive producer, writer- "Pilot"
- "12 Happy Grandmothers"
- The Bernie Mac ShowThe Bernie Mac ShowThe Bernie Mac Show is an American sitcom featuring comic actor Bernie Mac and his wife Wanda raising his sister's three kids: Jordan, Bryana and Vanessa. The show aired for five seasons , concluding with a half-hour series finale on Fox....
(2003–2005) - co-executive producer, writer- "Eye of the Tiger"
- "That Old Mac Magic"
- "Stiff Upper Lip"
- "Nerdy Mac"
- I ♥ Huckabees (2004) - Actor (as Josh)
- Kitchen ConfidentialKitchen Confidential (TV series)Kitchen Confidential is an American television sitcom that debuted on September 19, 2005 on the Fox network, based on Anthony Bourdain's New York Times bestselling book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly...
(2005–2006) - co-executive producer, writer- "Praise Be Praise"
- "Let's Do Brunch"
- My Ex Life (2006) - creator, executive producer, writer
- Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
(2008–2009) - co-executive producer, writer- "Family GayFamily Gay"Family Gay" is the eighth episode of the seventh season of the animated television comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on March 8, 2009. In the episode, Peter Griffin purchases a brain damaged horse who ends up causing a great deal of collateral damage at the...
"
- "Family Gay
- American Dad!American Dad!American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
(2008–2009) - executive producer - The Cleveland ShowThe Cleveland ShowThe Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
(2009-) - co-creator, executive producer, writer- "PilotPilot (The Cleveland Show)"Pilot" is the first episode of the first season of the animated comedy series The Cleveland Show. Directed by Anthony Lioi and written by series creators Seth MacFarlane, Mike Henry and Richard Appel, the episode originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 27, 2009...
"
- "Pilot