Kevin Curran, a longtime writer for The Simpsons who worked on the show for over 15 years, sadly passed away from complications due to cancer in October of 2016 at the age of 59. Curran won three Emmys for his writing on the show, and in 2010 he was nominated for a Humanitas award for his work on the episode “The Greatest Story Ever D’ohed.” Before his death, he also worked as the show’s co-executive producer.
“Kevin Curran was a sweet, brilliant man who said many hilarious things, some unprintable, others which will live forever in a children’s cartoon,” Al Jean, Simpsons executive producer and showrunner, said to The Hollywood Reporter in a statement.
Kevin Curran, longtime writer for The Simpsons, dead at 59 https://t.co/dPr3SC8ek4 pic.twitter.com/AuPhjHBvGn
— CBC News (@CBCNews) October 30, 2016
On Sunday, Curran’s final episode of the series aired posthumously. The episode featured Bill Hader as Detective Manacek, a parody of the ’70s TV investigator Thomas Banacek.
People on Twitter both applauded the ingenuity of the episode and mourned once more for the loss of such a smart, insightful writer.
https://twitter.com/scullymike/status/975448559913877504
https://twitter.com/meganamram/status/975456712483266560
Kevin Curran’s last script ever will be bittersweet (he died back in October 2016) I hope the new Simpsons is at least decent because I think Selman is the co-showrunner for it and he’s almost never fail to disappoint me.
— Felix Saenz (@FelixReviews) March 18, 2018
And yes, if you’re asking, I think this is one of the best episodes of seaso 29 so far, next to Gone Boy. Kevin Curran ended his career on a great note. #TheSimpsons’ biggest strengths these days is when they go for original ideas.
— Felix Saenz (@FelixReviews) March 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/PKBlake/status/975451192762408960
https://twitter.com/lucycarin/status/975534624653889537
The current Simpsons writers were sure to include a special, sweet shoutout to Curran in the credits, which would have surely made him chuckle.
This episode was written & inspired by our pal Kevin Curran, who died in 2016. Kevin would have loved Manacek's unflappable charm and casual sexism.
— Matt Selman (@mattselman) March 19, 2018
Under the credits, Homer is now a FULLY-LICENCED DJ, spinning records alongside DJ Daddy Towers Kevin Curran.
— Matt Selman (@mattselman) March 19, 2018
Curran also wrote for The Late Show with David Letterman, which earned him three more Emmys, and had writing stints on Married With Children and Unhappily Ever After.