Jon Vitti
Encyclopedia
Jon Vitti is an American writer best known for his work on the television
series The Simpsons
. He has also written for the King of the Hill
and The Critic
series, and has served as a consultant for several animated movies, including Ice Age
(2002) and Robots
(2005). He is one of the eleven writers of The Simpsons Movie
and also responsible for the film adaptation of Alvin and the Chipmunks
.
Vitti is a graduate of Harvard University
, where he wrote for and was president with Mike Reiss
of the Harvard Lampoon
. He was also very close with Conan O'Brien
while at Harvard. Prior to joining The Simpsons, he had a brief stint with Saturday Night Live
. He described his experiences on a DVD commentary as "a very unhappy year". After leaving The Simpsons' writing staff in its fourth season, Vitti wrote for the HBO series The Larry Sanders Show
. He is now working on The Office in the seventh season and has written the episode, "Viewing Party
".
He is the second most prolific writer for The Simpsons; his 25 episodes place him after John Swartzwelder
, who wrote 59 episodes.
Vitti has also used the pseudonym Penny Wise. Vitti used the pseudonym for episodes "Another Simpsons Clip Show
" and "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular
" because he did not want to be credited for writing a clip show as expressed on Simpsons DVD commentaries (though his name was credited for writing the first Simpsons clip show "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show
").
On the season four Simpsons episode "The Front
," Jon Vitti is caricatured as a Harvard graduate who gets fired from I&S Studios for penning mediocre episodes and gets hit on the head with a name plate by his boss, Roger Meyers.
His wife, Ann, is the sister of fellow Simpsons writer George Meyer
(who was also a Saturday Night Live writer-turned-Simpsons writer who did not like working on SNL). He is a distant cousin of Los Angeles Lakers trainer Gary Vitti, award-winning author Jim Vitti
, and actor Michael Dante
(the stage name of Ralph Vitti).
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series 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...
. He has also written for the 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...
and The Critic
The Critic
The Critic is an American prime time animated series revolving around the life of film critic Jay Sherman, voiced by actor Jon Lovitz. It was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, both of whom had worked as writers on The Simpsons. The Critic had 23 episodes produced, first broadcast on ABC in 1994,...
series, and has served as a consultant for several animated movies, including Ice Age
Ice Age (film)
Ice Age is a 2002 American computer-animated film created by Blue Sky Studios and released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge from a story by Michael J. Wilson. The story follows three Paleolithical mammals attempting to return a lost human baby to its parents...
(2002) and Robots
Robots (film)
Robots is a 2005 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios for 20th Century Fox, and was released theatrically on March 11, 2005. The story was created by Chris Wedge and William Joyce, a children's book author/illustrator. The two were trying to create a film version of...
(2005). He is one of the eleven writers of The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
and also responsible for the film adaptation of Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
.
Vitti is a graduate of 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...
, where he wrote for and was president with Mike Reiss
Mike Reiss
Michael "Mike" Reiss is an American television comedy writer. He served as a show-runner, writer and producer for the animated series The Simpsons and co-created the animated series The Critic...
of 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...
. He was also very close with 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....
while at Harvard. Prior to joining The Simpsons, he had a brief stint with Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. He described his experiences on a DVD commentary as "a very unhappy year". After leaving The Simpsons
The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the...
. He is now working on The Office in the seventh season and has written the episode, "Viewing Party
Viewing Party
"Viewing Party" is the eighth episode of seventh season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's 134th episode overall. Written by Jon Vitti and directed by Ken Whittingham, the episode aired on NBC in the United States on November 11, 2010.-Synopsis:The office employees...
".
He is the second most prolific writer for The Simpsons; his 25 episodes place him after John Swartzwelder
John Swartzwelder
John Swartzwelder is an American comedy writer and novelist, best known for his work on the animated television series The Simpsons, as well as a number of novels. He is credited with writing the largest number of Simpsons episodes by a large margin...
, who wrote 59 episodes.
Vitti has also used the pseudonym Penny Wise. Vitti used the pseudonym for episodes "Another Simpsons Clip Show
Another Simpsons Clip Show
"Another Simpsons Clip Show" is the third episode of The Simpsons sixth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 25, 1994...
" and "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular
The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular
"The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons seventh season. It originally aired on Fox on December 3, 1995. As the title suggests, it is the 138th episode and the third clip show episode of The Simpsons after "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" and...
" because he did not want to be credited for writing a clip show as expressed on Simpsons DVD commentaries (though his name was credited for writing the first Simpsons clip show "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show
So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show
"So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April Fools' Day, 1993. In the episode, Homer plays a series of practical jokes on Bart, and to get even, Bart shakes up a can of...
").
On the season four Simpsons episode "The Front
The Front (The Simpsons)
"The Front" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season, and originally aired in the United States on the Fox network on April 15, 1993. In the episode, Bart and Lisa decide to write an episode of The Itchy & Scratchy Show; after their script is rejected, they resubmit it under the name...
," Jon Vitti is caricatured as a Harvard graduate who gets fired from I&S Studios for penning mediocre episodes and gets hit on the head with a name plate by his boss, Roger Meyers.
His wife, Ann, is the sister of fellow Simpsons writer George Meyer
George Meyer
George A. Meyer is an American producer and writer. Raised in Tucson, Arizona in a Roman Catholic family, Meyer attended Harvard University. There, after becoming president of the Harvard Lampoon, he graduated in 1978 with a degree in biochemistry. Abandoning plans to attend medical school, Meyer...
(who was also a Saturday Night Live writer-turned-Simpsons writer who did not like working on SNL). He is a distant cousin of Los Angeles Lakers trainer Gary Vitti, award-winning author Jim Vitti
Jim Vitti
Jim Vitti is an award-winning author. He is best known for writing The Cubs on Catalina, which received the international Book of the Year Award from The Sporting News and the Society for American Baseball Research...
, and actor Michael Dante
Michael Dante
Michael Dante is an American award winning actor of television, films and stage and a former professional minor league baseball player....
(the stage name of Ralph Vitti).
The Simpsons episodes
He is credited with writing the following episodes:- "Bart the GeniusBart the Genius"Bart the Genius" is the second episode of The Simpsons first season, which originally aired on the Fox network on January 14, 1990. It was the first episode written by Jon Vitti. It was also the first ever episode to use the signature title sequence, as well as the first regular episode...
" - "Homer's Night OutHomer's Night Out"Homer's Night Out" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons first season, and originally aired on March 25, 1990. It was written by Jon Vitti and directed by Rich Moore. In the episode, Bart orders a mail-order spy camera, which he uses to secretly take a photograph of Homer dancing with an exotic...
" - "The Crepes of WrathThe Crepes of Wrath"The Crepes of Wrath" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons first season, and originally aired April 15, 1990. The episode was written by George Meyer, Sam Simon, John Swartzwelder and Jon Vitti, and was directed by Wes Archer and Milton Gray. In the episode, Bart is sent to France on a student...
" (with George MeyerGeorge MeyerGeorge A. Meyer is an American producer and writer. Raised in Tucson, Arizona in a Roman Catholic family, Meyer attended Harvard University. There, after becoming president of the Harvard Lampoon, he graduated in 1978 with a degree in biochemistry. Abandoning plans to attend medical school, Meyer...
, Sam SimonSam SimonSamuel "Sam" Simon is an American director, producer, writer, boxing manager and philanthropist. While at Stanford University, Simon worked as a newspaper cartoonist and after graduating became a storyboard artist at Filmation Studios. He submitted a spec script for the sitcom Taxi, which was...
, and John SwartzwelderJohn SwartzwelderJohn Swartzwelder is an American comedy writer and novelist, best known for his work on the animated television series The Simpsons, as well as a number of novels. He is credited with writing the largest number of Simpsons episodes by a large margin...
) - "Simpson and DelilahSimpson and Delilah"Simpson and Delilah" is the second episode of The Simpsons second season and first aired on October 18, 1990. Homer uses the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant medical insurance plan to buy Dimoxinil, a miracle hair growth formula. Homer grows hair, and is given a promotion at work which allows him...
" - "Bart's Dog Gets an FBart's Dog Gets an F"Bart's Dog Gets an F" is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 7, 1991. In this episode, the Simpson family's dog, Santa's Little Helper, manages to infuriate the entire family by destroying Homer's new shoes,...
" - "Lisa's SubstituteLisa's Substitute"Lisa's Substitute" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 25, 1991. In the episode, Lisa's teacher Miss Hoover takes medical leave due to what she thinks is Lyme disease, so substitute teacher Mr. Bergstrom takes over the...
" - "When Flanders FailedWhen Flanders Failed"When Flanders Failed" is the third episode of the The Simpsons third season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 3, 1991. In the episode, Homer makes a wish for Ned Flanders's new left-handed store to go out of business. The wish comes true and gets the Flanders...
" - "Burns Verkaufen der KraftwerkBurns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk"Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk" is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons third season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 5, 1991. In the episode, Mr. Burns wishes to pursue other interests and therefore decides to sell his power plant to two German investors for $100...
" - "Radio BartRadio Bart"Radio Bart" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons third season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 9, 1992. In the episode, Bart receives a microphone that transmits sound to nearby AM radios...
" - "Bart the LoverBart the Lover"Bart the Lover" is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons third season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 13, 1992. In the episode Mrs. Edna Krabappel, Bart's teacher, feels increasingly isolated and, looking for a companion, places a personal ad in the newspaper...
" - "Black WidowerBlack Widower"Black Widower" is the 21st episode of The Simpsons third season, originally airing on the Fox network in the United States on April 9, 1992. It was written by Jon Vitti, directed by David Silverman, and saw Kelsey Grammer guest star as Sideshow Bob for the second time. In the episode, Sideshow...
" - "Treehouse of Horror IIITreehouse of Horror III"Treehouse of Horror III" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1992. In the third annual Treehouse of Horror episode, Homer buys Bart an evil talking Krusty doll, King Homer is captured by Mr. Burns, and Bart...
" - "Mr. PlowMr. Plow"Mr. Plow" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons fourth season, which originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 19, 1992. In the episode, Homer buys a snow plow and starts a business plowing driveways. It is a huge success, and inspired by this, Barney Gumble starts a...
" - "Brother from the Same PlanetBrother from the Same Planet"Brother from the Same Planet" is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season. After Homer is late to pick up Bart from soccer practice, Bart turns to the program The Bigger Brothers, and is assigned a man named Tom. Homer gets himself a little brother named Pepe. Homer and Tom fight, and...
" - "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip ShowSo It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show"So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April Fools' Day, 1993. In the episode, Homer plays a series of practical jokes on Bart, and to get even, Bart shakes up a can of...
" - "Cape FeareCape Feare"Cape Feare" is the second episode of the fifth season of American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 7, 1993, and has since been featured on DVD and VHS releases...
" - "Another Simpsons Clip ShowAnother Simpsons Clip Show"Another Simpsons Clip Show" is the third episode of The Simpsons sixth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 25, 1994...
" (credited as Penny Wise) - "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-DoodilyHome Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily"Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily" is the third episode of The Simpsons seventh season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 1, 1995. In the episode, the Simpson children are put in the custody of Ned and Maude Flanders after a series of misadventures. Homer and...
" - "The Simpsons 138th Episode SpectacularThe Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular"The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons seventh season. It originally aired on Fox on December 3, 1995. As the title suggests, it is the 138th episode and the third clip show episode of The Simpsons after "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" and...
" (credited as Penny Wise) - "The Old Man and the KeyThe Old Man and the Key"The Old Man and the Key" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on March 10, 2002. In the episode, Grampa Simpson falls in love with Zelda, an old woman who has just moved in to the senior home in which Grampa lives...
" - "Weekend at Burnsie'sWeekend at Burnsie's"Weekend at Burnsie's" is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on April 7, 2002. In the episode, Homer Simpson is prescribed medicinal marijuana after getting pecked in the eyes by a murder of crows. While his...
" - "Little Girl in the Big TenLittle Girl in the Big Ten"Little Girl in the Big Ten" is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons’ thirteenth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 12, 2002. In the episode, after seeing John F. Kennedy in a hallucination during gym class, Lisa befriends two college students in order to...
" - "Simple SimpsonSimple Simpson"Simple Simpson" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. The episode aired on May 2, 2004. The concept is mainly inspired by the 2002 Spider-Man movie, though it contains elements of other superheroes as well...
" - "Marge vs. EveryoneMarge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays"Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. After Lindsay Naegle forms an anti-children group, Marge fights back with a group led with Mr. Burns' power. The episode originally aired on January 4, 2004. It was written by...
" - "Sleeping with the Enemy"
"King of the Hill" episodes
- "Jon Vitti Presents: 'Return To La Grunta'"
- "Dog Dale Afternoon"
- "Rodeo Days"
- "Hank's Bad Hair Day"
- "Hank's Choice"