‘Roseanne’ and ‘Wild Thornberrys’ Legend Dies Unexpectedly: Steve Pepoon Was 68

Emmy-winning TV writer Steve Pepoon has died. He was 68.

He has been battling cardiac amyloidosis, a heart condition, in the past two years. His death earlier this month on May 3 was unexpected.

Pepoon is best known for his work on TV comedies. He wrote and produced for many of the biggest sitcoms of the 80s and 90s, including Roseanne, ALF, and Garry Sandling’s Show. He also co-created Nickelodeon’s massive hit series The Wild Thornberrys.

The writer was born in Kansas City, Missouri on May 19, 1956. After moving to Kansas at a young age, he moved to Los Angeles with big showbiz dreams due to his love of The Dick Van Dyke Show. Initially, he managed drive-in movie theaters before striking it big with his script work on NBC sitcom Silver Spoons.

Just over a year later, he became a staff writer on NBC’s hit comedy ALF, and wrote for the series for its final three season. He then served as head writer on ABC’s The Jackie Thomas Show, then for Roseanne. Afterwards, he was the creator, writer and showrunner of the short-lived CBS series Tom.

As a freelancer in 1991, he wrote an episode of The Simpsons. That episode, Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment, sees the debut of long-running Simpsons characters Troy McClure and Drederick Tatum. Pepoon later won an Emmy for the episode in the Outstanding Animated Program category.

In 2009, he returned to Kansas for his 35th high school reunion. He ran into Mary Stephenson, a kindergarten classmate, and struck up a conversation. They married in October, and he never returned to the entertainment world.

Pepoon is survived by his wife, his two stepchildren, and his five grandchildren.