Thread by @dailysimpsons

#OnThisDay #OTD January 14, 1990, "Bart the Genius," the first non-holiday episode of #TheSimpsons, aired on the Fox network. Dir: @tubatron. Wr: @jon_vitti. EP: @canyonjim, @simonsam and Matt Groening.

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam The concept for the episode developed from writer Jon Vitti coming up with a long list of bad things Bart would do for attention imagining the potential consequences. The only idea that developed into an interesting episode concept was Bart's cheating on an IQ test.

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam It was Vitti's first script for a 30-minute television program. Bart's phrase "Eat my shorts" was intended to reflect his adoption of catchphrases he had heard on TV; the creative team had told Vitti that he should not come up with original taglines for the character.

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam The design of Bart's visualization of the math problem was partially inspired by the art of Saul Steinberg. The increasing appearance of numbers in that sequence derived from @tubatron's use of a similar tactic when he had to develop a set design for the play The Adding Machine.

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam Some of Silverman's sketches of this shot.

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam A Milhouse model sheet from Silverman for "Bart the Genius"

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam The scene where Bart writes his confession was done as one long take to balance the shorter scenes elsewhere in the episode. It was animated in the United States by Dan Haskett, who also designed Mrs. Krabappel.

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam There were a few problems with the finished animation for the episode. The banana in the opening scene was colored incorrectly, as the Korean animators were unfamiliar with the fruit.

@tubatron @jon_vitti @canyonjim @simonsam The final bathtub scene was particularly problematic for the animators, including issues with lip sync. The version in the broadcast episode was the best of several attempts.

Dr. Pryor compares Bart's proposed work among ordinary children to Jane Goodall's study of chimpanzees. Goodall was pleased to be mentioned in the episode, sending the program a letter, and Jon Vitti an autographed copy of her book.

.@TVGuide adverts for the first episode. The latter - an often-used promotional drawing - was designed by @simonsam and David Silverman.

@TVGuide @simonsam Fox mostly used clips from Tracey Ullman episodes to promote the first episode of the show.

@TVGuide @simonsam Like 98% of this ad for "Bart the Genius" is just clips from Tracey Ullman shorts.

@TVGuide @simonsam I really enjoy this commercial for "Bart the Genius" on UK's Sky One, which uses mostly audio from the episode over promotional text.

@TVGuide @simonsam Early David Silverman sketch for the opening titles, which were seen for the very first time in "Bart the Genius."

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