"The Simpsons" co-creator Sam Simon has died of colorectal cancer at the age of 59.

Variety.com reports the one-time "Taxi," "Cheers" and "It's Garry Shandeling Show" writer and nine-time Emmy winner was diagnosed with terminal cancer nearly three years ago. Simon was also a noted philanthropopist who supported many causes.

Simon co-developed "The Simpsons" in 1989, writing several episodes until 1993 when he left the show in that role to become an executive producer. Through his career, he earned seven Emmy Awards for his work on the show and another two for his contributions to "The Tracey Ullman Show."

The animated sitcom, he said, gave him more freedom than live action. "You can draw animals and sets but the animated characters also have freedom," Simon once said. "'The Simpsons' sometimes do things that real people wouldn't do."

Simon grew up in Beverly Hills and Malibu and attended Stanford University, where he was a cartoonist for the school paper. He also once worked as a worked sports cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner.

By the mid-'80s, Simon had turned to television, penning an episode of "Barney Miller," writing and serving as executive editor for "Taxi," acting as showrunner in its final season in 1982-83. And writing and producing for "Cheers." He wrote three episodes of "It's Garry Shandling's Show" and served as exec producer of "The Tracy Ullman Show" in the late '80s.

Simon worked for a year exec producer and a writer on "The George Carlin Show" in 1994-95. From 1998 to 2003, he served as a consulting producer on "The Drew Carey Show," where he also directed several episodes of the show.

Simon was also once married to actress Jennifer Tilly and to Playboy Playmate Jami Ferrell.