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The Straight Story

(48,121 posts) Thu Mar 28, 2013, 03:38 PM Mar 2013

Don Payne dies at 48; 'Simpsons' writer and producer

Don Payne, an award-winning writer and producer of "The Simpsons" and screenwriter of the 2011 blockbuster "Thor" as well as "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles, said his friend and former writing partner John Frink. He was 48 and had bone cancer.

Payne was most recently a consulting producer on "The Simpsons," Fox's long-running animated series. Two episodes he wrote are in production and will air in the fall: "Labor Pains" and the Christmas installment, "White Christmas Blues."

Payne won four Emmys for his work on the series and also received the Writers Guild of America's Paul Selvin Award in 2005 for the "Fraudcast News" episode.

He made the transition to screenwriting with "My Super Ex-Girlfriend," the 2006 comedy starring Uma Thurman and Luke Wilson about a bachelor who discovers his girlfriend is a superhero.

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-don-payne-20130328,0,5523448.story

9 replies

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Don Payne dies at 48; 'Simpsons' writer and producer (Original Post) The Straight Story Mar 2013 OP

That's way too young...RIP joeybee12 Mar 2013 #1

Geez, how sad and what a brutal way to go. Much too young. nt MADem Mar 2013 #2

So sad. So very young. graham4anything Mar 2013 #3

he was an old high school friend zazen Mar 2013 #4

I'm so sorry, zazen. redqueen Mar 2013 #5

he sounds wonderful renate Mar 2013 #6

... progressoid Mar 2013 #7

What a nice tribute. Festivito Mar 2013 #9

It's a darn shame. R.I.P. Don Payne. You'll be missed. =( AverageJoe90 Mar 2013 #8

joeybee12

(56,177 posts)

1. That's way too young...RIP

Reply to The Straight Story (Original post)

Thu Mar 28, 2013, 03:39 PM

Mar 2013

MADem

(135,425 posts)

2. Geez, how sad and what a brutal way to go. Much too young. nt

Reply to The Straight Story (Original post)

Thu Mar 28, 2013, 03:44 PM

Mar 2013

graham4anything

(11,464 posts)

3. So sad. So very young.

Reply to The Straight Story (Original post)

Thu Mar 28, 2013, 03:51 PM

Mar 2013

zazen

(2,978 posts)

4. he was an old high school friend

Reply to The Straight Story (Original post)

Thu Mar 28, 2013, 04:22 PM

Mar 2013

It was pretty amazing how he invented himself--Wilmington, NC was not a hotbed of creativity in those days.

He was always so generous in sharing his success with others--he sort of acted like our high school class won his Emmy's, not him.

He leaves behind three young children, a wife, wonderful relatives, and many, many friends who are devastated by this loss.

I'm starting to cry again. Signing off now.

redqueen

(115,103 posts)

5. I'm so sorry, zazen.

Reply to zazen (Reply #4)

Thu Mar 28, 2013, 04:30 PM

Mar 2013

renate

(13,776 posts)

6. he sounds wonderful

Reply to zazen (Reply #4)

Thu Mar 28, 2013, 04:45 PM

Mar 2013

He died way, way, way too young... but what an honor to be remembered with so much love and appreciation. Thank you for telling us about the kind of person he was.