'The Simpsons' set to become longest-running TV series

New Delhi, Feb 27 (ANI): American animated sitcom 'The Simpsons' is all set to break the record of the longest-running television series 'Gunsmoke' because Fox network has ordered two more seasons of the series.

The Simpsons started in 1989 and its 21st season will start in the fall, after it tied the longevity record of Gunsmoke, which ended in 1975 after 20 seasons, reports the China Daily.

The sitcom, which has won 24 Emmy Awards, and was already the longest running animated series on prime-time television in the United States, has its second season in the two-year deal set for in 2010.

The Simpsons, created by cartoon artist Matt Groening, are a family of five made up of dull-witted father Homer, good-intentioned mom Marge and kids Bart and Lisa and Maggie, who all live in a town called Springfield that serves as a microcosm of the United States.

The show has featured many celebrities for its voice over, from Paul McCartney to Elizabeth Taylor, and it deals with weighty issues in a comedic sense, including racial discrimination, world affairs and religion.

When The Simpsons Movie was released in 2007, it ended up making 527 million dollars worldwide. (ANI)