High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Samuel "Sam" Simon (born June 6, 1955) is an American director, producer, writer, boxing manager and philanthropist. While at Stanford University, Simon worked as a newspaper cartoonist and after graduating became a storyboard artist at Filmation Studios. He submitted a spec script for the sitcom Taxi, which was produced, and later became the series` showrunner. Over the next few years, Simon wrote and produced for Cheers, It`s Garry Shandling`s Show and other programs, as well as writing the 1991 film The Super.