Richard Sakai

Richard Sakai

Birthdate
January 28, 1954 (71 years old)
Place of Birth
San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
Production

Details

Birthdate
January 28, 1954 (71 years old)
Place of Birth
San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
Production

Biography

Richard Sakai (born January 28, 1954) is an American television and film producer. He is best known for his work on the animated sitcom The Simpsons, for which he is one of the original producers. In 1997, Sakai was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for his work on the film Jerry Maguire (1996).

Sakai began his career as an assistant to James L. Brooks in 1977. In 1984, Brooks invited Sakai to become a producer in his new film production company, Gracie Films. Sakai ultimately produced many of Brooks' films, such as Jerry Maguire, As Good as It Gets (1997), and Spanglish (2004). Sakai also produced Bottle Rocket (1996) and Riding in Cars with Boys (2001). Additionally, he was a producer for The Simpsons Movie (2007).

As a television producer and director, Sakai has worked on many different shows. He has directed episodes of Taxi, Newhart, and Who's the Boss?. He has also produced episodes of The Tracey Ullman Show, The Critic, Phenom, and What About Joan? in addition to his work on The Simpsons, for which he has won several Emmy Awards.

On The Simpsons, Sakai has been animated several times, most notably as: a karaoke singer in the episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish"; an escaping prisoner in a commercial about "revolving door prisons" in "Sideshow Bob Roberts"; and a jazz vibraphone player in "Jazzy and the Pussycats".

Sakai is currently president of Gracie Films.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Richard Sakai, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Richard Sakai's LGBTQ+ Titles

As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets
Executive Producer

Acting (1)

2008
The Making of 'Bottle Rocket' as Self

Directing (3)

1984
Who's the Boss? • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1982
Newhart • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1978
Taxi • Director (4 episodes)
• Director (4 episodes)

Production (31)

2025
Ella McCay • Producer
• Producer
2024
The Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful • Producer
• Producer
2024
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year • Producer
• Producer
2024
May the 12th Be with You • Producer
• Producer
2023
Maggie Simpson in "Rogue Not Quite One" • Producer
• Producer
2023
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. • Producer
• Producer
2022
Welcome to the Club • Producer
• Producer
2022
When Billie Met Lisa • Producer
• Producer
2021
The Simpsons in Plusaversary • Producer
• Producer
2021
The Good, the Bart, and the Loki • Producer
• Producer
2021
Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens from Its Nap" • Producer
• Producer
2020
Maggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny" • Producer
• Producer
2016
The Edge of Seventeen • Producer
• Producer
2012
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare" • Producer
• Producer
2010
How Do You Know • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2007
A Terrifying Message from Al Gore • Producer
• Producer
2007
The Simpsons Movie • Producer
• Producer
2004
Spanglish • Producer
• Producer
2001
Riding in Cars with Boys • Producer
• Producer
1997
As Good as It Gets • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1996
Jerry Maguire • Producer
• Producer
1996
Bottle Rocket • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1994
I'll Do Anything • Executive In Charge Of Production
• Executive In Charge Of Production
1993
Phenom • Producer (22 episodes)
• Producer (22 episodes)
1991
Sibs • Producer (23 episodes)
• Producer (23 episodes)
1990
The Best of the Tracey Ullman Show • Producer
• Producer
1989
The Simpsons • Producer (431 episodes)
• Producer (431 episodes)
1989
The War of the Roses • Executive In Charge Of Production
• Executive In Charge Of Production
1987
The Tracey Ullman Show • Producer (81 episodes)
• Producer (81 episodes)
1984
Shaping Up • Producer (5 episodes)
• Producer (5 episodes)
1978
Taxi • Producer (114 episodes)
• Producer (114 episodes)