Producer J. Michael Mendel has passed away at 54 years old.
Mendel, known for producing cartoons such as “The Simpsons” and “Rick And Morty, died from natural causes Sunday, according to a report published by the New York Post.
My friend, partner, and line producer Mike Mendel passed away. I am devastated. My heart breaks for his family. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you by my side Mike. I’m destroyed.
— Justin Roiland (@JustinRoiland) September 23, 2019
“All of us at Adult Swim are devastated by the untimely passing of Mike Mendel,” Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim said in a statement. “Mike was the heart of the ‘Rick and Morty’ production family; his fantastic talent and wit will be sorely missed.” (RELATED: ‘The Simpsons’ Are Removing An Iconic Michael Jackson Episode)
Mendel helped produce 207 episodes of “The Simpsons” during his 10 years working with the series. He won three Emmys for his work in the years 1995, 1997 and 1998. He then went on to produce “Rick And Morty” from 2013-2017. He grabbed an Emmy for his work on the Adult Swim cartoon in 2011.
.@TheSimpsons V v sorry to learn of the passing of Mike Mendel (left) great guy. Our thoughts are with his family. pic.twitter.com/slCcW5WSSI
— Al Jean (@AlJean) September 23, 2019
He also worked on animation for “The Critic” and “Napolean Dynamite.”
Mendel is survived by his wife, casting director Juel Bestrop, and his two kids.