The Simpsons character Bart Simpson Gender Male Job Student at Springfield Elementary School Relatives Parents: Homer and Marge Sisters: Lisa and Maggie Aunts: Patty and Selma Bouvier Grandparents: Abraham Simpson, Mona Simpson, Jacqueline Bouvier and Clancy Bouvier (See also Simpson family) Voice actor Nancy Cartwright First appearance Ullman shorts "Good Night" (1987) The Simpsons "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (1989) Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on Life in Hell but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word brat. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989..