---
name: "Chris Cluess"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/chris-cluess"
fi1m_id: "chris-cluess"
imdb_id: "nm0167312"
tmdb_id: 1248735
wikidata_id: "Q110521317"
roles: ["Writer"]
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 88
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-17T17:32:11.349931+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Chris Cluess

## Identity

Chris Cluess

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/chris-cluess
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** chris-cluess
- **IMDb ID:** nm0167312
- **TMDB ID:** 1248735
- **Wikidata ID:** Q110521317
- **Same entity:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110521317, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167312/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1248735

Writer.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Active:** 1982–1989
- **Frequently works with:** [Brian Pollack](https://film.one/person/brian-pollack.md), [David Isaacs](https://film.one/person/david-isaacs.md), [Ken Levine](https://film.one/person/ken-levine.md), [Mert Rich](https://film.one/person/mert-rich.md), [Sam Simon](https://film.one/person/sam-simon.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 88, as writer, over 2 titles
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110521317, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167312/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1248735

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*The Simpsons*](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md) (88)
- **Apple TV:** [*Cheers*](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md) (88)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Chris Cluess is a television writer and producer. He began his career writing for *National Lampoon* magazine in the mid-1970s and contributed to the sketch comedy series *SCTV Network* (1981–1982).

Cluess wrote episodes of *Cheers* (1987), *Night Court* (1984–1991, where he also served as story editor and later executive producer), *Newhart* and *The Tortellis*. He created the series *Madman of the People* (1994–1995) and worked as supervising producer and writer on *MADtv* (2001–2006). In 2010 he wrote the *Simpsons* episode 'Donnie Fatso'.

He received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program for his work on *SCTV Network* and has received Writers Guild of America nominations for his contributions to *The Simpsons* and *MADtv*.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, tvmaze.com, blog.jameshereth.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *The Simpsons* (1989), Fi1m 88, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Cheers* (1982), Fi1m 88, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md)

## Complete filmography (7)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Madman of the People* (1994), series, Creator
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, Writer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Morton's by the Bay* (1989), series, Co-Executive Producer
- *Night Court* (1984), series, Writer, Story Editor
- *Cheers* (1982), series, Writer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md)
- *SCTV Network 90* (1981), series, Writer
- *From Cleveland* (1980), Writer

## Awards

### Other awards — 0 won, 4 nominated

- Writers Guild of America Award 2012: Writers Guild of America Award (nominated), for *Donnie Fatso*
- Writers Guild of America Award 2005: Writers Guild of America Award (nominated)
- Writers Guild of America Award 2004: Writers Guild of America Award (nominated)
- Writers Guild of America Award 2003: Writers Guild of America Award (nominated)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/chris-cluess