Emmy-winning comedy writer Dan McGrath, best known for his credits on classic animated series like The Simpsons and Mission Hill, has died at 61.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, McGrath died on November 14 at the NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn after suffering a stroke. His sister, Gail McGrath Garabadian, also confirmed the news in a Facebook post, remembering her brother as a "special man".

"We lost my incredible brother Danny, yesterday. He was a special man, one of a kind. An incredible son, brother, uncle and friend. Our hearts are broken," she wrote.

Born on July 20, 1964, in Brooklyn, Dan McGrath completed his studies from the Regis High School and Harvard University, where he served as the vice president of The Harvard Lampoon and also as a prolific theatre director, as stated by his online obituary. He famously wrote for Saturday Night Live, which earned an Emmy nomination in 1992. At that time, he frequently collaborated with Chris Farley and Adam Sandler.

It was finally McGrath's work in the 1997 episode Homer's Phobia from The Simpsons that got him the prestigious Emmy Award.

The particular episode featured director John Waters as an antiques dealer, who is befriended by Marge.

Some other standout episodes of McGrath include Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood, The Devil and Homer Simpson, and Time and Punishment.

McGrath's other writing credits are Mission Hill, King of the Hill, Sammy, The PJs, and Muppets Tonight. The comedy writer is survived by his mother, Eleanor; brothers, Peter and Michael; sister, Gail; and wife, Caroline, according to Variety.

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