What is the Most Lucrative Voice Over Job?
The Simpsons, the longest running TV sitcom in American history, has won 24 Primetime Emmy Awards and after 500 episodes it is still going strong. The voice actors for The Simpsons are getting an estimated $400,000 per episode. Do the math; you?ll see why they have the highest paid voice-over jobs around. Not to mention what they got paid for The Simpsons Movie a full-length feature film that was in theaters in 2007, it grossed $527 million.
The Voice Actors
With six main cast members only, they do a lot of multiple voice over parts which are:
- Dan Castellaneta: Homer Simpson, Abraham Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown and other characters.
- Julie Kavner: Marge Simpson, Patty and Selma
- Nancy Cartwright: Bart Simpson, Ralph Wiggum and other children
- Yeardley Smith: Lisa Simpson and other episodic characters
- Harry Shearer: Mr. Burns, Dr. Hibbert, Principal Skinner, Smithers, Ned Flanders and Reverend Lovejoy.
- Hank Azaria: Moe, Apu, Chief Wiggum
Additional and Supporting Voice Cast
- Pamela Hayden
- Tress MacNeille
- Marcia Wallace
- Maggie Roswell
- Russi Taylor
Special Guest Voice Cast
- Albert Brooks
- Phil Hartman
- Jon Lovitz
- Joe Mantegan
- Kelsey Grammar
- Tony Bennett
When the show first started in 1989 and up through 1998, the six main voice actors were getting $30,000 per episode. A pay dispute ensued with FOX and they threatened to replace all voice actors. However, the cast members had the show?s creator, Groening, on their side. Their salaries were raised to $125,000 per episode which would last from 1998 to 2004. Through DVD sales and syndication, the show grew tremendously in profits. The cast went on strike again in 2004 and asked for their pay to be raised to $360,000 per episode. It took a month, but FOX caved, as did the cast members, and they agreed to a pay scale of $250,000 to $360,000 per episode. The cast asked for another pay raise in the twentieth season, requesting $500,000 per episode. FOX agreed to a raise, but would cap it at $400,000 per episode.
The idea for The Simpsons was sparked in the lobby of James L. Brook's office. Groening was asked by Brooks to pitch a series of animated shorts; Groening had an idea in mind, but didn?t want to release publication rights for his work. So he came up with the idea for The Simpsons, a highly dysfunctional family patterned after his own real-life family. The Simpsons started appearing as a short on The Tracey Ullman Show in early 1987 and by 1989 was in production for a full half-hour series on Fox Broadcasting Company.
The show has been dubbed in Japanese, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Quebec French and Arabic. In the Arabic version, many changes have been made to follow the culture, such as Homer?s beer drinking and meat eating.
The Simpsons have received numerous awards including 26 Annie Awards, 25 Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Peabody Award. Time named the show the century?s best TV series in 1998. The Simpsons were also given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Questions and Answers
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