Simpsons Voice Actor Marcia Wallace Dies

Voice of Simpsons Character Dies at Age 70

Marcia Wallace spent 24 years playing the voice of the 4th-grade teacher, Edna Krabappel on The Simpsons. Before that, she was well known as the secretary, Carol Kester, on the Bob Newhart Show. She appeared on such well known game shows as Hollywood Squares, and Match Game. Marcia also had guest spots on other very popular shows like Magnum, P. I.., and Murder, She Wrote. She will always be best known as Edna Krabappel, however. That is the character for which she won her Emmy.

Marcia passed on recently, at the age of 70. Friend and colleague of Marcia, Yeardly Smith, tweeted, “Cheers to the hilarious, kind, fab Marcia Wallace, who has taken her leave of us. Heaven is now a much funnier place b/c of you, Marcia. Xx” Yeardly, of course, plays the voice of Lisa Simpson.

In 1985, Wallace found out she had breast cancer. She fought it, and won. She became a voice for early detection tests, and a role model for women fighting breast cancer everywhere. The Gilda Radner Courage Award was presented to her in 2007 after her many years of dedication to the cause.

Her autobiography, published in 2004, entitled Don’t Look Back, We’re Not Going That Way accurately describes the kind of woman she was. The book is a detailed account of her lifetime of hardships, losing her husband, breast cancer, and a difficult childhood. Somehow, she managed to maintain a funny, positive outlook in her book and her life.

As is tradition on the long-running show, Edna Krabappel will be retired from the Simpsons. She will join the likes of Troy McClure and lunch lady Doris. Both ceased to appear after the sad passing of the actors who voiced them. After all, who could replace Marcia Wallace?

On The Web:
EW http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/10/26/marcia-wallace-actress-from-the-simpsons-and-the-bob-newhart-show-dies-at-70/

NBC http://www.nbcnews.com/entertainment/marcia-wallace-star-simpsons-bob-newhart-has-died-70-8C11473058