Fox and The Simpsons producers make changes to Sunday’s programming to pay tribute to the passing of longtime Simpsons voice actor Marcia Wallace.
Fox and The Simpsons producers are making some changes to Sunday’s programming to pay tribute to the passing of longtime Simpsons actress Marcia Wallace, according to a report by EW.
First, the network is replacing a repeat of American Dad with a classic Simpsons episode that focused on Wallace’s beloved character Edna Krabappel.
The network will re-air the 16th episode of the show’s third season, “Bart the Lover,” which offered a sympathetic take on Bart’s cynical, lonely teacher. In the episode, Bart discovers Krabappel has posted a personal ad, so he begins writing her bogus love letters. After setting her up on a fake date, he spies her sitting by herself in the restaurant. When she’s still there hours later, he’s no longer amused by his prank and sets about trying to make things right. The episode won Wallace an Emmy Award in 1992.
“Bart the Lover” will air as the 7:30 p.m. lead-in to an all-new Simpsons, titled “4 Regrettings and a Funeral.” The new episode will then conclude with a tribute card from the producers honoring Wallace. Also, the episode opens with an epic-length couch-gag spoof of The Hobbit.
Wallace died at age 70. “I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace,” producer Al Jean said in a statement earlier this week. “She was beloved by all at The Simpsons and we intend to retire her irreplaceable character.”
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
