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Maggie Roswell
BornNovember 14, 1952[1]
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • writer
  • producer
Years active1973–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1987)​
Children1

Maggie Roswell is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer from Los Angeles, California. She is well known for her voice work on the Fox network's animated television series The Simpsons, in which she has played recurring characters such as Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Miss Hoover, and Luann Van Houten, as well as several minor characters. This work has earned her an Annie Award nomination.

Roswell made her acting break-through in the 1980s with appearances in films such as Midnight Madness (1980), Lost in America (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986), and guest appearances on television shows such as Remington Steele, Masquerade, and Happy Days. She appeared frequently in the sketch comedy The Tim Conway Show from 1980 to 1981, and did voice acting for a few animated films and television shows. Roswell also performed in some theater plays, including one in 1988 directed by Julia Sweeney.

In 1989, Roswell was hired for the first season of The Simpsons. She played a few minor characters until she became a regular cast member with the introduction of Maude Flanders in the second season. In 1994, Roswell and her husband Hal Rayle moved from Los Angeles to Denver to raise their daughter. Together they established the Roswell 'n' Rayle Company, creating and voicing advertisements for companies. Because of her move to Denver, Roswell had to travel to Los Angeles twice a week to tape The Simpsons. This ultimately led to her requesting a pay raise in 1999; however, Fox refused to offer her the amount she wanted so she quit the show. Roswell returned to The Simpsons in 2002 after reaching a deal to record her lines from her Denver home.

Career

First acting work

Roswell was born on November 14, 1952,[2] and raised in Los Angeles, California.[3][4] After going to Catholic school and Los Angeles City College, she began a career in acting.[4] In the 1970s, she made some guest appearances on television shows such as M*A*S*H,[5][6] but she did not gain her first big acting roles until the 1980s. In the 1980 film Midnight Madness, she played a character that leads a group of sorority sisters who are participating in a college puzzle solving race.[7] Roswell also starred in the sketch comedy The Tim Conway Show in 1980 and 1981.[8][9] She appeared in the film Lost in America (1985) as the character Patty,[10][11] and she had a supporting role in the film Pretty in Pink (1986).[12] She also acted in the two-part television film The Deliberate Stranger.[13] In addition, Roswell played some minor roles in television shows in the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s,[5] including guest appearances on Remington Steele (1983),[14] Masquerade (1984),[15] Happy Days (1984), Murphy Brown (1993), and Quantum Leap (1993).[5] She was offered a chance to replace Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live, but turned down the offer when her agent told her "the show wasn't going anywhere."[12]

Roswell has also worked on stage. In 1986 she appeared in improvisatory shows directed by Paul Sills at Lamb's Theatre, in which the actors were given characters and situations by the audience members.[16][17] In 1988, she had a role in Julia Sweeney's play Mea's Big Apology at Groundling Theatre in Los Angeles.[18] She played Eunice, a cynical woman who works at a malpractice insurance company and is a colleague to the main character. The company people do everything they can to dismiss her because they do not want to pay her retirement benefits, which are about to take effect.[19] Roswell reprised this role in a 1992 revival of the play, also at Groundling Theatre.[19]

Early The Simpsons, Roswell 'n' Rayle, pay dispute

In addition to her live action roles, Roswell did some voice acting in animated films and shows,[5] including the voice of Teegra in Fire and Ice from 1983.[20] This led to her being hired on the animated television series The Simpsons in 1989. Her first appearance was in the season one episode "Homer's Night Out", in which she voiced the character Princess Kashmir (a belly dancer who seduces Homer).[12] Out of the total thirteen episodes of the first season, Roswell appeared in four; however, they were only minor roles. Roswell did not become a regular cast member until the middle of the second season in the episode "Dead Putting Society" (1990), with the introduction of Maude Flanders (neighbor to the Simpson family and the loving wife of Ned Flanders).[5] Roswell went on to voice other recurring characters on the show, such as Helen Lovejoy (the reverend's wife), Miss Hoover (an elementary school teacher),[12] and Luann Van Houten (the mother of Bart's best friend, Milhouse),[21] as well as several more one-time characters and background characters.[5] Fellow Simpsons cast member Nancy Cartwright wrote in her autobiography that "Maggie Roswell has been blessed with a skill in creating one of the hardest things to create: the 'normal sound,' whatever that is. So she can easily slip into the gal next door or any number of assorted reporters, medical students, jury members, accountants, scientists and moms."[5] Roswell was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on The Simpsons.[12] She also received a 1997 Annie Award nomination in the category "Best Individual Achievement: Voice Acting by a Female Performer in a TV Production" for her role as Shary Bobbins in the episode "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious", but lost to June Foray.[22]

Roswell met fellow voice actor Hal Rayle in 1986, and they married in 1987.[23] He had done roles such as the Predator in Predator 2, the ghoulies in Ghoulies II, and Marvin the Martian in Air Jordan commercials.[12] They moved from Los Angeles to Denver, Colorado, in June 1994 to raise their adopted daughter Spenser, who was born in 1993.[12] Between March and November every year,[24] when episodes of The Simpsons were being recorded, Roswell had to fly back to Los Angeles twice a week to attend the table reads and the recording sessions. In an article about her and her husband's move, Ricky Lopes of Rocky Mountain News wrote: "When The Simpsons is taping, she goes to Los Angeles every Friday morning for the first reading, flies back that afternoon, flies back Sunday to tape the show Monday and flies back home that night."[12] Roswell said she "got the idea for the way Helen Lovejoy says 'B-bye, b-bye, b-bye,' to everyone when they leave the church from the way the flight attendants say it when you get off the plane."[12]

Roswell and Rayle began writing, producing, and/or voicing advertisements together for companies.[12][25] They established "The Roswell 'n' Rayle Company" for this purpose, and built a recording studio in their basement.[3][12] In 1994, they did radio advertisements in Denver for Burger King, Christy Sports, and an insect exhibit at the Museum of Natural History.[12] The same year, Roswell provided her voice for Campbell's Soup and Pontiac commercials as part of their business.[12] The company is still active as of 2010.[26] They are now also providing comedic ring tones.[27]

In 1997, Roswell appeared in the film Switchback alongside Danny Glover and Dennis Quaid.[28]

Roswell left The Simpsons in spring 1999 after a pay dispute with Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs The Simpsons.[3][5] The dispute was not revealed to the press at first; Fox originally reported that she decided to quit only because she was tired of flying between Denver and Los Angeles for the recording sessions.[29][30][31] Then Roswell announced that she had asked for a raise, not only because she was tired of the traveling, but because of the increasing cost of flight tickets.[3][29][32] Roswell was paid $1,500 to $2,000 per episode during the three seasons before she left, and she asked Fox for a raise to $6,000 per episode. However, Fox only offered her a $150 raise, which did not even cover the travel costs, so she decided to quit.[32] She told The Denver Post that "they offered me a $150 raise. I mean, that's lint in Fox's pocket. But Fox wanted to prove a point, I guess. I was flying myself back and forth from Denver to L.A. It was exhausting. I loved doing the show and they thought that I would come back. But now I'm busy doing other things."[33] She further added that "I was part of the backbone of The Simpsons and I don't think the money I asked for was exorbitant. I wasn't asking for what other cast members make. I was just trying to recoup all the costs I had in travel. If they'd flown me in, I'd still be working."[34] At that point, the six main cast members of the show were paid $125,000 per episode.[35][36] As a result of Roswell's departure, Marcia Mitzman Gaven was hired to voice her characters,[37] with Maude Flanders killed off in the episode "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily".[5][33][34]

Return to The Simpsons and later work

Roswell returned to The Simpsons in 2002 in the season premiere of the fourteenth season, in which Maude made an appearance as a ghost.[28][38][39] She reached a deal with Fox to record her lines from her Denver home,[39] the dispute ended,[28] and Roswell has remained on the show. She also appeared as Helen Lovejoy in the film The Simpsons Movie (2007).[40] She attended the gala premiere together with her daughter, Spenser Rayle, who was fourteen years old at the time. Roswell told The Denver Post that she was surprised she was given two tickets; "Everybody in Hollywood is killing to get their kid there. My daughter's big thrill is to meet [the band] Green Day," which also appeared in the film.[40]

In 2004, Roswell had a minor role in the film Silver City.[41] In 2009, she starred in the play Bunny Bunny: Gilda Radner, a Sort of Romantic Comedy at Avenue Theater in Denver. It opened in May of that year. The play recounted events in the career of actress Gilda Radner, who Roswell played, from 1975 (the start of Saturday Night Live) to her death in 1989.[42]

Roswell enjoys singing. On February 7, 1999, she debuted as a nightclub singer at the Denver Chop House & Brewery, where she performed on behalf of the homelessness charity Family Homestead.[43][44] In June 2003, she sang at Denver's Rattlebrain Theatre on Sunday nights with The Sirens.[39]

Roswell is a registered Democrat and still adheres to the Catholic faith she was raised in.[45]

Filmography

Films

Year Film Role
1980 Midnight Madness Donna
1983 Fire and Ice Teegra (voice)
1985 Lost in America Patty
1986 Pretty in Pink Mrs. Dietz
1992 Cool World Additional voice
1995 The Pebble and the Penguin Additional voice
1997 Switchback Fae
2004 Silver City Ellie Hastings
2007 The Simpsons Movie Helen Lovejoy (voice)

Television

Year Series Role Notes
1973 Love, American Style One episode
1973 M*A*S*H Sister Theresa Episode: "Kim"
1973 The Partridge Family Lois Episode: "Heartbreak Keith"
1980–1981 The Tim Conway Show Numerous roles Sketch comedy
1981 And They All Lived Happily After Lorraine Hofstedter Television film
1981 Mork & Mindy Donna Hammond Episode: "Three the Hard Way"
1982 Laverne & Shirley Karen Caldwell Episode: "Life Is the Tar Pits"
1983 Remington Steele Margaret "Hoop" Tracy Episode: "Steele in the News"
1984 Masquerade Episode: "Five Days"
1984 Happy Days Joyce James Episode: "Fonzie Moves Out"
1986 New Love, American Style One episode
1986 The Deliberate Stranger Detective Kathy McCeshney Miniseries in two parts
1987 Popeye and Son Additional voices
1987 New Love, American Style Ranger Morrison Episode: "Babes in the Woods"
1987 Dynasty Penelope Shane Episode: "The Testing"
1987–1988 Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures Pearl Pureheart (voice)
and additional voices		 Appeared in 14 episodes
1987–1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Additional voices Appeared in two episodes: one in 1987 and one in 1989
1988 Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears Little Girl (voice) Animated television film
1988 Jake and the Fatman Episode: "What Is This Thing Called Love? "
1988–1991 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Additional voices
1989 Hunter Adelle Roberts Episode: "Shoot to Kill"
1990 TaleSpin Girl / Sally Episode: "Mach One for the Gipper"
1990 Tiny Toon Adventures Mary Vain (voice) Episode: "Hollywood Plucky"
1990–1999
2002–present		 The Simpsons Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy,
Luann Van Houten, Miss Hoover
and additional voices		 Has appeared in more than 250 episodes
1991 L.A. Law Ms. Shore Episode: "Rest in Pieces"
1991 Guns of Paradise Episode: "Twenty-Four Hours"
1991 Bad Attitudes Angela's mother Television film
1991 James Bond Jr. Additional voices
1991 Darkwing Duck Female superhero (voice) Episode: "Planet of the Capes"
1992 Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive Rita Marshall Television film
1993 Quantum Leap Masterson Episode: "Revenge of the Evil Leaper"
1993 Murphy Brown Mother #2 Episode: "The Egg & I"
1993 Bonkers Anita the Hairdresser (voice) Episode: "Weather or Not"
1994 Animaniacs Princess of Props (voice) Episode:
"Baloney & Kids/Super Buttons/Katie Ka-Boom: The Driving Lesson"
1998 Venus on the Hard Drive Venus (voice) Animated television series

Video games

Year Game Role
1997 The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield Maude Flanders, Miss Hoover

References

  1. ^ An Interview with Maggie Roswell, Skip E. Lowe, 1992
  2. ^ An Interview with Maggie Roswell, Skip E. Lowe, 1992
  3. ^ a b c d "Voice Of 'Maude' Disputes Report". The Columbian. 2000-02-05. p. E6.
  4. ^ a b Husted, Bill (2011-04-21). "She's wanted dead or alive by folks on Simpsons". The Denver Post.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cartwright, Nancy (2000). "Lady, That Ain't No Gutterball!". My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy. New York City: Hyperion. p. 96. ISBN 0-7868-8600-5.
  6. ^ Wittebols, James H. (2003). Watching M*A*S*H, Watching America: A Social History of the 1972–1983 Television Series. McFarland. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-7864-1701-8. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  7. ^ Arnold, Gary (1980-02-13). "What Is This 'Madness'?". The Washington Post. p. B4.
  8. ^ Thomas, Bob (Associated Press) (1980-09-20). "His Very Own Fall Season". Boston Globe.
  9. ^ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Penguin Books. p. 840. ISBN 978-0-14-024916-3. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  10. ^ Lyman, Rick (1985-04-15). "Film: Brooks' 'Lost In America'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. F18.
  11. ^ Cosford, Bill (1985-04-12). "Yuppies On The Road To Ruin". The Miami Herald. p. 2D.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Lopez, Greg (1994-12-18). "It's All In The Throat For Animated Couple". Rocky Mountain News. p. 16A.
  13. ^ Marill, Alvin H. (1987). Movies Made for Television: The Telefeature and the Mini-Series: 1964–1986. New York Zoetrope. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-918432-80-3. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  14. ^ Freur, Jane; Kerr, Paul; Vahimagi, Tise (1984). MTM: 'Quality Television'. British Film Institute. p. 272. ISBN 9780851701622. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  15. ^ Gianakos, Larry James (1987). Television Drama Series Programming: A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1947–1959. Scarecrow Press. p. 335. ISBN 978-0-8108-1876-7. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  16. ^ Feldberg, Robert (1986-06-10). "A Show That's Like An Acting Class". The Record. p. B13.
  17. ^ Simon, John (1986-06-23). "Lady's Day". New York. p. 59. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  18. ^ Drake, Sylvie (1988-04-29). "The Sorry State of 'Mea's Big Apology'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  19. ^ a b Leader, Jody (1992-08-07). "No Apologies, Please – 'Mea' A Faultless Work". Daily News of Los Angeles. p. L28.
  20. ^ Beck, Jerry (2005). The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago Review Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-55652-591-9. Retrieved 2010-08-07. Maggie Roswell.
  21. ^ Husted, Bill (1998-04-12). "It's no joke: Colorado comedian ties the knot". The Denver Post. p. A-02.
  22. ^ "Legacy: 25th Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1997)". Annie Awards. Archived from the original on 2008-12-18. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  23. ^ "Toonarific Interviews – Hal Rayle". Toonarific. 2004-06-11. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  24. ^ Purdy, Penelope (1995-07-23). "Bart Simpson's neighbor is mad at DIA". The Denver Post. p. D-3.
  25. ^ Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Gale Research Co. 2007. p. 302. ISBN 978-0-7876-9049-6. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
  26. ^ "Roswell 'n' Rayle - A Communication Entertainment Company". The Roswell 'n' Rayle Company. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
  27. ^ Benderoff, Eric (2007-08-30). "Web sites vie to get on deck with cell users – Mobile phones hold promise of becoming popular path to Internet". Chicago Tribune. p. 1.
  28. ^ a b c Basile, Nancy. "There's a New Maude in Town". About.com. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  29. ^ a b McDaniel, Mike (2000-02-11). "Not true, 'Maude' says". Houston Chronicle.
  30. ^ "People". Contra Costa Times. 2000-02-01. p. A02.
  31. ^ "Character killed off". The Cincinnati Post. 2000-02-01. p. 12A.
  32. ^ a b Brownfield, Paul (2000-02-05). "Actress: Greed Killed Simpsons Character". Lexington Herald-Leader. p. 17.
  33. ^ a b Husted, Bill (2000-01-27). "D'oh! Denver voice gets killed on "The Simpsons"". The Denver Post. p. A-02.
  34. ^ a b Koha, Nui Te (2000-02-06). "Ned faces life alone". Sunday Herald Sun. p. 025.
  35. ^ Glaister, Dan (2004-04-03). "Simpsons actors demand bigger share". The Age. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
  36. ^ "'Simpsons' Voice Disputes Reason For Leaving". The Journal Gazette. 2000-02-07. p. 5D.
  37. ^ "Maude Flanders will likely leave Simpsons". The Record. 2000-02-05. p. F04.
  38. ^ Weber, Wendy Fox (2002-11-01). "TV Tip: The Simpsons". The Naperville Sun. p. 12.
  39. ^ a b c Husted, Bill (2003-06-01). "Maggie's back". The Denver Post. p. F-02.
  40. ^ a b Husted, Bill (2007-07-22). "Woo-Hoo! Actress' voice work wins tickets to The Simpsons – Movie". The Denver Post. p. C-02.
  41. ^ Moore, John (2003-09-21). "Here's the scoop: Director casts Hickenlooper in film". The Denver Post. p. A-01.
  42. ^ Moore, John (2008-11-02). "Theaters need to seek the upside of downturn – By offering deals, dependable favorites and laughs, they can rise above the Dow". The Denver Post. p. E-02.
  43. ^ Clarke, Norm (1998-11-25). "Talk of the Town". Rocky Mountain News. p. 6A.
  44. ^ Davidson, Joanne (1999-01-29). "Magic plays big role at Opera Colorado Ball". The Denver Post. p. E-02.
  45. ^ An Interview with Maggie Roswell, Skip E. Lowe, 1992
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