Dan Castellaneta

Actor

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In his nearly three-hour interview, Dan Castellaneta talks about his work as an ensemble player on The Tracey Ullman Show, and his most well-known role, as the voice of "Homer Simpson" on The Simpsons, for which he has won several Emmy awards. He discusses other characters he portrays on The Simpsons, including "Barney Gumble," "Mayor Quimby," "Groundskeeper Willie," "Grampa Simpson," and "Krusty the Klown." He discusses specific episodes, including "Mr. Plow," "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" and the origin of Homer's famous catchphrase, "D'oh!" Jenni Matz conducted the interview on July 20, 2010 in North Hollywood, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"It opened up comedy writing to aspects of family life that weren't explored as much; because not only does The Simpsons parody the family, but it parodies the American small town... trying to get to a certain kind of truth."

People Talking About ...

Dan Castellaneta

Highlights

Dan Castellaneta on working with the ensemble of The Tracey Ullman Show, including Ullman, Julie Kavner, and Sam McMurray

04:44

Dan Castellaneta on the appeal of his Simpsons character "Homer Simpson"

05:13

Dan Castellaneta on the catch phrases of "Homer Simpson" on The Simpsons

01:45

Dan Castellaneta on doing musical episodes of The Simpsons

04:10

Dan Castellaneta on appearing as a disheveled "Homer Simpson" on an episode of L.A. Law

01:48

Dan Castellaneta on what makes a good voiceover actor

01:15

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his early life and influences; on deciding to become an actor; on television he watched growing up, and on wanting to be part of it

On joining Second City, and what he learned as an actor there; on appearing on local television in Chicago; on his Second City characters

On how he got discovered for The Tracey Ullman Show; on working with the ensemble of The Tracey Ullman Show, including Ullman, Julie Kavner, and Sam McMurray; on the characters he played on The Tracey Ullman Show, and on the sketches and musical numbers of the show

Chapter 2

On The Simpsons starting on The Tracey Ullman Show; on who the producers felt the audience for The Simpsons would be, and on "Bartmania"; on the appeal of his character, "Homer Simpson"

On his process of performing "Homer Simpson" for a given episode of The Simpsons; on the catch phrases of "Homer Simpson" on The Simpsons; on doing the voice of "Krusty the Clown" on The Simpsons

On playing various other characters on The Simpsons; on writing episodes of The Simpsons, and on the process of creating an episode; on doing musical episodes of The Simpsons

On taking care of his voice in preparation for The Simpsons, and on how he is different from "Homer Simpson"; on various episodes of The Simpsons he wrote; on recording the episodes of The Simpsons, and on keeping the timeline of the show

Chapter 3

On James L. Brooks' mandate for no network notes for The Simpsons, and on the show taking digs at FOX; on The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Pony" for which he won an Emmy for Oustanding Voiceover Performance, and on Homer's parenting skills; on fan favorite episodes of The Simpsons

On The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween episodes; on The Simpsons' popularity in countries outside the U.S.; on theimpact of The Simpsons on culture, on comedy, and on the field of animation

On The Simpsons episode "Homer versus New York" and the timing of airing that show after 9/11; on his Simpsons castmates Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer; on the legacy of The Simpsons and what it says about American families

On appearing as a disheveled "Homer Simpson" on an episode of L.A. Law; on appearing on Sibs; on guest-starring on various series including Murphy Brown, Frasier, How I Met Your Mother, and Everybody Loves Raymond

On advice to an aspiring actor, and on what makes a good voiceover artist; on his then-current projects, and on his dream jobs; on career achievements and regrets, and on his then-future

Shows

Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels

Dan Castellaneta on playing "Aaron Spelling" in Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie’s Angels

01:25

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Pony" for which he won an Emmy for Outstanding Voiceover Performance

02:15

Everybody Loves Raymond

Dan Castellaneta on guest-starring on various series including Murphy Brown, Frasier, How I Met Your Mother, and Everybody Loves Raymond

03:11

Frasier

Dan Castellaneta on guest-starring on various series including Murphy Brown, Frasier, How I Met Your Mother, and Everybody Loves Raymond

03:11

How I Met Your Mother

Dan Castellaneta on guest-starring on various series including Murphy Brown, Frasier, How I Met Your Mother, and Everybody Loves Raymond

03:11

L.A. Law

Dan Castellaneta on appearing as a disheveled "Homer Simpson" on an episode of L.A. Law

01:48

Murphy Brown

Dan Castellaneta on guest-starring on various series including Murphy Brown, Frasier, How I Met Your Mother, and Everybody Loves Raymond

03:11

Sibs

Dan Castellaneta on appearing on Sibs

03:05

Simpsons, The

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons starting on The Tracey Ullman Show

04:59

Dan Castellaneta on who the producers felt the audience for The Simpsons would be, and on "Bartmania"

07:02

Dan Castellaneta on the appeal of his Simpsons character, "Homer Simpson"

05:13

Dan Castellaneta on his process of performing "Homer Simpson" for a given episode of The Simpsons

04:05

Dan Castellaneta on the catch phrases of "Homer Simpson" on The Simpsons

01:44

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voice of "Krusty the Clown" on The Simpsons

03:22

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voices of "Grandpa Simpson" and "Groundskeeper Willie" on The Simpsons

02:07

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voices for "Mayor Quimby" and "Barney Gumble" on The Simpsons

01:58

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voices for "Hans Moleman" and "Gil" on The Simpsons

02:33

Dan Castellaneta on writing episodes of The Simpsons, and on the process of creating an episode

06:14

Dan Castellaneta on doing musical episodes of The Simpsons

04:10

Dan Castellaneta on taking care of his voice in preparation for The Simpsons, and on how he is different from "Homer Simpson"

03:11

Dan Castellaneta on various episodes of The Simpsons he wrote

05:42

Dan Castellaneta on recording the episodes of The Simpsons

03:03

Dan Castellaneta on the longevity of The Simpsons, and on the challenges of keeping a timeline for the show

03:42

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Pony" for which he won an Emmy for Outstanding Voiceover Performance, and on Homer's parenting skills

02:15

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Stark Raving Dad" which featured Michael Jackson

03:50

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Mr. Plow"

01:07

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"

03:00

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween episodes

04:12

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons' popularity in countries outside the U.S.

01:20

Dan Castellaneta on the impact of The Simpsons on culture, on comedy, and on the field of animation

01:21

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Homer versus New York" and the timing of airing that show after 9/11

03:38

Dan Castellaneta on his Simpsons castmates Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer

06:44

Dan Castellaneta on the legacy of The Simpsons and what it says about American families

03:24

Dan Castellaneta on James L. Brooks' mandate for no network notes for The Simpsons, and on the show taking digs at FOX

03:56

Dan Castellaneta on which "Homer" lines fans of The Simpsons ask to hear

01:24

Tracey Ullman Show, The

Dan Castellaneta on how he got discovered for The Tracey Ullman Show

05:58

Dan Castellaneta on working with the ensemble of The Tracey Ullman Show, including Ullman, Julie Kavner, and Sam McMurray

04:44

Dan Castellaneta on the characters he played on The Tracey Ullman Show, and on the sketches and musical numbers of the show

05:27

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons starting on The Tracey Ullman Show

04:59

Topics

9/11

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Homer versus New York" and the timing of airing that show after 9/11

03:38

Advice

Dan Castellaneta on advice to an aspiring actor

03:03

Characters & Catchphrases

Dan Castellaneta on the appeal of his Simpsons character, "Homer Simpson"

09:18

Dan Castellaneta on the catch phrases of "Homer Simpson" on The Simpsons

01:45

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voice of "Krusty the Clown" on The Simpsons

03:22

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voices of "Grandpa Simpson" and "Groundskeeper Willie" on The Simpsons

02:07

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voices for "Mayor Quimby" and "Barney Gumble" on The Simpsons

01:59

Emmy Awards

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Pony" for which he won an Emmy for Outstanding Voiceover Performance

02:15

Historic Events and Social Change

Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Homer versus New York" and the timing of airing that show after 9/11

03:38

Pop Culture

Dan Castellaneta on the appeal of his Simpsons character, "Homer Simpson"

09:18

Dan Castellaneta on the catch phrases of "Homer Simpson" on The Simpsons

01:45

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voice of "Krusty the Clown" on The Simpsons

03:22

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voices of "Grandpa Simpson" and "Groundskeeper Willie" on The Simpsons

02:07

Dan Castellaneta on doing the voices for "Mayor Quimby" and "Barney Gumble" on The Simpsons

01:58

Television Industry

Dan Castellaneta on advice to an aspiring actor

03:03

Professions

Actor

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Dan Castellaneta on joining Second City, and what he learned as an actor there

04:59

Dan Castellaneta on working with the ensemble of The Tracey Ullman Show, including Ullman, Julie Kavner, and Sam McMurray

04:45

Dan Castellaneta on advice to an aspiring actor

03:03

Performers

View Profession

Dan Castellaneta on joining Second City, and what he learned as an actor there

04:59

Dan Castellaneta on working with the ensemble of The Tracey Ullman Show, including Ullman, Julie Kavner, and Sam McMurray

04:45

Dan Castellaneta on advice to an aspiring actor

03:03

Dan Castellaneta on what makes a good voiceover actor

01:15

Voiceover

View Profession

Dan Castellaneta on what makes a good voiceover actor

01:15

Genres

Comedy Series

Dan Castellaneta on playing "Homer Simpson" and other characters on The Simpsons

59:08

Dan Castellaneta on playing "Homer Simpson" on The Simpsons

36:35

Dan Castellaneta on appearing on Sibs

03:05

Dan Castellaneta on guest-starring on various series including Murphy Brown, Frasier, How I Met Your Mother, and Everybody Loves Raymond

03:11

Legal Dramas

Dan Castellaneta on appearing as a disheveled "Homer Simpson" on an episode of L.A. Law

01:48

Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials

Dan Castellaneta on appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show

16:10

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

Dan Castellaneta on playing "Aaron Spelling" in Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie’s Angels

01:24

People

Aaron Spelling

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Dan Castellaneta on playing "Aaron Spelling" in Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie’s Angels

01:24

Hank Azaria

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Dan Castellaneta on his Simpsons castmates Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer

06:44

Harry Shearer

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Dan Castellaneta on his Simpsons castmates Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer

06:44

James L. Brooks

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Dan Castellaneta on James L. Brooks' mandate for no network notes for The Simpsons

03:56

Julie Kavner

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Dan Castellaneta on working with the ensemble of The Tracey Ullman Show, including Ullman, Julie Kavner, and Sam McMurray

04:45

Dan Castellaneta on his Simpsons castmates Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer

06:44

Michael Jackson

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Dan Castellaneta on The Simpsons episode "Stark Raving Dad" which featured Michael Jackson

03:50

Nancy Cartwright

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Dan Castellaneta on his Simpsons castmates Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer

06:44

Tracey Ullman

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Dan Castellaneta on how he got discovered for The Tracey Ullman Show

05:58

Dan Castellaneta on working with the ensemble of The Tracey Ullman Show, including Ullman, Julie Kavner, and Sam McMurray

04:45

Dan Castellaneta on the characters he played on The Tracey Ullman Show, and on the sketches and musical numbers of the show

05:27

Yeardley Smith

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Dan Castellaneta on his Simpsons castmates Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer

06:44