Family - Women/Men/Kids Fast Facts, Last Updated:09/10/2010
The voiceactors have been involved in much-publicized pay disputes withFox on more than one occasion. In 1998, thevoice actors stopped working, forcing 20th CenturyFox TV to increase their salary from $30,000 per episode to$125,000. The actors were supported in their action by seriescreator Matt Groening. [1] (http://www.snpp.com/other/interviews/groening99e.html)As the revenue generated by the show continued to increase throughsyndication and DVD sales, six actors (playing over 50characters) – Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner,NancyCartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and HarryShearer – stopped showing up for script readings inApril 2004 after weeks of unsuccessfulnegotiations with Fox. They asked for $360,000 per episode, or $8million for a 22-episode season. On May 2, 2004, the actors resolved their dispute with Foxafter having their demands met. The universally-reported claim thatthis dispute was in fact a full-blown strike is denied by HarryShearer. [2] (http://www.metronews.ca/column_tube_talk.asp?id=2347&cid=650) |
