"The Simpsons" cast have sealed a new four-year deal that hands them more "D'oh" - and solidifies the animated hit's landmark 20th season.
Production has been delayed for several months on the show as voice actors and 20th Century Fox TV hammered out a deal (Daily Variety, May 20). New pact bumps the stars' salaries up to around $400,000 an episode; the thesps previously made somewhere in the mid-$300,000 range.
Deal, solidified over the weekend, means the key "Simpsons" cast members - Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe) and Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns) - will be back to work and attending the show's first table read of the season on Tuesday morning.
Also, as part of the new deal, Castellaneta has been named consulting producer on the series and will serve as a writer in addition to continuing as a voice performer.
Meanwhile, although the voice actors are now locked through the next four years, that doesn't necessarily mean "The Simpsons" will be back beyond season 20. Gracie Films' deal with 20th expires at the end of this season; Fox also hasn't renewed the show beyond this upcoming year.
Because of the late start, 20th will produce just 20 episodes of "The Simpsons" this season, instead of the usual 22.
Despite the lengthy negotiations, both sides said this go-round wasn't characterized by the rancor that marked past face-offs. Production was delayed in 2004 when the cast didn't show up to table reads; in 1998, 20th hired casting directors to potentially find replacements when the thesps asked for a pay raise.
The voice talent have traditionally argued that their ask price is relatively small given the billions of dollars "The Simpsons" has poured into News Corp.'s coffers. Studio execs, meanwhile, not that "The Simpsons" has seen its audience erode, making it less of a cash cow.