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Marcia Wallace. AP Photo

Voice of Simpsons' schoolteacher Edna Krabappel dies

Marcia Wallace did the voice of Edna Krabappel, Bart Simpson’s fourth-grade teacher.

THE WOMAN WHO did the voice of scoffing schoolteacher Edna Krabappel on “The Simpsons,” has died.

Marcia Wallace was 70 years old. The Simpsons executive producer Al Jean in a statement that her “irreplaceable character,” the fourth-grade teacher who contended with Bart Simpson’s constant antics, would be retired from the show.

The Simpsons crew

He said:

I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace. She was beloved by all at The Simpsons

Jean said: “It’s “a terrible loss for all who had the pleasure of knowing her.”

The statement did not provide a date for her death, or a cause.

The longtime TV actress’ appeared on many TV shows but it was on The Simpsons where Wallace provided the voice for world-weary Edna Krabappel, who smoked cigarettes, made sarcastic comments and finally found love in the arms of Simpson’s neighbor Ned Flanders after fans voted online at the end of season 22 to keep the unlikely couple together, where she was best known.

‘Ha!’

Wallace’s trademark “Ha!” punctuated Krabappel’s frequent wisecracks, and her character was also known for the catchphrase, “Do what I mean, not what I say.”

Harry Shearer, the voice of Ned Flanders on the show, said Wallace “brought this huge, positive energy” to her work on The Simpsons.

“She was just a warm and wonderful person,” Shearer said.

(Via YouTube/shekko4444)

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23 Comments
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    Mute Kian David Griffin
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    Oct 27th 2013, 12:45 PM

    RIP, also poor Flanders has no luck with women, 1st maud and now Edna!

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    Mute Spoddgy
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    Oct 27th 2013, 8:53 PM

    Classier way to go out than being hit with canon fired t-shirt

    25
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    Mute Michael G O'Reilly
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    Oct 27th 2013, 12:40 PM

    What a great character. She told it like it was….what most teachers think ….you’re child is not a genius so get used to it ….HA !

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    Mute Chopstix
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    Oct 27th 2013, 12:35 PM

    Very sad news RIP

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    Mute Art Vandelay
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    Oct 27th 2013, 12:38 PM

    Edna Krabappel was such a ride.

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    Mute CC
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    Oct 27th 2013, 12:58 PM

    “Oh heck, life’s too short for fire safety. Let’s go outside and pick wild flowers.”

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    Mute Stephen
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    Oct 27th 2013, 12:38 PM

    Hope she’s having a few Ha’s where ever she is now.

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    Mute Catherine Sims
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    Oct 27th 2013, 12:43 PM

    She was very talented , a huge loss . Xx

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    Mute Art Vandelay
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    Oct 27th 2013, 1:18 PM

    Bill Clinton was President of America the last time there was a good Simpsons episode.

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    Mute David Garland
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    Oct 27th 2013, 3:59 PM

    Yea it’s gone to shite George!

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    Mute Frank Carty
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    Oct 27th 2013, 6:59 PM

    True. Season 1-10 were comic gold. The new seasons are way off the mark

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    Mute Fionn Ó Deá
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    Oct 27th 2013, 4:28 PM

    Homer: Wait a minute. Bart’s teacher is named Krabappel? I’ve been calling her Crandall. Why didn’t someone tell me? Oh, I’ve been making an idiot out of myself!

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Oct 27th 2013, 1:00 PM

    Edna surely not enda. Rip

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    Mute PapaQuebec
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    Oct 28th 2013, 11:09 PM

    We can only wish!

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    Mute bob®
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    Oct 27th 2013, 4:26 PM

    HA! (that laugh)

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    Mute phooey
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    Oct 27th 2013, 3:42 PM

    Edna such a sad loss the voice and woman behind the voice AH

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    Mute Roshan Jamshidi
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    Oct 28th 2013, 3:46 AM

    It just wont be the same without her. R.i.p marcia

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    Mute David Garland
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    Oct 27th 2013, 3:58 PM

    You could hear her voice changing in the New simpsons episodes. I suppose it’s something that will happen with other characters as the actors get older.

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    Mute Sean C
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    Oct 27th 2013, 7:32 PM

    Sadly David, she was a 28 year survivor a number of health issues…she survived breast cancer 28 years ago, as well as losing her husband to pancreatic cancer. She had a number of health issues, and sadly her death was the result of a very serious bout of pneumonia.

    We know her as Edna Krababapplel, but she had tons of other recognisable roles in the states. Darn shame she died, and I hope that The Simpsons gives her character a strong send off.

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    Mute Edward Mark Fitzgerald
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    Oct 27th 2013, 11:57 PM

    People aren’t cancer survivors, being a 28 year long cancer survivor suggests it was always creeping up on her, I don’t think people would like to be remembered in that way. I really dislike when people use the term “survivor” while mentioning the length of time since they had suffered with an illness in some elongated fashion to describe people who have recovered from cancer, they are more than survivors, they are regular people living their lives who deserve a little normalcy.

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    Mute Sean C
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    Oct 28th 2013, 12:11 AM

    True Edward, but the sad thing about cancer is that even when one is ‘cured’, there is always the risk of cancer returning. It’s why those who have survived (I know you hate that word, but considering how many don’t survive the disease, it is appropriate) must go back and get tested every year for a potential reoccurrence of the disease. The disease, and I hate using this comparison but it is only fitting, is much like Chicken Pox or the cold sore virus. It never leaves the body. There is always a residual amount of the disease somewhere in the body. It just lingers.
    Cancer can travel throughout the body, so even if it is cured in one place, it can appear somewhere else as a secondary cancer. I know many who beat bowel cancer, but find a cancerous polyp somewhere else that requires treatment.
    With Wallace, it sadly was always creeping up on her. She got treatment for it to prevent it appearing again, and had certain health issues that seemed related to her condition. This pneumonia was just a part of it.

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    Mute Frank Carty
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    Oct 27th 2013, 4:29 PM

    Does that mean miss Krabappel is a Virgin too?

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    Mute Shane Kearney
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    Oct 27th 2013, 4:57 PM

    Well, at least theres going to be more food trays stolen from the cafeteria

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