H
Happy29
Guest
...you know how the line goes
Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
Friday April 2, 2004
The Guardian
Homer Simpson has an opinion on the best way to conduct an industrial dispute: "If you don't like your job, you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American Way." But the voice behind those words sees it rather differently.
Dan Castellaneta, the actor who provides the voice for the star of the hit cartoon series, has joined his fellow cast members in a strike over pay rates on the Fox TV series, which is currently shown on BBC2 in the UK.
The cast, which includes Hank Azaria (Moe, Apu and others), Harry Shearer (Mr Burns and others), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Julie Kavner (Marge) and Nancy Cartwright (Bart), has failed to appear for two script readings in recent weeks, delaying production of the programme's 16th series.
According to the Hollywood trade paper Variety, the dispute centres on a demand by each of the actors that they be paid $360,000 (£194,000) an episode instead of their current $125,000.
The increase would see each of them receive $8m a series. The actors work an average of six to seven hours each per episode.
However, the cartoon is thought to be worth $1bn to its owner, Rupert Murdoch's 20th Century Fox.
In 1998, a similar round of negotiations led to the actors securing a pay deal that took them from $30,000 an episode to their current level. Then, the threat of a strike led the show's producers to hire casting directors in five cities with a view to replacing the actors. But a deal was reached before casting took place.
Negotiations have been going on for several months but no agreement has been reached.
The dispute comes against the background of preparations for a film version of the Simpsons. 20th Century Fox confirmed last month that series creator Matt Groening and other writers were working on a Simpsons movie.
Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
Friday April 2, 2004
The Guardian
Homer Simpson has an opinion on the best way to conduct an industrial dispute: "If you don't like your job, you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American Way." But the voice behind those words sees it rather differently.
Dan Castellaneta, the actor who provides the voice for the star of the hit cartoon series, has joined his fellow cast members in a strike over pay rates on the Fox TV series, which is currently shown on BBC2 in the UK.
The cast, which includes Hank Azaria (Moe, Apu and others), Harry Shearer (Mr Burns and others), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Julie Kavner (Marge) and Nancy Cartwright (Bart), has failed to appear for two script readings in recent weeks, delaying production of the programme's 16th series.
According to the Hollywood trade paper Variety, the dispute centres on a demand by each of the actors that they be paid $360,000 (£194,000) an episode instead of their current $125,000.
The increase would see each of them receive $8m a series. The actors work an average of six to seven hours each per episode.
However, the cartoon is thought to be worth $1bn to its owner, Rupert Murdoch's 20th Century Fox.
In 1998, a similar round of negotiations led to the actors securing a pay deal that took them from $30,000 an episode to their current level. Then, the threat of a strike led the show's producers to hire casting directors in five cities with a view to replacing the actors. But a deal was reached before casting took place.
Negotiations have been going on for several months but no agreement has been reached.
The dispute comes against the background of preparations for a film version of the Simpsons. 20th Century Fox confirmed last month that series creator Matt Groening and other writers were working on a Simpsons movie.
hope they work it out!!