Maggie Roswell

Maggie Roswell is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer from Los Angeles, California. She is well known for her voice work on the Fox network animated television series The Simpsons, in which she has played recurring characters such as Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Miss Hoover, and Luann Van Houten, as well as several minor characters. This work has earned her an Annie Award nomination.

Roswell made her acting break-through in the 1980s with appearances in films such as Midnight Madness (1980), Lost in America (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986), and guest appearances on television shows such as Remington Steele, Masquerade, and Happy Days. She appeared frequently in the sketch comedy The Tim Conway Show from 1980 to 1981, and did voice acting for a few animated films and television shows. Roswell also performed in some theater plays, including one in 1988 directed by Julia Sweeney.

In 1989, Roswell was hired for the first season of The Simpsons. She played a few minor characters until she became a regular cast member with the introduction of Maude Flanders in the second season. In 1994, Roswell and her husband Hal Rayle moved from Los Angeles to Denver to raise their daughter. Together they established the Roswell 'n' Rayle Company, creating and voicing advertisements for companies. Because of her move to Denver, Roswell had to travel to Los Angeles twice a week to tape The Simpsons. This ultimately led to her requesting a pay raise in 1999; however, Fox refused to offer her the amount she wanted so she quit the show. Roswell returned to The Simpsons in 2002 after reaching a deal to record her lines from her Denver home.

Career

First acting work Roswell was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. In the 1970s, she made some guest appearances on television shows such as M*A*S*H, but she did not gain her first big acting roles until the 1980s. In the 1980 film Midnight Madness, she played a character that leads a group of sorority sisters who are participating in a college puzzle solving race. Roswell also starred in the sketch comedy The Tim Conway Show in 1980 and 1981. She appeared in the film Lost in America (1985) as the character Patty, and she had a supporting role in the film Pretty in Pink (1986). She also acted in the two-part television film The Deliberate Stranger. In addition, Roswell played some minor roles in television shows in the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s, Masquerade (1984), Happy Days (1984), Murphy Brown (1993), and Quantum Leap (1993). In 1988, she had a role in Julia Sweeney's play Mea's Big Apology at Groundling Theatre in Los Angeles. She played Eunice, a cynical woman who works at a malpractice insurance company and is a colleague to the main character. The company people do everything they can to dismiss her because they do not want to pay her retirement benefits, which are about to take effect. Roswell reprised this role in a 1992 revival of the play, also at Groundling Theatre. This led to her being hired on the animated television series The Simpsons in 1989. Her first appearance was in the season one episode "Homer's Night Out", in which she voiced the character Princess Kashmir (a belly dancer who seduces Homer). as well as several more one-time characters and background characters.

Roswell was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on The Simpsons.

Roswell began writing, producing, and/or voicing advertisements for companies. She and her spouse established "The Roswell 'n' Rayle Company" for this purpose, and built a recording studio in their basement. They are now also providing comedic ring tones.

In 1997, Roswell appeared in the film Switchback alongside Danny Glover and Dennis Quaid. Then Roswell announced that she had asked for a raise, not only because she was tired of the traveling, but because of the increasing cost of flight tickets. Roswell was paid $1,500 to $2,000 per episode during the three seasons before she left, and she asked Fox for a raise to $6,000 per episode. However, Fox only offered her a $150 raise, which did not even cover the travel costs, so she decided to quit. She further added that "I was part of the backbone of The Simpsons and I don't think the money I asked for was exorbitant. I wasn't asking for what other cast members make. I was just trying to recoup all the costs I had in travel. If they'd flown me in, I'd still be working." At that point, the six main cast members of the show were paid $125,000 per episode. As a result of Roswell's departure, Marcia Mitzman Gaven was hired to voice her characters, with Maude Flanders killed off in the episode "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily". the dispute ended,

In 2004, Roswell had a minor role in the film Silver City. In 2009, she starred in the play Bunny Bunny: Gilda Radner, a Sort of Romantic Comedy at Avenue Theater in Denver. It opened in May of that year. The play recounted events in the career of actress Gilda Radner, who Roswell played, from 1975 (the start of Saturday Night Live) to her death in 1989.

Roswell enjoys singing. On February 7, 1999, she debuted as a nightclub singer at the Denver Chop House & Brewery, where she performed on behalf of the homelessness charity Family Homestead. In June 2003, she sang at Denver's Rattlebrain Theatre on Sunday nights with The Sirens. He had done roles such as the Predator in Predator 2, the ghoulies in Ghoulies II, and Marvin the Martian in Air Jordan commercials. when episodes of The Simpsons were being recorded, Roswell had to fly back to Los Angeles twice a week to attend the table reads and the recording sessions. In an article about her and her husband's move, Ricky Lopes of Rocky Mountain News wrote: "When The Simpsons is taping, she goes to Los Angeles every Friday morning for the first reading, flies back that afternoon, flies back Sunday to tape the show Monday and flies back home that night." Roswell said she "got the idea for the way Helen Lovejoy says 'B-bye, b-bye, b-bye,' to everyone when they leave the church from the way the flight attendants say it when you get off the plane."

Filmography

Films Year Film Role Notes 1980 Midnight Madness Donna 1983 Fire and Ice Teegra (voice) 1985 Lost in America Patty 1986 Pretty in Pink Mrs. Dietz 1992 Cool World Additional voices Uncredited 1993 Nose Dive Ellen 1994 I'll Do Anything Auditioning Woman Deleted Scene 1995 Adventures in Odyssey: Go West Young Man Miss Lilly (voice) Direct-to-video 1995 The Pebble and the Penguin Additional voices Uncredited 1996 Rotten Ralph Mom (voice) Direct-to-video 1997 Switchback Fae 2004 Silver City Ellie Hastings 2007 The Simpsons Movie Helen Lovejoy (voice) Cameo 2024 May the 12th Be with You Mary Poppins (voice) Short Film

Television Year Series Role Notes 1973 Love, American Style Jane Episode: "Love and the Secret Spouse" 1973 M*A*S*H Sister Theresa Episode: "Kim" 1973 The Partridge Family Lois Episode: "Heartbreak Keith" 1978 Piper's Pets Dr. Piper's Wife Television pilot 1980–1981 The Tim Conway Show Various Roles Sketch comedy 1980 Characters Carol Goodman Television pilot 1981 And They All Lived Happily After Lorraine Hofstedter Television film 1981 Mork & Mindy Donna Hammond Episode: "Three the Hard Way" 1982 Laverne & Shirley Karen Caldwell Episode: "Life Is the Tar Pits" 1982 Deadly Alliance Mrs. Trenton Television Film 1982 Insight Karen Episode: "For Love or Money" 1983 Remington Steele Margaret "Hoop" Tracy Episode: "Steele in the News" 1984 Masquerade Julie Moon Episode: "Five Days" 1984 Happy Days Joyce James Episode: "Fonzie Moves Out" 1985 Comedy Break Various Roles Sketch Comedy 1986 New Love, American Style Katy Episode: "Love and the Judge" 1986 The Deliberate Stranger Detective Kathy McCeshney Television Miniseries 1987 Valerie Ranger Morrison Episode: "Babes in the Woods" 1987–1988 Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures Pearl Pureheart (voice) Main Role 1987 Popeye and Son Jewelry Store Clerk (voice) Episode: "Junior Gets a Job" 1987 Dynasty Penelope Shane Episode: "The Testing" 1988 Jake and the Fatman Vivian Scully Episode: "What Is This Thing Called Love?" 1988–1991 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Barbara Simone, Mrs. Morganson (voice) 3 Episodes 1988 The Adventures of Raggedy Ann and Andy Trickle (voice) Episode: "The Megamite Adventure" 1988 Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears Little Girl (voice) Animated television film 1989 Hunter Adelle Roberts Episode: "Shoot to Kill" 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Caitlyn (voice) Episode: "The Great Boldini" 1989 The Tracey Ullman Show Jenny Episode: "The Holland Tunnel of Love" 1990–19992002–present The Simpsons Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Luann Van Houten, Miss Hoover and additional voices 290 Episodes 1990 Bobby's World Bank Teller (voice) Episode: "My Dad Can Fix Anything" 1990 Tiny Toon Adventures Mary Vain (voice) Episode: "Hollywood Plucky" 1991 L.A. Law Ms. Shore Episode: "Rest in Pieces" 1991 TaleSpin Female Employee, Sally (voice) Episode: "Mach One for the Gipper" 1991 Night Rap Various Roles Sketch Comedy 1991 Guns of Paradise Caroline Dryer Episode: "Twenty-Four Hours" 1991 Bad Attitudes Angela's mother Television film 1991 Darkwing Duck Female superhero, News Reporter (voice) 2 Episodes 1992 Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive Rita Marshall Television film 1992 Great Scott! Mrs. Stone Episode: "Stone Moan" 1993 Quantum Leap Masterson Episode: "Revenge of the Evil Leaper" 1993 Good Advice Betsy Miller Episode: "Pilot" 1993 Murphy Brown Mother #2 Episode: "The Egg & I" 1993 Bonkers Anita the Hairdresser (voice) 2 Episodes 1993 The All-New Dennis the Menace Woodhead Way Pet Obedience School Instructor, Michelle the Babysitter (voice) Episode: "Like Master, Like Mutt" 1994 Animaniacs Princess of Props (voice) Episode: "Baloney & Kids" 1997 Animal Tales Multiple Voices (Main Cast) PBS Television Series 1998 Venus on the Hard Drive Venus (voice) Television Pilot

Video games Year Game Role 1995 Labyrinth of Crete Hestia 1997 The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield Maude Flanders, Miss Hoover 1997 Galapagos: Mendel's Escape Computer System