Source: Associated Press
Date:  Friday, April 3, 1998

Simpsons voices stick around

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Simpsons won't be losing its voices next season.

Cast members of Fox's animated TV series, who were pushing for raises, have agreed to $50,000 US per episode, with a $1-million bonus each if they're around in the year 2005, Daily Variety reported Friday, quoting unidentified sources.

Even with their salaries doubled and in some cases tripled, the final deal came in much lower than the demand of $150,000 per episode.

Production for next season began Thursday with a script reading attended by the entire cast, including Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart) and Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer (various characters).