Actress Marcia Wallace, the voice of Edna Krabappel on the Fox show "The Simpsons" and earlier Carol Kester, the receptionist on the 1970s sitcom "The Bob Newhart Show," has died at 70. "I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of
Wallace's blazing red hair and bubbly delivery were tailor-made for the role of the straight-laced Newhart's daffy receptionist on the hit CBS show. The part was reportedly written specifically for her at the insistence of CBS founder Bill Paley.
She would remain with "The Bob Newhart Show" for its six-season run before segueing into guest appearances on shows like "ALF" and "Murphy Brown," and becoming a regular presence on game shows such as "The 25,000 Pyramid" and "Hollywood Squares."
She would also build a second career as a voice-over actress, giving life to Edna Krabappel, Bart Simpson's cynical fourth grade teacher on "The Simpsons. " The role earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992.
"I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace," 'The Simpsons' Executive Producer Al Jean said in a statement on Saturday. "She was beloved by all at 'The Simpsons' and we intend to retire her irreplaceable character.
"You fall in love with these people when you see them as characters on television, but when met Marcia you loved her even more," Jean said. "She was sweet, funny, not at all pretentious. She was a breast cancer survivor for over 20 years and she was always chipper and just a wonderful person to be around."
Wallace's career began with a semi-regular stint on the "Merv Griffin Show," and also involved successful forays on the New York and Los Angeles state where she appeared in productions of "The Vagina Monologues," "Gypsy" and "Prisoner of Second Avenue."
Wallace was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985 and became involved in charitable groups involved with treating the disease.
Wallace was married to hotelier Dannis Hawley, who died in 1992. Their son Michael appears with Wallace in "Muffin Top."
Reuters and the Los Angeles Times
