Simpsons stars in pay row

The cast of The Simpsons have disrupted production after demanding a 188 per cent pay rise.

Twice the actors have failed to turn up for script readings recently, as months-old contract negotiations with Fox TV and producers Gracie Films stalled.

According to showbiz journal Variety, stars Dan Castellaneta, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Yeardley Smith, Julie Kavner and Nancy Cartwright are demanding a rise from $125,000 (£68,000) an episode to $360,000 (£195,000).

The actors took similar action in 1998, when they were earning just $30,000 an episode for what is such a cash cow. At that time, Fox even started looking to recruit replacement voices.

The Simpsons is said to be worth more than $1 billion, but one unnamed executive said the cast were already doing well out of the show, as each actor only works about seven hours to voice an episode.

"They already have the deal of a lifetime," one exec said.

However, their salaries do not compare well to the stars of top-rated sitcoms. Ray Romano, of Everybody Loves Raymond, is TV's biggest earner, pulling in $2million an episode.

Published: 1 Apr 2004