'Whoa, Mama!': A Voice Actress's Road To Fame As A 10-Year-Old Boy
As part of a series called "My Big Break," All Things Considered is collecting stories of triumph, big and small. These are the moments when everything seems to click, and people leap forward into their careers.
Back in 1987, Nancy Cartwright drove to the FOX Studios lot to try out for a little animated short about a dysfunctional family known as "The Simpsons."
Specifically, she was there to audition for the studious, well-mannered middle child named Lisa.
"I read the monologue, it was just a little monologue, and it was fine, but next to her was Bart," Cartwright says. "Didn't even know there was a boy. And when I read that he was a 10-year-old, school-hating underachiever but proud of it ... That just hit me right in my heart."
Cartwright made a risky, last-minute decision: She would audition for Bart, the insouciant trouble-maker, instead of Lisa.
She went into the audition room, shook the hand of The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, and asked if she could try out for "the kid" instead of Lisa. Cartwright says she knew exactly what voice to use for the mischievous Bart Simpson.
"I just opened my mouth and a 10-year-old boy popped out," Cartwright says. "On the spot, I got the job. My big break? Right there."
The Simpsons started as an animated short on The Tracey Ullman Show, meant to segue in and out of commercial breaks. Cartwright says they recorded in a dingy, make-shift recording booth at the top of the bleachers in the studio.
"They had a portable recorder that you see on movie sets and it was hand-held, little machine, pushing buttons and stuff," she says. "We're sharing — this is how low-budget it was — sharing a microphone, moving to the side so Homer can say his line then I step up and do mine."
Cartwright's vocal prowess and uncanny ability to capture the voice of kids has led her to other vocal roles around Springfield.
"I do seven voices on The Simpsons," Cartwright says. "Bart, Nelson, Ralph, Kearney, Todd, Database and Maggie."
She can effortlessly switch from one character to the next.
"It's called vocal gymnastics and I get a little bit of an aerobic workout when I have to talk to myself," she says.
Now, 28 years since her audition, The Simpsons has become the longest-running prime-time scripted series in American TV history.
With catch-phrases like, "Don't have a cow," and "Eat my shorts," Bart Simpson has become a cultural icon.
"It's like I'm living my dream," Cartwright says. "I knew when I was about 16 that I wanted to do this. How great to be paid to burp and fart and do what you love with a lot of talented people and still make people laugh all along the way. It's the best."
We want to hear about your big break. Send us an e-mail at mybigbreak@npr.org.
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Transcript
ARUN RATH, HOST:
Now, for the latest installment of our series My Big Break about career triumphs big and small. Back in 1987, Nancy Cartwright auditioned for a show within a show. "The Tracey Ullman Show" on Fox was working in animated shorts about a dysfunctional family, "The Simpsons." Cartwright was there to audition for the studious, well-mannered daughter Lisa.
NANCY CARTWRIGHT: It was a picture of Lisa and I'd never seen it before. And with those spikes on her head, I'm like, wow, this is kind of different. And I read the monologue. It was just a little monologue. And it was fine. But next to her was Bart. I didn't even know there was a boy. And when I read that he was a 10-year-old, school-hating, underachiever, but proud of it, I'm like, boy, that just hit me right in my heart, you know - insouciant and a troublemaker, and I'm like, yeah, that's it. So I went in, shook hands with Matt Groening, and he thought I was there to read for Lisa also. And I said, you know, I saw this kid. Is it all right - I want to do the kid instead of her. Is that - oh, yeah. That's fine. I just opened my mouth and a 10-year-old boy popped out.
(As Bart Simpson) Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Bam. Oh my God, that's him. You're hired. And, like, on the spot, I got the job. My big break? Right there.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE SIMPSONS")
YEARDLEY SMITH: (As Lisa Simpson) What you doing, Bart?
CARTWRIGHT: (As Bart Simpson) Skateboarding.
SMITH: (As Lisa Simpson) Can we come?
CARTWRIGHT: (As Bart Simpson) No way, man. Skateboarding's men's work.
SMITH: (As Lisa Simpson) Then why are you doing it?
CARTWRIGHT: (As Bart Simpson) Because I am a man, man. Cowabunga.
This was not a recording booth (laughter). It wasn't a recording booth. They had a portable recording that you see on movie sets and it was a handheld, little machine, pushing buttons and stuff. We're sharing - this is how low-budget it was - sharing a microphone.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE SIMPSONS")
DAN CASTELLANETA: (As Homer Simpson) Well, here we are, the whole family.
CARTWRIGHT: Moving to the side so Homer can say his line, then I'd step up and do mine.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE SIMPSONS")
CASTELLANETA: (As Homer Simpson) Why, we're more than a...
CARTWRIGHT: (As Bart Simpson) Dad, you can stop now. Commercial's over and the show's back on.
And then look what happened. Just, like, who knew? Oh my gosh, I don't know of any other character that has more catchphrases than Bart.
(As Bart Simpson) Don't have a cow. Eat my shorts. Get bent. Woah, momma.
And my favorite swear...
(As Bart Simpson) ...Bosom.
There you go. That's like six or seven right there. I do seven voices on "The Simpsons" - Bart, Nelson, Ralph, Kearney, Todd, Database and Maggie. Ralph Wiggum - I mean the catchphrases - he's just this walking non sequitur that no matter what's happening, if you stick Ralph in there...
(As Ralph Wiggum) When I grow up, I want to be a principal or a caterpillar.
(As Nelson Muntz) Ralph, what are you talking about?
(As Ralph Wiggum)What do you mean what am I talking about?
(As Nelson Muntz) Come on, straighten up.
(As Ralph Wiggum) Huh, what did you say?
I mean that's - it's called vocal gymnastics, and I get a little bit of an aerobic workout when I have to talk to myself. It amazes me how much people still are surprised to find out that Bart Simpson is a woman.
(As Bart Simpson) Yeah, man, I'm Bart Simpson. What's happening dude?
And their jaw usually hits the ground and then I open up my purse...
(As Bart Simpson) ...Do you want my autograph?
(SOUNDBITE OF "THE SIMPSONS" THEME SONG)
CARTWRIGHT: It's like I am living - I'm living my dream. I really am. I knew when I was about 16 that I wanted to do this. How great to be paid to burp and fart and do what you love with a lot of talented people and still make people laugh all along the way. It's the best - the best.
RATH: Nancy Cartwright, the unmistakable voice behind Bart Simpson. Since her fateful audition, "The Simpsons" has become the longest-running primetime scripted entertainment series in American television history. You don't need an iconic voice to have a big break. Send us your story - mybigbreak@npr.org.
(SOUNDBITE OF "THE SIMPSONS" THEME SONG) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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