‘The Simpson’s Voice Actress Marcia Wallace Dies at 70

Marcia Wallace, best known as the voice of Edna Krabappel on “The Simpsons,” has passed away at the age of 70.

Wallace starred on “The Bob Newhart Show” for six seasons during the 1970s, before she began voicing the role of Bart Simpson’s teacher, Edna Krabappel, since the inception of “The Simpsons” in 1990.  She would go on to win an Emmy for outstanding voice actress in 1992 for the role.

“I was tremendously saddened to learn this morning of the passing of the brilliant and gracious Marcia Wallace,” said “The Simpsons” executive producer Al Jean. “She was beloved by all at The Simpsons and we intend to retire her irreplaceable character.”

While “The Simpsons” have been promoting a character’s death on the show this season, Edna Krabappel was never in the running.  The rumors claiming the show was planning to retire her character are completely false.

“Marcia’s passing is unrelated and again, a terrible loss for all who had the pleasure of knowing her,” Jean added.

Wallace, a breast cancer survivor, had been promoting breast cancer awareness in recent years.  She wrote a book  “Don’t Look Back, We’re Not Going That Way,” that chronicled her battle with the disease.

It is not clear if breast cancer played any role in her death.