The Simpsons voice actor who plays Milhouse van Houten — among other iconic roles — is retiring after 35 years on the show.
Check out Triple M’s definitive ranking of the top five Simpsons episodes here:
MIlhouse Voice Actor Quits After Long Simpsons Stint
Pamela Hayden — who counted Jimbo Jones and Rod (and sometimes Todd) Flanders among her roles — was the voice of Bart’s best friend Milhouse across five different decades and nearly 700 episodes of the Simpsons.
“The time has come for me to hang up my microphone,” Hayden, 70, said in a statement on Wednesday.
“It’s been an honor and a joy to have worked on such a funny, witty, and groundbreaking show… I’ll always have a special place in my heart for that blue-haired 10-year-old boy with glasses.”
Check out Triple M’s definitive ranking of the top 25 Simpsons episodes here:
Hayden shared her news via a post on the Simpsons’ Instagram account, which included some clips of her work on the show.
“Pamela gave us tons of laughs with Milhouse, the hapless kid with the biggest nose in Springfield, Simpsons creator Matt Groening said.
“She made Milhouse hilarious and real, and we will miss her.”
Milhouse was named after Richard Nixon’s middle name — Milhous — and was responsible for some of the shows’ more bittersweet moments, including his unrequited love for Lisa and the divorce of his parents in the eighth season episode ‘A Milhouse Divided’.
“People are always saying what a nerd he is, but one thing that I love about Milhouse is he’s always getting knocked down, but he keeps getting up,” Hayden said.
“I love the little guy. It’s this wonderful analogy for life.”
Pamela Hayden’s final episode, Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes, airs this Sunday the 24th of November in the US.
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