The rundown:
Maggie Roswell: 65
Maggie Roswell has played Mrs. Hoover, Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Luann Van Houten, Mary Bailey, Princess Kashmir, Shary Bobbins, Barbara Bush, Mona Simpson, Martha Quimby, a dermatologist, a mail carrier, a nuclear inspector, and Ned Flanders when he’s screaming. According to online fan sites, though, her resume includes a few dozen others, giving a grand total of 65 roles.
Advertisement
Pamela Hayden: 161
Pamela Hayden’s most notable role is Milhouse, Bart’s best friend. But she, like most of the women on “The Simpsons,” also plays a gaggle of child characters, including multiple Milhouse clones and Rod Flanders. She has also played Peggy Bundy, trolls, security guards, and Maya Angelou. All told, she’s racked up 161 parts.
Nancy Cartwright: 162
Nancy Cartwright plays Bart Simpson, as well as side characters like Database, Kearney, the bully Nelson Muntz (whose voice she made up on the spot), Ralph Wiggum, and Todd Flanders. Those are all significant characters, and she spends a lot of time in the recording booth. If we’re to expand Cartwright’s repertoire to every single guest voice she has done on “The Simpsons,” however — including single-line throw-offs in flash-forwards, background children, and alternate universe versions of Bart — then Cartwright’s number of characters jumps to an impressive 162, barely nosing out Taylor.
Advertisement
Harry Shearer: 445
Harry Shearer’s deep, radio-friendly voice has permitted him to play striking roles like Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ned Flanders, Kang, Principal Skinner, and Kent Brockman. Once one starts scouring through his full voice catalogue, though, one will find that Shearer has lent his voice to a whopping 445 characters. This includes teenagers, radio personalities, the late Dr. Marvin Monroe, O.J. Simpson, and Darth Vader.
