The Tragic Death of 'Simpsons'/'Bob Newhart Show' Actress Marcia Wallace: A Look Back

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Actress/comedian Marcia Wallace, who died of cancer in 2013, was a beloved presence on and off the television screen. As Carol Kester on The Bob Newhart Show (which originally aired on CBS from 1972 to 1978), Wallace left an indelible mark. Her career would be rejuvenated in 1989 with her Emmy-winning voiceover work as Bart's teacher, Mrs. Edna Krabappel on the long-running animated Fox series, The Simpsons.

A Closer Look

Marcia Wallace often smiled knowingly at Newhart's Bob Hartley character and his TV best friend Dr. Gerry Hartley (played by Peter Bonerz).

Wallace's Carol Kester was a wisecracking receptionist...and her lively presence contributed greatly to the fun of the show. She's outspoken, funny, and likable.

That was also the case with Wallace herself, on the set and in real life. One day Wallace announced to her parents that she was going to be an actress. It was a brave decision." Wallace was not what was then considered attractive, and she was overweight.

Wallace found that hard to believe. But it was all right with her parents. They just didn't think she'd be a success.

It was talk show host Merv Griffin who subsequently envisioned a bright future for Wallace. He brought her to California to do two appearances on his show - and that led to her being cast as Carol Kester on The Bob Newhart Show.

Beyond Bob and The Simpsons

Beyond her roles on The Bob Newhart Show and The Simpsons, Marcia Wallace was a regular guest star on a host of popular TV shows in the 1970s and 1980s, from The Love Boat and Fantasy Island to Gimme a Break!, the original Night Court, Charles in Charge and Magnum, P.I., and ALF.

She was also a mainstay of TV game shows such as The Hollywood Squares, Password, and The (New) $25,000 Pyramid and starred in numerous stage productions, including a touring production of The Vagina Monologues.

In the last years of her life, Wallace advocated for awareness of breast cancer, a disease she battled herself.