Yeardley Smith Movies
Yeardley Smith is unarguably the keeper of one of Hollywood's most distinctive-sounding and instantly recognizable set of vocal chords; the Emmy-winning actress' most famous role is without question that of level-headed, suburban schoolgirl Lisa Simpson on the long-running animated television series The Simpsons. Though most of her live-action roles would come during the mid-'80s with such guilty pleasures as The Legend of Billie Jean and Maximum Overdrive, Smith remained active in front of the camera well into the new millennium with roles in such features as As Good As It Gets and such popular television series as Dharma & Greg.Born in Paris, France, Smith kicked off her acting career at Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage before making the move to Broadway in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing in 1984. A role in the after-school special Mom's on Strike marked the actress' first foray into television, and after graduating to features with a supporting role in the 1985 comedy Heaven Help Us, she gained notable exposure later that same year in the teen drama The Legend of Billie Jean. If the film failed to live up to the hype, Smith's performance (as a somewhat shy teen who discovers her own self-confidence after joining a teenage outlaw on the road) offered a scene-stealing turn that would overflow into the following year's much-maligned horror film Maximum Overdrive. A small supporting role in the 1987 teen comedy Three O'Clock High was quick to follow, and that same year, Smith would step behind the microphone for the role that would change her life.
Originally conceived as a series of shorts made to run during The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons proved so popular that it was soon given its very own series. Beginning in 1989, The Simpsons quickly became nothing less than a cultural phenomenon, with brother Bart's rebellious antics quickly making "Don't have a cow, man" the national catch phrase. As popular as the series was initially, few could have foreseen that it would go on to surpass The Flintstones as the longest-running animated prime-time series in the history of television. In the years that followed, Lisa would move to the forefront in many episodes, endearing her to a nation of television viewers. Though Smith would still make the occasional foray into features, with bit roles in City Slickers, Toys, Just Write, and As Good As It Gets, it was her role on The Simpsons that kept her busy throughout the 1990s and into the new millennium. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Marge Simpson (voice of Julie Kavner) may not have a perfect marriage, but her sister Selma (also voiced by Kavner) seems ready to settle for whatever kind of husband she can find, and begins corresponding with a prisoner at the Springfield Penitentiary after concluding she can't find an eligible man among the law-abiding. It turns out the prisoner in question is none other than Sideshow Bob (voice of Kelsey Grammer), who ended up behind bars after Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) exposed his plan to frame Krusty the Clown (voice of Dan Castellaneta) for robbery. Selma and Sideshow Bob decide to tie the knot, but Bart is convinced Bob has something up his sleeve, and after viewing a video of the couple's vacation trip, Bart must run to the rescue to prevent Selma from being murdered.
Black Widower first aired on April 8, 1992. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Black Widower first aired on April 8, 1992. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
One morning Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) notices that his neighbor Ned Flanders (voice of Harry Shearing) is angrily shooing a man off of his property. Wondering what's going on, Homer learns that the man is an installer from a local cable TV service (voice of Phil Hartman) who offered to give Ned an illegal cable hook-up in exchange for a one-time, under-the-table payment. Lacking Ned's scruples, Homer asks the installer to give him a hook-up, and soon the Simpsons are basking in the glow of free cable programming. But after Reverend Lovejoy (also voiced by Shearer) gives a sermon on the evils of theft, Lisa begins having qualms about the ethics of stealing cable, and announces she'll no longer watch TV with the family unless they start paying for their cable service. Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) also wonders if having free cable is such a good idea, especially after she discovers Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is charging his classmates to watch softcore adult movies shown on the "Top Hat" cable network. Lisa decides to stage a vigil outside the Simpson home to protest Homer's actions, just as he's invited over all of his friends to watch a championship boxing match on a pay channel he's receiving illegally. Phil Hartman also provides the voice of Moses in a biblical flashback sequence. "Homer Vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" was first aired on February 7, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
After a free copy of the magazine Reading Digest arrives in the mail, Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) becomes a sudden (if short-lived) convert to the joys of the written word, and when he discovers the magazine is sponsoring a children's essay competition for "Patriots of Tomorrow," he urges Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) to enter. Lisa's essay is good enough to land her in the competition finals, and the Simpson family is flown to Washington D.C., all expenses paid, for the occasion. While Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) teaches Homer some lessons about the value of room service, Lisa spots one of Springfield's congressmen taking a bribe from a lobbyist to bypass environmental legislation. Angry and disillusioned, Lisa tosses away her essay about the value of democracy and instead reads a new one about the spread of political corruption in the United States, little realizing the lengths to which the federal government will go to ensure that one little girl can believe in the integrity of America's leadership. "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington" was first aired on September 26, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) has never much cared for his next-door neighbor, the aggressively cheerful, born-again Christian Ned Flanders (voice of Harry Shearer). But it's not in Homer's nature to turn down barbecue, so he grudgingly tags along when Ned invites the Simpsons to a cookout. As it turns out, Ned uses the occasion to announce he's given up his job as a pharmaceutical salesman to open his own business, a shop called the Leftorium that specializes in gadgets for southpaws. Homer wins a wishbone-pulling contest with Ned, and in a fit of pique wishes to himself that Ned's business becomes a dismal failure. However, when the Leftorium falls on hard times and the Flanders family is reduced to living out of their car, Homer wonders if Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) might have a point about the dangers of "shameful joy." Meanwhile, Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) begins taking karate classes, but loses interest when he learns he'll have to read a book rather than break stuff -- which becomes a problem when he tries to fool the family into thinking he's still attending class. "When Flanders Failed" was first aired on October 3, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In the second annual Halloween spookfest from The Simpsons, Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) pig out on candy after trick-or-treating, against the advice of their mother Marge (voice of Julie Kavner). Soon the two kids are having nightmares, as is their father Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta), never one to stay away from sweets. In Lisa's Nightmare, a parody of the classic tale The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs, the Simpsons are vacationing in Morocco when Homer buys a monkey's paw that he is told can make wishes come true. The Simpsons, however, don't use it very responsibly (no great surprise there), leading to misery, disappointment, and an alien takeover. Bart's Nightmare is a take-off on the Twilight Zone episode "It's A Good Life," in which Bart is a monster-child who can make his every wish come true, which makes him hell to be around, especially for Homer after Bart transforms him into a Jack-in-the-Box. And in Homer's Nightmare, Homer is fired by C. Montgomery Burns (voice of Harry Shearer), but that's not the half of his problems -- Mr. Burns and his sidekick Smithers (voice of Shearer) then steal Homer's brain to use in a robot they imagine will be the perfect worker. Appropriately enough, "Treehouse of Horror II" first aired on October 31, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is riding his skateboard home after a hard day at school when he falls down a flight of stairs and finds himself in "The Legitimate Businessman's Social Club," a meeting place for Fat Tony (voice of Joe Mantegna) and other kingpins of the Springfield Mafia. Forced to mix a Manhattan, Bart proves to be a pretty good bartender, and Fat Tony offers him a job after school. But Bart's duties at the Social Club take up more and more of his time, and when Principal Skinner (voice of Harry Shearer) makes Bart stay after school, Fat Tony is not amused. The next day, Skinner disappears and is soon presumed dead, and when Police Chief Wiggum (voice of Hank Azaria) confronts Fat Tony, he pins the blame on Bart. Soon Bart is on trial for murder, and the various members of the "Social Club" testify that the boy is actually the godfather of a vast criminal empire. "Bart The Murderer," which first aired on October 10, 1991, also features a voice performance from Neil Patrick Harris, who plays "Bart Simpson" in a made-for-TV movie, Blood On The Blackboard: The Bart Simpson Story. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is a loyal fan of children's entertainer Krusty the Clown (voice of Dan Castellaneta), but when Krusty finally takes Bart up on an invitation to dine with his family, he learns the clown is not a very happy man. After Krusty is asked to say grace, the Simpsons discover that he's Jewish and that the source of his depression is his father, Rabbi Krustofski (voice of Jackie Mason), who disowned his son when he chose to go into show business rather than become a rabbi in accordance with family tradition. As Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) so eloquently puts it, "A man who envies our family is a man who needs help," so Bart and Lisa take it upon themselves to reunite Krusty with his father; they soon learn, however, that Rabbi Krustofski is a very stubborn man. "Like Father, Like Clown" first aired on October 24, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Shortly before she is to perform in the school's talent show, Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) breaks the reed to her saxophone, and she calls Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and asks him to bring her a new one. Homer discovers the music store is next door to Moe's Tavern; he decides to grab a quick beer before getting the reed, but by the time he's finished the store has closed, and while he's able to persuade the owner to help him, he doesn't make it in time for Lisa's performance. Dispirited by the realization she can't count on her father, Lisa sinks into a deep depression. Homer is desperate to cheer Lisa up, and knowing her enthusiasm for horses, he decides to buy her a pony. But Homer isn't aware of just how expensive it can be to take care of a horse, and is soon forced to take a second job at the Kwik-E-Mart, where Apu (voice of Hank Azaria) gives him a crash course in the high-risk world of manning the counter at a convenience store ("I won't lie to you -- on this job, you will be shot at!"). However, the strain wears Homer down to a frazzle, and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) tries to persuade Lisa that her father's health and well-being may be more important than the pony. "Lisa's Pony" first aired on November 7, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
One day, while riding his skateboard, Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is hit by a car, and after a near-death experience (during which he pays a brief visit to Heaven, only to descend into Hell after spitting over the railing) he regains consciousness in the hospital. Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) learns that the car was being driven by C. Montgomery Burns (voice of Harry Shearer), who offers to give the Simpsons $100 in compensation if they agree not to sue (which is at least an improvement over his thoughts immediately after the accident: "For crying out loud! Just give him a nickel and let's get going!"). Homer is outraged and hires sleazy lawyer Lionel Hutz (voice of Phil Hartman), who is certain he can get a one million dollar claim from Burns with the help of less-than-scrupulous physician Dr. Nick Riviera (voice of Hank Azaria). However, in order to clinch the case, several of the Simpsons will have to stretch the truth under oath, something that Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) is reluctant to do. Mr. Burns' legal team offers Homer $500,000 to settle out of court, which Marge urges him to accept; Homer decides to go for the full million, but Marge's testimony tips the case in Burns' favor. Crestfallen, Homer wonders out loud if he'll ever be able to love Marge again after she cost him a million bucks. "Bart Gets Hit By a Car" was first aired on January 10, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
City Slickers blends sight gags, one-liners, and sincerity, with both humor and drama arising from the characters and their situations. Mitch (Billy Crystal) is a radio station sales executive who finds himself in the throes of a mid-life crisis; accompanied by two friends, Phil (Daniel Stern) and Ed (Bruno Kirby) in the grip of similar problems, he heads to New Mexico for his birthday to participate in a two-week "vacation" cattle drive to Colorado. The three friends and the rest of their group, including an attractive, newly single young woman and two African-American dentists, are all urbanites lost when it comes to herding cattle and surviving on the prairie; it's up to authentic, almost mythic cowboy Curly (Jack Palance, who won an Oscar for the role), to whip them into shape. As various adventures occur along the way, including run-ins with outlaw cattlehands, treacherous natural mishaps, and Mitch's delivery of a newborn calf, the three "city slickers" open up to each other, learn to appreciate Curly's Old West values, and begin to resolve their midlife dilemmas. When Curly dies, it's left to Mitch, Phil, and Ed to bring in the herd. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, (more)
- 1991
After their TV goes on the blink, the Simpson family is faced with the grim prospect of having to actually talk to each other, and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) decides to make the best of it by telling Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) and Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) the story of how she and Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) fell in love. It's 1974, and Homer Simpson is a skinny guy with a full head of hair who has no idea of what he wants to do with his future. Marge Bouvier has ended up in detention for the first time after burning a bra on school property in the midst of a brief infatuation with the women's movement. There she meets Homer, who has been kept after school yet again for smoking on school grounds. For Homer, it's love at first sight, and he's determined to find some way to get Marge's attention; pretending to be studying French, Homer gets Marge to tutor him, then asks her to the big dance. Marge says yes, but she's furious when she learns Homer isn't really taking French and that he kept her up late the night before a major forensics tournament. Marge decides instead to accept an invitation from debate club president Arnie Ziff (voice of Jon Lovitz) to go to the prom. Homer, however, never hears about this, figuring that if she never formally broke off their date, she'll still go with him, no matter how angry she is, and he finds himself going to the prom stag and watching Marge enjoy her big night with Artie. The Way We Was first aired on January 31, 1991.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Miss Hoover (voice of Maggie Roswell), one of the teachers at Springfield Elementary School, contracts Lyme Disease and is forced to take a leave of absence, so Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) and her class have to make do with a substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom (voice of Sam Etic). Mr. Bergstrom is funny, enthusiastic about teaching, and offers Lisa much more encouragement in her intellectual abilities than Miss Hoover ever did, and Lisa soon finds herself developing a crush on him. On Mr. Bergstrom's recommendation, Lisa asks Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) to take her to the local historical museum, where they run into Bergstrom; Homer behaves like a boor, and Lisa is mortified and ashamed of her father. As Homer realizes he has to do something to win back his daughter's respect and affection, Lisa is crushed to find Miss Hoover back in class and Mr. Bergstrom moving to another town. Amidst all this, Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) wages a hard-fought political campaign to become class president over Martin Prince (voice of Russi Taylor). While credited to Sam Etic, the role of Mr. Bergstrom is widely believed to have been voiced by Dustin Hoffman. "Lisa's Substitute" was first aired on April 25, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Comic books may come and go, but every red-blooded boy in Springfield loves "Radioactive Man," and Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is no exception. When Bart discovers the local comics shop, The Android's Dungeon, has a copy of the very rare first issue of "Radioactive Man," he's desperate to have it. Unfortunately, the comic is going for $100, and Bart only has $35 in his savings. Bart tries asking his parents for the money, looking under couch cushions, and (gasp!) even doing odd jobs for elderly Mrs. Glick (voice of Cloris Leachman), but he's still far short of the asking price, so Bart pools his finances with Milhouse (voice of Cartwright) and Martin (voice of Russi Taylor) and they buy the comic together. However, the three boys soon argue over who will get to keep the book, leading to an ugly scene in Bart's tree house. Daniel Stern also joins the voice cast in a brief parody of his narration of the TV series The Wonder Years. "Three Men and a Comic Book" first aired on May 9, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
After Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) bemoans the lack of variety in the Simpsons' dining habits, Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) warily takes the family out for dinner to Springfield's leading Japanese restaurant, The Happy Sumo. While Homer is initially suspicious of sushi, he discovers he quite likes it once he tastes some, and ends up trying everything on the menu. The last item, however, is a rare variety of blowfish sushi, and the Master Chef (voice of Sab Shimono) is afraid it may have been cut incorrectly -- making it poisonous. Dr. Hibbert (voice of Harry Shearer) informs Homer that he may have only 24 hours to live, and Homer is determined to make the most of his last day, vowing to spend a final bit of quality time with Lisa, Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright), Marge (voice of Julie Kavner), and Grampa (voice of Castellaneta). One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish first aired on January 24, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
- R
In this melodrama, a ballet dancer discovers that she is suffering from cancer and must re-evaluate her life. When she meets up with another young woman who is also ill, the two strike up a friendship. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jami Gertz, Martha Plimpton, (more)
- 1990
Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) has a reputation for not being very good at picking out gifts for his wife Marge (voice of Julie Kavner), as evidenced by such past birthday presents as a tackle box and a Connie Chung calendar, but he hits a new low when Marge finds she's the recipient of a new bowling ball -- which has been drilled to fit Homer's hand and even has his name engraved on it. Marge is furious that Homer used her birthday as an excuse to get himself a gift, and while she doesn't bowl, she decides to learn just out of spite. Marge's early attempts to teach herself the game are disastrous, but she soon attracts the attention of Jacques (voice of Albert Brooks), a local professional bowler who has a French accent and a way with the ladies. Marge is more than flattered by the attention she's receiving from Jacques (who, just because he likes her, cuts his lesson fee from $50 to $25), and she begins spending more and more time with him. But when Jacques asks her to spend the afternoon at his apartment, she wonders if she ought to leave her marriage behind. Homer, Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith), and Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) all suspect that something more than a friendly game of ten pins is going on between Marge and Jacques, and all react with different degrees of dread. "Life on the Fast Lane" first aired on March 18, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Lisa Simpson (voice of Yeardley Smith) is used to being a misfit, but one day she finds herself overcome by feelings of depression, and nothing she does seems to make her feel better. Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) is concerned, but can't seem to figure out what the matter is, and urges her daughter to ignore her feelings and put on a happy face. Lisa, however, makes friends with local jazz musician Bleeding Gums Murphy (voice of Ron Taylor), who shows her how to work out her bad feelings by playing the blues. Marge, however, isn't so sure that playing blues riffs will really help Lisa in the long run. Meanwhile, Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) has problems with Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright), who has been subjecting Homer to a series of "defeats -- correction, humiliating defeats" on their video boxing game; Homer is convinced he has to start winning if he wants to regain the respect of his son. "Moaning Lisa" first aired on February 11, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is a loyal fan of children's television star Krusty the Clown (voice of Dan Castellaneta) -- "He's my idol! I've based my whole life on his teachings!" -- so he's understandably upset when Homer (also voiced by Castellaneta), while stopping at the Kwik-E-Mart on the way home, witnesses Krusty committing armed robbery. While Homer is certain of what he saw, Bart just can't bring himself to believe that the beloved entertainer is guilty. As Krusty awaits trial, his sidekick Sideshow Bob (voice of Kelsey Grammer) takes over the show, and turns the formerly lowbrow program into "The Sideshow Bob Cavalcade of Whimsy," complete with readings from The Man in the Iron Mask and music from Cole Porter. But Bart senses that some of the evidence presented against Krusty just doesn't add up, and with some help from Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith), they find a way to clear Krusty's name and finger the real criminal. Krusty Gets Busted, the first of several Simpsons episodes featuring Kelsey Grammer as the devious Sideshow Bob, first aired on April 29, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
After an incident with a cherry bomb sends Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) to the office of Principal Skinner (voice of Harry Shearer) one time too many, Skinner suggests the answer to Bart's discipline problems might be not to kick him out of school, but to ship him out of the country. Bart is sent to France as an exchange student, while Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) are entrusted with the care of Adil (voice of Tress MacNeille), a well-mannered student from Albania. However, everyone involved is in for a few surprises; Bart discovers that his French sponsors are actually the mean-spirited proprietors of a winery who use him for slave labor when not fortifying their product with anti-freeze, while Adil is actually a spy who uses Homer's naïveté to obtain classified information about American nuclear power plants. "The Crepes of Wrath" was first aired on April 15, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) makes the mistake of trying to protect a batch of cupcakes Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) made for her teacher from schoolyard bully and thug in training Nelson (voice of Cartwright). Nelson gives Bart a beating, and promises more of the same; Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) suggests that Bart try to reason with the bully, while Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) tells his son that fighting dirty is the only answer. Neither strategy seems to work, so Bart turns to Grampa Simpson (voice of Castellaneta) for advice. With the help of Herman (voice of Harry Shearer), the mildly insane owner of a store specializing in military relics, Bart and Grampa organize his fellow fourth graders into an army and orchestrate an all-out water-balloon war against Nelson and his fellow bullies. "Bart the General" was first aired on February 4, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
C. Montgomery Burns (voice of Harry Shearer), owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant -- and boss to Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) -- throws his annual employee picnic, which is hardly a relaxing experience for his workers, since he insists on winning all the games and tends to fire people who don't enjoy themselves. After observing the more highly functional families of his co-workers, Homer becomes depressed, convinced that the Simpsons are the worst family in Springfield. Determined to get his relationship with his wife and children back on track, Homer pawns the family's television and enrolls them all in group therapy with nationally advertised psychotherapist Dr. Marvin Monroe (voice of Shearer), who offers to give his patients double their money back if he can't resolve their issues. But Monroe soon realizes he's never been up against a challenge like treating the Simpsons. "There's No Disgrace Like Home" was first aired on January 28, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
It's Halloween in Springfield, and Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) and his sister Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) are swapping scary stories in their backyard treehouse. In Bad Dream House, the Simpsons move into a big old house, but soon learn why the place was a bargain -- it's haunted. Before long the entire family is chasing each other with sharp objects. Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) tries as usual to be the voice of reason with the spirits, who quickly give up rather than co-exist with Springfield's most dysfunctional family. Hungry Are the Damned finds the Simpsons kidnapped en masse by a trio of one-eyed, tentacled space aliens -- Kang (voice of Harry Shearer), Kodos (voice of Dan Castellaneta), and Serak (voice of James Earl Jones). Eager-eater Homer (voice of Castellaneta) is pleased when the aliens provide a groaning dinner table for their earthling captives, but Lisa is shocked when she discovers a cookbook on board entitled How to Cook Humans. Finally, Lisa turns to Edgar Allan Poe's classic poem The Raven, with James Earl Jones reading the eerie verse, and the menacing bird bearing a strange resemblance to Bart. Treehouse of Horror, the first of a series of annual Halloween episodes on The Simpsons, first aired on October 24, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Timing is the watchword for the Simpson family when Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) learn that the Springfield Speedway will be staging a special thrill-show the same night as Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) will be performing a solo in the school band concert. The moment the concert is over, Homer and Bart rush Lisa and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) into the car, just in time for their car to nearly be swallowed up by Truckasaurus, a robot made from several monster trucks. As part of the show, Bart watches famous daredevil Capt. Lance Murdock (voice of Castellaneta) jump his motorcycle over a tank filled with hungry sharks and man-eating lions. Impressed, Bart begins jumping his skateboard over an increasingly large number of objects, even after an injury earns him a stern warning from Dr. Hibbert (voice of Harry Shearer). Bart decides he needs to stage a truly impressive stunt, and he makes plans to leap over Springfield Gorge; when Homer finds out, he has to find a way to stop his son before he hurts himself. "Bart the Daredevil" first aired on December 6, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
While Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) has never been a star student, his grades have been slipping even further than usual, and his teacher Mrs. Krabappel (voice of Marcia Wallace) warns him that if his marks don't improve, he might fail history and be left back rather than graduate to the fifth grade. Bart intends to study before his big test, but Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) persuades him to watch some television with him first; by the time Bart finally cracks his books, he's nearly fallen asleep. The next morning, Bart is convinced he can't pass and fakes being sick; Bart gets answers for the test from Milhouse (voice of Cartwright), but Milhouse turns out to be a bad choice, and Bart gets an F. Desperate to pass his class, Bart makes a deal with class brain Martin (voice of Russi Taylor) -- if Martin shows Bart how to be smart, Bart will show Martin how to be cool. Martin, however, turns into a party animal and fails to live up to his end of the bargain, and Bart prays to God for a reprieve on his test. To Bart's astonishment, a freak snowstorm causes school to be cancelled the next day, and while all his friends are out having fun, Bart studies like he's never studied before in a last-ditch attempt to pass the fourth grade. "Bart Gets an F" was first aired on October 11, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
As the Simpsons and their extended family prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving around the dinner table, Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) shows off the centerpiece she's constructed, which celebrates the efforts of women who helped settle America. Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright), however, is in a typically mischievous mood, and while tussling with Lisa over where the centerpiece should go, he accidentally destroys it. Bart doesn't want to apologize to Lisa, so Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) send him to his room without supper. Feeling unappreciated, Bart sneaks out his window and ends up on Springfield's Skid Row, where he sells a pint of his blood for $12 at a plasma center and gets a free meal at the homeless shelter. A news crew is doing a human interest story about the shelter, and Bart ends up on television; when Homer and Marge realize their son has run away, they head out to find him. Meanwhile, Bart is cold and lonely and wants to come home, but he knows that he now has to work up the courage to apologize to his sister. "Bart Vs. Thanksgiving" first aired on November 22, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
