Nancy Cartwright Movies
Eternally known as the voice of Bart Simpson, Nancy Cartwright is one of the most prolific voice actors of her time. Born in an Ohio suburb in the late '50s, she grew up doing community theater and watching cartoons. In her last year at Ohio University, she got a chance to meet Hanna-Barbara voice actor Daws Butler. Better known by his character names Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, and Quick Draw McGraw, Butler suggested she transfer to U.C.L.A. and start going to auditions. By 1980, Cartwright had her first professional job as the voice of Gloria on Richie Rich. With her new Screen Actors Guild card, she also got normal acting roles on the TV movie Marian Rose White, the feature film Twilight Zone: The Movie, and several television guest appearances. Her voice was heard as multiple characters on beloved '80s cartoons like My Little Pony & Friends, Pound Puppies, Space Ace, and Galaxy High School. Eventually Cartwright started to get singular roles like Kip on ShirtTales and Daphne on Snorks. In 1987, she auditioned for the role of Lisa Simpson on The Simpsons but she landed the role of Bart instead. After a few years of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons got its own time slot on FOX in 1990. Cartwright won an Emmy and an Annie award for her work, which has expanded to several other Springfield youths including Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, Milhouse, Kearney, and Nelson. While still working on The Simpsons, she also did voices for Animaniacs, Goof Troop, and The Critic, as well as numerous short-lived cartoons (remember God, the Devil and Bob?). Cartwright has also found time to perform the one-woman play In Search of Fellini and write her autobiography My Life as a Ten-Year-Old Boy. In 2001 she took over for Christine Cavanaugh in the role of Chuckie on Rugrats while working on Kim Possible and launching her Internet animation company, SportsBlast. Her voice can also be heard on the web cartoons The Kellys and Timberwolf. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide- 1981
By the admission of its own producers, the made-for-TV Marian Rose White was "extremely loosely based" on a true story. The real Marian Rose White was a 1930s teenager who suffered from a congenital visual defect. This led to her being misdiagnosed as "feebleminded," and locked away in a Sonoma, California institution. Despite the entreaties of sympathetic staffers, Marian was forced to undergo a legally mandated sterilization--which her widowed, impoverished mother readily agreed to. Thirty years passed before this terrible wrong was addressed and Marian was allowed to re-enter society. For the purposes of this film, those three decades were telescoped into four years. The result is a sincere (if somewhat rushed) "injustice of the week" TV effort. Katherine Ross is top-billed as a compassionate nurse, while Valerie Perrine is cast as Marian's unfeeling mother. Marian Rose White is brilliantly essayed by Nancy Cartwright, who is best known today as the voice of cartoon character Bart Simpson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Skokie is the true story of a critical test of Constitutional rights in Illinois. In 1977, a small band of American neo-fascists calling itself the National Socialist Party of America plans to stage a swastika-dominated demonstration and rally. Their intended site is the Chicago suburb of Skokie, a town populated predominantly by Jews--many of them survivors of the Nazi holocaust. Jewish ACLU lawyer John Rubinstein is compelled to lobby for the National Socialists' freedom to express their views, despite his own inner turmoil over defending the very people who'd destroy him. The most vocal opponent to the planned rally is Skokie senior citizen Max Liebman (Danny Kaye), who spent five years in Hitler's death camps. Ernest Kinoy's teleplay for Skokie is fair-minded to a fault, presenting all points of view with equanimity, proving that there are no simple solutions when the fundamental right of Free Speech is involved. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
In this domestic drama, a the marriage of a suburban couple crumbles on the eve of their 15th anniversary. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Based on the popular television series created by Rod Serling, this film of horror and the supernatural tells four separate stories--each by a different director: John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante and George Miller. In one, a bigot is taught a lesson when he is transported to experience the lives of three different victims of prejudice and intolerance. Another takes a trip to an old-age home where the arrival of a special man turns some of the residents into youthful people once again. In the third, a woman befriends a timid young child who turns out to be a maniacal brat with bizarre powers. The final segment shows how a man with an aversion to flying has a rough time when he panics and then sees a strange creature on the wing outside his window seat. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Aykroyd, Jeff Bannister, (more)
- 1983
Considering how seldom she appeared on TV in the 1980s, Donna Reed could have picked a better vehicle than Deadly Lessons. Ms. Reed is cast as the headmistress of an exclusive all-girl's prep school. Like the title suggests, the school is being terrorized by a mysterious murderer. Only by discerning the killer's modus operandi can the Good Guys (or Good Girls) unmask the miscreant. Halfway down the cast list is Nancy Cartwright, better known as the voice of Bart Simpson. Deadly Lessons premiered March 7, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Originally telecast on March 24 and 31, 1984, as a two-part animated episode of the Saturday morning ABC Weekend Special anthology, "The Amazing Bunjee Venture" juxtaposes the Stone Age with the Modern Age in time-honored Hanna-Barbera tradition. Two 20th century youngsters, Andy and Karen Winsborrow, are accidentally transported back to the year 100,000,000 B.C. While dodging dinosaurs and surly cavemen, the kids find a loyal friend in the form of Bunjee, a lovable, orange-haired creature who resembles a flying elephant with suction cups for feet. Returning the courtesy, Andy and Karen bring Bunjee with them when they return to the present. Alas, Bunjee is hardly ready for modern civilization, and vice versa. Nancy Cartwright, later famous as the voice of Bart Simpson, is heard as Karen. The current video version of The Amazing Bunjee Venture has been reedited as a single 43-minute episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Welker
- 1985
It's been several years, but Diane (Shelley Long) is still haunted by her near-death encounter with homicidal actor Andy Schroeder (Derek McGrath). Convinced that Andy has escaped from a mental institution with murder in mind, Diane agonizes throughout a dark and stormy night. As for Andy, he is indeed "at large" -- and wants a favor from the Cheers gang. Nancy Cartwright, later the voice of Bart Simpson, appears as Andy's new heartthrob, Cynthia. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In this comic thriller, wealthy Maxine de la Hunt (Jean Simmons) is worried about what might happen to her step-daughter Marigold (Lea Thompson) as she goes on vacation in Denmark. So Maxine hires private detective Henry Brilliant (Chris Lemmon) to watch over Marigold. However, Brilliant hardly lives up to his name, and before long he's discovers she's been kidnapped. Also stars Viveca Lindfors and Nancy Cartwright. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Lemmon, Jean Simmons, (more)
When an attempted political coup in Northern Italy fails, most of the mercenaries hired by the coup leaders disperse. Not so Martin (Rutger Hauer), who intends to rob his duplicitous former employer Arnolfini (Fernando Hillbeck). Martin is able to raise his own army by using a stolen religious artifact as a talisman. He later kidnaps Arnolfini's prospective daughter-in-law Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh),who saves herself from gang rape by feigning eternal devotion to her captor. Weeks of plunder and destruction follow, with a deadly plague thrown into the stew. Flesh and Blood has also been released under the title The Rose and the Sword. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, (more)
- 1985
The endurance of an upper-middle-class family is put to the test in this well-made television drama about drug abuse. Based on the book of the same name by Beth Polson, Viveka Davis (Shoot The Moon) stars as Susan Bowers, the teenage daughter of a successful surgeon (George Segal) and homemaker (Stockard Channing). When innocent-looking Susan's secret life as a druggie comes to light, her parents try anything and everything to get her clean. Unable to make any headway, they turn to a strict drug-treatment center, where streetwise counselors deal with tough kids on their own terms. The Bowers soon learn that their daughter's rehabilitation will not only be a long haul but also an exercise in family dynamic exploration. Young Davis is compelling as the rebellious daughter, and Channing and Segal are wholly believable as the bewildered parents. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
In this entertaining feature for the 3- to10-year-old set, the wicked witch Hydia (voice of Cloris Leachman) and her two nasty daughters, Reeka and Draggle (voices of Rhea Pearlman and Madeline Kahn) are scheming to flood Ponyland with a strange liquid called Smooze. The ponies find allies in the Grundles, who have already been made homeless by the Smooze. The challenge is to stop the witch and her daughters, send them back into their volcano, and retrieve the lost land of the Grundles from under its cover of Smooze -- not to mention protecting Ponyland from the worst. Not an easy agenda, even after several adventures gear everyone up for the grand finale. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny DeVito, Madeline Kahn, (more)
Join Alvin, Simon, and Theodore as they graduate from their weekly TV adventures to the big screen in the exciting, feature-length animated tale The Chipmunk Adventure. The three boys use a clever scheme with a tape recorder to trick their babysitter, Rebecca Miller, into letting them out of the house. The Chipmunks con the woman into believing that David Seville has granted them permission to set off on a trek around the world, in pursuit of the diamond smugglers Claudia and Claus. Of course, the boys make a point to solicit help from their female friends, The Chipettes, who excitedly agree to tag along on this globe-charting odyssey. A musical to boot, The Chipmunk Adventure features the boys singing such numbers as "Diamond Dolls," and the rollicking and rousing "Woolly Bully."The Chipettes join in as well, with the memorable tune "The Girls of Rock 'n' Roll." ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., Janice Karman, (more)
- 1988
- PG13
A bungling gumshoe tries hard to affect a hard-boiled demeanor, despite the fact that his latest assignment is to protect the bratty young heiress to a fortune in this lively spoof of detective movies. Henry Brilliant, Private Eye, is no stranger to the ways of the wealthy as he too comes from a blue-blooded family, but he tries to ignore that to become the classic Chandleresque detective as he heads for Europe to follow the girl on her tour and keep her from being kidnapped by her stepmother who is really after her husband's secret formula for controlling the weather. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Lemmon, Jean Simmons, (more)
- 1988
- G
- Add Pound Puppies & the Legend of Big Paw to QueueAdd Pound Puppies & the Legend of Big Paw to top of Queue
Essentially a long commercial for a popular line of stuffed toys, this tuneful animated feature chronicles the adventures of a pack of adorable pooches who sneak about saving other canines from the dogcatcher. The bulk of this outing has the critters questing for an elusive magical bone reputedly capable of imbuing its owner with fantastic powers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Rose, B.J. Ward, (more)
- 1989
The Simpsons Christmas Special is actually the first full-length episode of the popular animated television sitcom. In this episode, Bart gets a tattoo, and all of the family's Christmas money has to be used to surgically remove the tattoo from his arm. Not only was the family's savings drained, but Homer's Christmas bonus never materialized, so he's forced to take a job as a mall Santa to earn money for the holiday season. But Homer decides to spend the money at the racetrack, where he bets all of his salary on a greyhound called "Santa's Little Helper". ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 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
