“I think that most people don’t even know that I do other things. They think that Homer is all that I do.”
Dan Castellaneta
Daniel Louis Castellaneta was born in Oak Park, IL on October 29, 1957 to Elsie (Lagorio) and Louis (who traced family to Bari and Calabria in Italy). Louis would often play comedy records and always had his family laughing. Dan has credited his father for instilling in him a love of comedy and impersonations. When he was sixteen, his mother enrolled him in acting class.
Dan graduated from Northern Illinois University with his BA in Art Education in 1979 with the hope of becoming an art teacher. He worked as a student teacher and did odd jobs at radio stations. A few years later, he decided to follow his dream of acting and comedy and joined Chicago’s Second City comedy group. He was an active member until 1987, which was when he joined The Tracey Ullman Show. Little did Dan know that the animated shorts that aired before and after commercial breaks on Tracey Ullman (he voiced the part of the bumbling father) would lead to his most famous role to date.
Dan is best known for voicing Homer Simpson in the longest-running sitcom, animated program, and scripted primetime television series in America: The Simpsons. He also provides the voices for Grandpa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willy, Mayor Quimby, Barney Gumble, and Sideshow Mel. He has been nominated for six Emmy Awards and has won four for his role. Besides The Simpsons, Dan has had roles on television’s Major Crimes, Parks and Recreation, Hot in Cleveland, and Castle.
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