Yeardley Smith is a
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
-born
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actressAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
,
voice artistVoice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called voice actors,...
,
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
and
painterPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . In art, the term describes both the act and the result, which is called a painting. Paintings may have for their support such surfaces as walls, paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, clay or concrete...
. She is best known for her long-running role as
Lisa SimpsonLisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child, and elder daughter, of the eponymous family. She is voiced by Yeardley Smith and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
on the animated television series
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
.
Born in Paris, France, her family moved to
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
in 1966. As a child, Smith was often mocked because of her unusual first name and her voice. She became a professional actress in 1982 after graduating from drama school and moved to
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
in 1984 where she appeared in the
BroadwayBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
production of
The Real ThingThe Real Thing is a play by Tom Stoppard, first performed in 1982. It examines the nature of honesty, and its use of a play within a play is one of many levels on which the author teases the audience with the difference between semblance and reality....
. Her first film role came in 1985's
Heaven Help UsHeaven Help Us is a 1985 comedy-drama film starring Andrew McCarthy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kevin Dillon, Donald Sutherland, Wallace Shawn, Stephen Geoffreys, John Heard, and Patrick Dempsey.-Story:...
, followed by roles in
The Legend of Billie JeanThe Legend of Billie Jean is a 1985 drama film, directed by Matthew Robbins. It is a retelling of The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas, with Kohlhaas' wounded horses replaced by a damaged motorcycle.-Plot summary:...
and
Maximum OverdriveMaximum Overdrive is a 1986 horror film, written and directed by horror novelist Stephen King. The screenplay was inspired by and loosely based on King's short story, Trucks, which was included in King's first collection of short stories, Night Shift.Maximum Overdrive is Stephen King's first and...
. She moved to
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
in 1986 and received a recurring role in the television series
BrothersBrothers is an American television sitcom that originally aired on the cable network Showtime from July 13, 1984 to July 25, 1989. It was produced by Gary Nardino Productions, in association with two separate divisions of Paramount; first by the Paramount Video division and by Paramount Television...
. In 1987, she auditioned for a role in a series of animated shorts about a
dysfunctional familyThe Simpson family is a family of fictional characters featured in the animated television series The Simpsons. The Simpsons are a nuclear family consisting of the married couple Homer and Marge and their three children Bart, Lisa and Maggie. They live at 742 Evergreen Terrace in the fictional town...
on
The Tracey Ullman ShowThe Tracey Ullman Show is a weekly all-American television variety show, hosted by British comedian and onetime pop singer Tracey Ullman. It debuted on April 5, 1987 as the FOX network's second primetime series , and ran until May 26, 1990. The show features sketch comedy along with many musical...
. Smith intended to audition for the role of
Bart SimpsonBartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
, but the casting director felt her voice was too high so she was given the role of Lisa instead. She voiced Lisa for three seasons on
The Tracey Ullman Show, and in 1989, the shorts were spun off into a half hour show called
The Simpsons. For her work as the character, Smith received a
Primetime Emmy AwardThe Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for
Outstanding Voice-Over PerformanceThe Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance is a creative arts Emmy Award given out by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It is awarded to a performer for an outstanding "continuing or single voice-over performance in a series or a special." Prior to 1992, voice-actors...
in 1992.
Alongside
The Simpsons, Smith acted in the sitcom
Herman's HeadHerman's Head is a sitcom that aired on the Fox network from 1991 to 1994.As FOX was a relatively young network, they were able to experiment with the show's format, allowing for a unique device: whenever Herman Brooks, the main character, had an important decision to make, the TV audience would be...
as Louise, and had recurring appearances as Marlene on
Dharma & GregDharma & Greg is an American television situation comedy co-produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, More-Medavoy Productions and 4 to 6 Foot Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC...
, and Penny in two episodes of
Dead Like MeDead Like Me is an American television comedy-drama starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin as grim reapers who "live" and work in Seattle, Washington. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the show was created by Bryan Fuller for the Showtime network, where it ran for two seasons in 2003 and 2004...
. She has appeared in several films, including
City SlickersCity Slickers is a 1991 comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Helen Slater, Jack Palance and Bruno Kirby....
,
Just WriteJust Write is a 1997 romantic comedy directed by Andrew Gallerani starring Jeremy Piven and Sherilyn Fenn.-Plot:Harold McMurphy is a Beverly Hills tour bus driver. One day he meets Amanda Clark , an up-and-coming actress he falls for. Unfortunately, she mistakes him for a famous screenwriter...
,
Toys and
As Good as It GetsAs Good as It Gets is a 1997 comedy film directed by James L. Brooks starring Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and won for Best Actor and Best Actress...
. In 2004 Smith performed her own off-Broadway one-woman show entitled
More at the
Union Square TheatreUnion Square Theater- Productions :*Visiting Mr. Green by Jeff Baron*The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the Members of the Tectonic Theater Project-External links:* at Internet Off-Broadway Database...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
. Aside from
The Simpsons, Smith has recorded few voice over parts, only commercials and the film
We're Back! A Dinosaur's StoryWe're Back! A Dinosaur's Story is an animated film, produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblimation animation studio, distributed by Universal Pictures, and originally released to theatres for Christmas Day 1993...
. Smith starred in and served as
executive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the filmmaking or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production. Typically an executive producer handles business and legal issues. See also associate producer, co-producer, line producer...
for the independent relationship comedy
Waiting For Ophelia, which had its world premiere at the
Phoenix Film FestivalThe Phoenix Film Festival is a festival that celebrates feature films and their creators. The celebration takes place annually in the city of Phoenix, Arizona...
in April 2009.
Smith was married to actor Christopher Grove from 1990 to 1992 and Daniel Erickson from 2002 to 2008. She enjoys writing and painting. During the first season of
Herman's Head, Smith taught herself to paint by copying other artists. She released a children's book titled
I, Lorelei in 2009 and her story
The Race was included in the book
Just Humor Me.
Early life
Smith was born Martha Maria Yeardley Smith on July 3, 1964 in Paris, France. Her father Joseph Smith worked for
United Press InternationalUnited Press International is a news agency headquartered in the United States with roots dating back to 1907. Once a mainstay in the newswire service along with Associated Press and Reuters, it began to decline as afternoon newspapers, its chief client category, began to fail with the rising...
in Paris and moved to
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
, United States in 1966 where he became
The Washington PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
's first official obituary editor. Her mother, Martha Mayor, was a gallery worker. Smith's parents later divorced. Smith labeled her family "upper crust and reserved". As a child, Smith was often mocked because of her unusual first name and her voice. Smith has stated: "I've sounded pretty much the same way since I was six. Maybe [my voice is] a little deeper now." She made her acting debut in a sixth-grade play.
Early career
Smith became a professional actress in 1982 after graduating from drama school. After appearances in a number of school plays she joined the local
Arena StageArena Stage is a theater production company in Southwest Washington, D.C. The theater company's home is on the DC waterfront, at 1101 Sixth Street, SW...
theater group on an apprenticeship, featuring in their production of
Peter PanPeter Pan: or, The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up is the title of Scottish playwright and novelist James M. Barrie's most famous play, and Peter and Wendy is the title of Barrie's 1911 novelization of it...
. She went on to star in several other plays in Washington. She moved to
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
in 1984 and appeared in the
BroadwayBroadway Theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, is the theatre associated with the 40 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York in Manhattan, New York City...
production of
The Real ThingThe Real Thing is a play by Tom Stoppard, first performed in 1982. It examines the nature of honesty, and its use of a play within a play is one of many levels on which the author teases the audience with the difference between semblance and reality....
alongside
Jeremy IronsJeremy John Irons is an English film, television, and stage actor. He has won the Academy Award, the Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to many other awards and honors....
and
Glenn CloseGlenn Close is an American actress and singer of stage and screen, perhaps best known for her role as deranged stalker Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction...
.
Her first film role came in 1985's
Heaven Help UsHeaven Help Us is a 1985 comedy-drama film starring Andrew McCarthy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kevin Dillon, Donald Sutherland, Wallace Shawn, Stephen Geoffreys, John Heard, and Patrick Dempsey.-Story:...
. She then played Putter in
The Legend of Billie JeanThe Legend of Billie Jean is a 1985 drama film, directed by Matthew Robbins. It is a retelling of The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas, with Kohlhaas' wounded horses replaced by a damaged motorcycle.-Plot summary:...
. The film was a
box office bombThe phrase box office bomb refers to a film for which the production and marketing costs greatly exceeded the revenue retained by the movie studio. This should not be confused with Hollywood accounting when official figures show large losses, yet the movie is a financial success.A film's financial...
and critically panned although Smith "thought it would be the movie that launched my career. And then it was out at the box office about 10 days before it died." When filming was over, she rejoined
The Real Thing before being out of work for six months and worried her career was over. However, the following year she played Connie in
Stephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American writer of contemporary horror fiction, science fiction, fantasy literature, and screenplays. An estimated 300–350 million copies of King's novels and short story collections have been sold, and many of his stories have been adapted for film, television, and...
's
Maximum OverdriveMaximum Overdrive is a 1986 horror film, written and directed by horror novelist Stephen King. The screenplay was inspired by and loosely based on King's short story, Trucks, which was included in King's first collection of short stories, Night Shift.Maximum Overdrive is Stephen King's first and...
, noting it was "truly a dreadful film but I had a great part in it."
She moved to
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
in 1986 on the "semi-promise" of a part in a TV film. After the audition the role was given to another actress. Smith realized "that people don't mean what they say. It's not malicious. They just don't realize how much impact they have on an impressionable actor—and all actors are impressionable." From then on, she decided to "just sort of build a wall around myself," to cope with the disappointment of not getting a part. In Los Angeles, Smith appeared in theatrical productions of
Living On Salvation Street, (for which she was paid $14 for each performance)
Boys and Girls/Men and Women and
How the Other Half Loves, and played the recurring role of Luella Waters on the
ShowtimeShowtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States...
series
BrothersBrothers is an American television sitcom that originally aired on the cable network Showtime from July 13, 1984 to July 25, 1989. It was produced by Gary Nardino Productions, in association with two separate divisions of Paramount; first by the Paramount Video division and by Paramount Television...
. She appeared in the films
The Legend of Billie JeanThe Legend of Billie Jean is a 1985 drama film, directed by Matthew Robbins. It is a retelling of The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas, with Kohlhaas' wounded horses replaced by a damaged motorcycle.-Plot summary:...
and
Ginger Ale AfternoonGinger Ale Afternoon is a 1989 independent film by director Rafal Zielinski, based on a stage play by Gina Wendkos.- Plot Summary :A man and his pregnant wife, played by Dana Anderson live in a trailer park...
as "trailer-park girls." She later spoke of her regrets of appearing in the latter in her one-woman show
More.
The Simpsons
Smith's longest-running role is voicing
Lisa SimpsonLisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child, and elder daughter, of the eponymous family. She is voiced by Yeardley Smith and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
on
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
. She has voiced Lisa since 1987, beginning with the
The Simpsons shorts on
The Tracey Ullman ShowThe Tracey Ullman Show is a weekly all-American television variety show, hosted by British comedian and onetime pop singer Tracey Ullman. It debuted on April 5, 1987 as the FOX network's second primetime series , and ran until May 26, 1990. The show features sketch comedy along with many musical...
. Smith had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart but casting director Bonita Pietila believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled "I always sounded too much like a girl, I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'" Smith was given the role of Lisa instead, although she almost turned it down. Pietila stated, having seen her in
Living on Salvation Street, Smith was always her preferred choice. In order to perform the voice, Smith lifts her voice up a little. Lisa is the only regular character voiced by Smith, although in some earlier episodes she provided some of
MaggieMargaret "Maggie" Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She first appeared on television in the Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Maggie was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James...
's squeaks and occasional speaking parts. Smith has only voiced characters other than Lisa on very rare occasions, with those characters usually being some derivative of Lisa, such as Lisa Bella in "
Last Tap Dance in Springfield"Last Tap Dance in Springfield" is the twentieth episode of the eleventh season of The Simpsons and the second one written by showrunner Mike Scully's wife, Julie Thacker. It aired on May 7, 2000.-Plot:...
" (
season 11The Simpsons
' eleventh season originally aired between September 1999 and May 2000, beginning on Sunday, September 26, 1999 with "Beyond Blunderdome". The show runner for the eleventh production season was Mike Scully...
, 2000) and Lisa, Jr. in "
Missionary: Impossible"Missionary: Impossible" is the fifteenth episode of the eleventh season of The Simpsons, which originally aired February 20, 2000.-Plot:...
". (
season 11The Simpsons
' eleventh season originally aired between September 1999 and May 2000, beginning on Sunday, September 26, 1999 with "Beyond Blunderdome". The show runner for the eleventh production season was Mike Scully...
, 2000) Smith spends two days a week recording the show.
Until 1998, Smith was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing to cast new voices. However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode. The issue was resolved a month later, and Smith earned $250,000 per episode. After salary renegotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.
Despite the fame of Lisa Simpson, Smith is rarely recognized in public, which she doesn't mind, saying "it's wonderful to be in the midst of all this hype about the show, and people enjoying the show so much, and to be totally a fly on the wall; people never recognise me solely from my voice." In a 2009 interview with
The GuardianThe Guardian is a British daily newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Founded in 1821, it is unique among major British newspapers in being owned by a foundation .The Guardian Weekly, which circulates worldwide, provides a compact digest of four newspapers...
she commented: "It's the best job ever. I have nothing but gratitude for the amount of freedom
The Simpsons has bought me in my life."
Smith received a
Primetime Emmy AwardThe Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
in 1992 but felt it wasn't worth anything, saying "there’s part of me that feels it wasn’t even a real Emmy." This is because the Emmy for
Outstanding Voice-Over PerformanceThe Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance is a creative arts Emmy Award given out by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It is awarded to a performer for an outstanding "continuing or single voice-over performance in a series or a special." Prior to 1992, voice-actors...
is a Creative Arts award not voted on by the regular Emmy voters and not handed out during the primetime telecast. However, Smith says "if I had to be associated with one character in fiction, I will always be thrilled that it was Lisa Simpson." The show's creator
Matt GroeningMatthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell and the television series The Simpsons and Futurama....
has called Smith very similar to Lisa: "Yeardley has strong moral views about her character. There are lines that are written for Lisa that Yeardley reads and says, 'No, I wouldn't say that.'" Writer
Jay Kogen-Career:He has co-written several episodes of The Tracey Ullman Show and The Simpsons along with former writing partner Wallace Wolodarsky. Since then, he has written for several shows, including an Emmy Award winning stint at Frasier, Everybody Loves Raymond, George Lopez, and Malcolm in the...
praised her performance on the show, particularly in the episode "
Lisa's Substitute"Lisa's Substitute" is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons
' second season. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 25, 1991. In the episode, Lisa's teacher Miss Hoover gets Lyme disease, so substitute teacher Mr. Bergstrom takes over the class. Lisa finds Mr....
", as able "to move past comedy to something really strong and serious and dramatic."
Further career
From 1991-1994, alongside
The Simpsons, Smith acted in the sitcom
Herman's HeadHerman's Head is a sitcom that aired on the Fox network from 1991 to 1994.As FOX was a relatively young network, they were able to experiment with the show's format, allowing for a unique device: whenever Herman Brooks, the main character, had an important decision to make, the TV audience would be...
as Louise. Her other television roles include recurring appearances as Marelene on
Dharma & GregDharma & Greg is an American television situation comedy co-produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, More-Medavoy Productions and 4 to 6 Foot Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC...
, and Penny in two episodes of
Dead Like MeDead Like Me is an American television comedy-drama starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin as grim reapers who "live" and work in Seattle, Washington. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the show was created by Bryan Fuller for the Showtime network, where it ran for two seasons in 2003 and 2004...
. Smith has also appeared in
Phil of the FuturePhil of the Future was an American Situation comedy that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006 for a total of two seasons...
and
Teen Angel. Her one scene role as pregnant checkout girl Nancy in 1991's
City SlickersCity Slickers is a 1991 comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Helen Slater, Jack Palance and Bruno Kirby....
earned her "more attention than all [her] previous roles combined," and taught her that "that it's far better to have small parts in big movies that everyone sees." In 1997, she appeared as Lulu the palm reader in the independent film
Just WriteJust Write is a 1997 romantic comedy directed by Andrew Gallerani starring Jeremy Piven and Sherilyn Fenn.-Plot:Harold McMurphy is a Beverly Hills tour bus driver. One day he meets Amanda Clark , an up-and-coming actress he falls for. Unfortunately, she mistakes him for a famous screenwriter...
. Her other roles include parts in
Barry LevinsonBarry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Bugsy, The Natural and Rain Man.-Early life:...
's
Toys and
James L. BrooksJames L. Brooks is an American director, producer and screenwriter. Growing up in North Bergen, New Jersey, Brooks endured a fractured family life and passed the time by reading and writing. After dropping out of New York University he got a job as an usher at CBS, going on to write for the CBS...
'
As Good as It GetsAs Good as It Gets is a 1997 comedy film directed by James L. Brooks starring Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and won for Best Actor and Best Actress...
. Brooks, who is also executive producer of
The Simpsons, had cast Smith in his 1994 film
I'll Do AnythingI'll Do Anything is a 1994 American dramedy film written and directed by James L. Brooks. Its primary plot concerns a down-on-his-luck actor who suddenly finds himself the sole caretaker of his six-year-old daughter.-Synopsis:...
(in one of the film's musical numbers) but her part was cut. Aside from
The Simpsons, Smith has recorded few voice over parts, only commercials and the film
We're Back! A Dinosaur's StoryWe're Back! A Dinosaur's Story is an animated film, produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblimation animation studio, distributed by Universal Pictures, and originally released to theatres for Christmas Day 1993...
. She "had a voice over agent for about two years, and I used to go out [on auditions] all the time, but it never really came to anything. Everybody said, 'Oh Yeardley, you'll clean up,' and that was definitely not the case."
In 2004 Smith performed her own off-broadway one-woman show entitled
More at the
Union Square TheatreUnion Square Theater- Productions :*Visiting Mr. Green by Jeff Baron*The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the Members of the Tectonic Theater Project-External links:* at Internet Off-Broadway Database...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
. Directed by
Judith IveyJudith Lee Ivey is an American actress and director.-Personal life:Ivey was born in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Dorothy Lee , a teacher, and Nathan Aldean Ivey, a college instructor and dean. Ivey is an alumna of Illinois State University...
, the play is about her mixed feelings over the success of
The Simpsons, her parents, her relationships and her struggles with bulimia.
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
critic Margo Jefferson called it an "appealing if overlong show", adding that "The career narrative needed shortening. This would involve some editing and revising but wouldn't taint the best parts of
More. It is refreshing to hear a celebrity talk cleanly about being fame-driven and about not getting the degree or the kind of fame you craved. It's fun to watch a skilled actress use her craft to the full." She would later perform the play for three weeks in Los Angeles the following year.
Smith starred in and served as
executive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the filmmaking or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production. Typically an executive producer handles business and legal issues. See also associate producer, co-producer, line producer...
for the independent relationship comedy
Waiting For Ophelia, which will be released in 2009. She funded the film, which was written by Adam Carl and based on a stage play he wrote in 2003. She said: "I loved it. I never get to play parts like that. I always play the friend of a friend, never the lead. And the script surprised me." Carl stated it was very unlikely she would recoup her money, but Smith decided she "believe[d] in this project, and my expectations have already been fulfilled by making the movie", and added: "You can support art even if it's not going to make a zillion dollars." It premiered on April 4, 2009 at the
Phoenix Film FestivalThe Phoenix Film Festival is a festival that celebrates feature films and their creators. The celebration takes place annually in the city of Phoenix, Arizona...
.
Personal life
Smith married English-Canadian actor Christopher Grove in 1990. They were divorced in 1992, citing irreconcilable differences. She married Daniel Erickson in 2002; the marriage lasted for six years and Smith filed for divorce on May 21, 2008, citing once again irreconcilable differences. In a 1997 interview with
The Daily TargumThe Daily Targum is the official student newspaper of Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. Founded in 1869, it is the second-oldest collegiate newspaper in the United States. The Daily Targum is student written and managed, and boasts a circulation of 17,000...
, Smith stated "I am shy, but I have an extroverted persona which I can draw on when I need to," and that she is a "private" actress. In 2009 she commented that "People have said to me that I'm unassuming. It's true, I'm the worst celebrity ever. But I'm trying to become better." Smith had
bulimiaBulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by recurrent binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors. The most common form is defensive vomiting, sometimes called purging; fasting, the use of laxatives, enemas, diuretics, and over exercising are also common.The word bulimia derives...
since she was a teenager. She noted "It would make me high, I would feel endorphins and this great sense of victory."
She enjoys writing and painting. During the first season of
Herman's Head, Smith taught herself to paint by copying other artists. The book
Just Humor Me includes a story entitled
The Race, written by Smith. She also wrote a children's book,
I, Lorelei, which was published by
HarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company. The worldwide CEO of HarperCollins is Brian Murray...
in February 2009.
Films
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 1985 |
Heaven Help Us Heaven Help Us is a 1985 comedy-drama film starring Andrew McCarthy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kevin Dillon, Donald Sutherland, Wallace Shawn, Stephen Geoffreys, John Heard, and Patrick Dempsey.-Story:...
|
Kathleen |
|
The Legend of Billie JeanThe Legend of Billie Jean is a 1985 drama film, directed by Matthew Robbins. It is a retelling of The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas, with Kohlhaas' wounded horses replaced by a damaged motorcycle.-Plot summary:...
|
Putter |
|
| 1986 |
Maximum OverdriveMaximum Overdrive is a 1986 horror film, written and directed by horror novelist Stephen King. The screenplay was inspired by and loosely based on King's short story, Trucks, which was included in King's first collection of short stories, Night Shift.Maximum Overdrive is Stephen King's first and...
|
Connie |
|
| 1987 |
Three O'Clock High Three O'Clock High is a 1987 American high-school comedy-drama film, directed by Phil Joanou, written by Richard Christian Matheson and Thomas Szollosi, and produced by Aaron Spelling. It was filmed at Ogden High School in Ogden, Utah, but, in part, was inspired by Joanou's own experiences at La...
|
Cheerleader |
|
| 1989 |
Listen to Me |
Cootz |
|
| Zwei Frauen Zwei Frauen is a 1989 German dramatic film. The film stars Jami Gertz, George Peppard, Bruce Payne and Rip Torn....
|
Karen |
|
| Ginger Ale Afternoon Ginger Ale Afternoon is a 1989 independent film by director Rafal Zielinski, based on a stage play by Gina Wendkos.- Plot Summary :A man and his pregnant wife, played by Dana Anderson live in a trailer park...
|
Bonnie Cleator |
Credited as "Yeardly Smith" |
| 1991 |
City Slickers City Slickers is a 1991 comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Helen Slater, Jack Palance and Bruno Kirby....
|
Nancy |
|
| 1992 |
Toys |
Researcher Miss Drum |
|
| 1993 |
We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story is an animated film, produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblimation animation studio, distributed by Universal Pictures, and originally released to theatres for Christmas Day 1993...
|
Cecilia |
|
| 1996 |
Jingle All the WayJingle All the Way is a 1996 family comedy film directed by Brian Levant and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. The name is taken from a line in the Christmas song "Jingle Bells". This is the last comedy to date that Schwarzenegger starred in...
|
Woman who hits Howard with her purse |
Uncredited |
| 1997 |
Just WriteJust Write is a 1997 romantic comedy directed by Andrew Gallerani starring Jeremy Piven and Sherilyn Fenn.-Plot:Harold McMurphy is a Beverly Hills tour bus driver. One day he meets Amanda Clark , an up-and-coming actress he falls for. Unfortunately, she mistakes him for a famous screenwriter...
|
Lulu |
|
| As Good as It Gets As Good as It Gets is a 1997 comedy film directed by James L. Brooks starring Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and won for Best Actor and Best Actress...
|
Jackie Simpson |
|
| 2002 |
Back by Midnight Back By Midnight is a 2002 comedy film starring Rodney Dangerfield, Phil LaMarr, Harland Williams, Randy Quaid, Gilbert Gottfried, and Kirstie Alley...
|
Veronica |
|
| 2007 |
The Simpsons MovieThe Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...
|
Lisa SimpsonLisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child, and elder daughter, of the eponymous family. She is voiced by Yeardley Smith and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
|
|
| 2009 |
Waiting for Ophelia |
Caitlin O'Malley |
Awaiting release; also executive producer |
| Miracle of Phil |
Holly |
Awaiting release |
| Tug |
Mom |
Post-production |
| 2010 |
High School |
TBA |
Filming |
Television
| Year |
Series |
Role |
Notes |
| 1984 |
ABC Afterschool Special The ABC Afterschool Special is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1996, usually in the late afternoon on week days. Most of the episodes were dramatic presentations of situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes...
|
Jenny |
Episode 13.4: "Mom's on Strike" |
| 1984-1989 |
BrothersBrothers is an American television sitcom that originally aired on the cable network Showtime from July 13, 1984 to July 25, 1989. It was produced by Gary Nardino Productions, in association with two separate divisions of Paramount; first by the Paramount Video division and by Paramount Television...
|
Luella Waters |
Appeared in 46 episodes |
| 1985 |
The Recovery Room |
Jill |
TV film |
| 1986 |
Tales from the DarksideTales from the Darkside is an anthology horror TV series produced by George A. Romero; it originally aired in syndication from 1983 to 1988. Similar to Amazing Stories, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, The Outer Limits, and Tales From The Crypt, each episode was an individual short story that...
|
Betty Ann Cooper |
Episode 2.23: "Fear of Floating" |
Mama's FamilyMama's Family is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 22, 1983. It ended its run on that network in May 1984 when it was cancelled, but NBC would continue to air reruns until September 1985. In June 1986, Mama's Family returned in first-run syndication, where it aired for...
|
Bonita Rokeke |
Episode 3.13: "Where's There's Smoke" |
| 1987 |
Square One Television |
Jane Rice-Burroughs |
Appeared in four episodes |
| Mathnet Mathnet is a segment on the children's television show Square One in which five seasons were produced . This parody of Dragnet featured detectives at the Los Angeles Police Department who solved mysteries using their mathematical skills. There were two main characters: detectives Kate Monday and...
|
Jane Rice-Burroughs |
Episode 1.2: "The Problem of the Missing Monkey" |
| 1987–1989 |
The Tracey Ullman Show The Tracey Ullman Show is a weekly all-American television variety show, hosted by British comedian and onetime pop singer Tracey Ullman. It debuted on April 5, 1987 as the FOX network's second primetime series , and ran until May 26, 1990. The show features sketch comedy along with many musical...
|
Lisa Simpson |
The Simpsons shorts |
| 1988 |
CBS Summer Playhouse CBS Summer Playhouse is an anthology series that ran from June 12, 1987 to August 22, 1989 on CBS. It aired unsold television pilots during the summer season.-First season format:...
|
Paula Bennett |
Episode 2.17: "Tickets, Please" |
| 1989 |
Murphy BrownMurphy Brown is an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988 to May 18, 1998, for a total of 247 episodes. The program starred Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, an investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional CBS television newsmagazine.The...
|
Phoebe Cramer |
Episode 2.5: "Miles' Big Adventure" |
| 1989- |
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
|
Lisa Simpson |
Main cast member; longest-running role
Won Primetime Emmy AwardThe Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
|
| 1990 |
Sydney |
Tracy Cole |
Episode 1.8: "The Me Nobody Knows" |
| 1991-1994 |
Herman's HeadHerman's Head is a sitcom that aired on the Fox network from 1991 to 1994.As FOX was a relatively young network, they were able to experiment with the show's format, allowing for a unique device: whenever Herman Brooks, the main character, had an important decision to make, the TV audience would be...
|
Louise Fitzer |
Appeared in 32 episodes |
| 1992 |
Likely Suspects |
Unnamed character |
Episode 1.11: "Am I Not Your Stiff" |
| 1994 |
Empty Nest |
Sally |
Episode 7.3: "Just for Laughs" |
| 1997 |
Toothless |
Gatekeeper |
TV film |
| Smart Guy |
Mrs. Rawlings |
Episode 2.5: "Dumbstruck" |
| Teen Angel |
Miss Gross |
Episode 1.8: "Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog" |
| 1997-2002 |
Dharma & GregDharma & Greg is an American television situation comedy co-produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, More-Medavoy Productions and 4 to 6 Foot Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC...
|
Marlene |
Appeared in 17 episodes |
| 1998 |
Sports NightSports Night is an American television series about a fictional sports news show and the people who work there. It focuses on the friendships, pitfalls, and ethical issues they face while trying to produce a good show under constant network pressure...
|
Malory Moss |
Episode 1.4: "Intellectual Property" |
| 1999 |
Nash BridgesNash Bridges is an American television police drama that was created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two detectives with the San Francisco Police Department. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of 122 episodes being...
|
Stevie Strong |
Episode 5.9: "Crosstalk" |
| 2001 |
Last Dance |
Unnamed character |
TV film |
| 2003 |
Becker Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as the title character, John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers,...
|
Ruby |
Episode 5.19: "Ms. Fortune" |
| 2004 |
Dead Like MeDead Like Me is an American television comedy-drama starring Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin as grim reapers who "live" and work in Seattle, Washington. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the show was created by Bryan Fuller for the Showtime network, where it ran for two seasons in 2003 and 2004...
|
Penny |
Episodes 2.12: "Forget Me Not" and 2.14: "Always" |
| 2005 |
Phil of the FuturePhil of the Future was an American Situation comedy that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006 for a total of two seasons...
|
Mrs. Teslow |
Episodes 1.18: "Double Trouble" and 1.20: "Corner Pocket" |
| Strong Medicine Strong Medicine is a medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict. The television series aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It is distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The series was created and produced in part by comedienne and...
|
Real Estate Agent |
Episode 6.5: "Dying Inside" |
| 2009 |
Mad MenMad Men is an American period drama television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The show is broadcast on the American cable network AMC and is produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007 and completed its second season on October 26, 2008...
|
Nurse |
Episode 3.5: "The Fog" |
Video games
| Year |
Game |
Role |
| 1991 |
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons: The Arcade Game is an arcade game developed by Konami in 1991. It is a beat 'em up based on the cartoon series of the same name. The voice actors of the immediate family provide their talents for their respective characters...
|
Lisa Simpson |
| 1996 |
The Simpsons Cartoon StudioThe Simpsons Cartoon Studio is a computer game based on the animated television series The Simpsons that was released for Windows and Macintosh computers in 1996 by Fox Interactive....
|
Lisa Simpson |
| 1997 |
Virtual Springfield The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield is a Windows and Macintosh computer game released in 1997 and published by Fox Interactive. It was developed by Digital Evolution....
|
Lisa Simpson |
| 1999 |
The Simpsons Bowling The Simpsons Bowling is a 3-D trackball arcade game, which features characters from The Simpsons. This game was published and developed by Konami, and released in 2000.-Gameplay:...
|
Lisa Simpson |
| 2001 |
The Simpsons WrestlingThe Simpsons Wrestling is a professional wrestling video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons, made for the PlayStation console. The game was developed by Big Ape Productions, and published by Fox Interactive and Activision...
|
Lisa Simpson |
| 2001 |
The Simpsons Road RageThe Simpsons Road Rage is a 2001 video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons, and it is part of a series of games based on the show. The Simpsons Road Rage stars Bart, Homer, Lisa, and Marge, as well as Mr. Burns and over 25 other characters from the show...
|
Lisa Simpson |
| 2002 |
The Simpsons Skateboarding |
Lisa Simpson |
| 2003 |
The Simpsons Hit & RunThe Simpsons Hit & Run is an action-adventure video game based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons. It was released for the GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Windows in the United States on September 16, 2003 and in Europe on October 31, 2003. The game was developed by Radical Entertainment and...
|
Lisa Simpson |
| 2007 |
The Simpsons GameThe Simpsons Game is an action/platformer video game based on the animated television series The Simpsons, made for the Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable. The game was developed, published, and distributed by Electronic Arts; it was released in...
|
Lisa Simpson |
External links
- Yeardley Smith at the Voice Chasers Database
- Yeardley Smith at HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company. The worldwide CEO of HarperCollins is Brian Murray...
.com