Milhouse is retiring! Original voice of The Simpsons quits after 35 years

Actress Pamela Hayden, who has played Bart's best friend since the start of the series, will make way.

“He gets stepped on all the time, but he always manages to get back up..” Who better than Pamela Hayden to talk about Milhouse Van Houten? The voice of Bart's best friend in The Simpsons has played the character since the first season of the series. And after 35 years of good and loyal service, when she has just turned 70, Pamela Hayden decided to retire.

She will give voice one last time in the next Halloween special episode, “Treehouse of Horror XXXV” which will be broadcast this Sunday on American TV. The production couldn't let her go like that, so a short video posted online pays tribute to her (below).

“The time has come for me to hang up my microphone, but how can I say goodbye to Simpson ? It's not easy”confides Hayden. “It was an honor and joy to have worked on such a funny, witty and groundbreaking series, and to give voice to Milhouse (and also Jimbo Jones, Rod Flanders, Janey and many others).”

Milhouse will now be voiced by someone else in the USA. Note that in France, it is Aurélia Bruno who has doubled the character for ages. Aged 58, she is also the French voice of the character Lisa Simpson.