The cast of record-breaking TV show The Simpsons has scored a bumper new pay deal that guarantees the top voice actors 400,000 dollars an episode and paves the way for work to start on a record 20th season of the cultural touchstone, dpa reported.
The show about the dysfunctional family in the fictional town of Springfield is easily the longest running animated TV show and will now tie the western series Gunsmoke as the longest running prime-time series in TV history.
Production of the 20th season of the series was delayed for several months when the actors and 20th Century Fox TV failed to reach a pay agreement. Because of the delay, 20 episodes of the new series will be made instead of the usual 22, Variety reported Tuesday.
According to Variety the new salaries of the stars - including Dan Castellaneta who plays Homer, and Nancy Cartwright who voices Bart - would rise to 400,000 dollars an episode.
As part of the latest deal, Castellaneta has been named consulting producer on the series. He will serve as a writer in addition to his role as a voice performer.
The cast had asked for 500,000 dollars an episode, up from 300,000 dollars that they had been receiving.