Dan McGrath, an Emmy-winning comedy writer best known for his credits on animated classics ranging from the inimitable (The Simpsons) to the cult favorite (Mission Hill), died November 14. He was 61.
Born on July 20, 1964, in Brooklyn, McGrath graduated from Regis High School and Harvard University, where he was vice president of the storied humor publication The Harvard Lampoon and a prolific theater director, per his online obituary. “His prodigious talents and singular personality will be missed by many devoted friends,” the obit read.
“We lost my incredible brother Danny yesterday. He was a special man, one of a kind. An incredible son, brother, uncle and friend. Our hearts are broken,” wrote his sister, Gail McGrath Garabadian, on Facebook. Garabadian told The Hollywood Reporter that her brother’s cause of death was a stroke.
The comic and scribe additionally wrote for Saturday Night Live, for which he was Emmy nominated in 1992, working with the likes of then-cast members Adam Sandler and Chris Farley. He later won an Emmy for The Simpsons‘ 1997 episode “Homer’s Phobia,” which featured guest voice actor John Waters and received praise (and accolades) from organizations like GLAAD for its anti-homophobia message.
Other notable episodes he penned for the longest-running American sitcom include “Time and Punishment,” “Bart of Darkness,” “Treehouse of Horror IV” and “Boy-Scoutz ’n the Hood.” He logged 50 credits with the show as a writer and over 20 as a producer. McGrath said he was fired twice from the series.
His additional animated series writing credits include installments of Gravity Falls, King of the Hill and The PJs; he also served as producer on the latter two. McGrath also wrote on Sammy, co-created by SNL collaborator David Spade, and Muppets Tonight.
He is survived by his mother, Eleanor; his brother Michael and wife Caroline; his brother Peter; his sister, Gail; his nephew Dillon and his nieces Kylie and Emma.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Regis High School.
