Marge Simpson

Marge Simpson is a character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons and a member of the eponymous family. She is based on the real Marge (Matt Groening's mother). She first appeared on television on April 19, 1987, with Julie Kavner as her voice. While waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks's office, cartoonist Matt Groening created and designed Marge. Marge is a stereotypical sitcom mother, and she also plays the "long-suffering wife" who puts up with her children's and husband's antics. While she usually laughs off her family's problems, her workload and the resulting stress caused her to have a mental breakdown.

Marge is the Simpson family matriarch. She has three children with her husband, Homer: Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Marge is the moral compass in her family, and she frequently provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by attempting to keep order in the Simpson household. Marge is more compassionate, understanding, and nurturing to Bart than Homer, but she refers to him as "a handful" and is frequently embarrassed by his antics. She is frequently portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and appears on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other Simpsons-related media such as video games, The Simpsons Movie, The Simpsons Ride, commercials, and comic books, and she has inspired an entire line of merchandise. Marge's distinctive blue beehive hairstyle was inspired by a combination of the Bride in Bride of Frankenstein and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

First appearance: Good Night (1987)