'The Simpsons' Writer Dan McGrath Is Dead at 61 — Here's What We Know

You may not know Dan McGrath by name, but you certainly knew his work. The veteran television writer got his start on Saturday Night Live, where he frequently collaborated with fan favorites like Adam Sandler and Chris Farley. His work on the sketch comedy show earned Dan his first Emmy nomination in 1992.

That same year, Dan started writing for The Simpsons. According to The Hollywood Reporter, from 1992 to 1994, he was credited on 50 episodes. One of the more notable episodes Dan wrote on was November 1993's "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood." The AV Club called it "pretty much comic gold from start to finish." Dan passed away on Nov. 14, 2025, at the age of 61. Here's what we know about his cause of death.

News of Dan's death was first shared in a Facebook post by his sister, Gail McGrath Garabadian. "We lost my incredible brother Danny yesterday," she wrote on Nov. 15. "He was a special man, one of a kind. An incredible son, brother, uncle, and friend. Our hearts are broken." She later told The Hollywood Reporter that Dan died following a stroke.

Dan came from humble beginnings. His father was an electrician and machinist, while his mother was a homemaker. He was raised in Manhattan where he attended Regis High School. In lieu of flowers, Dan's family asked for donations to his alma mater. After high school, Dan made his way to Harvard, where he started his comedy career writing for The Harvard Lampoon.

Bill Oakley, former writer and showrunner on The Simpsons, shared his thoughts about Dan in a post to X (formerly Twitter). He called his late colleague a "great friend and super talented writer." He went on to say Dan was his right-hand man, alongside Mission Hill co-creator Josh Weinstein, and was "responsible for the incredible 'Gus & Wally episode.'"

Josh replied to Bill's post, adding that Dan was one of the funniest and kindest writers who was an "unsung hero on all the shows he worked on." He continued, "RIP to one of the sweetest, funniest souls we ever had the pleasure to work with and know." Dan's work also helped fans. "That episode helped 12-year-old me stop worrying about the life I was going to have if I was gay," said @Yupthatismyname, referring to the "Gus & Wally" episode of Mission Hill.

Dan also taught classes at The Brooklyn Comedy Collective. According to his bio he spoke Latin and Japanese, and could be "appeased and safely approached with the offer of raw steaks and Popeye's spicy chicken." He is survived by his mother, sister, two brothers, two nieces, and a nephew.