For more than three decades, The Simpsons has kept a remarkably consistent cast, from the core family to Springfield’s many recurring residents. While the show has had its share of character deaths, it’s always jarring when a familiar face is written off permanently. The latest episode delivered such a moment—no temporary exit, no dream sequence. Was it a member of the family, a beloved supporting character, or one of Springfield’s iconic secondary figures who has finally met their definitive end? Read on to discover who’s met their final goodbye.
Who finally bit the dust?
In the November 16 episode of The Simpsons, Springfield’s longtime First Church Organist, Alice Glick, unexpectedly passed away during a sermon. The season 37 installment, titled Sashes to Sashes, paid tribute to her with a memorial service at Springfield Elementary, revealing that she left her entire estate to fund the school’s new music program.
Alice’s death may have caught fans off guard, but it isn’t the first time she seemed to meet her end. In season 22, a rogue Robopet attacked her, sparking speculation about her fate. Yet over the years, she reappeared in various episodes, sometimes alive, sometimes as a ghost.
This time, however, executive producer Tim Long confirmed to People that Alice is truly gone.
“In a sense, Alice the organist will live forever, through the beautiful music she made,” he said. “But in another, more important sense, yep she’s dead as a doornail.”
Alice first appeared in the season 2 episode Three Men and a Comic Book in 1991, when Bart Simpson performed tasks for her to save up for a collector’s comic book. Originally voiced by the late Cloris Leachman before Tress MacNeille took over, Alice has been a consistent presence on the show for 34 years across 35 seasons.
Character deaths in The Simpsons
Alice Glick’s recent, permanent departure has left fans reflecting on the show’s long history of shocking character exits. Over its 35 seasons, The Simpsons has built a rich tapestry of Springfield residents—many of whom feel like old friends. So when a familiar face is written off for good, it reverberates through the fandom, sparking both nostalgia and grief. For some viewers, Alice’s death brings back memories of previous losses, including the beloved Larry “the Barfly” Dalrymple. As one fan lamented, “1st Larry, now Alice Glick. The Simpsons are killing off everyone….”
Larry had been part of the series since its 1989 pilot, and his death in the April 2024 episode “Cremains of the Day” stunned audiences across the country. Such exits show that even characters who have been around for decades are not immune to the show’s occasional narrative finality.
The series has also toyed with the idea of character deaths, creating moments of suspense and surprise. In the season 36 finale, a flash-forward hinted at the death of Marge Simpson, while future students discussed taking over the school’s fashion club after teacher Dewey Largo supposedly passed away—though it was later revealed he was very much alive.
Jessica Conrad, who wrote the season 37 premiere, noted that these narrative teases are part of the fun. “For something like this, I would welcome the riling up if you actually believe that [we] would kill him off off-camera,” she told TVLine.
However, the confirmed, permanent passing of Alice and Larry shows that sometimes The Simpsons does follow through, leaving a lasting mark on the beloved universe of Springfield and proving that no character is truly safe.
Catch new episodes of The Simpsons every Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.