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Dan McGrath, the Emmy-winning comedy writer whose fingerprints can be found across The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill, and a generation of animated television, died on Nov. 14 at the age of 61. His death was announced by his sister, Gail McGrath Garabadian, who called him "one of a kind" in a heartfelt Facebook post shared Saturday morning.
Born in Brooklyn in 1964, McGrath grew up in a family that encouraged sharp humor and sharper curiosity. He attended Manhattan's Regis High School before heading to Harvard, where he became vice president of the Harvard Lampoon, long known as a pipeline to American comedy institutions. That path brought him to Saturday Night Live in the early 1990s, where he contributed sketches during seasons hosted by Catherine O'Hara, Steven Seagal, and George Wendt, eventually joining the core writing staff alongside figures like Jim Downey, Herb Sargent, and future senator Al Franken.
McGrath moved to animation in 1992, joining The Simpsons as a story editor during its formative fourth season, a period widely regarded as the show's creative peak. He rose through the ranks, earning credits on landmark episodes including Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood, The Devil and Homer Simpson, and the celebrated "Time and Punishment" segment from Treehouse of Horror V, co-written with Greg Daniels. His work on the series earned him an Emmy in 1997.
His sensibility, a blend of absurdity, precision, and emotional undercurrent, fit neatly into animation. After The Simpsons, he wrote for Muppets Tonight, King of the Hill, Mission Hill, The PJs, and Sammy, extending his influence across multiple networks during a period when animated sitcoms were evolving into mainstream television cornerstones.
Friends and colleagues have described McGrath as intensely private, unfailingly generous, and incapable of taking himself too seriously. His official obituary notes that he will be remembered for his "prodigious talents and singular personality," a reputation echoed by collaborators who credit him with shaping some of the genre's most memorable comedic beats.
McGrath is survived by his mother, Eleanor; his siblings Michael, Peter, and Gail; and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations to Regis High School, honoring the place where his voice first began to take shape.
