Simpsons Writer Dan McGrath's Cause of Death Revealed

Dan McGrath cause of death has been confirmed as a sudden stroke, the family of the beloved The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live writer announced today. The Emmy-winning comedy writer passed away on Friday, November 14, 2025, at the age of 61.

The heartbreaking news was first shared by McGrath’s sister, Gail McGrath Garabadian, in a touching Facebook post: “We lost my incredible brother Danny yesterday… Our hearts are broken.” Multiple outlets, including Newsweek and The Hollywood Reporter, later confirmed that Dan McGrath’s cause of death was a stroke.

Born July 20, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York, Dan McGrath left an enduring legacy in television comedy. Best known for writing 50 episodes of The Simpsons — including classics like “Homer’s Phobia” (1997 Emmy winner),

“Treehouse of Horror IV,” “Bart of Darkness,” and “Homer: Badman” — McGrath also worked on King of the Hill, Gravity Falls, Mission Hill, The PJs, and Muppets Tonight. Earlier in his career, he earned an Emmy nomination for Saturday Night Live in 1992 alongside future stars Adam Sandler and Chris Farley.

Tributes quickly flooded social media, with former Simpsons showrunner Bill Oakley calling him “a great person and super-talented writer” who “brought so much joy to the world.”

Dan McGrath is survived by his mother Eleanor, brothers Michael and Peter, sister Gail, and several nieces and nephews.

Fans searching for “Dan McGrath cause of death,” “Dan McGrath stroke,” or “Simpsons writer dies” are revisiting his iconic episodes in tribute to one of animation’s sharpest comedic voices.