THE SIMPSONS ™ and © 2017 TCFFC ALL RIGHTS RESERVE(LOS ANGELES) — Alf Clausen, who wrote and conducted music for The Simpsons for 27 years, is suing Disney, 20th Century Fox Television and James L. Brooks’ Gracie Films, the animated sitcom’s production company, for alleged age discrimination, according to Deadline.
Clausen, 78, was given his walking papers in 2017. He claims the then-stated reason for his exit, “taking the music in a different direction,” was “false,” and his “unlawful termination was due to perceived disability and age.” As proof, he says his replacement on the series, Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Music, “was substantially younger in age…paid less [and] not disabled.” Clausen is seeking unspecified damages.
By the way, it was Danny Elfman, not Clausen, who wrote the show’s famous opening theme, though the latter did rework it for the show’s third season.
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