Dan McGrath, a giant in American TV comedy, died at 61. He reportedly died of a stroke in Brooklyn on November 14, 2025.His family broke the news of his death, saying McGrath spent his final moments with people he loved. Right after, tributes started pouring in from fellow writers and fans all over social media.McGrath’s writing always stood out. He managed to blend wild humor with sharp takes on culture, and that knack didn’t go unnoticed. He won an Emmy for the unforgettable Homer’s Phobia episode and earned a ton of respect from everyone in the entertainment world.Dan McGrath died at the age of 61Dan McGrath died from a stroke on November 14, 2025, at NYU Langone Hospital in Brooklyn. His sister, Gail Garabadian, shared the news on social media and confirmed the same with major entertainment outlets like The Hollywood Reporter.Gail’s Facebook post read:“We lost my incredible brother Danny yesterday. He was a special man, one of a kind. An incredible son, brother, uncle and friend. Our hearts are broken.”As per his online obituary:“He is survived by his mother, Eleanor; his brother Michael and wife Caroline; his brother Peter; his sister, Gail; his nephew Dillon and his nieces Kylie and Emma.”It added:“His prodigious talents and singular personality will be missed by many devoted friends.”Dan McGrath began his journey in comedy back at Harvard, where he was all over the Harvard Lampoon and even served as vice president twice.After graduating, he bounced around a bit: designed computer games at MIT, helped launch an experimental theater company. But once he landed on TV, that’s when things really clicked.He broke into comedy writing at Saturday Night Live in the early ‘90s, first as a guest and then as a staff writer. There, he worked alongside folks like Adam Sandler and Chris Farley, and helped create sketches like Frank Gannon, P.I. P.I. that still get talked about.When Dan McGrath joined The Simpsons in 1992, he kicked off an impressive run. He wrote 50 episodes, then came back as a producer to help create 24 more.Some of his best work includes episodes such as Boy-Scoutz ’n the Hood, Bart of Darkness, and the unforgettable Time and Punishment segment from Treehouse of Horror.McGrath didn’t just leave his mark on The Simpsons. He shaped a big chunk of American animation and live-action TV.On King of the Hill, he got into the trenches, producing 28 episodes and writing 11 between 2002 and 2010. He brought his sharp humor and warmth to the show, making it another classic. He also dove into creative projects like Gravity Falls, The PJs, Mission Hill, and Muppets Tonight. In each one, he jumped in as a writer, composer, and producer, always pushing things forward.Notably, winning the Emmy for Homer’s Phobia marked a high point in his career. He took on tough, forward-thinking topics and filtered them through the wild, clever style that makes The Simpsons what it is.Dan McGrath also picked up an Emmy nomination for his work on Saturday Night Live, plus a Writers Guild nod for Life: A Loser’s Manual.Even with all those big credits, he kept teaching, as most recently, he ran a Comedy and Cultural Theory course at the Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, helping shape the next wave of creative minds.