List of recurring The Simpsons characters
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The following are a list of fictional recurring characters in the animated television show, The Simpsons. The list does not contain recurring characters who are also students of Springfield Elementary, staff of Springfield Elementary, recurring animals, members of the Springfield Mafia, fictional characters within the simpsons or celebrities of Springfield.
Agnes Skinner
Agnes Skinner (voiced by Tress MacNeille and once by Dan Castellaneta) is an elderly widow and the adoptive mother of Principal Seymour Skinner. She was one of the first characters seen on the show in 1990. She is harshly controlling of Seymour, and treats him like a mother would a small child. She does not let Seymour have any interaction with his on-off girlfriend Edna Krabappel, or even women in general. She first appears in "The Crepes of Wrath" as a kindly old woman who embarrassingly calls her son "Spanky".
In "The Principal and the Pauper", Agnes' biological son, the real Seymour Skinner (the one voiced by guest star Martin Sheen), returns to Springfield from war. Agnes, unhappy with her new living situation with her biological son, travels to Capital City to take back Armin Tamzarian as Seymour. She and other Springfieldians, who have grown to like Tamzarian, force the real Seymour Skinner out of Springfield, tying him to a freight train cart headed out of the town - Springfield swore on oath never to talk of this again.
Akira
Akira (voiced by George Takei on his first appearance, voiced by Hank Azaria on all other appearances) is one of Springfield's Japanese-American citizens, who is the sensei of a karate dojo, owner of "The Happy Sumo" sushi restaurant and an employee at Costington's department store. He first appears in the episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish". He helps Homer, Bart, and Lisa Simpson discover the origin of the mysterious Japanese "Mr. Sparkle" dish-washing detergent box in "In Marge We Trust" (Mr. Sparkle bearing a striking resemblance to Homer). Akira, Luigi Risotto, Captain McAllister, and other restaurant owners of Springfield, plan an assassination on Homer for giving their restaurants bad reviews in episode Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner. Akira was originally voiced by George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu on the original Star Trek television series, and in subsequent episodes he has been voiced by regular cast member Hank Azaria, who is also the voice of several other recurring characters (including Sulu during the show's Star Trek parodies).
Artie Ziff
Artie Ziff (voiced by Jon Lovitz and by Dan Castellaneta on the season four episode "The Front"), was first seen as Marge Simpson’s high school prom date with "busy hands" in "The Way We Was". In “Half-Decent Proposal” he was revealed to have become a nerdy, self-centered, and pretentious software billionaire, becoming the fifth richest man in the country. His wealth came from a device that transforms modem noise into easy listening music. He claims that he would offer a million dollars to the Simpsons if he would have a weekend with his childhood love, Marge, in a parody of Indecent Proposal.
When Ziff returns yet again, in "The Ziff Who Came to Dinner", this time living in the Simpsons’ attic, he reveals that he ran his company, Ziffcorp (a parody of Enron), into the ground spending investors’ money on such extravagant items as solid gold underpants. He was left penniless and secretly moved there to avoid capture. Homer won 98% of the company from Ziff in a game of poker; seconds later, SEC agents came to take Ziff, but they instead took Homer into custody. When Ziff eventually turned himself in (after a romantic encounter with Selma Bouvier), one of his first acts upon arriving in prison was to begin extinguishing other prisoners' cigarettes with a spray bottle. Marge told the children to say goodbye to Artie, as they may never see Ziff alive again. He has appeared since only in a Simpsons comic book titled "The Weight is Over" in which he is kidnapped and forced to work in a Mexican sweat shop. Ziff is based on a man named Michael, who went to high school with David Silverman.[1]
Baby Gerald
Baby Gerald, (also known as "the baby with the one eyebrow") is Maggie Simpson's archenemy, known for his large unibrow (besides Groundskeeper Willie, he is the only one to have one). He made his first appearance in “Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song.” Lisa once refers to Baby Gerald as Maggie's rival. On a few occasions, Gerald has been shown being pushed in a stroller by his mother outside the Simpson home, with the two babies glaring at one another; the camera focuses on their narrowed stares. One occasion sees Homer mistake Maggie for Baby Gerald. Gerald apparently has a history of causing large scale public incidents and was once rescued by Bart's mail-order dog, Laddie.[2] Mayor Quimby once remarks, "Baby Gerald, we can't help but wonder what mischief you'll get into next".[3] Gerald has once spilled a shovel full of sand over Snake Jailbird's face.[4]
Benjamin, Doug, and Gary
Benjamin, Doug, and Gary (in order, voiced by Harry Shearer, Hank Azaria, Dan Castellaneta) are three college nerds who first appear in “Homer Goes to College.” They are a stereotype of a typical nerd, intelligent and interested in only comic books and sci fi material. They appear in a number of different episodes after their initial appearance such as “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show” (when they were asking Homer and June Bellamy [the voice of Itchy and Scratchy] pointless continuity questions during the pre-hype about Poochie the Dog appearing on "The Itchy and Scratchy Show"), “Faith Off” (when Homer and Marge go to the alumni dinner at Springfield University), and “She of Little Faith” (when they help Homer to build the hamster-rocket). In “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore”, Gary and Doug were seen at the Stargate convention. In "Radioactive Man", Doug and Gary are two of the many nerds searching for information about the Radioactive Man movie (along with two other nameless nerds and Prince).
Bernice Hibbert
Bernice Hibbert (Tress MacNeille) is Doctor Julius Hibbert’s recovering alcoholic wife. Although she is known as something of a heavy drinker, Bernice Hibbert remains one of The Simpsons’ less notable, saner characters. Her drinking has been joked about on several occasions; in "Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment", she faints, along with other drinkers upon reading the news that prohibition has been introduced in Springfield; in "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses" Bernice appears at the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with Lindsey Naegle, Barney Gumble, Rainier Wolfcastle, and Ol' Gil. She is also seen watching the violent car crash movie at a traffic school class in Duffless. Bernice has at least three children with Dr. Hibbert, two boys and a girl (all spoofs of the Cosby kids), and also laughs just like her husband. Her marriage to Julius is on the rocks.[5] Bernice refuses to kiss her husband, even when an entire audience is looking at them; Julius remarks how unaffectionate she can be. [6]
Bleeding Gums Murphy
"Bleeding Gums" Murphy (Ron Taylor), (Daryl L. Coley[7]), was the jazz musician, idol, and mentor of Lisa Simpson. He only predominantly appeared in the episodes "Moaning Lisa" and "'Round Springfield", and made brief appearances in "Dancin' Homer", "Old Money", "Flaming Moe's, "Bart Gets an F", "Radio Bart", and "Lisa's Pony". In "Dancin' Homer", he was voiced by Daryl L. Coley.[8]
Bleeding Gums learned his musical skills "at the feet of" 'Blind Willie' Witherspoon", a negative sax player. He recorded only one album called Sax on the Beach, which was extremely lucrative, but he soon went broke after spending too much of his money on several Fabergé eggs. He had once made a guest appearance on The Cosby Show in 1986 as the Huxtable children's grandfather, as well as appearing on Steve Allen's Tonight Show (Allen talked right through the whole performance promoting his many strangely-titled books).[9] He made his final appearance in "'Round Springfield".[10] When Bart ends up in the hospital after eating a piece of jagged metal which was a prize in a box of Krusty-O's, Lisa finds Bleeding Gums in a hospital bed in a nearby ward. He explains about his life, family, and work to her as well as giving her advice for her upcoming school performance, lending her his saxophone. When Lisa returns she finds out that Bleeding Gums has died from circumstances that are never revealed. No one, except for Lisa, attends Murphy's funeral.
It was strongly hinted that Murphy and Doctor Hibbert are long lost brothers, most notably by the quote "I had a brother who used to laugh at the most inappropiate times...".[11][12], making him Hibbert's second brother to have appeared on the show. Bleeding Gums Murphy is loosely based on Blind Lemon Jefferson.[13] The voice of Bleeding Gums Murphy was provided by Ron Taylor, while his saxophone playing is provided by Dan Higgins.[14] As a sign of respect for the character, Murphy has been a fixture of The Simpsons' opening sequence since the second season, even after his death, when Bart skateboards past him on the street.[15]
Blue-Haired Lawyer
The Blue-Haired Lawyer (Dan Castellaneta), is Springfield's most prominent and powerful lawyer known for his blue hair, and nasal New York accent. He is one of few Simpsons characters to have a pasty-coloured face. He also occasionally appears to serve as a prosecutor. Unlike Lionel Hutz or Gil, “Blue-Hair” is a competent and accredited, though not necessarily ethical, lawyer. He has served as Burns’ head lawyer, and is known to be Mr. Burns’ best and most cunning lawyer, helping him out with threats of the Power Plant closing down and of Burns losing his money. He is a member of the Springfield Republican Party. His clients often tend to be antagonists of the Simpsons. In Lisa the Beauty Queen, it's revealed that he represents The Disney Corporation and almost sues Principal Skinner for using "The Happiest Place on Earth" for the school carnival (and ends up getting beat up by Skinner after Skinner reveals that he's an ex-Green Beret). His largest role appears to be in "Barting Over" where he works at Luvum, Leevum & Burnham and assists in Bart's emancipation.[16] Writers Al Jean and Mike Reiss have both stated on the DVD commentaries that the voice is based on McCarthy-era lawyer Roy Cohn, and animator Jim Reardon has said that he is designed to look like character actor Charles Lane.
Brandine Spuckler
Brandine Spuckler (Tress MacNeille) is the enigmatic partner of Cletus Spuckler. Brandine and Cletus are depicted as stereotypical trailer trash. Throughout the series, the two are shown to be brother and sister, cousins, aunt and nephew, uncle and niece, boyfriend and girlfriend, mother and son, and father and daughter.[17] In "Little Big Girl", her child shows a family tree revealing she is the daughter of Cletus and an alien. Brandine and Cletus were married by Homer Simpson.[18] She has suffered from rabies[19] and admitted to being illiterate. She has 39 children. She once interviewed for a job as a stripper, although she refused to wear the combat boots that her husband had found, stating she did not want to scuff the topless dancing runway. She also has apparently worked at Dairy Queen at some point, which she referenced in refusing to wear a shirt Cletus gave her, citing she had to wear “the shirt what Dairy Queen give me.” In “Yokel Chords”, it was shown that Brandine was in Iraq, fighting in the Iraq War.[20] She comes back revealing Cletus is the father of only two of the kids, casting doubt over the paternity of the other 37 Spuckler kids.[21] She once was briefly under consideration as a foster mother to the Simpson children. She and her family live on Rural Route #29.
Charlie
Charlie (Dan Castellaneta) is the Dangerous Emissions Supervisor of Sector 7-G of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. He is one of Homer Simpson’s friends and was involved in the fake emergency exit incident in 1993. After informing Mr. Burns of the need for a real emergency exit as opposed to the one painted on the wall, he got sucked into a tube that took him to a room where he was forced to dance for cackling men in turbans. In his absence, Mindy Simmons briefly took his place, but got fired afterwards. His first appearance was in "Life on the Fast Lane", when after Homer leaves the table during lunch he says, "Domestic problem". He is occasionally seen in Moe's Tavern drinking. In "King-Size Homer" he was briefly disabled as stated by Lenny after Homer notices he is not at the plant. However, he is well and healthy at the end of the episode. He has a wife and two children, seen in Homer the Smithers. He has an office, as seen in a CCTV camera in Homer Goes To College. He tells Homer (while Homer is working for the FBI) that he has a plan to overthrow the government because they are not making HDTV happen soon enough, and is promptly arrested for conspiracy. In "Homie the Clown" he, along with other employees, was set on fire due to Homer's negligence. Charlie has spoken in very few episodes, but has been seen in the background more. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta, who said that he was "doing an imitation of Lenny".[22]
Coach Lugash
Lugash (Dan Castellaneta), is a gymnastics instructor, based on former U.S. gymnastics coach Béla Károlyi, who has his own gym. He has a thick Romanian accent and a large, brown curled moustache. He has appeared in two episodes, premiering in "Children of a Lesser Clod". His origin is a bit mysterious as he says that he came into the United States in 1983 by cartwheeling over the Berlin Wall. However, another character in a later episode claims that he defected into East Germany. Later in "Little Girl in the Big Ten", he teaches Lisa gymnastics so that she won't fail gym. His harsh but effective training techniques helped Lisa to achieve a high standard of gymnastic ability. He also has a habit of confiscating his students' cats and dogs, only giving them back when the student has accomplished a physical task. Once however, he refused to give back a girl's dog, but gave her someone else's cat instead, insisting "it is dog now!". He goes to anger management classes. Apparently, he thinks Lisa (who is only eight), is a "grandma".
Judge Constance Harm
Judge Constance Harm (Jane Kaczmarek) is a harsh, unforgiving disciplinarian.[23] She enjoys creating cruel punishments for criminals in her court. Her name is a play on "constant harm". The character is an obvious parody of Judge Judy. She has hinted, at one point, to have been born a boy.[24] Judge Harm first appears in "The Parent Rap", and a season later in "Barting Over", assisting in Bart's emancipation. In "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister", she has revealed she has a husband. Her most recent appearance was in "Rome-old and Juli-eh", telling Homer that he could not file for bankruptcy. Although Judge Snyder resolves court cases, Judge Harm has mainly been used for handing down negative verdicts, such as sentencing a family member to prison. She also appears in "The Wandering Juvie" and "Brake My Wife, Please".[25]
Cookie Kwan
Cookie Kwan, voiced by Tress MacNeille, is an Asian American Realtor. She is the stereotypical competitive Asian. She touts herself as being “number one on the West Side,” although she also works on the East Side. Her first appearance was in episode 5F06, “Realty Bites,” in which she worked at Lionel Hutz’s Red Blazer Real Estate office. She has a prominent gold tooth. She is very aggressive toward anyone whom she deems a threat to her business (she once warned Marge to “stay off the West Side!”), and once said to Gil Gunderson “Were you talking about the West Side?” to which he responds “No, Cookie, I swear! I’m-I’m scared of you.” In "Large Marge" it is shown that she was infatuated with Homer. She is well known to be friends with Lindsey Naegle. She once had an illegitimate child with Mayor Quimby. She is a member of the Springfield Republican Party. In "The Way We Weren't", it is shown that she went to camp with Patty and Selma, Helen Lovejoy, Luann Van Houten, and Marge Simpson.
Crazy Cat Lady
Eleanor Abernathy, known as the Crazy Cat Lady and voiced by Tress MacNeille, is a woman with the appearance and behavior of a stereotypical mentally ill person. She is an animal hoarder and is always surrounded by a large number of cats. In nearly every appearance she screams gibberish and/or throws live cats at passers-by. Kent Brockman revealed the Crazy Cat Lady’s true name, Eleanor Abernathy, during an interview in the episode “See Homer Run.”
She first appeared in the ninth-season episode "Girly Edition," in which she pelted Lisa with cats during Lisa's news segment at Kidz Newz. In the episode "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot," the Simpsons' family cat Snowball II dies and after adopting two more short-lived cats, the Crazy Cat Lady appears and gives Lisa a cat that looks exactly like Snowball II. In the episode "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass", the Cat Lady enjoys "brief moments of lucidity" after taking psychoactive medication. She abruptly resumes her usual bizarre behavior when Marge mentions that the "pills" are actually Reese’s Pieces.
Even without medication, she appears to be very intelligent. In an episode in which Mayor "Diamond" Joe Quimby is recalled (See Homer Run), she runs for the mayor's office. During a candidate debate, she is asked what public-policy issues are important to her; unlike the other candidates (who act as stereotypical dishonest politicians), Abernathy discusses issues such as health care, economy, and public education in between her screams and gibberish (and a call for "cats in everyone's pants"). In "Springfield Up," it is revealed that Eleanor earned an MD from Harvard Medical School and a JD from Yale Law School -- both by age 24. In one scene, Eleanor is representing a client in open court and asks to be excused to deliver a baby. However, eight years later, she exhibits signs of alcoholism due to stress, and she has become very attached to her pet cat; she suggests that she might get another one. After an additional eight years, she has assumed her present appearance and behavior.
Dave Shutton
David "Dave" Shutton, voiced by Harry Shearer, is a newspaper reporter who works for the Springfield Shopper; he wears a fedora similar to those worn by reporters of the 1940s. He first appeared in “Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish” which probably also was his most relevant appearance. He later was seen in the episodes “Radio Bart,” “Lisa the Beauty Queen,” "Rosebud," "A Star Is Burns", and “Old Yeller Belly.” Kent Brockman seems to hold him in slight contempt, possibly because they work in different news media; in “Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)” Shutton arrives at a scene and asks what’s going on, and Brockman replies “Oh, do your research, Shutton!” Though slightly behind other reporters in this instance, Shutton showed his flair for reporting news the public craves by breaking the "Lincoln look-alike squirrel" story in Radio Bart. In both “Three Men and a Comic Book” and “$pringfield” he is disturbed while telephoning. Shutton has not made any speaking appearances since season 14's "Bart of War".
Disco Stu
Disco Stu is a disco aficionado and is usually featured wearing a rhinestone-encrusted leisure suit.
He was introduced as the punchline to a joke in the episode "Two Bad Neighbors", when Homer was trying to sell a jacket at a garage sale on which he had tried to write "Disco Stud" in rhinestones, but had run out of space on the jacket before he could add the "d". A customer says, "Hey Stu, you should buy that!" and Stu replies, "Disco Stu doesn't advertise." He was originally voiced by Phil Hartman, but when the animators needed to do a model change, and Hartman was not available, Hank Azaria took over the role.
He often refers to himself in the third person (putting a big emphasis on "Stu" and then pausing before saying anything else) and is noted for being mentally stuck in the Disco Era. According to the episode "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation", Stu actually is aware disco is dead, doesn't like disco music at all, and worries that his personality may make him a "one-note guy". In his younger years, he had a budding career as a sea captain, going by the name of "Nautical Stu" (and comically misleading the viewer that he is a young Sea Captain), and only finds the joy of disco music when Marge puts some on while taking his picture for his captain's license.
IGN.com named him the 24th Top Peripheral Character in The Simpsons.[26]
Eddie and Lou
Eddie and Lou are police officers with the Springfield Police department. They made their debuts in "There's No Disgrace Like Home".[27] Neither of their surnames has ever been shown. In "The Frying Game", Lou says that they don't have surnames, much like Cher. In "Separate Vocations" they say they like being cops because "you get to run red lights, park wherever you please, hot and cold running chicks [sic] and when you go home at night, you know you've made a difference".
Lou is the police sergeant, and, by far, the most intelligent and competent officer of the Springfield Police. He is used as a foil to Chief Wiggum, and often takes the time to point out Wiggum's mistakes. He has been shown to have some resentment for Wiggum, and realizes his ineptness at being police chief. Initially, he was presented as a yellow-skinned character, but he was later changed to be African-American.
Although he has never stated so explicitly, other characters have intimated that he is a graduate of Princeton University. Following his undergraduate career, Lou applied and was accepted to law school at an unspecified university, but was forced to drop out as he could not afford the tuition. At one point, before the series' inception, Lou was married to a woman named Amy. Lou was named after Lou Whitaker - a former Major League Baseball player.[27] Hank Azaria based Lou's voice on Sylvester Stallone.[28] "Bart of War" shows Lou is then divorced from his wife. He complains occasionally that Eddie has been seeing his ex-wife, causing Chief Wiggum to act as mediator. Lou's largest role was in "Stop, Or My Dog Will Shoot!", where he is featured prominently as the new owner of Santa's Little Helper. This episode reveals Lou has a girlfriend named Charquelle who had wanted to party with him.
Eddie (voiced by Harry Shearer) is of an unknown rank, and like Lou, one of the more competent officers in the police force. He has rarely spoken in recent episodes, although he did in the early episodes.
Gil Gunderson
Gil Gunderson, sometimes referring to himself as Old Gil, is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. Gil is based on Jack Lemmon's portrayal of Shelley Levene in the film version of Glengarry Glen Ross: a nervous, middle-aged man with the inability to hold a steady job due to strings of misfortunes that tend to hit him at the worst times.[29] Gil made his debut in the episode "Realty Bites", where he plays a hapless real estate agent much like Lemmon does in the film. Lemmon himself plays a similar part in "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson". He later appears as a shoe salesman in "The Last Temptation of Krusty".
Later, in "Old Yeller Belly", Gil apparently lived at the Springfield Men's Mission (a hostel for down-and-outs), although he was forcibly ejected from the premises because he had overstayed the "6 month occupancy limit." A defiant Gil walked straight into a shady organ "donation" clinic to sell his eyes for cash. In another episode, "Natural Born Kissers", it is implied that Gil lives in a hot-air balloon, which is then stolen by Homer and Marge Simpson. Gil's lone possession in the balloon is a hot plate.
Despite Gil's various misfortunes, one of his most significant jobs is being the Simpsons' lawyer. In "Sweets and Sour Marge", Gil passes the bar exam and flashes his law degree in Marge's car window when she is looking for a lawyer to sue the sugar corporation. Marge hires him on the spot and she wins the case although Gil seemed very uneasy performing certain duties as a lawyer. Later in "The Frying Game", Gil is hired to represent both Homer and Marge when they are accused of murder. Gil loses the case, most likely due to the fact that the entire incident was a set-up for a TV show.
Gil finally had the opportunity to become a more centralized role in "Kill Gil: Vols. 1 & 2" in season 18, in which he moves in with the Simpsons after he is fired from his job as a mall Santa Claus. The temporary situation turns into a joint occupancy that lasts for almost an entire year and tries the family's patience.
In the episode "I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", Gil is seen starting his first day as a security officer at the First Bank of Springfield. A robbery occurs, and he is shot repeatedly by bank robbers and left for dead. His fate is unknown at this time.
God
God, voiced by Harry Shearer, has had many appearances in the series, including "Homer the Heretic", "Thank God It's Doomsday", and a quick scene with him, Buddha, and Colonel Sanders in "Pray Anything". He is portrayed in the traditional depiction of the Abrahamitic God in the Western world: a gray-haired Caucasian man in a white robe with a booming voice (though it is revealed in "A Star Is Burns" that he speaks in "Flanderese", responding to Ned Flanders' "Thanks, God!" with "Okely-dokely!"). His face is only seen in a picture owned by Homer in "Pray Anything" (though this was likely an artist's depiction), a picture owned by Ned Flanders in "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily" and the opening sequence for "Treehouse of Horror XVI". In all other episodes, only his beard is seen. His body is usually surrounded by a glowing light, though not always. He doesn't seem to be all-knowing; for instance, when referring to his son, he stated that he didn't know "what you people did to him" but "He hasn't been the same since". In the episode "Simpsons Bible Stories," where stories in the Bible are played by Simpsons Characters, Ned Flanders plays the character of God in the story of Adam and Eve while Homer and Marge play Adam and Eve. In this episode God sounds like Ned Flanders and while he is not actually seen we do see God's arm pop out of a cloud wearing Ned's trademark green sweater. One of his most distinctive features is that he is the only Simpsons character to be drawn with five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot, though not always. There have been scenes where God has only 4 fingers like everyone else in the show.
Helen Lovejoy
Helen Lovejoy, voiced by Maggie Roswell and Marcia Mitzman Gaven, is Rev. Timothy’s judgmental and gossipy wife, and the mother of Jessica Lovejoy.
She introduced herself in the episode "Life on the Fast Lane" as "the gossipy wife of the minister." (Timothy Lovejoy does not support his wife’s gossipy habit, at one point saying "Oh Helen, call off your dogs"). In the episode "Marge in Chains", she promises to "use [her] gossip for good instead of evil." When she was younger, she went to Camp Land-A-Man with Marge Simpson, Patty and Selma Bouvier, Luann Van Houten, and Cookie Kwan. A younger Helen Lovejoy is seen getting low marks as she didn't put her forks in order.
Helen apparently has a strong dislike and/or hate of Mayor Quimby. Whenever they are both seen together (and this is usually when Helen and her group of pious women charge into his office) both have furious glares at each other. This was more notably seen in "Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment", where she demands that there should be a new Chief of Police, while smashing her fist on the table. He angrily replies with, "Demand? Who are you to demand anything? I run this town. You're just a bunch of low-income nobodies!" It was then brought to his attention he is up for re-election in November, to which Quimby grumbled, "Again? This stupid country!" Also, in the same episode, when Chief Wiggum attempted to give her "the ol' Wiggum charm", she became frightened and screamed, "Pervert!"
Herman
Herman, voiced by Harry Shearer, is the owner of Herman’s Military Antiques. He dresses in military fatigues. He has only one arm; he claims to Bart that the other arm was lost by sticking it out of the window of a moving bus, although the writers had originally intended for him to give a different reason each time he appeared. His voice is similar to that of George H. W. Bush, and he is based on Simpsons writer John Swartzwelder. A brilliant military tactician, Herman was instrumental in Bart’s victory in water balloon combat against Nelson and in the negotiation of the peace treaty between the two combatants in "Bart the General".
Herman possesses a small scale tactical nuclear bomb, designed by the US Government during the 1950s to be dropped from a B-52 onto Beatniks. He keeps it in a plot of land behind his store, and usually only brings potential buyers to see it on special occasions: when Homer and his friends were buying dozens of guns, Herman assumed they were a bachelor party of some kind, but when Homer told him they were forming a vigilante movement, Herman brought him to see the Bomb. The Bomb has a sign next to it which reads "Do Not Ride The Bomb", a rule which Homer promptly broke (spoofing Dr. Strangelove or how I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb").
He is friends with Abraham Simpson, to whom he sold a fez hat, claiming it was previously owned by Napoleon, to which Herman then advertised Grampa's old hat as “the hat McKinley was shot in". He also tried to sell counterfeit jeans out of the Simpsons’ garage, but was foiled by Marge Simpson, though he was not put in jail because the evidence was stolen by the Springfield PD. He once captured Chief Wiggum and Snake and held them hostage (in an homage to a scene from Pulp Fiction), but was thwarted (accidentally) by Milhouse Van Houten wielding a flail.
Rabbi Hyman Krustofski
Rabbi Hyman Krustofski (voiced by Jackie Mason) is the father of Krusty the Clown. His first appearance was in “Like Father, Like Clown.” Krusty started to miss his long estranged father, who had abandoned him because Krusty wanted to become a Clown instead of a Rabbi. Bart and Lisa noticed this and did everything they could to convince the Rabbi to see his son, but he proved to be a stubborn man. They tried to beat him at his own game and quoted Jewish scripture that suggests he reunite with his son, however he easily countered this with Talmudic interpretation and alternate Bible verses. Lisa, out of ideas, suggests using a Sammy Davis, Jr. quote, which works and the Rabbi reunites with his son during the show. His second major appearance would be in “Today I Am a Clown” in which Krusty would decide to get a Bar Mitzvah and has to go to his father. In preparation, Krusty becomes a devout Jew and is later fired from his show. In a move of desperation, he decided to televise his Bar Mitzvah. It proved to be extremely successful, but was a disappointment to the Rabbi. In the end, Krusty decided to have a real Bar Mitzvah in a real Shul, which pleased his father. This would be the last appearance in which he was voiced by Jackie Mason. All other appearances are voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He would make a brief cameo appearance in “Homer’s Triple Bypass,” and later in the episodes “Simpsons Christmas Stories,” “Treehouse of Horror XVII”, and “On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister.” He often appears in crowd shots. Jackie Mason won an Emmy for his performance.
Jack Larson
Jack Larson was a slick spokesman and now president for Laramie Cigarettes and once owned the Springfield Isotopes. He also was the spokesperson in a commercial for the Little Miss Springfield pageant, with Laramie cigarettes as the main sponsor. This advertisement was seen by Homer while watching TV at Moe’s, as seen in the season four episode, “Lisa the Beauty Queen.” Lisa did not win but was given the position after the first winner was struck by lightning. This was because the crown and sceptre conducted electricity. He was also seen in “Bart the Murderer,” calming the crowd after a truckload of Laramie Cigarettes were stolen by Fat Tony and the Springfield Mafia (much to his distaste).
Jake the Barber
Jake is the local barber of Springfield, and the owner of "Jake's Unisex Hair Palace". He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta, and first appeared in one of the "Tracey Ullman shorts", making him one of the earliest appearing recurring characters. He can be seen giving Bart a shave for his birthday on Radio Bart (and agreeing with Bart that compact discs are better than digital audio tape) and trying to cut gum out of Lisa Simpson's hair in the episode "22 Short Films about Springfield". Homer Simpson was one of his customers when Homer was younger and had hair, but he has since become nearly bald. Jake is overjoyed to see Homer at his shop again when Homer gets his hair back in "Simpson and Delilah". In Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk, Homer imagines spending the $25.00 he got from selling his stock on getting a haircut (despite that he only has a few hairs left) from Jake the Barber (along with buying a hammer and getting his car washed). He most currently appeared in Lisa the Treehugger when Bart tried to get a paycheck from him but it was full of hair. This then has Bart say "You're paying me in hair?! Are you insane?", which makes Jake reply in a crazy laugh.
Jasper Beardly
Jasper Beardly (voiced by Harry Shearer) is one of the elder residents of Springfield. His most distinguishing trait and the origin of his name is his very long beard. Jasper is a veteran of World War II. Jasper also tried to avoid the draft by disguising himself as a woman and staying in Springfield to play in the local women's baseball league, along with his friend Abe, who was also avoiding the war (according to the episode Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play). However, Grampa's attempts to dodge the war were unsuccessful, and he was eventually assigned to the Flying Hellfish. In the parade scene of Lisa the Iconoclast Jasper is seen in uniform, wearing a shoulder patch resembling that of the 2nd Infantry Division.
In the subplot of the season nine episode, Lisa the Simpson, Jasper was put in crude "suspended animation" in the Kwik-E-Mart's freezer, and under advice from Dr. Nick Riviera, Apu kept him frozen. When Jasper's frozen form became popular with customers, Apu started exploiting the spectacle, and transformed the Kwik-E-Mart into a special interest store dealing with weird items, or perfectly ordinary ones which had been made out to be abnormal. Jasper (or "Frostillicus," as Apu renamed him) was accidentally unfrozen, and stepped out into what he thought was a future world, just as Apu was considering selling him to the Rich Texan. According to a deleted scene from the season eight episode "In Marge We Trust", it was revealed that Reverend Lovejoy succeeded Jasper as Minister of the First Church of Springfield. Jasper made his first appearance in Homer's Odyssey, but didn't speak until the episode Bart the General when he argued with Abe over the newspaper. It was also revealed in the episode I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that he is a diabetic. His left leg is prosthetic, as revealed in Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two).
Jebediah Springfield
Jebediah Obadiah Zachariah Jedediah Springfield is the purported historical founder of the town of Springfield. Springfield had many famous quotations, such as “A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man,” and was well known for his silver tongue (literally; a metal prosthetic tongue, his original tongue having been bitten off by a Turkish pirate in a grog house fight). He also wears a coonskin cap.
Springfield led a band of wagons westward along with his partner Shelbyville Manhattan (they left Maryland after misinterpreting a passage of the Bible and were looking for “New Sodom”); but they parted ways over political differences. Manhattan wanted to found a town where people could marry their cousins, but Springfield wanted a town devoted to chastity, abstinence, and a flavorless mush he called "root-marm." Manhattan went on to found the rival town of Shelbyville. In the winter of 1807, Jebediah reportedly built Springfield’s first hospital alone out of wood and mud.
On an expedition to Springfield’s historic “Fort Springfield,” Bart Simpson uncovered inconsistencies in the Jebediah legend. In “Lisa the Iconoclast,” Lisa Simpson proved that “Jebediah Springfield” was a bloodthirsty pirate and enemy of George Washington, whom he fought with and lost after Washington crushed Springfield's genitals in a set of iron false teeth, and Springfield hobbled from the scene. He was named Hans Sprungfeld, who had changed his name in 1795 to hide his identity. Before he died, he wrote his confession on a scrap of canvas that he hid in a fife. The canvas scrap formed the “missing piece” of the famously incomplete portrait of George Washington, which he picked up during a fight against George Washington, which occurred while he was having his portrait painted.
Springfield is said to have dramatically killed a bear with his bare hands, though revisionist historians have determined the bear in fact probably killed him. A statue of this sits in the center of the Springfield town square, in front of the city hall. He is also said to have once tamed an untameable buffalo (although he later secretly admitted that it had already been tame; he merely shot it). The Springfield Marathon commemorates an occasion on which he ran across six states in order to avoid his creditors. In “The Telltale Head,” Bart beheaded the statue, thinking that this would make him more popular. In reality, the town became depressed and angry, leaving Bart to endure “The Tell-Tale Heart”-style guilt before replacing it. The video game The Simpsons Road Rage references this episode: if one rams the statue while playing, the head will fall off. This can also be done in The Simpsons Hit and Run where Bart or Apu can kick or ram Jebediah's head off. In Bart's Nightmare, Bart imagines himself being attacked by Jebediah heads.
Lindsay Naegle
Lindsay Naegle (voiced by Tress MacNeille) first appeared in the episode "Girly Edition."[30] (although a similar looking character appeared in Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie). In this episode her character was simply referred to as “Female Network Executive,” and had brunette hair instead of her usual blonde. In "They Saved Lisa's Brain," she was introduced as Lindsey Naegle, a member of the Springfield Mensa Society and head of Advanced Capital Ventures, specializing in synergy and books on how to cheat at bridge.
Throughout the series, Lindsay has popped up in several ventures, seemingly working at a different job every episode (the in-show explanation for this being that she is a sexual predator). [31] Her jobs have included the aforementioned network executive, as well as marketing researcher, financial planner, advertising executive, and executive with the Child Development Group. A graduate from the Wharton Business School, she is a stereotypical upper management executive; her ventures almost always promote the business buzzword "synergy."
Lindsay is a proud activist for the childfree lifestyle. In "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays," Lindsey, furious at paying damages for riots caused by the youth of Springfield, formed an anti-youth group called SSCCATAGAPP (Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples And Teens And Gays Against Parasitic Parents). This group was designed to deprive Springfield of all child-friendly things. Her campaign is a success, but thanks to a plan by Bart and Lisa to exploit the infectious nature of children, Lindsey's group falters, staggers, and collapses. Lindsey's attitude against bearing children was spoofed in the episode "Margical History Tour", where she is Anne Boleyn and marries King Henry VIII (Homer) and claims she can easily bear a baby boy for him.
In one episode, she appears in Moe's Tavern with a martini in hand. When Homer questions why she is in the bar, she replies casually, "I'm an alcoholic".
Luigi Risotto
Luigi Risotto, voiced by Hank Azaria, is the proprietor of Luigi's, the local Italian restaurant, which is closed on Mondays. He is a parody of the “Italian pasta/pizza chef” stereotype (and in fact is on a bowling team called “The Stereotypes” along with Cletus Spuckler, Captain Horatio McCallister, and Groundskeeper Willie), but seems to be aware of his status as a stock character. He often treats his customers rudely, insulting and belittling them; at times under his breath, at other times in a conversational tone, and sometimes shouting the slurs to the (unseen) chef Salvatore. In the DVD commentary, it is mentioned that Luigi was copied exactly from a pizza box, which is why he looks somewhat different from the other Simpsons characters.
Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon
Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon (née Jamshed) (voiced by Jan Hooks, Tress MacNeille in “The Sweetest Apu”) is Apu’s wife and mother of their octuplets. She was arranged to be married to Apu when she was eight (as depicted in The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons) and Apu was to set out to America for college (as depicted in “Much Apu About Nothing”). She claims that Fried Green Tomatoes is her favorite book, movie, and food. She has excellent culinary abilities, demonstrated by her ability to make a wide variety of dishes using only chickpeas, lentils, and rice.
In “The Sweetest Apu,” Apu has an affair with a Squishee lady. After Homer discovers this, he and Marge reveal their discovery to Apu, who eventually caves into the guilt and vows to apologize to Manjula. Manjula, however, already knows and kicks Apu out of the house. With some help from the Simpson family, she eventually agrees to give Apu another chance after he completes an often-vengeful list of grueling tasks fashioned by Manjula. Since then, their relationship has been strained, with the couple been seen attending marriage counseling. Homer seems to think her name is “Apulina.” Once, when the two were arguing in Hindi, he commented he thought “Manjula” is the name of a spaceship. He also misheard her name to be “Mint Julep.”
Marvin Monroe
Dr. Marvin Monroe (voiced by Harry Shearer) is a local psychiatrist who was once Mr. Burns’ therapist. He debuted in the first season's "There's No Disgrace Like Home," though he also appears in an episode made earlier but aired later, "Some Enchanted Evening". Monroe promoted some subliminal weight-loss audio cassettes, and wrote books such as I’m OK, So Why Aren't You?. (A plot conceived for him in the early years and confirmed by Matt Groening[32] was never actually used.) References to his death began to appear in the series, such as the Marvin Monroe Memorial Hospital in "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)" (Mentioned on the radio of Lou's Motorbike) and a mention of his death in the 138th episode retrospective; there are also glimpses of both his grave (in Alone Again, Natura-Diddily) and a school gym named after him. However, he appeared briefly in the season 15 episode "Diatribe of a Mad Housewife" claiming to have been very sick. (The creators put the doctor on that ten-year-long hiatus because voicing Monroe hurt Shearer's throat.)
Mary Bailey
Mary Bailey is Springfield's state governor, voiced by Maggie Roswell. She ran against Mr. Burns in "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish", winning in a landslide after Marge served Mr. Burns a Three eyed Fish. She was Mayor of Springfield before Joe Quimby.
Mary Bailey would later appear briefly in the episode "Bart vs. Lisa vs. the Third Grade" when Bart and Lisa's class visit Capital City. They show Bailey their class projects (designing a new State flag). Mary Bailey yells in disgust after unfurling Lisa's flag. Bart had redesigned it to look like a butt with "Learn to Fart" underneath. Another episode she is in is "The Seven-Beer Snitch" where a prison is built out of a defunct concert hall. She brings order amongst the prisoners in jail, and pardons the prisoners.
Mr. Costington
Mr. Costington (voiced by Hank Azaria) is the chairman of Costington’s department store, and Springfield Mall. He is an insensitive, rude, and obese multi-millionaire. He first appeared in season nine's episode "Trash of the Titans", where he came up with a bogus "Love Day" sale, and later in "Homer vs. Dignity". He is one of very few characters on the show to actually have eyebrows.
Costington's catchphrase is "You're fiiired!" which he uses every time he fires employees. While he is saying this, he shakes his big cheeks. Whenever this happens, the camera slowly zooms upon his face and his voice vibrates. In "The Boys of Bummer", when he hires Homer, he says "You're hiiired!". Homer has worked for him on three occasions: as the Thanksgiving Day Parade Santa Claus, as a mattress salesman, and a model for top-brand Jeans. He also seems to have employed the Yes Guy for he works at the shop most of his appearances. In Kill Gil: Vols. 1 & 2, he fires Gil for giving Lisa the Malibu Stacy set he had put aside for his daughter.
Mrs. Glick
Mrs. Glick, originally voiced by Cloris Leachman and later by Tress MacNeille, is an elderly shut-in for whom Bart did chores in "Three Men and a Comic Book"; he didn't get paid very well, so that he started to hate her. She had a brother named Asa, mentioned in the same episode, who died during World War I; he was killed by his own grenade, which he held for too long. She is occasionally seen in the background of various episodes, often laughing toothlessly. She is a stereotypical lonely old woman, who spends her days "watching her stories."
In "Hurricane Neddy", her state of mind is questioned. When everyone is at the Kwik-E-Mart stocking upon food for a hurricane, she grabs Lisa's head, thinking she was a pineapple, so she carries her on her shopping cart along with Ralph (whom she thought was a pumpkin). Ralph then reveals Mrs. Glick plans on cooking them into a pie.
Mrs. Muntz
Mrs. Muntz (voice of Tress MacNeille) is Nelson Muntz's mother. Nelson receives his trademark laugh from her.
Early on in the series, Nelson would often mention his parents, and it was often implied that Nelson's mother does not care for him. In A Milhouse Divided, Nelson tells Milhouse that his mom got hooked on cough drops, which is why his father left the family. In "Bart Star", it is implied that Mrs. Muntz works at Hooters as one of the waitresses. She owns a dilapidated house and is depicted as a jailbird, a whore, a stripper, or something similar. She was first heard (but not seen) on the season ten episode Wild Barts Can't Be Broken when Nelson goes to break curfew and she yells, "We're out of Skoal!" In "'Tis the Fifteenth Season", she appears telling Nelson that his father simply didn't like him, and he left with her golden tooth. Nelson's mother was more introduced in "Sleeping with the Enemy", after years of being mentioned. A loud, high-pitched contemptuous woman, Mrs. Muntz neglects Nelson. She implies she misses Nelson's father. At the end of the episode, the three Muntzes reunite, and she receives a new job as Lady Macbeth, with "the third director she slept with" ("I don't have to take my top off, but I do anyway!"). Since then, she is often seen around in Springfield. Curiously, in Season 18's "The Haw-Hawed Couple", she appears with brunette hair.
Ms. Albright
Ms. Albright (voiced by Tress MacNeille) is Springfield's residential Sunday school teacher at the local church. She speaks with a soft Southern accent and appears to be somewhat intolerant; when referring to Bart when he was tempted to convert to Roman Catholicism, she said “I heard he’s Catholic now. And her husband too.” She appears to be good friends with Helen Lovejoy. She is occasionally seen in the background of various episodes as well as in Church scenes (such as in “The Father, The Son & The Holy Guest Star”). In earlier seasons of the show, she used to wear glasses.
Old Jewish Man
The Old Jewish Man, (sometimes called the Crazy Guy or Crazy Old Man) is Grampa Simpson and Jasper Beardley's friend. Mayor Quimby once referred to him as "Old Jewish Man"; as well, a list of heart recipients listed him as "Old Jewish Man" ("Homer's Paternity Coot")
He speaks with a stereotypical Jewish accent, and curses in Yiddish in one episode. He is apparently friendly with Krusty the Clown and Krusty's father, as the three of them have been seen walking along a street singing the ditty "Even though we're not gentile / We'll get together for a while" at Christmas. He often yells at people and is sometimes seen owning a Pep Boys-esque store (in the Halloween story "Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores"). He once had a brief period of stardom after his act of dancing on a street corner singing "The Old Gray Mare" with his pants down became a hit on television. In "Natural Born Kissers", he was revealed as having worked as a studio executive during the making of Casablanca, having hacked on a later suppressed happy ending, with a question mark that left the door open for a sequel, and the It's a Wonderful Life "killing spree ending". He observes that the quality of studio management has changed over the years. At the time of the Casablanca blunder, they "was just dopes in suits. Not like today!" He diplomatically left unstated whether the difference is that studio executives are more intelligent now, or that they no longer wear suits.
Patches and Poor Violet
Patches and Poor Violet are two of Springfield's stereotypical orphans, occasionally seen. Patches is voiced by Pamela Hayden and Poor Violet is voiced by Tress MacNeille. Introduced in “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace,” Patches had given their only $1 vitamin money to Bart, where he had carelessly used it. They have since had cameos in “I’m Goin’ to Praiseland” and “Simple Simpson”, but are seen in many other episodes. Poor Violet often has a cough, while Patches seems to vaguely resemble Tiny Tim from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Their skin color is not the “healthy” yellow of the Simpson family. In the Simpsons Comics, the family accidentally adopted Poor Violet and she spent one month with the family. Meanwhile, Patches showed Bart around the orphanage.
Princess Kashmir
Shauna Tifton, also known as April Flowers and Princess Kashmir, is an exotic dancer introduced in Homer's Night Out. Bart, using a toy spycam at a restaurant, sees a drunk Homer cavorting with a belly-dancer named Princess Kashmir. The incriminating photo is distributed all over town, making Homer famous, but also getting him in trouble with his boss at work (who then asks him for advice on how to attract women) and threatening his marriage to Marge. He apologizes to Marge after she kicks him out, but, fearing that Bart will see Homer's picture as a sign that it's okay to treat women like sex objects, Marge makes Homer find Princess Kashmir so he can apologize to her in front of Bart for his sexist behavior.
In Lisa's Pony, Shauna once dated Apu before his marriage to Manjula, and was also seen with his brother Sanjay. She was in two couch gags: the one from Marge vs. the Monorail where everyone in town sits in front of The Simpsons after they make it to the couch (in the couch gag, Shauna is depicted with black hair instead of brown) and the ones from Bart After Dark and the first airing of The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show where the living room is a detailed replica of The Beatles' Sgt Pepper album. She's on the Homewreckers bowling team in Team Homer. As an in-joke, she dances in the burlesque house in Bart After Dark, and in so doing lures Homer from picking up Bart at the house. She also appeared in Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment, dancing with Chief Wiggum at Moe's. She’s also a regular on Springfield Squares. She also danced on a tabletop with Otto in the episode Flaming Moe's.
Rich Texan
Rich Texan (both name and description), voiced by Dan Castellaneta, is a stereotypical rich, callous but gregarious business owner. He is very similar to the character of Mr Judson on the Burns and Allen radio show of the 1940s. He is an active member of the Springfield Republican Party and speaks with a heavy Texan drawl. In the fifth season episode “$pringfield” (his debut), Homer addresses the Rich Texan as Senator, although this was never again referenced. Rich Texan sports a bolo tie and a white cowboy hat. He is also obsessive-compulsive, as revealed in “The Seemingly Never-Ending Story.” He has stated he enjoys moonlight walks on the beach; in the same episode he held Homer and Moe at gunpoint while forcing them to walk along with him after being conned by the two. He is well known for pulling out a pair of revolvers and firing them into the air while yelling "Yee Haw!" whenever he is happy or excited, and once in "Pray Anything" he went over the top and lost his mind after doing something generous to Ned Flanders. He has been to jail at least once when one of his stray bullets hit a Texas Ranger. The police made him switch to blanks, but he noted that "They just don't feel the same". He has a gay grandson, as revealed in "Million Dollar Abie", a possible reference to US Vice President Dick Cheney's homosexual daughter. He has a daughter named Paris Texan, a play on Paris Hilton and Paris, Texas. In "Midnight Towboy", he revealed he suffers from pogonophobia (the fear of beards and moustaches); he then promptly shoots at least one man dressed as Santa Claus. In the episode Revenge is a Dish Best Served Three Times, it is revealed that he is, improbably, from Connecticut, a reference to the birthplace of George W Bush.
Roger Meyers Jr.
Roger Meyers Junior, voiced by Alex Rocco and Hank Azaria, is the CEO of Itchy and Scratchy International, and is the son of Roger Myers, Sr. He distributes the cartoon, which is frequently criticized by parents because of its violent nature. Marge wrote a letter to Roger Meyers Jr. in "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" denouncing the violence in the Itchy & Scratchy cartoon. Roger responds with a letter calling her a screwball. He is a jaded and selfish businessman who has nothing but contempt for the children who comprise his audience. In "The Day the Violence Died" Itchy and Scratchy International is bankrupted following their trial against Chester J. Lampwick, when Bart and Lisa are too late in providing information that could save the company, he tells them condescendingly, "Great, mail it to last week when I might have cared. I've got cartoons to make." He also possesses an extremely obnoxious personality, where he only cares about people who can help him. This is displayed in his contempt for the writers of Itchy and Scratchy when Abe Simpson becomes the flavour of the month. This is shown again when holding auditions for the voice of Poochie. In "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show", he creates Poochie in an attempt to bring the show's ratings back up. Homer is asked to voice Poochie, and does so. The show's ratings plummet, and Poochie is despised. He is nearly killed off in the next episode (after only one appearance), but ends up being dubbed over to have returned to his own planet (and died on the way).
Judge Roy Snyder
Judge Roy Snyder, voiced by Harry Shearer, is a judge in Springfield. He is one of the main African-American characters in The Simpsons. Starting off as stern and no-nonsense (with a grudge against Lionel Hutz for running over his son repeatedly), Snyder later became known for his lenient punishments. Judge Snyder also bears a resemblance to Judge Robert Bork as well as Judge Joe Brown. In earlier episodes he has yellow skin; in Bart Gets Hit by a Car his name is Moulton; his usual name may be an allusion to Judge Roy Bean.
Judge Snyder has a clown figurine on his desk. In one episode, he came back from vacation, placed the clown on his desk, and said, “Well, I’m back from vacation,” just as Judge Constance Harm was about to bang her gavel, making the sentence (sending Bart to juvie) final. “No, it’s too late. I’ve already put my clown down,” Judge Snyder replied. Judge Harm tried to argue but Judge Snyder sternly replied, “The clown is down,” and proceeded to dismiss Bart’s case after Lisa requested “motion to declare writ of boys will be boys.”
Ruth Powers
Ruth Powers is the Simpsons' next-door neighbor, introduced when she moves to their neighborhood in the episode “New Kid on the Block.” She is divorced and has a daughter, Laura Powers, who no longer lives with her. She is usually seen as a background character, sometimes in events that occurred even before she moved next door (such as the baby shower for Maggie in "And Maggie Makes Three"). She even continues to be a background character despite her later imprisonment. She nearly always wears a red headscarf. In the episode "The Cartridge Family" she was part of the NRA. She was voiced by Pamela Reed in her first two speaking appearances.
The episode "Marge on the Lam" features Ruth and Marge going on the run from the law in a stolen convertible, a parody of Thelma & Louise. Ruth makes a special appearance in the episode "Strong Arms of the Ma", advising Marge (who is taking up weightlifting) to use steroids. She reveals during her time in prison, she was "Miss Mexican Mafia". In The Simpsons Movie, she is seen in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting along with Barney Gumble.
Sam & Larry
Sam & Larry are the two barflies usually seen at Moe's Tavern. Their first appearance is in "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". Virtually nothing is known about them. Sam always wears a cap and glasses and Larry has an orange jacket and a balding head and either looks extremely drunk or very depressed. In the season 12 episode "Worst Episode Ever", Sam was shot by Moe for paying in Sacagawea dollars, but has appeared since.
Simpsons Comics #9 contains "Homer Simpson's Pathetic Pal Barney Gumble: Asleep at the Well", a story about a day in the life of Barney Gumble. In it, Larry is referred to as the ear bender and Sam is the wife dodger. However, the Simpsons comics are generally considered non-canonical.
Sanjay Nahasapeemapetilon
Sanjay Nahasapeemapetilon, voiced by Harry Shearer, is Apu’s younger brother. He has a daughter named Pahusacheta and a son named Jamshed, who both share the Nahasapeemapetilon surname. Sanjay apparently has a wife, as he asked Apu to promise not to sleep with her. He occasionally runs the store with Apu, but he is not there all the time. Sometimes he skips out on his shift, which aggravates Apu to no end. He is also hinted to be a nudist like Apu. Sanjay apparently has better luck with women than his brother; he is often seen with beautiful women in his arms, infuriating Apu.
Sarah Wiggum
Sarah Wiggum (née Kanickee), (voiced by Pamela Hayden) is the soft wife of Clancy and mother of Ralph and sister of Fred Kanickee (deceased). Like Bernice Hibbert and Martha Quimby, she is one of the less notable characters who hardly ever speaks. According to the episode, "A Star Is Born-Again", at the Jellyfish dance Clancy mentions she was more beautiful at that moment than the day he arrested her. She giggles in reply. He then mentions he only planted the crystal meth on her so she would "notice" him. Sarah (according to Clancy) is his "home force". In the episode, "Grade School Confidential", she immediately dials the authorities to Clancy's command. Her appearance, facially in particular, is reminicent of Ralph.
In the season nineteen episode "Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind", it is revealed that Marge does not like Sarah very much.
Sea Captain
Horatio McCallister, also known as The Sea Captain is a sea captain (voice of Hank Azaria) with a West Country accent. On several occasions, he acknowledges his incompetence with a depressed: "Yarr, I don't know what I'm doin'." He is a member of the Springfield Alcoholics Anonymous and has a literal "wooden leg" in which he keeps liquor. In "Bart of War" he uses his wooden leg to have a vicious sword fight with Sideshow Mel's bone.
As an entrepreneur, McCallister is equally incompetent. His restaurant, The Frying Dutchman, is a failing business venture that does not generate enough income to support its owner. In the episode Lisa Gets an "A", the captain appears as a penniless bum. When seeing Homer and Marge walking Homer's pet lobster at the beach, he approaches them and claims that he runs a "small academy for lobsters." However, when Marge refuses to send the lobster away to "some snobby boarding school," McCallister asks her for spare change instead. He attacked a giant squid in Homer's Barbershop Quartet, looking for gold he believed was in its belly.
His only main roles were in episodes New Kid on the Block and in The Wettest Stories Ever Told. In the first one Homer sues his restaurant The Frying Dutchman because they kicked him out at the restaurant's closing time before Homer had eaten all he could eat. In the second one he can't bring the Simpsons their food for numerous reasons like the "chef having problems with tonight's special", which was a squid and later offers to bring them food from another restaurant, Marge asks if he could bring food from Red Lobster but he says "yar, not that good'a restaurant".
Snake Jailbird
Snake Jailbird (voiced by Hank Azaria), or simply "Snake" as he is usually referred to, is Springfield's resident recidivist felon, always getting arrested but rarely appearing to stay in jail. He speaks with a "Valley Boy" accent, mixed with a hint of upper-class English that belies his criminal status. He is partial to fast cars and fast women, and has a knack for reckless abandon.
Snake first appeared in the season two episode "The War of the Simpsons". His name was first mentioned by Sideshow Bob in "Black Widower". In the script, the writers had simply mentioned a character named Snake and it had been the directors who had assigned that existing character design to the name.[33] Snake's voice is based on Hank Azaria's old college roommate.[34]
Snake's real name, according to an official trading card, is Chester Turley. However, many of the official trading cards have some untrue and contradictory facts and so the name may not be considered canon. Snake is also referred to as Jailbird (his original name) by the crew of the Simpsons. In the episode "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story," Lisa tells a story in which Snake refers to himself as Professor Jailbird.
Snake has been shown to have a son, whose name is shown as Jeremy in one episode. He appears to be raising his son to be much like himself: in the episode "Pygmoelian", he helps his son steal Lisa's bicycle, and beams with pride when his son exclaims, "Daddy, I'm stealing!" His ex-girlfriend Gloria (who is awkwardly a cop) briefly dated Montgomery Burns, but then came back to him. Gloria has been played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus on two occasions.
Squeaky Voiced Teen
Squeaky Voiced Teen, also known as Jeremy Freedman (voiced by Dan Castellaneta), is one of few teenagers on the show and is perpetually trapped in a series of dead-end jobs that don't lead him anywhere. He is seen working in many establishments before being fired or quitting. He is also referred to as "Pimple-faced teen", "Pimple-faced kid", "Puberty Boy", "Geeky Teenager", and, on one occasion, "Old Man Peterson". The Squeaky Voiced Teen has acne vulgaris, and his voice is in the process of breaking. The Squeaky Voiced Teen's personality is shy, pathetic, miserable, and awkward. He is often concerned about others and usually reports them to his boss; however, when he very rarely is the boss himself, he seizes opportunity and becomes stubborn and demanding.
He appeared in the opening sequence of one episode, kissing an attractive blonde girl on the couch. In the introductory sequence of another episode, he appeared as a valet getting the Simpsons' couch for them. In Fraudcast News he attempted to commit suicide because FOX canceled Futurama. In "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays", he lost his squeaky voice to "become a man," after Lindsey Naegle suggested that the adults "kill every child...-friendly thing in town." Seymour Skinner refers to the character as "Jeremy" in a deleted scene on The Complete Fifth Season DVD. In "Bart of War", he was seen fighting the Wiseguy character (another character with a series of dead-end jobs). He appears on the 10th season DVD box on both the front and side, as well as the plastic cover for the limited edition Bart Simpson head box.
In the season 7 episode "Team Homer", it is implied that Lunchlady Doris is actually his mother, when tells Homer that he can't give a bowling lane to his own mother and she replies "I have no son." There are two hints as to his surname: in the episode "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy", Abraham Simpson refers to him as "Mr. Peterson"; and in "G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)", he is referred to as "Mr. Freedman" by Dolph. In the series six episode "Bart vs. Australia", in a souvenir shop there is an "Australian" version of the Squeaky Voiced Teen.
Veterinarian
Veterinarian is the Doctor who performs Santa's Little Helper operation for a twisted stomach in "Dog of Death". In "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show" and "Another Simpsons Clip Show", he appears in the hospital again. He has not appeared since Season 6's "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)", when he looks after Santa's Little Helper again.
The Winfields
The Winfields were an elderly couple who lived next door to the Simpsons. They first appeared in the Season One episode "Homer's Odyssey". The couple eventually moved away from the Simpsons in the Season Four episode "New Kid On The Block", which was also their last speaking appearance. The couple also appeared in the Season Two episodes "Simpson and Delilah" and "Bart's Dog Gets An F", in which the wife is named as Sylvia. The couple also appear in the opening credits of The Simpsons during the segment where Marge and Maggie pass many characters while driving to their house.
Wiseguy
Wiseguy (also commonly known as the Sarcastic Clerk, The Sarcastic Middle-Aged Clerk, cabby, Raphael, or middle-aged man), voiced by Hank Azaria, is a man with a sarcastic outlook on life. He has held numerous jobs in Springfield including: garage owner, mail man, taxi driver, gun salesman, and various shop clerks (in earlier episodes, he's seen as the clerk to the Springfield Mall pet store called "All Creatures Great and Cheap") and handymen. He has an apparent dislike to Comic Book Guy, presumably because both of them are the most sarcastic characters on the show. However, his most-occurring job is a repo-man, of which (when he "accidentally" hurts Milhouse when cutting the PE rope that Milhouse is climbing) he says “Ha ha! I love this job!” (in “The President Wore Pearls”). He is usually seen as a balding smoker with gray hair and a gray moustache. His voice , which is also sometimes "used" by other characters, is intended to resemble Charles Bronson, as seen when the Simpsons try to travel to Branson, Missouri, but mistakenly end up in Bronson, Missouri first. He often calls people “pallie,” or “boyo". In “Day of the Jackanapes”, Sideshow Bob identifies his first name as Raphael.
Yes Guy
The Yes Guy (also 'The Frank Nelson Type'[35]) is a character known for bellowing "Ye-e-e-es?!" in a rising inflection, and appears to be highly eccentric in both his speech and appearance, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. During his first appearance, in "Mayored to the Mob", Homer asks "Why do you talk like that?"; Yes-Guy's response was "I had a strooooooke!" He also made an appearance in "Homer vs. Dignity" of Season Twelve. During "The Great Louse Detective", he enjoys Marge Simpson's hair rubbing upon his buttocks. He is often seen working at Costington's department store, and appears to be on good terms with the owner. He is juror number twelve of the Springfield Panel of Jury ("The Monkey Suit"), and also an executioner at Springfield Prison ("The Frying Game")
He is a tribute to a recurring Frank Nelson character from The Jack Benny Program, I Love Lucy, and Sanford and Son, whose trademark greeting in all his characters was a loud, drawn-out "Yeeeeesss?!" Inexplicably, the original character could always be found working behind the service counter of whatever shop Benny or Fred Sanford might be patronizing, and his Simpsonian counterpart is equally omnipresent. There was also a Brazilian version seen in the episode "Blame It on Lisa", uttering a Portuguese variation of the catchphrase: "Siiiim?!" The Yes-Guy shares the physical characteristics of his antecedent: he can be described as a rather squat, stocky man with a mustache, and black hair receding into a widow's peak.
See also
- List of characters in The Simpsons
- List of one-time characters from The Simpsons
- List of guest stars on The Simpsons
- List of animals in The Simpsons
- Springfield Mafia
- Springfield Elementary School
- Springfield Elementary School students
- List of celebrities in The Simpsons
References
- ^ Larry Carroll (2007-07-26). "'Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers". MTV. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
- ^ Ron Hauge (writer) (1997-04-13). "The Canine Mutiny". The Simpsons. Season 8. Episode 12. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ Ron Hauge (writer) (1997-04-13). "The Canine Mutiny". The Simpsons. Season 8. Episode 12. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ Ron Hauge (writer) (2007-05-13). "Stop, or My Dog Will Shoot!". The Simpsons. Season 18. Episode 20. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ Ian Maxtone-Graham (writer) (2003-04-27). "Dude, Where's My Ranch?". The Simpsons. Season 14. Episode 18. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ Joel H. Cohen (writer) (2006-05-21). "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play". The Simpsons. Season 17. Episode 22. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ Daryl L. Coley TV.com. URL accessed on December 7 2006
- ^ Daryl L. Coley TV.com. URL accessed on December 7 2006
- ^ Al Jean, Mike Reiss (writers) (1995-04-30). "'Round Springfield". The Simpsons. Season 6. Episode 22. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ 'Round Springfield The Simpsons.com. URL accessed on 14 December 2006
- ^ Al Jean, Mike Reiss (writers) (1995-04-30). "'Round Springfield". The Simpsons. Season 6. Episode 22. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ Quotes from "'Round Springfield":
Bleeding Gums: "I don't really have a family, all I had was a little brother who grew up to become a doctor. He used to laugh at the most inappropriate times."
Dr. Hibbert: "(laughs at an inappropriate time) Hey I've got an older brother that I'll never see. He's a jazz musician or some such. Oh well, bye, bye." - ^ Matt Groening, DVD commentary for the episode "'Round Springfield"
- ^ Dan Higgins Biography Dan Higgins.net. URL accessed on December 15 2006
- ^ Opening Sequence SNPP.
- ^ Andrew Kreisberg (writer) (2003-02-16). "Barting Over". The Simpsons. Season 14. Episode 11. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ Quotes from "The Italian Bob" Brandine: "You are the most wonderful husband and son I ever had."
- ^ J. Stewart Burns (writer) (2005-02-20). "There's Something About Marrying". The Simpsons. Season 16. Episode 10. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ Lawrence Talbot (writer) (2005-03-13). "Goo Goo Gai Pan". The Simpsons. Season 16. Episode 12. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ The Simpsons "Yokel Chords" - March 4, 2007
- ^ The Simpsons "Yokel Chords" - March 4, 2007
- ^ DVD commentary; episode 8F13
- ^ The Simpsons "The Parent Rap" - November 4, 2001
- ^ The Simpsons "The Parent Rap" - November 4, 2001
- ^ The Simpsons "Brake My Wife, Please" - May 11, 2003
- ^ [[1]]
- ^ a b Jean, Al (2001). The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "There's No Disgrace Like Home" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
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(help) - ^ Azaria, Hank (2004). The Simpsons The Complete Fifth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
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(help) - ^ Groening, Matt (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "The Twisted World of Marge Simpson" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
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(help) - ^ Mike Scully (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Girly Edition" (DVD). 20th Century Fox. Event occurs at 1:51.
- ^ Bob Bendetson (writer) (2002-03-31). "Blame It on Lisa". The Simpsons. Season 13. Episode 15. Fox Broadcasting Company.
- ^ DVD commentary; episode 7G01
- ^ Mentioned in the DVD commentary for "Black Widower"
- ^ Azaria, Hank (2004). The Simpsons The Complete Fifth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
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(help) - ^ Groenig, Matt and McCann, Jesse L.: The Simpsons—One Step Beyond Forever, page 54.