The Simpsons has been using guest stars since the very first season. Some have returned on several occasions, sometimes as different characters (Albert Brooks), sometimes as the same character (Kelsey Grammer), and sometimes as both (Jon Lovitz). By my calculations there have been exactly twelve thousand guest stars on the show so far, so obviously a list of just five is going to be lacking just a tad. Nevertheless, these are five guest stars who stick out in my mind. Got some more? That's what the comments are for. Here we go:
Albert Brooks: Brooks first appeared in season one as Jacques, the man with the fake French accent who tries to woo Marge away from Homer with his knowledge of bowling and women. He later appeared as Hank Scorpio, a rather paradoxical character who is both very friendly and yet extremely evil. I think my favorite Brooks episode, however, was the episode "The Heartbroke Kid" when he played Tab Spangler, a ticking time bomb of a coach who tries to coerce Bart back to health after Bart gains weight and suffers a heart attack. "Every sign is wrong!" He'll also be appearing in the Simpsons movie, which is very cool.
Kelsey Grammer: Fraiser was a decent enough show, but it just wasn't my kind of humor. Give the Simpsons writers and directors credit, though, for creating a character that fit Grammer's strengths perfectly. That baritone voice, the Shakespearean delivery, and the ability to go from calm and collected to stark raving mad all within the same second make Sideshow Bob one of the best reoccurring characters on the show.
Jon Lovitz: While he's know almost exclusively for his comedic performances, Lovitz originally wanted to do serious acting. With a voice that seems tailor-made for comedy, it's difficult to imagine him doing anything else. Still, while the characters he played were all zany and over-the-top (such as Artie Ziff, who has held a torch for Marge since high school), Lovitz brought a depth to them that went beyond simply gesticulating and doing a funny voice. Out of all the (still living) people on this list, I think Lovitz could have easily been a regular performer on the show.
Phil Hartman: Can you believe I almost left Phil off the list? Seriously, what kind of blasphemy would that have been? Of course, it has been almost eight years since his death, but he helped to give life to two of Springfield's best side characters, Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz. His radio announcer voice was perfect for animation, and both McClure and Hutz were responsible for some of the funniest moments in Simpsons history.
Joe Mantegna: There may have been one or two times when Joe Mantegna didn't play mob boss Fat Tony, but I think for the most part he played the character whenever the script called for it. I think what I love most about Fat Tony is the rhythm and cadence of his delivery, the way each word seems so calculated, almost snapping from his lips. "I don't get mad. I get stabby."
Giveaway Monday: How I Met Your Mother season three DVD
Oops! Newspapers around the world use SNL pic as official Palin one - VIDEO
The evolution of TV Squad
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-20-2006 @ 8:36AM
Bob said...
John Waters as the Kitsch Shop owner who introduced Bart and Homer to "the lifestyle" - Favorite moment: the gay steel mill!
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 9:06AM
Shem said...
"Dad, why did you bring me to a gay steel mill?"
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 9:14AM
Scott H said...
I CAN believe your leaving Phil Hartman off the list. He always felt like a regular cast member to me, not a "special guest star". Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz were practically weekly characters in the early seasons, and Phil's voice was as much a part of "The Simpsons" as Marcia Wallace's, or Dan Castellaneta's. The show (and all of us viewers) really suffered a loss when he died.
Otherwise, great list! Danny DeVito was also excellent a few times as Homer's brother Herb. Others that stand out for me were all one-time guest shots:
- Harvey Fierstein as Homer's assistant
- James Earl Jones as one of the aliens (not Kodos or Kang--the one who cooked all the food)
- Larry King reading the Bible on audiotape
- Leonard Nimoy appearing during spooky goings-on
- Patrick Stewart as the head of the Stonecutters
- Dustin Hoffman as Lisa's teacher Mr. Bergstrom
- Jackie Mason as Krusty's father, and
- Michael Jackson as Michael Jackson.
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 9:26AM
MikeD said...
I've always been partial to the Stephen Hawking appearences
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 9:43AM
B said...
I just want to point out that Phil did a lot more voices than just Hutz and McClure. Among others, he was one of the Germans who bought the plant Mr Burns, the monorail con-artist, and Bart's "bigger brother" Tom (in a part originally made for Tom Cruise).
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 10:38AM
James Kew said...
Stephen Hawking.
"IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR TROUBLE, YOU HAVE FOUND IT."
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 10:40AM
RevJonathan said...
Richard Dean Anderson, he was hilarious in a very weak season.
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 10:52AM
kerry said...
Yeah, Dustin Hoffman's performance is probably my all-time favorite guest part on the Simpsons. I love that episode, I love every second of his delivery. It's all great. I think I'll go watch it right now.
I also agree that Joe Mantegna does a smashing job, and when he started doing those Mercedes ads a few years ago I was like "why on earth is Fat Tony doing ads for Mercedes?"
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 11:28AM
Jamie said...
I liked mark Hamell's appearance, although the scenarion of him being sick of Star wars fans was funnier in a Just Shoot Me episode. I also enjoyed the episode in which Mr. Burns hired MLB stars to work at the plant so they'd be eligible to play on the company softball team. That one never gets rerun anymore to my knowledge. Pity.
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 12:39PM
Allen said...
No one has mentioned the legions of musical guest stars that have not only sang, but often been hysterical. U2, The Who, R.E.M., Chili Peppers, Aerosmith, Smashing Pumpkins, Spinal Tap, The Rolling Stones, George Harrison, Paul and Linda McCartney, etc, etc.
Summed up nicely in the following exchange:
Lisa: I got some great advice from Paul and Linda McCartney.
Homer: Rock stars. Is there anything they don't know?
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 1:59PM
kerry said...
Three cheers for the U2 bit in Homer's "The Garbage Man Can" song. I love Bono's "He'll tell you when your arse is showing" line with that bit 'o coin slot hanging out. Brilliant.
The problem with these kinds of lists is that there's so much brilliance in so many arenas that you can't just say "best guest voices," you have to say "best musical guest voice" or "best celebrity as himself" or "best celebrity cameo" or "best recurring guest voice." It just goes on and on and on.
And, really, Richard Gere having the desire to kick Lenny and Carl's asses? Amazing.
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 2:58PM
Brent said...
Phil Hartmann is great, but he is like a regular. Lovitz and Grammer are good choices.
http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/information/lists/guests.shtml that is a list of the guests of the Simpsons. Of people playing themselves, I would pick James Woods. This was pre-celebs playing themselves on the show every week.
Reply
6-20-2006 @ 7:42PM
Blooper said...
Linda McCartney is the only woman mentioned so far. Were there not more good female guests? Does anybody rate appearances by Sarah Gilbert, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathleen Turner, Winona Ryder, or Glenn Close? The one that stands out for me is Kathy Griffin, who was surprisingly good as Francine, the girl who bullied Lisa, until a symposium of geniuses realized she was having a reaction to "nerd smell" (and the antidote was salad dressing, of course).
Reply
6-21-2006 @ 12:50PM
Scott H said...
Kathleen Turner and Kathy Griffin have distinctive voices and had distinctive roles, but otherwise, no, I couldn't easily identify any of the voices of the other women you mention. I did bring up the incredible Marcia Wallace. Looking through a list, I can also find Audrey Meadows, who did a great job as Abe's girlfriend. Cloris Leachman was on as the old woman Bart did all the work for, who then paid him a quarter or something.
But it's been at least 4 to 1 men to women in guest roles. Maybe even more lopsided.
Reply
6-23-2006 @ 2:56PM
TonyD said...
I hate it when celebrities appear as themselves. Imagine if McBaine first appeared as Arnold playing himself- so much less funny and not something that can be an ongoing joke. Maybe its just that I have no interest in celebrities as such.
Phill Hartman was the best, Kelsey Grammer too- but Alec Baldwin? Warren Sapp? Waste of time.
Reply
6-26-2006 @ 1:09PM
Scott Weinberg said...
James Woods at the Kwik-E-Mart is pure gold. I laugh every time I see it. I also liked Steve Martin as the sanitation commissioner.
Reply
7-18-2006 @ 7:20PM
BD said...
You mention Albert Brooks but forget "Scorpio," the employee-coddling boss who happens to be a James Bond supervillain on the side?
Reply
7-21-2006 @ 1:06PM
Phoebe said...
I think your list is really pretty good. Its terribly hard to choose the top five, as there have been so manly guest stars. Some whose roles were better than others. If I may, I'd like to add Meryl Streep. She did the voice of Jessica Lovejoy... and I think what's impressive is that you wouldn't even know its her! She gave that little girl the most perfect evil angel voice.
Reply