From the outset, much of the voice work on The Simpsons was split between six actors: Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer.
Other actors voice some of the recurring characters, such as Milhouse Van Houten, as Pamela Hayden, or Edna Krabappel, as the late Marcia Wallace.
there was also celebrity guests who voice characters who have appeared throughout the show’s 34 seasonslike Joe Mantegna’s Fat Tony.
Phil Hartman: The actor who made his mark on The Simpsons
Despite all the rumors an actor left such an indelible mark on the series, before his untimely passing in 1998, that his status as one of The Simpsons’ best voice actors has been cemented in history: Phil Hartman.
His characters continue to be fan favorites: up to 20 different characters, each given their perfect comedic timing.
His relationship with these Simpsons characters runs so deep that most of themif not all, have not since appeared in the series.
Hartman guest starred on The Simpsons. in its passage Saturday night live Between 1986 and 1994, Hartman played more than 70 characters, including Ed McMahon and Barbara Bush.
His first appearance on The Simpsons was intended as Springfield attorney Lionel Hutz in the 1991 episode “Bart is hit by a car“.
Apparently he really enjoyed working on the series, and the team enjoyed working with him as well. This led to more roles being written especially for him.
Creator Matt Groening himself admitted that Hartman “got the joke right every time”, producing the “maximum amount of humour”. Of the many characters she has portrayed in the series, the three most commonly associated with Hartman, and the most beloved, are Lionel Hutz, actor Troy McClure and snake oil salesman Lyle Lanley.
Troy McClure’s personality was inspired by real actors Troy Donahue and Doug McCleure, which has become a classic of the seventies going from success to making commercials and documentaries.
Hollywood actor Troy McClure, played by Hartman, has appeared in educational videos and commercials and has listed previous work similar to the current project: “Hi, I’m Troy McClure. You might remind me of medical movies like Alicia Is No Longer and Mom, What’s Wrong With That Man’s Face?“.
The very popular Ranked #1 on IGN’s list of the top 25 Simpsons peripheral characters, McClure featured prominently in the classic episode. A fish named Selma.
McClure, whose career went downhill after an alleged passion for seafood, he began a relationship with Selma (Kavner) at the urging of his agent, who noted that his career could be revived if he was seen with a “human woman”.
The advice works, landing him a lead role in a musical version of the film entitled Planet of the Apes Stop Planet of the Apes, I want to get off!
To help his career further, his agent suggests he marry Selma, which he agrees to despite knowing it’s a ruse. But when the agent suggests McClure fathered a child with her, Selma calls off the wedding.
Fun fact: McClure was Hartman’s second character to marry Selma, as Lionel Hutz was briefly married to her off-screen.
The tragic death of Phil Hartman
Hartman’s death hit The Simpsons cast and crew hard, the first member of their close-knit group to die.
As reported by Screen Rant, the actor passed away on May 27, 1998. Hartman went to sleep after an argument with his wife, Brynn. Under the influence of drugs and drugs, she entered her room and she shot him several times in the head, before committing suicide with a bullet to the temple.
The producers of the series have decided not to look for a replacement for Troy McClure or Lionel Hutz, opting to retire the characters directly. It was a sign of respect and an admission that what Hartman brought was impossible to replace.
Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.