Your Cart is Empty
Have you ever watched some of the Simpsons characters thinking “Who does he remind me of?” Most of these popular TV show characters are actually inspired by real people and some of them by other fictional characters. Even their names are inspired by real-life people! For instance, the creator Matt Groening's parents' names are Homer and Marge (her maiden name was Wiggum), and his sisters' names are Lisa and Maggie. We unveil you the inspiration behind every of your favorite Simpsons’ character.
The actor Dan Castellaneta who borrows his voice to Homer Simpson shared that his inspiration for the voice was character actor Walter Matthau.
Stand-up comic Rich Hall confirmed that he was the inspiration behind Moe: "I suspected that Moe was based on me because I used to write with George Meyer back when he was one of the original writers on the show. Matt Groening was a fan of my stuff. Other people said, 'You look and sound just like Moe.' Then Matt confirmed it."
The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has confirmed that the richest man in Springfield was based on the world's richest man, John D Rockefeller. Animator David Silverman, on the other hand, claims that Burns's is a combination of a praying mantis and Barry Diller, the former head of Fox broadcasting.
Hank Azaria the voice of the Indian character Apu has said that he based his voice on another white actor who pretends to be Indian: Peter Sellers 's character Hrundi V Bakshi in the movie "The Party". However, the fact that white actor voices an Indian character in the show still sparks controversy.
Homer's drinking pal is based on The Jackie Gleason Show’s character Crazy Guggenheim (played by Frankie Fontaine).
The similarity is obvious - Frank Grimes is Michael Douglas’s virtual twin!
The Simpsons B-movie star, Troy McClure, is a fun blend of two real-life B-movie actors: Troy Donahue and Doug McClure. Doug’s daughter shared that his father wasn't offended at all. In fact, he was a big fan of the show and his children would even call him Troy as a joke.
In 2008's “Treehouse of Horror XIX'” Wiggum and Robinson's ghost accuse each other of being rip-offs, and they were actually right! Hank Azaria himself confirmed that Chief Wiggum is inspired by the Hollywood actor Edward G. Robinson.
Springfield's womanizing Mayor was inspired by none other than the American President John F Kennedy. Can you spot the connection?
No need to further explain.
Dr. Nick is an impression of Elvis Presley's controversial longtime doctor George Nichopoulos, who received major backlash when the legendary singer fatally used medications in a dose no reasonable doctor would have prescripted.
Bumblebee Man is a lookalike to a real-life Mexican TV superhero known as El Chapulin Colorado, aka “The Red Grasshopper” played by Roberto Gómez Bolaños. The show was very popular in Mexico.
Springfield's biggest star is inspired by a real-life clown Rusty Nail (aka James Allen) that Matt Groening used to watch as a child. Additionally, Krusty's backstory takes inspiration from the US comic Jackie Mason.
