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Thursday, June 16, 2022

Whatever happened to Herman? (and other Simpson characters)?

 







  Knowing this show has lasted too long, there are bound to be some characters in the show that you don't see much anymore, and I don't mean one-time only characters. I mean some you see in the background and don't get much of a speaking role.











 So, who's Herman? Well...this character wasn't much developed till seasons six to nine. But his first appearance was in the first season. He knows Grandpa Simpsons, runs military antique store and well...around the sixth and seventh season, we see a darker side of him. Running a counterfeiting jean ring, pulling a Pulp Fiction skit on two people and well...after that, he's only moved to the background. He is voiced by Harry Shearer and his voice is distinctive to George H.W. Bush.











Besides him, there have to be other characters that are seen less on the show. Without them being one-time characters. Here are a few more that you don't see often in later episodes.









  Another character you have barely seen since season nine was the school psychologist named Dr. J Loren Pryor. He would help out children with their problems, although I think he wasn't used in later seasons. He might just be shown once in a while. He got his start on the second season when Bart was failing 4th grade. Now...you don't see him much. Harry Shearer voiced this character as well











   Seen once in a while, so not considered a one-time character, Lucious Sweet was modeled after Don King. He started to come in after the episode, "the Homer they fall" Training to box, but soon Moe's old coach, Lucious Sweet decides to challenge Moe with his Boxer who is another version of Mike Tyson. We have seen him once in a while, but since the voice actor, Paul Winfield, passed away, it doesn't look as if he's coming back.











   On this show, you would remember news actors like Kent Brockman and a few other people that work with him. There was another character named Dave Shutton. He started to come around the first and second season of the show. Especially when Bart finds a three eyed fish in the lake. After season seven, he kind of disappeared, so what happened to him? Maybe he got fired from the news is mysteriously somewhere else. Now, he's just known as a background character.











  If you ever seen a character that looks seasick or about to throw up, it's one of Springfield Elementary's students Wendell. Not seen much, more considered a background character. You would get more attention from Milhouse or Ralph, but not this kid. Voiced by the late Russi Taylor, he would be seen throwing up, or not feeling well. He could even be seen about to drown sometimes. This kid is more known to be in the background and nowhere else.









   Dr. Colussis is considered a mad doctor that you don't see much since he broke out of prison season seven. Ok, he was let go for a crime he didn't commit. The shooting of Mr. Burns. The most seen episode since who shot JR? on Dallas. 

   Since then, he's mostly in the background, you don't see or hear him much because well he was just brought for that one joke in season seven. I guess that's why you won't see him much anymore











   With Fat Tony's gang, you see him with two men named Legs and Louie. But on occasion, you would see this other guy who is known for squealing. Is name: Frankie the Squealer. He gets shot a lot but survives the barrage of bullets. That, or he's invincible. I guess you only see him when someone in Fat Tony's group blurred out a secret and he's the one that is always targeted. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. 








    We all know what happened to Maude Flanders. Her demise is because of a voice actress wanting more money. Instead, she just left briefly before coming back. Maude, however, was killed off. How did many people feel about that? Well...I wasn't shocked, more disappointed. She was one character she didn't get to branch out more. They should have killed off Helen Lovejoy. Maude is only back once in a while through visons or someone reminiscing their past.











    Dr. Marvin Monroe was known as the therapist for the Simpson family in the early seasons. However, around the seventh season, it is told that he died. But he came back saying he was very sick. In a recent Halloween episode, his ghost is seen and has been stuck in limbo. What's going on? Ok, here's the truth. The voice actor, Harry Shearer, said that voicing that character put a huge strain on his vocal cords. I don't blame him. The voice hurts my ears, and his throat.











   Otto Mann, this guy drives a bus and plays guitar. He is seen once in a while in later seasons, but he was more known in the earlier seasons. Staying with the Simpsons, almost getting married, having drug trips, but...in the later seasons, he hasn't been around. Found out Harry Shearer was getting tired of voicing this character. Instead of killing him off, he just ended up in the backgrounds. Sometimes is seen singing and dancing, but not much lately.










  I've already talked about this character not being seen touch much, so I'll give you the short detail. Roger Meyers Jr. was the son of Roger Meyers Sr. who was like the Walt Disney of the Simpson era. Creating Itchy and Scratchy and also known for making a character called Poochie. He was voiced by two actors. Sadly, Alex Rocco passed away, and since then...it seemed they just placed him in the background since then.













    Lunch lady Doris was known for being a sarcastic lunch lady who didn't care about the helth of the children. After season seven, the original voice actress of her passed away from Cancer. She was considered a background character until the great Tress MacNeil decided to take over the role. She's seen once in a while, but not as much as in the earlier episodes.











    Around season four, the Simpsons got a new neighbor named Ruth Powers. A divorced woman who has a teenage daughter. In later seasons, she hasn't been around until Marge finds out that she has gained muscles. After that, you don't see her much. Not even the daughter. I guess she just was forgotten and placed in the background. Pamela Reed was known for voicing her. But, I guess in later seasons, the voice acting changed.










  There are way too many background characters in this show. Some memorable, some forgetful. For me, I just enjoy the past episodes that some of these characters are known for. It's as if placing more characters in the fictional town of Springfield is going to make other characters vanish. Enjoy the past and enjoy the characters before they are seen no more.


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