The Simpsons will soon be entering into its 26th season. Throughout the course of its run, the show has been the recipient of an unprecedented 31 Primetime Emmys, a Peabody, and countless other awards. There are many things that distinguish the series as one of the the best shows of all time: the scripts, the voice actors, and the creative use of celebrity guest stars. And while there have been many appearances over the course of the 500+ episode run, here are the top five all-time celebrity guest appearances on The Simpsons.
1. Leonard Nimoy The actor (best known for playing T.V.’s favorite half-Vulcan Mr. Spock) has visited Springfield a couple of times. The first time, it was for the “Marge Vs. The Monorail” episode, which featured Phil Hartman as the voice of an early 20th century style con-man (a la The Music Man). During an interview moderated by Conan O’Brien (who, incidentally, conceived the idea for the episode), it was revealed that George Takei was the original first choice for the episode, but he declined. Nimoy seized the opportunity, and he even returned to Springfield for “The Springfield Files.”
2. Stan Lee Legendary comic book creator Stan Lee stars as himself in season 13, episode 18, “I Am Furious (Yellow)” (April 28, 2002). In the show, Bart creates a Homer-inspired Internet cartoon called “Angry Dad” about his father’s rage-filled exploits, leading Homer to self-reflect and look for new strategies to manage his anger. Stan Lee plays a pivotal role in the episode when he shows up at comic shop The Android’s Dungeon and sees Bart’s initial stabs at a comic. While Stan notes that Bart’s early attempts are lackluster, he also encourages Bart to keep trying and to find his own voice as an artist.
3. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson Duchovny and Anderson shared the screen with Nimoy in the above-mentioned “The Springfield Files.” When Homer has an alien sighting after 10 beers at Moe’s Tavern, the FBI takes interest. Mulder and Scully are sent to Springfield to investigate — but find no evidence, though they put Homer through a series of tests that involves a polygraph and jogging on a treadmill. Also memorable is the twist ending, wherein it is revealed that the alien isn’t an alien after all, but is in fact…you’ll just have to look for the episode when it airs as part of FXX’s 12 Day Marathon (FXX is on some cable packages and DTV has a free “extras” trial that includes FXX – info here)
4. Stephen Hawking Theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking played himself in season 10, episode 22, “They Saved Lisa’s Brain” (May 9, 1999). In the episode, Lisa is invited to join the Springfield chapter of genius organization MENSA; the chapter quickly takes over the town in an attempt to promote rule by the brightest rather than the lowest-common denominator. When chaos ensues, Hawking visits and provides the voice of reason, ending the riots and eventually sharing a beer with Homer at Moe’s. Hawking has spoken warmly about the series, and was reportedly honored to take part in an episode.
5. Richard Dawkins Controversial evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins played an even more controversial role on The Simpsons. In season 24, Dawkins appeared as a demon in Ned Flanders’ nightmare in episode 15, “Black-Eyed Please” (March 10, 2013). In the episode, Flanders is struggling with his conscience after punching Homer in the eye (a result of his parents preferring his buffoonish neighbors company to his own). As he repents for his violence, Flanders has a disturbing dream in which Dawkins appears as a manifestation of Satan.
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