Troy McClure

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Troy McClure
Selma Bouvier
(ex-wife)
Relatives

Troy McClure is a fictional character in the American animated series

Selma Bouvier to aid his failing career and quash rumors about his personal life. McClure also hosts "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" and "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase
".

McClure was partially based on B movie actors

tenth season episode "Bart the Mother" four months after his murder. Since then, he has only occasionally cameoed in the background. Since his retirement, McClure has often been cited as one of the series' most popular characters. In 2006, IGN
ranked McClure No. 1 on their list of the "Top 25 Simpsons Peripheral Characters".

Role in The Simpsons

Troy McClure is a stereotypical

Hollywood has-been.[2] He was a star in the early 1970s, but his career went downhill due to rumors of a paraphilia involving fish. In most of his appearances in the show, he hosts short video clips that other characters watch on television or in a public place. He often presents educational videos[3][4] and infomercials.[5] They are often low-quality, highly erroneous and too short and incomplete to be useful. McClure introduces himself by saying, "Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such [films, educational videos, voiceovers, etc.] as...," mentioning two titles that are similar to his current performance. For example, in the episode "Bart the Mother", McClure introduces a film about birds by saying, "Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such nature films as Earwigs: Eww! and Man vs. Nature: The Road to Victory."[6]
When he auditions to voice the character Poochie in "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" (a role he would lose to Homer Simpson), he falls into his introductory style, mentioning his previous role as Christmas Ape.

McClure's most prominent role occurs in the seventh-season episode "

20th Century Fox film called The Contrabulous Fabtraption of Professor Horatio Hufnagel.[8]

In addition to his in-story appearances, McClure appears as host of "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" and "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase". The first is a behind-the-scenes look at The Simpsons, answering questions and featuring extra "never-before-seen" material.[9] The second is an episode presenting three possible spin-offs from The Simpsons.[10]

In other media

McClure was made into an action figure as part of the

Virtual Springfield, introducing the town of Springfield to the player.[12]

Character

Creation

Phil Hartman voiced Troy McClure

McClure was based on the typical "washed up" Hollywood actor.

facelift.[16]

In a very brief appearance in the

season 2 episode "Bart's Dog Gets an "F"", Troy was voiced by Dan Castellaneta.[17]

Development

According to executive producer Al Jean, the writers often used McClure as a "panic button" and added the character when they felt an episode needed more humor.[18]

McClure's character is most developed in "A Fish Called Selma", which provides a more in-depth look into his private life and backstory.

Selma Bouvier, as she was "always marrying people".[2] Animator Mark Kirkland was particularly pleased that McClure was the star of the episode. He enjoyed interpreting Hartman's voice-over performances, and the episode allowed him and the other animators to "open [McClure] up visually as a character".[2]

Throughout "A Fish Called Selma", it is hinted that McClure engages in strange sexual behavior. The writers did not initially know what the "unsavory" sexual preference would be, but eventually decided on a fish fetish, using a suggestion from executive producer James L. Brooks. Josh Weinstein described the fish fetish concept as "so perverted and strange, it was over the top."[2]

Retirement

Phil Hartman was murdered in 1998.

season 30.[25]

Reception and cultural influence

Even after his retirement, Troy McClure remains a popular supporting character.

TV Squad wrote that McClure was "responsible for some of the funniest moments in Simpsons history."[27] Hartman ranked first on AOL's list of their favorite 25 Simpsons guest stars.[28] Chris Turner argues in Planet Simpson that McClure and Lionel Hutz "together ... represent the most significant contribution to the show outside of its permanent cast," adding that "the show's Golden Age is hard to imagine without them."[29] He continues, "The smarmy Hollywood type ... has been done to death, but Hartman's version breathed new life into it with each appearance. McClure has become the apotheosis of the stereotype, a gut-achingly funny reinterpretation whose trademark introduction ... has become a shorthand way to describe any grossly artificial media figure."[29]

McClure's most prominent episode, "

seventh season, calling it the "obvious pick". They also deemed McClure's Planet of the Apes musical the best moment of the episode and "maybe even the whole show".[31]

McClure was one of Phil Hartman's best-known roles. He often used his McClure voice to entertain the audience between takes while taping episodes of NewsRadio. He remarked, "My favorite fans are Troy McClure fans."[32] He added "It's the one thing that I do in my life that's almost an avocation. I do it for the pure love of it."[33] Many obituaries of Hartman mentioned his work as McClure as one of the highlights of his career.[34][35][36][37] The BBC said that "[Hartman's] voice was known to millions" because of McClure and Lionel Hutz.[38]

The title of a song on American indie-rock band Yo La Tengo's ninth full-length album, And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, "Let's Save Tony Orlando's House", is based upon a telethon that McClure hosts in the episode "Marge on the Lam". In an interview with the A.V. Club, Ira Kaplan, the singer and guitarist of Yo La Tengo, states that James McNew, the band's bassist, titled a series of instrumentals from the Troy McClure filmography.[39]

References

  1. ^ a b c Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike (2002). The Simpsons The Complete Second Season DVD commentary for the episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Weinstein, Josh; Oakley, Bill; Silverman, David; Goldblum, Jeff (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "A Fish Called Selma" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  3. ^ Cohen, David; Kirkland, Mark; Mirkin, David (October 15, 1995). "Lisa the Vegetarian". The Simpsons. Season 7. Episode 133. Fox.
  4. ^ Goldreyer, Ned; Dietter, Susie; Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh (March 8, 1998). "Lisa the Simpson". The Simpsons. Season 9. Episode 195. Fox.
  5. ^ Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Reardon, Jim (May 6, 1993). "Marge in Chains". The Simpsons. Season 4. Episode 80. Fox.
  6. ^ Cohen, David S.; Moore, Steven Dean; Scully, Mike (September 27, 1998). "Bart the Mother". The Simpsons. Season 10. Episode 206. Fox.
  7. ^ Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "A Fish Called Selma". BBC. Archived from the original on December 23, 2003. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
  8. ^ Barth, Jack; Kirkland, Mark; Weinstein, Josh; Oakley, Bill (March 24, 1996). "A Fish Called Selma". The Simpsons. Season 7. Episode 147. Fox.
  9. ^ Vitti, John; Silverman, David; Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh (December 3, 1995). "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular". The Simpsons. Season 7. Episode 138. Fox.
  10. ^ Cohen, David; Greaney, Dan; Tompkins, Steve; Affleck, Neil; Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh (December 3, 1995). "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase". The Simpsons. Season 7. Episode 138. Fox.
  11. ^ "Troy McClure". Simpsons Collectors. Archived from the original on September 1, 2002. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
  12. ^ Joe Toledo (October 1997). "Mmmmmm...A Virtual Travel Guide: Virtual Springfield". Animation World Network. Retrieved June 9, 2007.
  13. ^ a b c Groening, Matt (December 29, 2004). "Fresh Air". WHYY-FM (Interview). Interviewed by Terry Gross. Philadelphia: NPR. Retrieved June 9, 2007.
  14. ^
    ISBN 978-0062748034
    .
  15. ^ Weinstein, Josh (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  16. ^ Bird, Brad. (2003). Commentary for "Homer Alone", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  17. ^ Jean, Al (2002). The Simpsons The Complete Second Season DVD commentary for the episode "Bart's Dog Gets an "F"" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  18. ^ Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "Homer Alone", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  19. ^ "Phil Hartman, wife die in apparent murder-suicide". CNN. May 28, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
  20. The Record
    . p. Y8.
  21. ^ Oakley, Bill (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  22. Canoe. December 1, 1996. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link
    )
  23. ^ Richards, Olly (May 24, 2007). "Life in Development Hell". Empire. p. 76.
  24. ^ Perkins, Dennis (January 10, 2017). "The Simpsons gets pointlessly medieval all over its season 29 premiere". AV Club. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  25. ^ Leadbeater, Alex (November 29, 2018). "Simpsons Season 30 Is Marketing Itself In Bad Taste With Troy McClure". ScreenRant. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  26. ^ Eric Goldman; Dan Iverson; Brian Zoromski (February 16, 2012). "Top 25 Simpsons Peripheral Characters". IGN. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  27. ^ Adam Finley (June 20, 2006). "The Five: Great Simpsons guest stars". TV Squad. Archived from the original on November 8, 2006. Retrieved June 23, 2007.
  28. ^ Potts, Kimberly. "Favorite 'Simpsons' Guest Stars". AOL. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
  29. ^ a b Turner 2004, pp. 405–406.
  30. ^ "The Family Dynamic". Entertainment Weekly. January 29, 2003. Archived from the original on May 10, 2007. Retrieved June 9, 2007.
  31. ^ Goldman, Eric; Dan Iverson, Brian Zoromski (September 8, 2006). "The Simpsons: 17 Seasons, 17 Episodes". IGN. Retrieved June 9, 2007.
  32. The Record
    . p. Y–01.
  33. ^ "No raise ... no big deal". Houston Chronicle. May 11, 1998. p. 1.
  34. ^ Joyce Millman (May 28, 1998). "Phil Hartman: 1948–1998". Salon. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
  35. Daily News
    . New York.
  36. ^ Jennifer Weiner (May 29, 1998). "An impressionist who let his voices propel him to fame". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  37. ^ Joal Ryan (May 28, 1998). "Comic Phil Hartman's Tragic End". E! News. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
  38. ^ "Friends pay tribute to murdered comic". BBC News. June 1, 1998. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
  39. ^ Thompson, Stephen (March 22, 2000). "Tengo inside out". The A. V. Club (Interview). Archived from the original on June 14, 2006. Retrieved November 21, 2016.

Bibliography

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