It may be a time for celebration for quite a few of the show’s guest stars, but today is also about remembering those who have starred and worked on the show.
It’s been nearly a month since Leonard Nimoy died, on February 27, aged 83, and today, it would’ve been his 84th birthday, as he was born on this date in 1931. And it’s been two years since the acclaimed show-writer and producer Don Payne died, aged 48, whose final two episodes, “Labor Pains” and “White Christmas Blues“, aired posthumously in 2013.
Then, in 1992, Homer’s love life was imbalanced as he began to feel mutual feelings for newly-discovered country singer Lurleen Lumpkin, and became her road manager, much to Marge’s jealousy and annoyance, in “Colonel Homer“, one of only four episodes written by show creator Matt Groening, and the only one he has written individually.
And Homer and Marge’s marriage returned to the rocks in 2006 when a game of wife/husband-swapping ended in Homer receiving a nagging old bat, and Marge receiving a love-lost husband voiced by Ricky Gervais in “Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife“, who was also penned by him.
Hence, we come to the birthday section of our Throwback Thursday. James Caan, who voiced himself in “All’s Fair in Ovens War“, was born on this date in 1940. Then, in 1948, Steven Tyler, member of Aerosmith and voice of himself in “Flaming Moe’s“, was born on this date. In 1957, Leeza Gibbons, who voiced herself in “Homer vs. Dignity” was born. Two years after, Chris Hansen, voicing himself in “Loan-a-Lisa“, was born. In 1966, Michael Imperioli was born, who voiced Dante Calabresi, Jr. (a mobster) in “The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and her Homer“. James Iha, a former member of The Smashing Pumpkins, who guest starred as himself in “Homerpalooza“, was born on this date two years after. And in 1972, Leslie Mann, who voiced herself in the critically-acclaimed “Steal This Episode” was born.
See you next week for another Throwback Thursday.