The following is an excerpt ofSpringfield Confidential, the book byThe Simpsonsproducer Mike Reiss, now available forpurchase.
I used to be amazed by Matt Groenings gift for coining names for characters.
But there are interesting origins to some of the characters names.
Dey Street Books
Here are a few.
She later became famous under her maiden name, Julia Sweeney, as the creator ofSNLs Its Pat character.
MR
Dr. James Loren Pryor
Vitti also named the school psychologistDR.
FOX
PRYORfor his prying into the childrens lives.
MR
Edna Krabappel
Barts teacher is namedMRS.
KRABAPPEL(pronounced kruh-BOP-el), yet no student ever thinks to mock her as Mrs. Crabapple.
FOX
The joke here is that wedontdo the joke.
Im not sure anyone ever gets these jokes.
Im not sure Jim is aware of this.
FOX
Doug McClures daughter Tane later told me that her father was aSimpsonsfan.
Tane replied, Yeah, Dad, I think they are.
He watched a little longer, then remarked, Well, its pretty funny!
FOX
Subsequently, Dougs kids would call him Troy McClure behind his back.
MR
Dewey Largo
MR. LARGOis the school music teacher named for a musical term.
Early on, Al Jean and I tried naming Mr. Burns Mr. Meany.
FOX
I just thought cool, they wanna use my name and boom,The Simpsonswas born.
Yeah, if I had a nickel for every time … but its fine.
Its a cute fake story that McKagan tells in his aptly named memoirIts So Easy: And Other Lies.
FOX
MR
Clancy Wiggum
CHIEF WIGGUM:Some of our characters evolved from animals.
Moe the bartender was modeled on a gorillanote the hump in his back and his large muzzle.
And Chief Wiggum was based on a pig; his voice is an homage to Edward G. Robinson.
FOX
Wiggum also manages to be dumber and fatter than Homer Simpson.
Because Chief Wiggum is so true to life.
MR
Credit
Excerpt from: SPRINGFIELD CONFIDENTIAL by Mike Reiss and Mathew Klickstein.Courtesy of Dey Street Books.
FOX
FOX
FOX
Everett Collection
