# A Shadow Has Fallen On Middle Springfield-Who should be who in The Simpsons do LotR? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2002, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722 "2002-04-04T04:14:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/1 "2002-04-04T04:14:38Z")
This is an idea that’s been kicking around in my head for a while now, nagging at me to post it. It seems like a perfect match…both worlds have legions of minor characters we can have endless fun matching up. Heck, if they ever make a Simpsons movie, I think this would be perfect. Anyway, without further ado, some of my own ideas: Some of the choices are obvious; Mr. Burns, for example, would have to be Sauron. Mr. Smithers would be the Mouth of Sauron. Bart would be Frodo, and Milhouse would be Sam. I think it would make good thematic consistency to just use the kids as Hobbits, so…Lisa as Rosie Cotton? Maybe Rod and Todd as Merry and Pippin? And Nelson and the other bullies could be some of Saruman’s Hobbit flunkies from “The Scouring of the Shire”. Speaking of Saruman…he’s a tough one to cast, but I submit for your consideration: Comic Store Guy. Something about his whole attitude makes him suitable for that role, I think. Hard to put my finger on exactly what though. For the innkeeper at Bree, Barliman Butterbur(sp?), I would suggest Apu. For the Ringwraiths, police chief Wiggum and his crew. Groundskeeper Willie was born to be Gimli the dwarf. Ned Flanders could maybe be Elrond. Homer would be Bilbo. And can anyone else see Otto the bus driver as Tom Bombadil? I have no idea, though, who would be Gandalf. Or what part Marge might play. Not to mention the dozens of other characters that need to be matched up. So, I submit this to the good people of the SDMB. Let’s hear your ideas. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/2 "2002-04-04T04:40:12Z")
Duff Man is Boromir. Nelson is the Witch-King. Professor Frink is Radagast. Moe is Elrond. And I don’t know what you were thinking, but Chief Wiggum is _definitely_ Butterbur. This could be a really good Halloween episode. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/3 "2002-04-04T04:44:06Z")
Homer would make a good hobbit. Any decent hobbit would rather hang out at Moe’s drinking Duff ale than go on an adventure. So, make Homer Bilbo Baggins. That makes Bart Frodo. He’d have his pal Milhous as Sam Gamgee. I guess the Reverend would be Gandalf the wizard. Make Ned Flanders Saruman. Like Saruman, he’d be the guy others first turned to for wise, moral counsel… and like Saruman, he’d have a knack for making evil suggestions in a friendly-sounding way. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/4 "2002-04-04T04:48:23Z")
Sideshow Bob would probably make a good Saruman. The one-armed Army guy could be Legolas, though he’d be hard pressed to use a bow. Professor Frink is Gandalf 😃 Oh…and the Reverend could be Elrond. Mr. Smithers should be Grima, but that would make more sense if Mr. Burns was Saruman (maybe making Sideshow Bob Sauron?). ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/5 "2002-04-04T04:50:39Z")
D’oh! Ned and Maude Flanders are Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. ---
**Author:** ![Ferggie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@Ferggie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferggie)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/6 "2002-04-04T04:56:17Z")
Marge … hm, Galadriel? ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/7 "2002-04-04T04:57:11Z")
I don’t care about gender, Lisa should be Frodo…either that or that elf queen chick. ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/8 "2002-04-04T05:56:50Z")
Monty Burns= Sauron Lisa = Frodo (even though she’s a girl, I just can’t see Bart being selfless) Bart = Sam (Can we go home now??) Grandpa Simpson = Gandalf (Back in my day Balrogs were REALLY scary!) Smithers = Gollum Homer = Boromir ( Give me the ring Boy! Doh!) Flanders = Elrond Need time to think about the others… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/9 "2002-04-04T06:08:45Z")
Just casting Fellowship first. Bilbo and the Fellowship: Frodo - Bart Bilbo - Homer Sam - Milhous Merry - Lisa Pippin - Maggie Gandalf - Grandpa Simpson (Hilarity ensues) Aragorn - Ned Flanders Boromir - Otto Legolas - Apu Gimli - Groundskeeper Willie Good supporting cast: Tom Bombadil - Krusty the Clown Radagast - Professor Frink Butterbur - Moe Elrond - Principal Skinner Arwen - Edna Krabopple Galadriel - Marge Simpson Bad supporting cast: Sauron - Sideshow Bob Saruman - Mr. Burns Gollum - Barney Gumble (“Precious” would be a beer) Lead Ringwraith - Chief Clancy Wiggum ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/10 "2002-04-04T07:16:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > \*\*D’oh! Ned and Maude Flanders are Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. \*\* Indeed. Flanders’ and Bombadil’s similar speech patterns make the casting obvious. 😉 I like Sideshow Bob as Saruman – he’s got the voice for it, after all. Although Burns-Saruman and Smithers-Wormtongue is good, too. Agnes Skinner, of course, would have to be Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. > [@](#): > > Lead Ringwraith - Chief Clancy Wiggum “That’s some nice wraithing, boys.” ---
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/11 "2002-04-04T08:02:51Z")
Lisa makes a better Frodo. Bart and Milhouse would be Pippin and Merry. Who would be Sam? Ralph Wiggum, of course. For Gandalf I like Dr Nick, and Marge is Galadriel. Reverend Lovejoy makes a good Elrond. Nelson is head of the fighting Uruk-Hai. Ha Ha. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/12 "2002-04-04T08:52:19Z")
I would go with Frodo= Homer Sam= Barney Merry and Pippin =Lenny and Carl Legolas= Disco Stu Gimli= Willie Boromir= Ranier Wolfcastle Aragorn= Apu (I have no idea why that seems to work for me)Gandalf= Professor Frink Saruman= Burns Sauron= Kodos or Kang Chief Orc= Snake Elrond= Troy McClure Gollum= Uter ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/13 "2002-04-04T11:03:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wolfman \* > \*\*Elrond= Troy McClure > \*\* “You may remember me from elven councils such as…” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/14 "2002-04-04T13:32:51Z")
Boromir = Rainier Wolfcastle “Up and at them” ---
**Author:** ![Fingolfin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@Fingolfin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fingolfin)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/15 "2002-04-04T13:47:55Z")
The Simpsons do Lord of the Rings? LOL! That would be soooooo funny! Great picks so far everyone. 🙂 How about **Kang & Kodos** playing the Cave Troll in Moria, as well as any other Troll related roles (Olog-Hai, Hill Trolls, etc.). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/16 "2002-04-04T13:56:53Z")
Kang? The really evil otherworldly being with the great big single eye who wants to rule the world? Aren’t we missing something obvious here? ---
**Author:** ![LiquidLobotomy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/898d66/32.png) [@LiquidLobotomy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiquidLobotomy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/17 "2002-04-04T14:03:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darwin’s Finch \* > \*\* The one-armed Army guy could be Legolas, though he’d be hard pressed to use a bow. \*\* That would be awesome! My $0.02 Marge should be Galadriel. ---
**Author:** ![Fingolfin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@Fingolfin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fingolfin)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/18 "2002-04-04T14:37:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shade \* > \*\*Kang? The really evil otherworldly being with the great big single eye who wants to rule the world? Aren’t we missing something obvious here? \*\* Doh! Yikes! Ok, I stand corrected. **Kang** is Sauron and **Kodos** is the Mouth of Sauron. **Bleeding Gums Murphy** will play in the Troll roles. 😉 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/19 "2002-04-04T16:01:27Z")
Grandpa as Gandalf is just too good to pass up. “I swear on Gandalf’s grave.” “Hey, I’m still alive!” I know she’s a bit young, but I’m thinking Lisa for Eowyn. Patty & Selma have to go somewhere… Barrow-wights? Oh geez, what’s the name of Abe’s friend with the white beard? He could be Gloin. Barney=Treebeard? (“Duff Ent-Draught?”) ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722/20 "2002-04-04T17:04:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gonzoron \* > \*\* > > Oh geez, what’s the name of Abe’s friend with the white beard? He could be Gloin. > > \*\* that would be Jasper [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-shadow-has-fallen-on-middle-springfield-who-should-be-who-in-the-simpsons-do-lotr/101722.md?page=2)