If “connection by name and occupation only” counts, Miss Hoover is named for Matt Groening’s first-grade teacher, Mrs. Hoover. (In fact, the first time she is referenced on the series, Lisa calls her Mrs. Hoover.)
“Duff Man” is based on Budweisers former mascot, Bud Man
Mr. Burns’ character has an especially (ahem) rich basis:
(Burns’ first name is probably a reference to Charles Foster Kane’s, though I like to think the abbreviation to “C.” is also a reference to C. Wright Mills.)
Barney Gumble is in part based on Frank Fontaine’s Crazy Guggenheimcharacter, from Jackie Gleason’s “Joe the Bartender” sketches, as well as Norm Peterson from Cheers.
Given Groening’s professed admiration for SCTV, another likely basis is Bobby Bittman.
Just thought of one previously overlooked - Lucius Sweet, who is exactly as rich and famous as Don King and looks just like him too.
I think they’ll probably be de-emphasizing that connection in future episodes.
Leon Kompowsky was based on John Jay Smith.
Fair use is rarely this simple. Are they creating a facsimile of his persona in order to avoid hiring him? The Simpsons often does Hote celebrities and actors to play themselves. Or are they creating something different, like a commentary or criticism for educational or public comment purposes or creating a parody?
And it’s not for you to say whether he should value the “honor” of being portal rayed that way in lieu of getting his permission.
I always thought McBain was more Jean Claude van Damme than Schwarzenegger. Maybe I’m wrong?
And of course Krusty is part Al Jolson, of the The Jazz Singer fame.
Uh oh. 
Lisa’s dance teacher was based on older Shirley Temple. Rainier Wolfcastle, of course, is also Arnold. The one-shot cowboy actor guy was Roy Rogers.
And to confuse things, “Bill Cosby” appears on six episodes, such as this one: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp22ts2URHs
The first two or three seasons, The Simpsons were broadcast in the Thursday 8PM slot against Mr. Cosby (The Cosby Show); and whom didn’t like the Simpsons, naturally.
Oh, and the Capitol City Goofball is pretty much the Philly Phanatic.
Ron Howard is, I think quite wonderfully, played as a combination of Ron Howard the director melded with Richie Cunningham, perhaps more so in Homer’s mind. And he gets called ‘Potsie’!
“Tappa-tappa-tappa. Tappa-tappa-tappa.” “I’m ever so pissed!”
If nothing else, the timing seems awfully sketchy, since the Louie character debuted on the Simpsons some 23 years ago, and Sivero hasn’t said a thing until now. Is he in debt or something? It can’t be because he’s suddenly offended that they’re parodying a character that he played in a movie nearly a quarter of a century ago, because that would be absurd. Had he done this in say… 1991 or 1992, I could see it, but in 2014, it seems really odd.
Gangster stereotypes seem notoriously fixed to me- Italian american guys with bad hair and fashion sense, exaggerated accents, and some percentage being obese.
I mean, you could make the same argument that the Simpsons could sue David Chase for Fat Tony; he is fat, named Tony, a Mafia boss, etc…
Sivero’s character in Goodfellas just had some gloriously awful hair and eyebrows, and probably stuck in someone’s head as a great visual shorthand for a gangster.
And if Sivero’s not honored, he needs to pull that stick way out of his butt, because that’s super-uptight.
I don’t know why anyone thinks this would be a problem for The Simpsons. Hell, they’ll probably make hay with it.
Krusty’s appearance is based on Homer’s. One of the original ideas for the series was that it was going to eventually be revealed that Homer actually was Krusty under the make-up. This idea later got dropped.
From “The Day the Violence Died” (1996)
Roger Meyers Jr.: Okay, maybe my dad did steal Itchy. So what? Animation is built on plagiarism. If it weren’t for someone plagiarizing the Honeymooners we wouldn’t have the Flintstones. If someone hadn’t ripped off Sergeant Bilko, there’d be no Top Cat. Huckleberry Hound, Chief Wiggum, Yogi Bear? Hah! Andy Griffith, Edward G. Robinson, Art Carney. Your honor, you take away our right to steal ideas, where are they gonna come from?
so Chief Wiggum = Edward G. Robinson
Some men will do strange things for 250 million dollars.