I personally didn’t like the Flintstones movie that came out a few years ago, that’s why I have no desire to see the newest one. But what if they started doing this with all great cartoons? Who would be the best celebrities, living or dead (pretend they’re still alive, otherwise that could be a little bit creepy), to play the various characters for a “live” version of The Simpsons. I think Jeff Daniels would be a great Homer. Marge’s sisters could both be played by Jackie Gleeson. Chief Wiggum could be played by Lou Costello, and come to think of it, Milhouse could be done by Elvis Costello. Stay away from the obvious ones like Hank Azaria as anyone who’s voice he actually does on the cartoon.
Wayne Knight as Wiggim.
Aside from that, there quite frankly is noone that could be the Simpsons. There are a cartoon, and they in my opinion cannot switch from that…
The only way that would work would be a full 3D Simpsons using the same style as Homer[sup]3[/sup] in the halloween episode.
Wasn’t Al Bundy the role model for Homer? Either way, there are enough similarities between the two to make him my first choice…
Holy Don Orville! That would be just perfect.
As long as Lisa Simpson is played by anyone EXCEPT the Pepsi Girl, I’m happy.
I think that Marge’s sisters would be best portrayed by Rosanne (Barr, Arnold, whatever).
French Stewart would make an excellent Waylon Smithers.
Bill Cosby is the human embodiment of Dr. Hibbert.
And, it would be a stretch, but I think that Mike Myers could do a pretty good Groundskeeper Willie.
Tommy the Cat – no stretch at all. Mike Meyers would be an AWESOME Groundskeeper Willy. “I’ve got a turtle head pokin’ oot!”
How about Jon Lovitz (kind of in his master thespian role) as Sideshow Bob?
And Mel Brooks as Krusty the Klown?
OK, now I can’t stop thinking about this. Here are a few more that I thought about.
Katie Segal (Peg from Married with Children) in a blue wig would be a great Marge.
Ray Walston could pull off a role as Mr. Burns.
Walter Matthau, God rest his soul, would have made a perfect Grandpa Simpson.
It would be a stretch, but John Goodman could (maybe) play Barney Gumble.
Tom Hanks could take a smaller role and play Ned Flanders. If he’s not available, Christopher Guest would do great.
The guy who played Babu on Seinfeld (sorry that I don’t know his name) would make a nice Apu.
I’ll put up more as I think of them.
pugluvr - you’re on the money with those two.
I think that the real challenge would be bringing Springfield to life. I mean, I’ve seen reproductions of the Simpsons’ house, they just look like shoddy copies at best. No, you’d need to devote some serious resources to getting it right.
Jeff Goldblum as Frink.
Mickey Rourke as Moe.
Billy Bob Thorton as Cletus.
John Goodman as Barney.
(whoever plays Matthew on “News Radio”) as Smithers.
Sean Connery as Mr Burns.
Wilford Brimley as the Sea Captian.
Horatio Santz (sp? the guy that was on SNL a couple years ago) as Bumblebee man.
Robert Duvall as Milhouse’s Dad.
Barry White as Bleeding Gums Murphy
Chris Farley (yeah, I know he’s dead) as Comic Book Guy.
Howard Stern as Otto.
Carrot Top as Groundskeeper Willie.
Michael Keaton as Krusty.
Joe Pesci as Dr. Nick.
More as I think of them…
Now it’s bugging me, too.
Another candidate for Apu: Fisher Stevens, the actor who played the Indian engineer in Short Circuit.
Dana Carvey as Bart.
Although I hate him, Pauly Shore as Otto the busdriver.
Dustin Hoffman as Moe the bartender.
Tommy Lee Jones as Principal Skinner.
Rosanne and Rosie O’Donnel as Patty & Selma, perfect!
Ben Stein as Principal Skinner and the mom from Malcom in the Middle (I think that her name is Jane Kazmeryck) as Edna Crabaple.
If you were going to stick with the whole Sideshow Bob being an evil genius and going to jail, Michael Richards could be his replacement, Sideshow Mel.
William Macy as Ned Flanders.
Paul Rubens as both of the Flanders kids.
Steve Buscemi as the gun store guy.
Geena Davis as Marge.
May as well go all the way.
Simpson Family:
Homer: Jeff Daniels (thanks, Danmick)
Marge: Geena Davis (BRILLIANT choice, pugluvr)
Bart: Haley Joel Osment, providing no growth spurt
Lisa: Anyone but Pepsi girl
Maggie: Any cute baby
Grandpa: Jack Lemmon, if he’s still alive
Selma and Patty; the Roseannes, absolutely
Casting the kids is hard. Who knows any kid actors, really?
School Staff:
Seymour Skinner: Tim Allen. Think about it.
Superintendent Chalmers: Ben Kingsley
Edna Krabopple: Meryl Streep (eliminating Jessica Lovejoy)
Miss Hoover: Carla Gugino
Groundskeeper Willie: Mike Myers (Brilliant choice, guys)
Otto: Keanu Reeves. Who else?
Power Plant Staff:
Mr. Burns: Ian McKellen
Waylon Smithers: Brendan Fraser
Carl:
Others:
Comic Book Guy: Oliver Platt was born for this role.
Krusty the Clown: Michael Keaton (thanks, Mouthbreather)
Sideshow Bob: Kelsey Grammer, of course
Bumblebee Guy: Cheech Marin
Ned Flanders: William Macy - Brilliant again, pugluvr
Clancy Wiggum: I’d prefer John Goodman over Wayne Knight.
Joe Quimby: Robert De Niro if he can do the voice
Apu: We gotta see if Tony Shalhoub can do this. I love him.
Dr. Hibbert: Gotta be Cosby.
Dr. Nick Riviera: I can see Johnny Depp doing this well.
Lionel Hutz: Darn, can’t have him. Rest easy, Phil.
The Oaf Who Plays McBain and Radioactive Man: Obviously Arnold.
Barney: Philip Seymour Hoffman
Moe: Robin Williams
Rev. Lovejoy: Tommy Lee Jones
I don’t have anything to add, except that is dead-on perfect.
Chris Farley would have made a great Barney.
Of course you’d have to throw Travolta in as ‘Disco Stu’
I’d save Roseanne Barr for the lunch lady and have Bea Arthur as Selma and Patty.
Maybe Ryan Stiles(guy from whose line is it anyway) as Carl.
Okay dammit, if you can have Lou Costello for Chief Wiggum, I can go you one better and have the original model as Chief Wiggum: Edward G. Robinson.
Also, Jerry Lewis as Professor Frink, Robert Newton as the sea captain, Jack Lemmon as Gil (you know, the unlucky salesman guy). Tom as Scratchy and Jerry as Itchy.
I was thinking Tony Shalhoub (from Stark Raving Mad) as Moe, but he’d do a good Apu too (good call RickJay), and Jon Steward as Otto (he nailed it in Half Baked!)