Dammit, you’re right. Good call – A web search shows that it was Cletus, not Apu.
“Whas gowen on on dis siide?” 
…and then there’s the curious fate of Dr. Marvin Monroe. In a flashback episode he was identified as one of the few Simpson irregulars who died, yet no one can pinpoint exactly which episode he died in.
That’s because Marvin Monroe didn’t die in an episode. The writers hated him so they stopped using him. In a later episode they made a passing reference to Marvin Monroe Memorial Hospital.
Eric
There’s also Homer’s half brother. Apparantly Grandpa wanted to mooch of his rich son but when he got rich again off the baby translator and hasn’t been seen in more then 9 years. Right?
ahem It was a dream. Bart wakes up and then in comes the mysterious green fog that turns people inside out. But then that was a Tree House of Horror episode
Whatever happened to Lisa’s band director? He’s in almost every intro, but I don’t recall him being actually in the show since the early years.
Since Sideshow Bob is out of prison, why hasn’t Cecil been released? Indeed, since this was apparently Cecil’s first offense, he should have gotten out before Bob.
I loved that character, and I want him back!
He was in that episode where Lisa and Nelson fell in love.
<in the band room after class. Lisa makes some comment about Nelson>
Kids: Lisa likes Nelson!
Milhouse: She does not!
Kids: Milhouse likes Lisa!
Janie: He does not!
Kids: Janie likes Milhouse!
Band director <enraged at disruption>: No one likes Milhouse!
There was a meta-gag about this, I think it might have been in the episode where there was a character on “Police Cops” named Homer Simpson who changed from a cool cat into a boob after the pilot. Anyway, Marge noted that that’s just how TV works, some characters aren’t that useful and they fade away. As she’s saying this, a parade of lost characters walk by outside the window, including the band director and the Capitol City mascot from “Dancin’ Homer.” (And some others I can’t remember.)
–Cliffy
FYI, that’s Mr. Largo and the Capital City Goofball, respecitively
How about Pedro, the Bumblebee guy? Whatever happened to him?
Also: Lunchlady Doris- the original voice died, but the character did make several appearances afterwards, including one or two speaking roles by a different actress.
Pedro still appears occasionally.
Doris was such a minor role that nobody (myself included) would notice a change in her voice.
As for, Milhouse losing his pubes, did they actually show pubes fall out of the bottom of his shorts, or are you just joking? It’s been a long time since I saw that episode.
About Uter, he was killed when the school tried to go learn for free at fort Springfield. The reinactors killed him because he didn’t make it to the bus in time.
Oh come now, they wouldn’t really kill him, would they?
Re: Mr. Largo…
He was in that episode when the Simpsons acquire a horse. Again. Lisa doesn’t want the band to play Stars and Stripes Forever at the State Fair (or should I say, State Unfair?).
Pedro the bee guy rocks!
Ayayay! No me gusta naranjas en mi cabeza!
Whoo-hoo! i can translate that! It says: Ayayay! I don’t like oranges on my head!
Are Patty and Selma still on the show? I haven’t seen them forever!
How about the crazy old Jewish guy? “Ol’ gray mare, she ain’t what she useta be, ain’t what she useta be…”
Troy McClure: “What two popular Simpsons characters died this past season? If you guessed Dr. Marvin Monroe and Bleeding Gums Murphy, you’re wrong! They were never popular!”
They mentioned the Dr. Marvin Monroe Memorial Hospital in the second half of “Who shot Mr. Burns?” on the police radio when Homer was seen at the hospital after he escaped. I’d like to know what ever happened to Willy’s scottish girlfriend.
Also, Dr. Marvin Monroe’s grave, with a statue of a couch on it, is shown in the Edison episode (I think that’s the episode…“The Graveyard of the Future” one). The camera pans past all of the characters that have died, including Frank Grimes, “Bleeding Gums” Murphy, and there’s a funny one that reads “Bea Simmons” and then has in brackets “Grandpa’s Girlfriend”.
How about Handsome Pete? He dances for nickles down at the docks.
I don’t think he’s been on since his first appearance.