The Major Simpsons Character You Likely Forgot Danny DeVito Played
"The Simpsons" has been on the air for so long that it's arguably become a staple of television in general. The show debuted all the way back in 1989 and has racked up an astounding 33 seasons in that time. While it's arguably not as popular as it once was, there's no denying the impact that "The Simpsons" has had on pop culture in general (via BBC).
With this level of popularity, "The Simpsons" has attracted some major guest stars throughout the years. In fact, it holds a Guinness World Record for featuring the most guest stars in an animated show. These include A-listers like Seth Rogen, George Takei, and Anne Hathaway, among many, many others. However, some fans may have forgotten that the legendary actor Danny DeVito has appeared more than once on "The Simpsons," and he played a fairly major character in the show, with big ties to the Simpsons family.
Danny DeVito played Homer Simpson's brother
Danny DeVito first appeared in "The Simpsons" all the way back in Season 2 of the show, in the episode "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" He played Herbert Powell (per The Simpsons Wiki), the long-lost half-brother of Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta) and a highly successful car designer in Detroit — at least until Homer enters the picture and ruins his life. The character then appears again in the Season 3 episode "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" where he forgives Homer for the events in the previous episode and gets his fortune back.
DeVito's Herbert went on to be referenced a few times throughout the show, and he had an additional, voice-only cameo for the Season 24 episode "Changing of the Guardian." Considering that he first appeared in Season 2, DeVito was one of the earliest big-name celebrities to lend his voice to "The Simpsons," and likely helped open up the door for further A-listers to appear. It was an interesting choice to have him play the half-brother of the main character, but it's obviously a decision that paid off, as the character continued to be remembered throughout the show's run.