The 25 best minor recurring characters from The Simpsons

We’re going to start where we have to start, which is with a double dip involving the legendary, deeply missed Phil Hartman. He was never a regular on “The Simpsons,” but he still gave us arguably the show’s two most indelible recurring characters. One of them was Lionel Hutz, the worst lawyer in Springfield. Naturally he often ended up being the Simpsons’ lawyer, and one time he was Marge’s boss at a realty business.

You may remember Troy McClure from such films as “The Makeout King of Montana” and “Muppets Go Medieval.” A parody of a washed-up actor trying to keep his career going, McClure would pop up everywhere, oozing the last remnants of his movie star charm. Sure, he did some weird stuff down at the aquarium, but he was always hilarious.

Yes, there have been multiple episodes focused on Sideshow Bob, but he still belongs here. After all, he effectively shows up only when he is the focal point of the episode, which means he’s made about a dozen appearances. Most of them have been excellent, though. Some of the classic early-season episodes involved Bob, the world’s least-effective criminal mastermind, in one way or another.

We have to keep these two together. Lenny and Carl are inseparable as friends. They seem to be Homer’s best buddies and have been since they were kids. Now they all work together at the plant. At first, they were way in the background, but as the years have gone on they’ve gotten more involved. In fact, there’s even an episode dedicated to Carl’s Icelandic boyhood.

Chalmers is the perfect foil to Principal Skinner. Oftentimes, he seems like the only sane man in town. He notices the insanity that takes place in Springfield, and he’s often angry at it. He’s also often angry at Skinner, even if the put-upon principal does steam a good ham.

Kirk is in the running for being the saddest man in Springfield, which is really saying something. After he and Milhouse’s mom, Luann, divorced, things seemed to fall apart for him. Kirk lost his job at the cracker factory, and even sleeping in a race car bed couldn’t undo the sad reality of his life.

If you want a good doctor, with an infectious chuckle, to boot, you go to see Julius Hibbert. If you want it done cheaply, or illegally, you go to Nick Riviera. Hey, at least he always has a lot of enthusiasm. It’s right there in the way he greets people with a happy, “Hi everybody!” Things tend to go downhill from there.

Poor Seymour Skinner. When he isn’t getting yelled at by Chalmers at work, he’s getting browbeat by his mom at home. Yes, he still lives with his mother, and their relationship is, perhaps, a little weird. Whatever you do, don’t mess with Agnes, though. She’s not one to step down from a fight, and she’s got a lot of fire for an older woman.

Disco Stu is a one joke character. He’s a guy who loves disco. And yet it’s always fun to see him. He’s usually good for a funny joke or two when he arrives, and then he takes off just as swiftly — probably to go to a disco.

A lot of characters on this list are goofy and silly. Bleeding Gums is not one of them. In fact, he’s one of the most vital people in Lisa’s life. The jazz musician gave her hope when they first met, and their friendship meant so much...that is until Bleeding Gums passed away suddenly, though he lives on in Lisa’s heart.

Jon Lovitz has lent his distinctive voice to a few “Simpsons” characters, but Artie Ziff stands out. We first meet him as the rival for Marge’s affections whom Homer had to overcome in high school. Homer managed to do it, mostly by being sweet and kind, while Artie was an arrogant know-it-all. Then he would show up later as a rich man…who was still an arrogant know-it-all. But he does have that funny throat-clearing noise!

Like Disco Stu, Duffman is dedicated to one thing. For him, it’s beer, specifically Duff, since he’s the mascot for the beer brand. However, it seems like he is never off the clock, except for the episode when he lost his job. Basically everything he says is funny because of the tone of his voice and his tendency to punctuate every statement with a hearty “Oh yeah!”

Rainier Wolfcastle is a pretty obvious parody of Arnold Schwarzenegger. That’s totally fine, though, because that helps us get some good movie parodies. There’s his epic action series “McBain,” of course, but let’s not forget his role in the failed Radioactive Man movie. And, of course, “McBain: Let’s Get Silly.”

If Kirk Van Houten isn’t the saddest sack in Springfield, it’s Ol’ Gil. Gil just can’t catch a break, though sometimes he seems to bring it on himself. He seemed like a one-off character: a parody of Jack Lemmon’s character from “Glengarry Glen Ross” in the episode where Marge becomes a realtor. Since then, Ol’ Gil has popped up all around town in a bunch of different jobs. None of them seems to last though.

Moleman must be invincible. How else could he still be alive? It seems like he’s had so many fatal accidents, but the small man in the big glasses is resilient. He also has one of the best line readings in the show’s history when Mr. Burns (in a drug fog) drills into his head. Moleman’s reply? A mildly disconcerted, “Oh no, my brains.”

The old man with the hirsute face befitting his last name is often seen hanging out with Grampa Simpson. However, he has also been involved in a couple of memorable “Simpsons” moments. Of course, one was when he froze himself in the Kwik-E-Mart’s freezer. The other is when he was shot by Smithers in his wooden leg and summed up the situation with a befuddled, “You shot who in the what now?

He may sound like a Kennedy, but “Diamond” Joe Quimby would put any politician to shame with his corruption. On the rare occasions he actually does his job, it’s usually just to benefit himself or to keep himself out of trouble. You wouldn’t want him as your mayor, but he’s fun to watch.

For a city that is pretty suburban, there is an awful lot of mob presence in Springfield. The man who seems to run the show is Anthony “Fat Tony” D’Amico. Voiced by Joe Mantegna, Fat Tony has been around the show for decades. He can be fairly gentlemanly, but when push comes to shove, Tony isn’t afraid to get violent, especially if you step on his pretzel territory.

Speaking of mobsters, Meyers is voiced by Alex Rocco, who played Moe Greene in “The Godfather.” His distinct voice gives the animation impresario an unusual level of menace. That’s especially true when he’s yelling at kids to help him figure out what’s wrong with “Itchy and Scratchy.”

That’s right, we’ve got two of Krusty’s sidekicks on this show. Apologies to Sideshow Raheem. Mel isn’t a homicidal maniac like his predecessor, but he’s a distinct character in his own right. From the bone through his hair to the idiosyncratic way he talks, Mel may never try to frame Krusty or kill Bart Simpson, but he’s a really good presence to have on the show regardless.

Yes, he tried to sell us out to the legion of giant ants he believed were about to take over Earth, but we’re still on Kent’s side. Is he good at this job? Not particularly. He seems like a pompous blowhard. However, that makes him a perfect parody of newscasters and one who has gotten more prescient as time has gone on.

Nelson is too frequently involved to make the cut as a minor character, but the other three main bullies in Springfield are certainly deserving. They may make life rough on any kid who crosses their paths, but along the way they have yielded plenty of laughs as well. Just don’t call Jimbo, “Corky,” and don’t get distracted by one of Kearney’s jigs.

Is Professor Frink just a thinly veiled riff on Jerry Lewis’ “The Nutty Professor?” Well Lewis himself voiced Frink’s father in a “Treehouse of Horror” story, so we think you can connect the dots. And yet with every “hoyvin” and “glayvin,” Frink has made his indelible mark on the world of “The Simpsons.”

Otto is the last person you would want responsible for children. He’s a burnout even by the standards of Springfield. However, sober or not (often not), he’s there to drive the kids to school on the bus. There will be the occasional accident, but Otto seems to let it all roll off his back.

Homer’s dad is one of the most-used secondary characters on the show, but his mom was a less frequent presence. That’s because she left when Homer was a kid, and we find out why in the great episode “Mother Simpson.” Mona, voiced by Glenn Close, popped up a few times, but in her last (in person) appearance, she passed away, leaving Homer without his mom once again.