History Creator / HarryShearer

* HeAlsoDid: He was in the {{ADR}} loop group for ''Film/ANewHope'', voicing several minor characters such as Dex Tiree (Gold Two).
** He also contributed to the American ''Series/SpittingImage'' specials as the voice of several characters, chief among them Creator/JohnnyCarson.

* TheComicallySerious: A majority of Shearer's ''Simpsons'' characters are unusually straitlaced for the Simpsons universe, such as Principal Skinner and Smithers.

** He was in the original pilot for ''Series/LeaveItToBeaver'' and potentially could have been that show's HighSchoolHustler in lieu of Ken Osmond's Eddie Haskell. It's not quite a TheOtherMary or TheOtherDarrin situation because he didn't play Eddie Haskell but rather a very similar character named Frankie Bennett.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: During his first time on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', Harry Shearer begged NBC to make him the new executive producer after Creator/LorneMichaels announced that he would be leaving and that Creator/AlFranken was rejected for his "Limo For the Lame-O" report on Weekend Update. NBC said no, and that's how Jean Doumanian was picked to be season six's showrunner.

Harry Julius Shearer (born December 23, 1943) is an American actor and VoiceActor famous for starring as Derek Smalls in ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'', as well as his voicework on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', where he played many characters including squeaky-clean religious neighbor Ned Flanders, cynical preacher Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, school principal and ShellShockedVeteran who still lives with -- and is being controlled by -- [[MyBelovedSmother his mother]], Seymour Skinner[[note]]though the infamous "Principal and the Pauper" episode reveals that the man who calls himself Seymour Skinner is really a street punk named Armin Tamzarian, who took over for a man named Seymour Skinner after he was M.I.A during the Vietnam War[[/note]], [[BadBoss evil nuclear plant owner]] Charles Montgomery Burns ''and'' his increasingly TransparentCloset, sycophantic assistant Waylon Smithers[[note]]leading to a very HoYay-tastic case of ScrewYourself and TalkingToHimself[[/note]], Creator/BillCosby Expy and the town's only competent doctor Dr. Julius Hibbert, sarcastic, often unprofessional news anchor Kent Brockman, Homer's friend and plant coworker Lenford "Lenny" Leonard, Grandpa Simpson's elderly [[VitriolicBestFriends vitriolic best friend]] Jasper Beardley, stoner bus driver Otto Mann, and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger {{Expy}} [[TheAhnold Rainier Wolfcastle]][[note]]He also provided the voice for the "actual" Schwarzenegger, who had been elected President, in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsonsMovie''[[/note]].

* HeAlsoDid: He was in the {{ADR}} loop group for ''Film/ANewHope'', which also led to him voicing several minor characters, such as Dex Tiree (Gold Two).

Shearer was a writer and cast member for ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' during its fifth (1979–80) season, then returned during season ten (1984–85), Dick Ebersol's final season as show runner before Creator/LorneMichaels's return; Shearer can thus be regarded as the UsefulNotes/GroverCleveland of ''SNL'' [[note]]in that he appeared in two non-consecutive seasons[[/note]]. Shearer's reason for leaving ''SNL'' during its tenth season (mid-season): CreativeDifferences (in his words, "I was creative, they were different.") Most of the celebrity impressions he did on ''SNL'' were transferred to ''The Simpsons'': his Vin Scully impression was heard on "Krusty Gets Kancelled" and sounds very similar to Kent Brockman, his UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan impression and mannerisms are the basis for Mr. Burns, and his Creator/RodSerling impression was used on the "Treehouse of Horror" special featuring the story of Bart using his God-like powers to make everyone in town bow to his whims, which parodied the ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' episode "It's a Good Life."

Shearer entered show business as a child actor, appearing in the film ''Film/TheRobe'' and on such TV programs as ''Radio/TheJackBennyProgram'' and ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents'' as well as the pilot of ''Series/LeaveItToBeaver''. After attending college at UCLA and grad school at Harvard, he briefly worked as a high school English teacher before appearing with the satirical radio comedy troupe The Credibility Gap in the early '70s. Later in the decade worked as a writer for the ''Series/FernwoodTonight'' retool ''America 2-Night'' and helped pen the screenplay for Creator/AlbertBrooks' film ''Real Life''.

* FormerChildStar: As mentioned above, Shearer started out doing radio and television work as a child in the '50s.

* MoneyDearBoy: His reason for remaining on ''The Simpsons'', despite his contention that the show's quality went downhill after season four.

* MoneyDearBoy: The reason he stayed on ''The Simpsons'', despite that he feels the quality went downhill after season four.

* TheComicallySerious: A majority of Shearer's Simpsons characters are unusually straitlaced for the Simpsons universe, such as Principal Skinner and Smithers.

Shearer entered show business as a child actor, appearing in the film ''Film/TheRobe'' and on such TV programs as ''Radio/TheJackBennyProgram'' and ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents'' as well as the pilot of ''Series/LeaveItToBeaver''. After attending college at UCLA and grad school at Harvard, he briefly worked as a high school English teacher before appearing with the satirical radio comedy troupe The Credibility Gap in the early '70s. Later in the decade worked as a writer for the ''Series/FernwoodTonight'' retool ''America 2-Night'' and helped pen the screenplay for Creator/AlbertBrooks' 1979 film ''Real Life''.

Harry Julius Shearer (born December 23, 1943) is an American actor and VoiceActor famous for starring as Derek Smalls in ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'', as well as his voicework on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', where he played many characters including squeaky-clean religious neighbor Ned Flanders, cynical preacher Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, school principal and ShellShockedVeteran who still lives with -- and is being controlled by -- [[MyBelovedSmother his mother]], Seymour Skinner[[note]]though the infamous "Principal and the Pauper" episode reveals that the man who calls himself Seymour Skinner is really a street punk named Armin Tamzarian, who took over for a man named Seymour Skinner after he was M.I.A during the Vietnam War[[/note]], [[BadBoss evil nuclear plant owner]] Charles Montgomery Burns ''and'' his increasingly TransparentCloset, sycophantic assistant Waylon Smithers [[note]]leading to a very HoYay-tastic case of ScrewYourself and TalkingToHimself[[/note]], Creator/BillCosby Expy and the town's only competent doctor Dr. Julius Hibbert, sarcastic, often unprofessional news anchor Kent Brockman, Homer's friend and plant coworker Lenford "Lenny" Leonard, Grandpa Simpson's elderly [[VitriolicBestFriends vitriolic best friend]] Jasper Beardley, stoner bus driver Otto Mann, and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger {{Expy}} [[TheAhnold Rainier Wolfcastle]]. [[note]]He provided the voice for the "actual" Schwarzenegger, who had been elected President in TheMovie[[/note]]

Shearer entered show business as a child actor, appearing in the film ''Film/TheRobe''and on such TV programs as ''Radio/TheJackBennyProgram'', ''Death Valley Days'', and ''Series/AlfredHitchcockPresents'' as well as the pilot of ''Series/LeaveItToBeaver''. After attending college at UCLA and grad school at Harvard, he briefly worked as a high school English teacher before appearing with the satirical radio comedy troupe The Credibility Gap in the early '70s. Later in the decade worked as a writer for the ''Series/FernwoodTonight'' retool ''America 2-Night'' and helped pen the screenplay for Creator/AlbertBrooks' 1979 film ''Real Life''.

He also hosts the satirical Creator/{{NPR}} series ''Le Show''.

Shearer got his start on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' during its fifth season (from 1979 to 1980), then returned during Dick Ebersol's final season (1984 to 1985; season ten) before Creator/LorneMichaels's return, making Shearer the UsefulNotes/GroverCleveland of ''SNL'' [[note]]in that he appeared in two non-consecutive seasons[[/note]]. Shearer's reason for leaving ''SNL'' during its tenth season (mid-season): CreativeDifferences (in his words, "I was creative, they were different.") Most of the celebrity impressions he did on ''SNL'' were transferred to ''The Simpsons'': his Vin Scully impression was heard on "Krusty Gets Kancelled" and sounds very similar to Kent Brockman, his UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan impression and mannerisms are the basis for Mr. Burns, and his Creator/RodSerling impression was used on the "Treehouse of Horror" special featuring the story of Bart using his God-like powers to make everyone in town bow to his whims, which parodied the ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' episode "It's a Good Life."

[[quoteright:303:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Harry_Shearer_8375.jpg]]

On May 14 2015, it was announced that he was [[https://twitter.com/theharryshearer/status/598707703020658688 leaving the Simpsons]] as of the upcoming season. In July, however, The Simpsons producers announced they've struck a deal with Shearer, who will stay with the show.

* TheComicallySerious: A majority of Shearer's Simpsons characters are unusually straitlaced for the Simpsons universe, such as Principal Skinner and Smithers.* HeAlsoDid: He was in the {{ADR}} loop group for ''Film/ANewHope'', which also led to him voicing several minor characters, such as Dex Tiree (Gold Two).

* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: In a particular "TreehouseOfHorror"'s credits, all of the members of the core voice actors have Halloween [[PunnyName pun names]]...except Shearer.

Shearer got his start on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' during its fifth season (from 1979 to 1980), then returned during Dick Ebersol's final season (1984 to 1985; season ten) before LorneMichaels's return, making Shearer the UsefulNotes/GroverCleveland of ''SNL'' [[note]]in that he appeared in two non-consecutive seasons[[/note]]. Shearer's reason for leaving ''SNL'' during its tenth season (mid-season): CreativeDifferences (in his words, "I was creative, they were different.") Most of the celebrity impressions he did on ''SNL'' were transferred to ''The Simpsons'': his Vin Scully impression was heard on "Krusty Gets Kancelled" and sounds very similar to Kent Brockman, his UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan impression and mannerisms are the basis for Mr. Burns, and his Creator/RodSerling impression was used on the "Treehouse of Horror" special featuring the story of Bart using his God-like powers to make everyone in town bow to his whims, which parodied the ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' episode "It's a Good Life."

* TheComicallySerious: A majority of Shearer's Simpsons characters are unusually straitlaced for the Simpsons universe, such as Principal Skinner and Smithers.

Harry Shearer (December 23, 1943-) is an American actor and VoiceActor famous for starring as Derek Smalls in ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'', as well as his voicework on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', where he played many characters including squeaky-clean religious neighbor Ned Flanders, cynical preacher Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, school principal and ShellShockedVeteran who still lives with -- and is being controlled by -- [[MyBelovedSmother his mother]], Seymour Skinner[[note]]though the infamous "Principal and the Pauper" episode reveals that the man who calls himself Seymour Skinner is really a street punk named Armin Tamzarian, who took over for a man named Seymour Skinner after he was M.I.A during the Vietnam War[[/note]], [[BadBoss evil nuclear plant owner]] Charles Montgomery Burns ''and'' his increasingly TransparentCloset, sycophantic assistant Waylon Smithers [[note]]leading to a very HoYay-tastic case of ScrewYourself and TalkingToHimself[[/note]], Creator/BillCosby Expy and the town's only competent doctor Dr. Julius Hibbert, sarcastic, often unprofessional news anchor Kent Brockman, Homer's friend and plant coworker Lenford "Lenny" Leonard, Grandpa Simpson's elderly [[VitriolicBestFriends vitriolic best friend]] Jasper Beardley, stoner bus driver Otto Mann, and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger {{Expy}} [[TheAhnold Rainier Wolfcastle]]. [[note]]He provided the voice for the "actual" Schwarzenegger, who had been elected President in TheMovie[[/note]]

'''Harry Shearer''' (December 23, 1943-) is an American actor and VoiceActor famous for starring as Derek Smalls in ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'', as well as his voicework on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', where he played many characters including squeaky-clean religious neighbor Ned Flanders, cynical preacher Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, school principal and ShellShockedVeteran who still lives with -- and is being controlled by -- [[MyBelovedSmother his mother]], Seymour Skinner[[note]]though the infamous "Principal and the Pauper" episode reveals that the man who calls himself Seymour Skinner is really a street punk named Armin Tamzarian, who took over for a man named Seymour Skinner after he was M.I.A during the Vietnam War[[/note]], [[BadBoss evil nuclear plant owner]] Charles Montgomery Burns ''and'' his increasingly TransparentCloset, sycophantic assistant Waylon Smithers [[note]]leading to a very HoYay-tastic case of ScrewYourself and TalkingToHimself[[/note]], Creator/BillCosby Expy and the town's only competent doctor Dr. Julius Hibbert, sarcastic, often unprofessional news anchor Kent Brockman, Homer's friend and plant coworker Lenford "Lenny" Leonard, Grandpa Simpson's elderly [[VitriolicBestFriends vitriolic best friend]] Jasper Beardley, stoner bus driver Otto Mann, and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger {{Expy}} [[TheAhnold Rainier Wolfcastle]]. [[note]]He provided the voice for the "actual" Schwarzenegger, who had been elected President in TheMovie[[/note]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: During his first time on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', Harry Shearer begged NBC to make him the new executive producer after LorneMichaels announced that he would be leaving and that AlFranken was rejected for his "Limo For the Lame-O" report on Weekend Update. NBC said no, and that's how Jean Doumanian was picked to be season six's showrunner.

* MoneyDearBoy: The reason he stayed on ''The Simpsons'', despite that he feels the quality went downhill after season four.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: During his first time on ''SaturdayNightLive'', Harry Shearer begged NBC to make him the new executive producer after LorneMichaels announced that he would be leaving and that AlFranken was rejected for his "Limo For the Lame-O" report on Weekend Update. NBC said no, and that's how Jean Doumanian was picked to be season six's showrunner.

Shearer got his start on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' during its fifth season (from 1979 to 1980), then returned during Dick Ebersol's final season (1984 to 1985; season ten) before LorneMichaels's return, making Shearer the UsefulNotes/GroverCleveland of ''SNL'' [[note]]in that he appeared in two non-consecutive seasons[[/note]]. Shearer's reason for leaving ''SNL'' during its tenth season (mid-season): CreativeDifferences (in his words, "I was creative, they were different.") Most of the celebrity impressions he did on ''SNL'' were transferred to ''The Simpsons'': his Vin Scully impression was heard on "Krusty Gets Kancelled" and sounds very similar to Kent Brockman, his RonaldReagan impression and mannerisms are the basis for Mr. Burns, and his Creator/RodSerling impression was used on the "Treehouse of Horror" special featuring the story of Bart using his God-like powers to make everyone in town bow to his whims, which parodied the ''Series/TheTwilightZone'' episode "It's a Good Life."