Phil Hartman Wanted To Bring The Simpsons' Troy McClure Into Live-Action
The late Phil Hartman voiced two of the funniest characters on "The Simpsons." First, there was the ambulance-chasing lawyer Lionel Hutz, who's like Saul Goodman minus the competence, and then Troy McClure, a washed-up movie star reduced to hosting informational videos. With a trademark pink sweater and forced grin, McClure would always introduce himself with, "You may remember me from such movies as..."
Both characters debuted in season 2, Hutz in "Bart Gets Hit by a Car" and McClure in "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment." Hutz was the more prominent of the two, as the Simpsons were no strangers to lawsuits and Hutz was their go-to representation. McClure's parts tended to be simple cameos when characters watched his films, though he did have a starring role in "A Fish Called Selma." It turns out that McClure's had bad luck getting work because the public learned of his fetish for fish. After he marries Marge's sister Selma, he enjoys a brief career resurgence and stars in a "Planet of the Apes" musical.
Hartman wasn't a chameleon, like Hank Azaria (Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum) or Harry Shearer (Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns); Hutz and McClure sound identical. It didn't matter, though, because he was funny as both characters. Hartman was also much more than a voice actor, being a long-time "Saturday Night Live" cast member and a regular on the sitcom "News Radio." Hartman had plans to bridge his live-action and animated work and Troy McClure was the key.
A real Troy McClure movie
In the commentary track for "A Fish Called Selma," Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein mentioned that they developed the episode because they wanted to give Hartman the spotlight. They also revealed that Hartman had talked with "The Simpsons" crew about developing a Troy McClure movie, one in which he would portray the character in live-action. McClure was reportedly Hartman's favorite of his "Simpsons" characters and the character would be able to stand on his own compared to Lionel Hutz, who was by nature a supporting player.
Tragically, Hartman was killed in a murder-suicide by his wife Brynn Omdahl on May 28, 1998. This meant the end for not only the Troy McClure movie but also the character himself; both he and Hutz retired from the show out of respect for Hartman. Plus, neither character would be the same (or as funny) without Hartman voicing them. Hutz's last appearance was in season 9's "Realty Bites," while McClure's was in season 10's "Bart the Mother."
It's unclear what the Troy McClure movie would have been about or if planning even got that far. A (presumed) comedy about a once great, now struggling actor definitely would have potential though. Reporting on the abandoned plans, Vulture noted a poor track record of Hartman's fellow "Saturday Night Live" alums making movies based on their characters, from Will Forte in "MacGruber" or Al Franken in "Stuart Saves His Family." It's unclear if Hartman's passion project could've joined "The Blues Brothers" or "Wayne's World" as an exception. If nothing else, a Troy McClure movie starring Hartman definitely sounds more fun than "The Contrabulous Fabtraption of Professor Horatio Hufnagel."