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Homer's Barbershop Quartet
"Homer's Barbershop Quartet" is the first episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 30, 1993. It features the Be Sharps, a barbershop quartet founded by Homer Simpson. The band's story roughly parallels that of the Beatles. George Harrison and David Crosby guest star as themselves, and the Dapper Dans partly provide the singing voices of the Be Sharps. The episode was written by Jeff Martin and directed by Mark Kirkland. The episode begins with the Simpson family as they attend a swap meet. There, Bart Simpson and his sister Lisa notice a picture of their father, Homer, on the cover of an old LP album. Homer explains to his family that he, Principal Skinner, Barney Gumble, and Apu Nahasapeemapetilon recorded a barbershop quartet album in 1985, which catapulted them to national fame. He narrates to his family the story of how the band formed, reached the pinnac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark Kirkland
Mark Kirkland is an American animation director. He has directed 84 episodes of ''The Simpsons'' since 1990, more than any other director. Career At the age of 13, Kirkland began making super 8 films and working for his father, noted photographer and filmmaker Douglas Kirkland, creating “making of” films for major production companies. This exposure to Hollywood sparked Kirkland's desire to seek a career in the entertainment industry. Kirkland developed an interest in drawing at an early age. At the age of 17, he began studying in the Experimental Animation Program at the California Institute of the Arts for four years, earning a BFA degree. There, he was mentored by people such as Jules Engel (serving as his teaching assistant), A. Kendall O'Connor, Ollie Johnston and Moe Gollub. In 1976, he won the Student Academy Award for animation along with fellow student, Richard Jefferies, for their graphically animated film made to the song " Fame" by David Bowie. After finishing up ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared, along with the rest of his family, in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Homer was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of producer James L. Brooks's office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic strip ''Life in Hell'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his father, Homer Groening. After appearing for three seasons on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', the Simpson family got their own series on Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989. The show was later acquired by Disney in 2019. As the nominal foreman of the paternally eponymous family, Homer and his wife Marge have three children: Bart, Lisa and Maggie. As the family's provider, he works at the Springfield Nuc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
LP Record
The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a vinyl (a copolymer of vinyl chloride acetate) composition disk. Introduced by Columbia in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry. Apart from a few relatively minor refinements and the important later addition of stereophonic sound, it remained the standard format for record albums (during a period in popular music known as the album era) until its gradual replacement from the 1980s to the early 2000s, first by cassettes, then by compact discs, and finally by digital music distribution. Beginning in the late 2000s, the LP has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Format advantages At the time the LP was introduced, nearly all phonograph records for home use were made of an abrasive shellac compound ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Springfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the primary fictional setting of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' and related media. It is an average-sized, fictional city within an indeterminate state in the United States. The fictional city's geography, surroundings and layout are flexible, often changing to accommodate the plot of any given episode. According to the creator of the series, Oregon native Matt Groening, Springfield was inspired by a number of real-life locations (including Springfield, Oregon and Springfield, Massachusetts). However, in order to emphasize it as an example of " Anytown, USA", the location of the fictional Springfield remains a mystery, with various contradictory "clues" being found in numerous episodes of the series. Creation The fictional city of Springfield was intended to represent "Anytown, USA" and not be derived from any specific real-life location. However, the producers acknowledge deriving inspiration from numerous locations including ''The Simpsons'' creat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen ratings, an audience measurement system of television viewership that for years has been the deciding factor in canceling or renewing television shows by television networks. As of May 2012, it is part of Nielsen Holdings. NMR began as a division of ACNielsen, a 1923-founded marketing research firm. In 1996, NMR was split off into an independent company, and in 1999, was purchased by the Dutch conglomerate VNU. In 2001, VNU also purchased ACNielsen, thereby bringing both companies under the same corporate umbrella. NMR is also a sister company to Nielsen//NetRatings, which measures Internet and digital media audiences. VNU was reorganized and renamed the Nielsen Company in 2007. History The Nielsen TV Ratings have been produced in the U ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moe's Tavern
Springfield is the primary fictional setting of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' and related media. It is an average-sized, fictional city within an indeterminate state in the United States. The fictional city's geography, surroundings and layout are flexible, often changing to accommodate the plot of any given episode. According to the creator of the series, Oregon native Matt Groening, Springfield was inspired by a number of real-life locations (including Springfield, Oregon and Springfield, Massachusetts). However, in order to emphasize it as an example of " Anytown, USA", the location of the fictional Springfield remains a mystery, with various contradictory "clues" being found in numerous episodes of the series. Creation The fictional city of Springfield was intended to represent "Anytown, USA" and not be derived from any specific real-life location. However, the producers acknowledge deriving inspiration from numerous locations including ''The Simpsons'' creat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Beatles' Rooftop Concert
On 30 January 1969, the Beatles performed an impromptu concert from the rooftop of their Apple Corps headquarters at 3 Savile Row, in central London's office and fashion district. Joined by guest keyboardist Billy Preston, the band played a 42-minute set before the Metropolitan Police arrived and ordered them to reduce the volume. It was the final public performance of their career. Although the concert had been conceived only a few days previously, the Beatles had been planning to return to live performance since they began the recording sessions for their album ''Let It Be'' (1970). They performed nine takes of five new songs as crowds of onlookers, many on lunch breaks, congregated in the streets and on the rooftops of nearby buildings to listen. The concert ended with "Get Back", with John Lennon joking, "I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we've passed the audition." The entire performance was filmed and recorded, and footage was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is a recurring character in the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He is an Indian immigrant proprietor who runs the Kwik-E-Mart, a popular convenience store in Springfield, and is known for his catchphrase, "Thank you, come again". He was formerly voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". He was named in honor of the title character of ''The Apu Trilogy'' by Satyajit Ray. A 2017 documentary, ''The Problem with Apu'', written by and starring comedian Hari Kondabolu, criticized the character as a South Asian stereotype. In January 2020, Azaria reacted to this by announcing that he and the production crew of the series agreed for him to step down as the voice of the character. ''Simpsons'' creator Matt Groening stated in August 2019 that Apu would remain on the show. The final time that Azaria voiced Apu was in the season 29 premiere "The Serfsons" in 2017; after that episode and as of 2022, the charact ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barney Gumble
Barnard Arnold "Barney" Gumble is a recurring character in the American animated TV series ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". Barney is the town drunk of Springfield and one of Homer Simpson's friends. His loud belches and desperation for alcohol serve as frequent sources of humor on the show, though Barney sobered up in the Season 11 episode "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses". Barney was inspired by the cartoon character Barney Rubble from ''The Flintstones'' and by several barflies from other television programs. In 2004, Castellaneta won an Emmy Award for voicing various characters, including Barney. Barney can be seen in ''The Simpsons'' opening credits since 2009, passed out under a pile of leaves (but still holding his beloved bottle of Duff Beer) and being awoken by Bart Simpson skateboarding over his stomach, causing him to let out his trademark belch. Role in ''The Sim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Principal Skinner
Principal Seymour Skinner (born Armin Tamzarian) is a recurring fictional character in the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', who is voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the principal of Springfield Elementary School, which he struggles to control, and is constantly engaged in a battle against its inadequate resources, apathetic and bitter teachers, and often rowdy and unenthusiastic students, Bart Simpson being a standout example. Skinner attempts to institute discipline at the school, with an uptight, militaristic attitude that stems from his years in the United States Army as a Green Beret including service in the Vietnam War, where he was captured and held as a prisoner of war. He is quick to take orders from his superiors, chiefly his mother, Agnes, and Superintendent Chalmers. Role in ''The Simpsons'' Skinner's actions often involve ensuring the school has adequate funding. His constant, desperate, and usually ineffective attempts at maintaining discipline are an effort to rece ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
LP Album
The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and a vinyl (a copolymer of vinyl chloride acetate) composition disk. Introduced by Columbia in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry. Apart from a few relatively minor refinements and the important later addition of stereophonic sound, it remained the standard format for record albums (during a period in popular music known as the album era) until its gradual replacement from the 1980s to the early 2000s, first by cassettes, then by compact discs, and finally by digital music distribution. Beginning in the late 2000s, the LP has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Format advantages At the time the LP was introduced, nearly all phonograph records for home use were made of an abrasive shellac compound ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. She is the middle child and most accomplished of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa was born as a character in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' short " Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening created and designed her while waiting to meet James L. Brooks. Groening had been invited to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic ''Life in Hell'', but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the older Simpson daughter after his younger sister Lisa Groening Bartlett. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family were moved to their own series on Fox, which debuted on December 17, 1989. Intelligent, kind and passionate about the planet and all living things, Lisa Simpson, at nine years old, is the second child of Homer and Marge, the younger sister of Bart, and the older sister of Maggie. Lisa's high intell ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
