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Mr. Burns

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This article is about the Simpsons character. For the play featuring the character, seeMr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play.For people with the surname, seeBurns (surname).For other uses, seeBurns (disambiguation).
Mr. Burns
The Simpsonscharacter
First appearance
Created byMatt Groening
David Silverman
George Meyer
Based on
Designed byMatt Groening
Voiced by
In-universe information
Full nameCharles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber Burns
GenderMale
OccupationOwner of theSpringfield Nuclear Power Plant
Family
  • Clifford Burns (father)
  • Daphne Charles (mother)
  • George Burns (brother)
  • Colonel Wainwright Montgomery Burns (paternal grandfather; adoptive father)
SpousePersephone Odair (ex-wife)
ChildrenLarry Burns (son)
RelativesEvelyn Burns (paternal grandmother)
Doreena Burns (paternal aunt)
Jean-Claude Charles (maternal grandfather)
Ophelia Charles (maternal grandmother)
NationalityAmerican
Age81–120[1][2]

Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber"Monty"Burns,[3][4]usually referred to asMr. BurnsorC. Montgomery Burns,is a recurring character in theanimated television seriesThe Simpsons,voiced initially byChristopher Collinsand since byHarry Shearer.He is the mostly evil, devious, greedy, and wealthy owner of theSpringfield Nuclear Power Plantand, by extension,Homer Simpson'sboss.He is assisted at almost all times bySmithers,his loyal andsycophanticaide, adviser, confidant, and secret admirer. He is between 81 and 120 years old, though sometimes it's implied he's much older.[1][2]

Although originally conceived as a one-dimensional, recurring dastardlyvillainwho might occasionally enter the Simpsons' lives and wreak some sort of havoc, Mr. Burns's popularity has led to his repeated inclusion in episodes. He is a stereotype of corporate America in his unquenchable desire to increase his own wealth and power, inability to remember his employees' names (including Homer's, despite frequent interactions—which has become a recurrent joke) and lack of concern for their safety and well-being. Reflecting on his advanced age, Mr. Burns is given to expressing dated humor, making references toJazz Agepopular culture, and aspiring to apply obsolete technology to everyday life.Conan O'Brienhas called Mr. Burns his favorite character to write for, due to his arbitrarily old age and extreme wealth.

Mr. Burns'strademarkexpression is the word "Excellent...", muttered slowly in a low, sinister voice while steepling his fingertips. He occasionally orders Smithers to "release thehounds",so as to let his vicious guard dogs attack any intruders, enemies, or even invited guests. Mr. Burns isSpringfield's richest and most-powerful citizen (and also the richest person in Springfield's state; his currentnet worthhas been given as $1.3 billion[5]byForbes,though it fluctuates wildly depending on the episode). He uses his power and wealth to do whatever he wants, usually without regard for consequences and without interference from theauthorities.These qualities ledWizardmagazine to rate him the 45th-greatest villain of all time.TV Guidenamed him #2 in their 2013 list of the 60 nastiest villains of all time.[6]In 2016,Rolling Stoneranked him #8 of their "40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time".[7]

Role inThe Simpsons

[edit]

Mr. Burns spends his time in his office at the nuclear plant, monitoring his workers viaclosed-circuitcamerasinstalled throughout the plant. In "Double, Double, Boy in Trouble",Mr. Burns revealed that he was the youngest of a wealthy family, with eleven children, and all his siblings died of suspicious causes (mostly related to eating poisonedbaked potatoes), leading to him receiving the entire family fortune, although another episode reveals that his surviving younger brother isGeorge Burns.At an early age, Mr. Burns left his family to live with a twisted and heartless billionaire who owned an "atom mill" in Shelbyville (implied to be his grandfather).[8][9]He lived a life of privilege and would amuse himself by injuringimmigrantlaborers.[10]Mr. Burns later attendedYale University,where he studied science and business, joinedSkull and Bones,competed in the "etherweight" wrestling class, and graduated in the class of 1914. At his 25-yearcollege reunion,he became romantically involved with the daughter of an old flame. She would later bear his child,Larry Burns,who was placed foradoptionand would later enter Mr. Burns's life briefly.[11]Mr. Burns has been engaged at least three times: to a woman named Gertrude who died of loneliness andrabies,[12]toMarge Simpson's motherJacqueline Bouvier,[13]and to ameter maidnamed Gloria.[14]

He later enlisted in theU.S. Armyand served as a member of Springfield'sFlying Hellfish squadunderMaster SergeantAbraham Simpsonand saw action in theArdennesduring theBattle of the Bulge.[15]During the war, Mr. Burns, Abraham Simpson (father of Homer Simpson and grandparent to Lisa, Bart, and Maggie Simpson) and some of the soldiers found an expensive portrait in a manor in Germany. They locked it in a case and stated the last surviving member would get the painting (he and Abraham tied when the owner's descendant came back for the painting). Later on, he was shipped to thePacific Theaterand was a co-pilot along with Abe Simpson and his brother, Cyrus. Mr. Burns and Abe were shot down by akamikazeand stuck on an island. At the end of World War II, he was personally hired by PresidentHarry S. Trumanto transport a specially printed trillion-dollar bill toEuropeas theUnited States' contribution to thereconstruction of Europe.As the United States' richest citizen, Mr. Burns was thought to be the most trustworthy. Mr. Burns absconded with the bill and kept it in his possession for many years until it was lost toFidel Castroin "The Trouble with Trillions".In"Homer the Smithers",it is revealed that Mr. Burns's mother is still alive aged 122 years, although Mr. Burns dislikes speaking to her because she had an affair with PresidentWilliam Howard Taftand she refers to him as an "improvident lackwit". Furthermore, because she is so old, the only things she can do (according to Smithers) are pick up the phone, dial, and yell.

Mr. Burns resides in a vast, ornatemansionon an immense estate calledBurns Manor,on the corner ofMammonandCroesusStreets. It is protected by a high wall, anelectrified fence,and a pack of viciousattack dogsknown as "TheHounds".Mr. Burns routinely subjects Springfield and its residents to his abuse and there is a general dislike of him throughout the town. Mr. Burns hasblackmailedandbribedvarious officials in Springfield, includingMayor Quimbyand theNuclear Regulatory Commission.He employed his wealth to make an ultimately unsuccessful run forgovernorto prevent his plant from being closed for safety violations, only to be denied his chance to be Governor byMarge Simpson.He once blocked out the sun to force Springfield residents to increase their use ofelectricityproduced by his nuclear plant and was subsequently shot byMaggiewhen he tried to steal candy from her.[16]

In "Rosebud"from Season 5, episode 4, his birthday is given as September 15. Mr. Burns's extreme old age is a frequent source of humor on the show. He is occasionally referred to as" Springfield's oldest resident "; in Season 2's"Simpson and Delilah",he told Homer that he is 81, although, in several later episodes, he is shown to be 104.[1][17]When Smithers informs him that Mr. Burns's credit cardPINis his age, he types four digits in his answer. It is also mentioned that half of his age is 78, making him 156 years old. WhenLisa Simpsonis researching her ancestors from theAmerican Civil War,she comes across a Colonel Burns in the journal, presumably one of Mr. Burns's earlier ancestors. However, when Lisa mentions him, Mr. Burns replies by saying that he has not heard his father's name in years. The episode reveals that Mr. Burns's father was aslaveowningSouthern plantationowner who inspired the characterSimon LegreefromHarriet Beecher Stowe's novelUncle Tom's Cabin,and that Homer and Grampa are descended from Colonel Burns'srunaway slaveVirgil who fled toBritish Canadawith Mabel Simpson on theUnderground Railroad.In other episodes, Mr. Burns's birthplace is apparentlyPangea,his national anthem implies he was both fromAustria-Hungaryand unaware of its collapse inWorld War I,and he mentions the possibility of an update on theSiege of Khartoum,implying that he was aware of current events as early as 1884. In other episodes, he has instructed a postal clerk to send a telegram to thePrussianconsulate inSiamviaautogyro,and believes anickelwill buy "asteak and kidney pie,a cup ofcoffee,a slice ofcheesecakeand anewsreel,with enough change left over to ride the trolley fromBattery Parkto thePolo Grounds.”[18]Mr. Burns frequently answers the telephone with the archaic salutation "Ahoy-hoy", which was proposed byAlexander Graham Bell,but has long since been superseded by "Hello".[19]In "The Old Man and the Lisa",Mr. Burns'sinvestment portfoliois revealed to consist of long-defunct and obsolete companies such as "ConfederatedSlaveHoldings ", and he learns about theWall Street Crash of 1929and theGreat Depressionfor the first time after checking a very oldstock-ticker.

Mr. Burns's state of mind is the subject of frequent jokes on the show. At times, he appears to be completely removed from reality and modern conventions. He continually fails to recognizeHomer Simpsonor remember his name, even though many of the recent major events in Mr. Burns's life have involved Homer in some way. Mr. Burns is, for the most part, unaware of the townspeople's general dislike of him. He also displays mannerisms that are considered outdated, such as practicingphrenology,writing with aquill pen,and using an antiqueview camerato take photographs. He is also angered when Springfield Elementary children mock his dated car, saying it was "the first car to outrun a man!" Mr. Burns refers to many celebrities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the present tense, assuming they are still alive. In "Homer at the Bat",Mr. Burns instructs Smithers to recruitdead-ball-eraplayers, such asHonus WagnerandCap Ansonfor the plant's softball team, and has to be told that all of them died long ago. He also once rewarded Homer for being the first to arrive at work with a ticket to the1939 World's Fair.However, despite his obvious senility and social ineptitude, Mr. Burns is an extraordinarily clever businessman, as he has lost his fortune several times, only to regain it a very brief time later. In the episode "The Old Man and the Lisa",Mr. Burns loses his fortune and regains it by opening arecyclingplant, which allows him to regain his nuclear power plant. Additionally, in the episode "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story",Mr. Burns loses both his fortune and nuclear power plant to theRich Texanafter losing a scavenger hunt, but eventually gains both backs after a series of events that includes him briefly working atMoe's Tavern.

Mr. Burns is physically weak and is often shown to have little more strength than an infant. In "The Mansion Family",doctors at theMayo Clinicdiscover that Mr. Burns has contracted every known human disease, as well as several that were discovered during his checkup, but that they have canceled each other out in a condition they call "Three Stoogessyndrome; "although a doctor warns him that his physical health is extremely fragile and that" even a slight breeze "could upset the balance between his diseases, Mr. Burns misinterprets his condition to believe that he is invincible. In the intro ofThe Simpsons Movie,Mr. Burns is seen in his bathroom trying to brush his teeth. After Smithers applies the toothpaste onto his brush, he falls over. In "Rosebud"and"Who Shot Mr. Burns?",he needed a great deal of effort to wrench items from Maggie. He has difficulty performing such simple actions as giving athumbs-up,and crushing aninsectby stepping on it, or using a door-knocker. In one instance, when he is told to jump out of his burning mansion onto alife net,he drops at the speed of a feather, floats onto somepower lines,and is electrified. He pitched the openingbaseballat a game in "Dancin' Homer",but was only able to throw it a small distance, which drew mocking laughter from the crowd. When Mr. Burns joined Homer'sbowlingteam in "Team Homer",he was barely able to roll the ball down the lane. In season five's"Burns' Heir",Smithers puts a sponge on Mr. Burns's head before leaving the bathroom, causing him to nearly drown in the tub from its weight. In"Lady Bouvier's Lover",however, he shows himself as a lively, excellent dancer.

Mr. Burns also had ateddy bearnamed "Bobo" that he loved as a child, revealed in the episode "Rosebud". The stuffed animal was lost and eventually, the stuffed bear became a toy for Maggie. In "American History X-cellent",Mr. Burns gets sent to jail because he is in possession of stolen paintings. In the same episode, it is implied that he was once in theSS.Another episode has him exclaim that though he andOskar Schindlerhad much in common: "We both made shells for theNazis,but mine worked, damn it!"

Character

[edit]

Creation

[edit]
David Silvermanbased the appearance of Mr. Burns on Fox founderBarry Diller(pictured).[20]

Mr. Burns's character, appearance, and mannerisms are based on several different people. The show's creatorMatt Groeningprincipally based Mr. Burns on his high school teacher Mr. Bailey.[21]Drawing further inspiration from oil tycoonJohn D. Rockefellerand his grandsonDavid Rockefeller,Groening made Mr. Burns the "embodiment of corporate greed".[20]AnimatorDavid Silvermanmodeled Mr. Burns's appearance onFoxfounderBarry Diller,and modeled his body on a prayingmantis.[20]The idea of Mr. Burns reading employee names off cards in "There's No Disgrace Like Home"came from an article aboutRonald Reaganthat writerAl Jeanhad read.[22]In some episodes, parallels have been drawn between Mr. Burns and moguls such asHoward Hughesand, more frequently, fictional characterCharles Foster KanefromCitizen Kane.[23]WriterGeorge Meyerlifted Mr. Burns's "Excellent!" hand gesture from his formerSaturday Night LivecolleagueJim Downey.[24]While perhaps not intentional, Mr. Burns's physical characteristics and mannerisms are cited as a modern example of thecommedia dell'artecharacterPantalone.[25][26]

Matt Groening got Mr. Burns's middle name from aMontgomery Warddepartment store inPortland,Oregon'sNorthwest Industrialdistrict[27]and his surname from Burnside Street, a main thoroughfare in Portland.[20]Mr. Burns's first name being Charles is a reference to Charles Foster Kane.[20]The names Plantagenet and Schickelgruber appear to refer to theHouse of PlantagenetandAlois Schickelgruber,the father ofAdolf Hitler.In the script for "There's No Disgrace Like Home",Al Jean andMike Reissreferred to him as "Mr. Meanie".[22]In the second season, the writers started to enjoy writing aboutSmithersand Mr. Burns's relationship, and they often pitched episodes with them as the focus, but many never came to fruition.[28]

Voice

[edit]
Harry Shearer(pictured) modeled his voice for Mr. Burns onLionel BarrymoreandRonald Reagan.[29]

Mr. Burns was originally voiced byChristopher Collinsin the episodes "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire","Homer's Odyssey","There's No Disgrace Like Home"and"The Telltale Head".[30]He was soon replaced byHarry ShearerbecauseSam Simonfound Collins "difficult to work with". Shearer has voiced the character since.[29]

Shearer modeled the voice onLionel BarrymoreandRonald Reagan.[29]Shearer is also the voice ofSmithersand is able to perform dialogue between the two characters in one take.[31]Shearer said he found Mr. Burns the most difficult character to voice because it is rough on his vocal cords and he often needs to drink tea and honey to soothe his voice.[32]He said Mr. Burns was his favorite character: "I like Mr. Burns because he is pure evil. A lot of evil people make the mistake of diluting it. Never adulterate your evil."[33]In 2014, Shearer won aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performancefor his performance on "Four Regrettings and a Funeral"for voicing Mr. Burns.[34]

Reception

[edit]

In 2006,Wizardrated Mr. Burns the 45th-greatest villain of all time.[35]They also described Smithers and Mr. Burns as being "TV's most functional dysfunctional couple".[36]In a 2003 article,EWalso named "Last Exit to Springfield"the greatest episode ofThe Simpsons.Other episodes which feature Mr. Burns placed on the list, including "Rosebud",at number two, and the two-part episode"Who Shot Mr. Burns?",at number 25.[36]Vanity Fairplaced "Rosebud" first on their list of the top 25Simpsonsepisodes.[37]

Forbesestimates Mr. Burns's net worth at $1.3 billion, placing 12th on the 2008Forbes Fictional 15list.[38]Mr. Burns has been on the list since 1989 and has previously placed fifth in 2005,[39]second in 2006[40]and sixth in 2007 when he was estimated to be worth $16.8 billion.[41]Mr. Burns's evil has made him a popular example of terrible television bosses. In 2006, outplacement firmChallenger, Gray & Christmasreleased a report saying that Mr. Burns was one of the eight worst bosses on television.[42]The News & Observernamed Mr. Burns the third worst boss, calling him "heartless, greedy and exceptionally ugly, Mr. Burns makesEbenezer Scroogeseem downright lovely. "[43]

In the run-up to the New York City's2009 mayoral election,several posters appeared throughout the city, showing Mr. Burns and accompanied by the words "No Third Terms, Vote for Burns" —a reference to MayorMichael Bloomberg's run for a third term that year—in the style ofShepard Fairey'sObama poster.The city's Board of Elections announced that December that Mr. Burns had received 27 write-in votes out of 299 write-in votes cast.[44]As the chief of "Springfield Republican Party" Mr. Burns endorsedMitt Romneyin the 2012 US presidential election.[45]TheIG Group,a financial corporation in theCity of London,use a recording of Mr. Burns's catchphrase "Excellent" as an alert that an order has been completed.[46]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcTyler, Adrieene (March 27, 2020)."The Simpsons: How Old Is Mr. Burns? Every Change To His Age Explained".Screen Rant.RetrievedDecember 30,2023.
  2. ^abAdams, Chesley (August 27, 2022)."The Simpsons: Every Main Character & How Old They'd Be If They Aged In Real Time".CBR.com.RetrievedJuly 10,2023.
  3. ^"Flaming Moe".The Simpsons.Season 22. Episode 11. January 16, 2011. Event occurs at 1:09. Fox.Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber Burns.
  4. ^"Burns, Baby Burns".The Simpsons.Season 8. Episode 4. November 17, 1996. Event occurs at 10:21. Fox.Oh, Monty, this must be the son I've heard so much about.
  5. ^"In Pictures: The Forbes Fictional 15".Forbes.Archived fromthe originalon April 17, 2010.
  6. ^Bretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt; (March 25, 2013). "Baddies to the Bone: The 60 nastiest villains of all time".TV Guide.pp. 14 – 15.
  7. ^Collins, Sean T. (February 9, 2016)."40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon July 22, 2017.RetrievedApril 29,2016.
  8. ^Swartzwelder, John;Archer, Wes(October 21, 1993). "Rosebud".The Simpsons.Season 05. Episode 04. Fox.
  9. ^Last Exit to Springfield
  10. ^Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Archer, Wes (December 16, 1993). "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)".The Simpsons.Season 05. Episode 10. Fox.
  11. ^Maxtone-Graham, Ian;Reardon, Jim(November 17, 1996). "Burns, Baby Burns".The Simpsons.Season 08. Episode 04. Fox.
  12. ^Gould, Dana;Anderson, Mike B.(March 16, 2003). "C.E. D'oh".The Simpsons.Season 14. Episode 15. Fox.
  13. ^Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Archer, Wes (May 12, 1994). "Lady Bouvier's Lover".The Simpsons.Season 05. Episode 21. Fox.
  14. ^Swartzwelder, John;Kramer, Lance(December 2, 2001). "A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love".The Simpsons.Season 09. Episode 08. Fox.
  15. ^Collier, Jonathan;Lynch, Jeffrey (April 28, 1996). "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'".The Simpsons.Season 07. Episode 22. Fox.
  16. ^Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh (May 21, 1995). "Who Shot Mr. Burns?".The Simpsons.Season 06. Episode 25. Fox.
  17. ^Swartzwelder, John;Polcino, Michael (January 23, 2000). "The Mansion Family".The Simpsons.Season 11. Episode 12. Fox.
  18. ^Swartzwelder, John;Kirkland, Mark(April 20, 1997). "The Old Man and the Lisa".The Simpsons.Season 08. Episode 21. Fox.
  19. ^Beasley, Tom (February 27, 2020)."'The Simpsons' writer reveals Mr Burns gag is his proudest moment ".Yahoo Movies.Yahoo.RetrievedSeptember 1,2022.
  20. ^abcdeRhodes, Joe (October 21, 2000). "Flash! 24 Simpsons Stars Reveal Themselves".TV Guide.
  21. ^Paterson, Billy (August 20, 2006)."Exclusive: I Was Monty's Double".The Sunday Mail.Archived fromthe originalon October 11, 2007.RetrievedAugust 18,2007.
  22. ^abReiss, Mike (2001). Commentary for "There's No Disgrace Like Home",inThe Simpsons: The Complete First Season[DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  23. ^Turner 2004,pp. 160–164.
  24. ^Meyer, George (2001). Commentary for "The Crepes of Wrath",inThe Simpsons: The Complete First Season[DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  25. ^"transienttheatre.com - Creating a Touring Commedia dell arte production for high schools".Archived fromthe originalon October 9, 2010.RetrievedOctober 20,2010.
  26. ^"Teacher's Commedia Dell'Arte Workshop Guide".Archived fromthe originalon April 10, 2010.RetrievedOctober 20,2010.
  27. ^"Places of character".The Portland Tribune.July 19, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2009.RetrievedAugust 18,2007.
  28. ^Vitti, Jon (2002). Commentary for "Simpson and Delilah",inThe Simpsons: The Complete Second Season[DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  29. ^abcMarder, Keith (April 28, 1994). "Real People are Models for 'Simpsons' Voices".Times Union.p. C4.
  30. ^"Chris Latta".IMDb.RetrievedNovember 19,2007.
  31. ^Jean, Al (2002). Commentary for "Blood Feud",inThe Simpsons: The Complete Second Season[DVD]. 20th century Fox.
  32. ^Dittman, Earl (July 2007)."Burns, Baby, Burns".Cineplex.Archived fromthe originalon May 7, 2008.RetrievedMay 5,2008.
  33. ^Round, Simon (October 10, 2008)."Interview: Harry Shearer".The Jewish Chronicle.RetrievedNovember 4,2008.
  34. ^Day, Patrick Kevin,"Harry Shearer becomes final 'Simpsons' main cast member to win Emmy",Los Angeles Times,August 18, 2014.
  35. ^McCallum, Pat (July 2006). "100 Greatest Villains Ever".Wizard(177).
  36. ^ab"The Family Dynamic".Entertainment Weekly.January 29, 2003. Archived fromthe originalon October 18, 2014.RetrievedOctober 25,2007.
  37. ^Orvted, John (July 5, 2007)."Springfield's Best".Vanity Fair.RetrievedNovember 3,2008.
  38. ^Noer, Michael; Ewalt, David M. (December 18, 2008)."No. 13 Burns, C. Montgomery".Forbes Fictional 15.Archived fromthe originalon December 24, 2008.RetrievedDecember 21,2008.
  39. ^Ewalt, David M. (2005)."The Forbes Fictional 15".Forbes.RetrievedApril 28,2008.
  40. ^Ewalt, David M. (November 20, 2006)."The Forbes Fictional 15".Forbes.RetrievedApril 28,2008.
  41. ^Ewalt, David M.; Noer, Michael (November 12, 2007)."The Forbes Fictional 15".Forbes.RetrievedApril 28,2008.
  42. ^"Worst bosses ever... on TV".CNN.August 21, 2006.RetrievedNovember 4,2008.
  43. ^"Worst bosses ever... on TV".The News & Observer.McClatchy Newspapers. October 12, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon October 17, 2008.RetrievedNovember 4,2008.
  44. ^de Sola, David (December 5, 2009)."Simpsons billionaire gets most write-in votes in NYC mayor race".CNN. Archived fromthe originalon December 6, 2009.RetrievedDecember 6,2009.
  45. ^Day, Patrick Kevin (November 1, 2012).""The Simpsons" Mr. Burns endorses Mitt Romney ".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedJune 30,2015.
  46. ^"City firm follows Budget with a little help from The Simpsons".BBC. March 19, 2015.RetrievedMarch 19,2015.

Bibliography

[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related toMontgomery Burns.
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