Wikipedia:Today's featured article/May 28, 2008

Troy McClure is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman, and first appeared in the episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment". McClure was based on B-movie actors Troy Donahue and Doug McClure, as well as Hartman himself. After Phil Hartman's murder in 1998, the character was retired, making his final appearance in the tenth-season episode "Bart the Mother". He is one of the show's most popular recurring characters and, had Hartman not died, might have been the subject of a live-action film. McClure is a washed-up actor, frequently shown presenting infomercials and educational videos. He is vain and self-centered, marrying Selma Bouvier to aid his failing career and quash rumors about his personal life. McClure appears as the central character only in the episode "A Fish Called Selma", but he hosts the episodes "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" and "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase". (more...)