The Simpsons The Actor Who Almost Voiced Sideshow Bob (Vader Link Explained)

The Simpsons: The Actor Who Almost Voiced Sideshow Bob (Vader Link Explained)

The Simpsons antagonist Sideshow Bob was brought to life by Kelsey Grammer, but another pop culture antagonist could have voiced the character.

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The Simpsons The Actor Who Almost Voiced Sideshow Bob (Vader Link Explained)

TV villain Sideshow Bob has become an iconic character in The Simpsons since he first debuted in 1990, but it nearly wasn’t the Frasier star Kelsey Grammer voicing him. Sideshow Bob is known for his undeterred hatred for Bart, after Bart figured out that Bob had framed Krusty for a robbery and rightfully had Bob sent to prison. Behind bars, Bob plotted to kill Bart as revenge for having him locked away. Bob’s smoothly eloquent voice mixed with his murderous tendencies renders him a uniquely famous character in the show, but the character could have been portrayed very differently had another actor got the role.

Sideshow Bob became an important recurring character on the show, appearing at random moments in the show and concocting devious plans to kill Bart. He is undoubtedly a villain, but his quirky personality, high intellect and funny moments group together to form a fleshed-out character. Famously, many jokes on The Simpsons are about Fox, but one of the shows most iconic gags is the affectionately coined “rake joke” in the Simpsons season 5 episode ”Cape Feare”. It depicts the refined Bob repeatedly stepping on rakes and being struck in the face, letting out a disgruntled groan each time it happens, becoming a repeated joke throughout the show. This is just one of many examples of how Grammer has undoubtedly done a great job at formulating the perfect voice for such an unparalleled cartoon character.

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However, despite this legacy, Sideshow Bob was actually nearly voiced by Darth Vader himself, James Earl Jones. The famous actor has a distinctly recognizable voice that could have made Sideshow Bob a different character, and though the Shakespearean actor does share some similarities with Bob, including their love of the theatrical and high culture in general, the thought of Vader facing off against Bart Simpson certainly brings a different edge to the part. Ultimately, Grammer got the role after showrunners saw him in Cheers, who then went on to front the spin-off Frasier with other Cheers characters, there was a real possibility that one of TV’s most famous figures could have turned out very differently.

James Earl Jones did not get the part of Sideshow Bob in the end, as showrunners almost unanimously chose Grammer for the role. Grammer modeled the lamenting and sophisticated voice of Bob on theatre actor and director Ellis Rabb whom he had previously worked with, creating the familiar voice audiences know today. That wasn’t the end for the Darth Vader voice actor on the show, though, as James Earl Jones did go on to have multiple guest appearances on The Simpsons. Famously, he provided the voice of the narrator for all three segments of the first Treehouse of Horror episode, being the only guest actor on the show to hold that accolade.

Despite all of his acting credits, Grammer has said that his role as Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons is his best role ever, even evidenced by his Halloween costume. Grammer has certainly carried the character to the level of popularity he has reached today. Although it would have been interesting to hear James Earl Jones’ commanding voice take on the rake joke, audiences can ultimately be grateful that Grammer stepped up to the plate.

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Link Source : https://screenrant.com/simpsons-sideshow-bob-actor-james-earl-jones-cast/

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