Montgomery Burns
Encyclopedia
Charles Montgomery "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, is a recurring fictional character
in the animated television series The Simpsons
, who is voiced by Harry Shearer
and previously Christopher Collins
. Burns is the evil owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and is Homer Simpson
's boss. He is attended at almost all times by Waylon Smithers
, his loyal and sycophant
ic aide, advisor, confidant and secret admirer.
Although originally conceived as a one-dimensional, recurring villain
who might occasionally enter the Simpsons' lives and wreak some sort of havoc, Burns' 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 something of a recurrent joke) and lack of concern for their safety and well-being. Reflecting his advanced age, Burns is given to expressing dated humor, making references to pre-1950 popular culture, and aspiring to apply obsolete technology to everyday life.
Burns' trademark
expression is the word "Excellent", muttered slowly in a low, sinister voice while tenting his fingertips. He frequently orders Smithers to "release the hound
s", so as to let his vicious guard dogs attack any intruders, enemies or even invited guests. Mr. Burns is Springfield's richest and most powerful citizen (and also the richest person in Springfield's state; his current net worth
has been given as $1.3 billion by Forbes
, 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 the authorities. These qualities led Wizard Magazine
to rate him the 45th greatest villain of all time.
, where he studied both science and business, and graduated. At his 25-year college
reunion, he became romantically involved with the daughter of an old flame. She would later bear his child, Larry Burns
, who was given up for adoption
and would later enter Mr. Burns' life briefly. Burns has been engaged at least three times: to a woman named Gertrude who died of loneliness and rabies
, to Marge Simpson
's mother Jacqueline Bouvier, and to a meter maid named Gloria.
Burns enlisted in the United States Army
during World War II
, and served as a member of Springfield's Flying Hellfish squad under Master Sergeant
Abraham Simpson
and saw action in the Ardennes
during the Battle of the Bulge
. Later on he was shipped to the Pacific Theater and was a co-pilot along with Abe Simpson and his brother, Cyrus. Burns and Abe were shot down by a kamikaze and stuck on an island. At the end of World War II he was personally hired by President Harry S. Truman
to transport a specially printed trillion-dollar bill to Europe
as the United States
' contribution to the reconstruction of Europe
. As the United States' richest citizen, Burns was thought to be the most trustworthy. Burns absconded with the bill and kept it in his possession for many years until it was lost to Fidel Castro
in "The Trouble with Trillions
". Burns was once indicated to have been a homosexual, and has in his office a "Corpse Hatch", which he refers to smoothly as an "Innocence Tube". In "Homer the Smithers
", it is revealed that Burns' mother is still alive at 122 years old, although Burns dislikes speaking to her, because she had an affair with President William Howard Taft
and she in turn refers to him as an "improvident lackwit".
Burns resides in a vast, ornate mansion
on an immense estate called Burns Manor. It is protected by a high wall, an electrified fence, and a pack of vicious attack dogs known as "The Hounds". Burns routinely subjects Springfield and its residents to his abuse and, as a result, there is a general dislike of him throughout the town. Burns has blackmail
ed and bribed various officials in Springfield, including Mayor Quimby and its nuclear safety inspectors
. He employed his wealth to make an ultimately unsuccessful run for state governor
, to be denied his chance to be Governor by Marge Simpson
. He once blocked out the sun to force Springfield residents to increase their use of electricity
produced by his nuclear plant and was subsequently shot by Maggie
.
Burns' 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 other episodes, he is shown to be 104. When Smithers informs him that Burns' credit card PIN is his age, he types four digits in his answer. His Social Security number is 000-00-0002, second only to President Roosevelt. When Lisa Simpson
is researching her ancestors from the American Civil War
, she comes across a Mr. Burns in the journal, presumably one of Mr. Burns' ancestors. However, when Lisa mentions him, Burns replies by saying he hasn't heard his father's name in years. In other episodes, his birth place is apparently Pangea, his national anthem implies he originates from Austria-Hungary
, and he mentions the possibility of an update on the Siege 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 the Prussia
n consulate in Siam, and believes a nickel
will buy "a steak and kidney pie, a cup of coffee, a slice of cheesecake and a newsreel, with enough change left over to ride the trolley from Battery Park
to the Polo Grounds
.”
Burns' 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 recognize Homer Simpson or remember his name, even though many of the recent major events in Burns' life have involved Homer in some way. Burns is, for the most part, unaware of the townspeople's general dislike of him. He also displays mannerisms which are considered outdated, such as practicing phrenology
, writing with a quill pen, and using an antique view camera
to take photographs. Burns refers to many celebrities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in present tense, assuming they are still alive. In "Homer at the Bat
", Burns instructs Smithers to recruit dead ball era players, such as Honus Wagner
and Cap Anson
for the plant's softball team, and has to be told that all of them died long ago. However, despite his obvious senility and social ineptitude, Mr. Burns is an extraordinarily clever bussinessman, as he has lost his fortune several times, only to regain it a very brief time later. In the episode The Old Man and Lisa, Burns loses his fortune, and regains it by opening a recycling plant, which allows him to regain his Nuclear Power Plant.
Burns is physically weak, and often shown to have little more strength than an infant. 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 a thumbs-up, and crushing an insect
by stepping on it. He pitched the opening baseball at a game in "Dancin' Homer
", but was only able to throw it a tiny distance, which drew mocking laughter from the crowd. Similarly, when Burns joined Homer's ten pin bowling team in Team Homer
, he was barely able to roll the ball down the lane.
He also had a teddy bear named "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
", 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 the Schutzstaffel
.
principally based Burns on his high school teacher Mr. Bailey. Drawing further inspiration from oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller
, David Rockefeller
and fictional character Henry Potter
from It's a Wonderful Life
, Groening made Burns the "embodiment of corporate greed". Animator David Silverman
parodied Burns's appearance on Fox
founder Barry Diller
, and modeled his body on a praying mantis. The idea of Burns reading employee names off cards in "There's No Disgrace Like Home
" came from an article about Ronald Reagan
that writer Al Jean
had read. In some episodes, parallels have been drawn between Burns and moguls such as Howard Hughes
and, more frequently, fictional character Charles Foster Kane
from Citizen Kane
. Writer George Meyer
lifted Burns's "Excellent!" hand gesture from his former Saturday Night Live
colleague Jim Downey. While perhaps not intentional, Mr Burns' physical characteristics and mannerisms are cited as a modern example of the Commedia dell'arte
character Pantalone
.
Matt Groening got Burns' middle name from a Montgomery Ward
department store in Portland
, Oregon
's Northwest Industrial
district and his surname from Burnside Street, a main thoroughfare in Portland. Burns' first name being Charles is a reference to Charles Foster Kane. In the script for "There's No Disgrace Like Home
", Al Jean and Mike Reiss
referred to him as "Mr. Meanie".
Coincidentally, the 19th century businessman and founder of Barnes & Noble
was called Charles Montgomery Barnes (1833–1907).
In the second season, the writers started to enjoy writing about Smithers
and Burns's relationship, and they often pitched episodes with them as the focus, but many never came to fruition.
In the 2011 episode Flaming Moe, it was shown for his last will and testament that his full legal name is Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber Burns. The names Plantagenet and Schicklgruber indicate a mix of English royal blood (see House of Plantagenet
) with that of Adolf Hitler's lineage (see Alois Schicklgruber).
Burns was originally voiced by actor Christopher Collins
in the episode "Homer's Odyssey". He was soon replaced by Harry Shearer
, who has voiced the character ever since. He modeled the voice on Lionel Barrymore
and Ronald Reagan
. Shearer is also the voice of Smithers
and is able to perform dialogue between the two characters in one take. Shearer said that Burns is the most difficult character for him to voice because it is rough on his vocal cords and he often needs to drink tea and honey to soothe his voice. He describes Burns as his favorite character, saying he "like[s] Mr. Burns because he is pure evil. A lot of evil people make the mistake of diluting it. Never adulterate your evil."
magazine rated Burns the 45th greatest villain of all time. In a 2007 article, Entertainment Weekly
named Smithers
the 16th greatest sidekick of all time. They also described Smithers and Burns as being "TV's most functional dysfunctional couple". In a 2003 article, EW also named "Last Exit to Springfield
" the greatest episode of The Simpsons. Other episodes which feature Burns placed on the list, including "Rosebud
", at number two, and the "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" two-part episode, at number 25. Vanity Fair
placed "Rosebud" first on their list of the top 25 The Simpsons episodes.
Forbes estimates Burns's net worth at $1.3 billion, placing 12th on the 2008 Forbes Fictional 15
list. Burns has been on the list since 1989 and has previously placed fifth in 2005, second in 2006 and sixth in 2007 when he was estimated to be worth $16.8 billion.
Burns's evil has made him a popular example of terrible television bosses. In 2006, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas
released a report saying that Burns was one of the eight worst bosses on television. The News & Observer
named Burns the third worst boss, calling him "heartless, greedy and exceptionally ugly, Mr. Burns makes Ebenezer Scrooge seem downright lovely."
In the run-up to the New York City
's 2009 mayoral election
, several posters appeared throughout the city, showing Burns and accompanied by the words "No Third Terms, Vote for Burns" – a reference to Mayor Michael Bloomberg
's unprecedented run for a third term that year—in the style of Shepard Fairey
's Obama poster
. The city's Board of Elections announced that December that Burns had received 27 write in votes out of 299 write in votes cast.
In the first episode of the sixth season of American Dad TV Show, in the opening scene, Roger is disguised as the Crypt Keeper from Tales from the Crypt, and is talking about The Simpsons episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the animated television series The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, who is voiced by Harry Shearer
Harry Shearer
Harry Julius Shearer is an American actor, comedian, writer, voice artist, musician, author, radio host and director. He is known for his long-running role on The Simpsons, his work on Saturday Night Live, the comedy band Spinal Tap and his radio program Le Show...
and previously Christopher Collins
Christopher Collins
Christopher Charles Collins , also known as Chris Latta, was an American actor, voice artist and comedian, perhaps best known as the voice of Cobra Commander on the G.I. Joe animated series and as the voice of Starscream in the first Transformers animated series...
. Burns is the evil owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and is Homer Simpson
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
's boss. He is attended at almost all times by Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers, Jr., usually referred to as Smithers, is a recurring fictional character in the animated series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. Smithers first appeared in the episode "Homer's Odyssey", although he could be heard in the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open...
, his loyal and sycophant
Sycophant
Sycophancy means:# Obsequious flattery; servility.# The character or characteristic of a sycophant.Alternative phrases are often used such as:-Etymology:...
ic aide, advisor, confidant and secret admirer.
Although originally conceived as a one-dimensional, recurring villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
who might occasionally enter the Simpsons' lives and wreak some sort of havoc, Burns' popularity has led to his repeated inclusion in episodes. He is a stereotype of Corporate America
Corporate America
Corporate America is an informal phrase describing the world of corporations within the United States not under government ownership....
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 something of a recurrent joke) and lack of concern for their safety and well-being. Reflecting his advanced age, Burns is given to expressing dated humor, making references to pre-1950 popular culture, and aspiring to apply obsolete technology to everyday life.
Burns' trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
expression is the word "Excellent", muttered slowly in a low, sinister voice while tenting his fingertips. He frequently orders Smithers to "release the hound
Hound
A hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry...
s", so as to let his vicious guard dogs attack any intruders, enemies or even invited guests. Mr. Burns is Springfield's richest and most powerful citizen (and also the richest person in Springfield's state; his current net worth
Net worth
In business, net worth is the total assets minus total outside liabilities of an individual or a company. For a company, this is called shareholders' preference and may be referred to as book value. Net worth is stated as at a particular year in time...
has been given as $1.3 billion by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
, 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 the authorities. These qualities led Wizard Magazine
Wizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
to rate him the 45th greatest villain of all time.
Role in The Simpsons
Mr. Burns spends his time in his office, at the nuclear plant, monitoring his workers via closed circuit cameras. At a young age, Burns left his family to live with his grandfather, a twisted and heartless billionaire who owned an atom mill in Shelbyville. He lived a life of privilege and would amuse himself by injuring immigrant laborers. Burns later attended Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where he studied both science and business, and graduated. At his 25-year college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
reunion, he became romantically involved with the daughter of an old flame. She would later bear his child, Larry Burns
Burns, Baby Burns
"Burns, Baby Burns" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons eighth season, first aired by the Fox network on November 17, 1996. Mr. Burns' long lost son Larry returns and although they at first get along well, Mr. Burns begins to see that his son has turned out to be an oaf. It was directed by Jim...
, who was given up for adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
and would later enter Mr. Burns' life briefly. Burns has been engaged at least three times: to a woman named Gertrude who died of loneliness and rabies
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded animals. It is zoonotic , most commonly by a bite from an infected animal. For a human, rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms...
, to Marge Simpson
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
's mother Jacqueline Bouvier, and to a meter maid named Gloria.
Burns enlisted in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and served as a member of Springfield's Flying Hellfish squad under Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
Abraham Simpson
Abraham Simpson
Abraham J. "Abe" Simpson, often known simply as Grampa, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and he is also the patriarch of the Simpson family, the father of Homer Simpson, and the grandfather of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson...
and saw action in the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. Later on he was shipped to the Pacific Theater and was a co-pilot along with Abe Simpson and his brother, Cyrus. Burns and Abe were shot down by a kamikaze and stuck on an island. At the end of World War II he was personally hired by President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
to transport a specially printed trillion-dollar bill to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' contribution to the reconstruction of Europe
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
. As the United States' richest citizen, Burns was thought to be the most trustworthy. Burns absconded with the bill and kept it in his possession for many years until it was lost to Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
in "The Trouble with Trillions
The Trouble with Trillions
"The Trouble with Trillions" is the twentieth episode of the ninth season of the animated television series The Simpsons, which originally aired April 5, 1998. It was written by Ian Maxtone-Graham and directed by Swinton O. Scott III...
". Burns was once indicated to have been a homosexual, and has in his office a "Corpse Hatch", which he refers to smoothly as an "Innocence Tube". In "Homer the Smithers
Homer the Smithers
"Homer the Smithers" is the 17th episode of The Simpsons seventh season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 25, 1996. In this episode, Smithers takes a vacation and hires Homer to take over as Mr. Burns' assistant...
", it is revealed that Burns' mother is still alive at 122 years old, although Burns dislikes speaking to her, because she had an affair with President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
and she in turn refers to him as an "improvident lackwit".
Burns resides in a vast, ornate mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
on an immense estate called Burns Manor. It is protected by a high wall, an electrified fence, and a pack of vicious attack dogs known as "The Hounds". Burns routinely subjects Springfield and its residents to his abuse and, as a result, there is a general dislike of him throughout the town. Burns has blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
ed and bribed various officials in Springfield, including Mayor Quimby and its nuclear safety inspectors
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened January 19, 1975...
. He employed his wealth to make an ultimately unsuccessful run for state governor
Governor (United States)
In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
, to be denied his chance to be Governor by Marge Simpson
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
. He once blocked out the sun to force Springfield residents to increase their use of electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
produced by his nuclear plant and was subsequently shot by Maggie
Maggie Simpson
Margaret "Maggie" Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She first appeared on television in the Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Maggie was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James...
.
Burns' 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
Simpson and Delilah
"Simpson and Delilah" is the second episode of The Simpsons second season and first aired on October 18, 1990. Homer uses the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant medical insurance plan to buy Dimoxinil, a miracle hair growth formula. Homer grows hair, and is given a promotion at work which allows him...
, he told Homer that he is 81, although in several other episodes, he is shown to be 104. When Smithers informs him that Burns' credit card PIN is his age, he types four digits in his answer. His Social Security number is 000-00-0002, second only to President Roosevelt. When Lisa Simpson
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
is researching her ancestors from the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, she comes across a Mr. Burns in the journal, presumably one of Mr. Burns' ancestors. However, when Lisa mentions him, Burns replies by saying he hasn't heard his father's name in years. In other episodes, his birth place is apparently Pangea, his national anthem implies he originates from Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, and he mentions the possibility of an update on the Siege 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 the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n consulate in Siam, and believes a nickel
Nickel (United States coin)
The nickel is a five-cent coin, representing a unit of currency equaling five hundredths of one United States dollar. A later-produced Canadian nickel five-cent coin was also called by the same name....
will buy "a steak and kidney pie, a cup of coffee, a slice of cheesecake and a newsreel, with enough change left over to ride the trolley from Battery Park
Battery Park
Battery Park is a 25-acre public park located at the Battery, the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City, facing New York Harbor. The Battery is named for artillery batteries that were positioned there in the city's early years in order to protect the settlement behind them...
to the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
.”
Burns' 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 recognize Homer Simpson or remember his name, even though many of the recent major events in Burns' life have involved Homer in some way. Burns is, for the most part, unaware of the townspeople's general dislike of him. He also displays mannerisms which are considered outdated, such as practicing phrenology
Phrenology
Phrenology is a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules...
, writing with a quill pen, and using an antique view camera
View camera
The view camera is a type of camera first developed in the era of the Daguerreotype and still in use today, though with many refinements. It comprises a flexible bellows which forms a light-tight seal between two adjustable standards, one of which holds a lens, and the other a viewfinder or a...
to take photographs. Burns refers to many celebrities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in present tense, assuming they are still alive. In "Homer at the Bat
Homer at the Bat
"Homer at the Bat" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons third season, which originally aired February 20, 1992. The episode follows the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant softball team, led by Homer, having a winning season and making the championship game. Mr. Burns makes a large bet that the...
", Burns instructs Smithers to recruit dead ball era players, such as Honus Wagner
Honus Wagner
-Louisville Colonels:Recognizing his talent, Barrow recommended Wagner to the Louisville Colonels. After some hesitation about his awkward figure, Wagner was signed by the Colonels, where he hit .338 in 61 games....
and Cap Anson
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
for the plant's softball team, and has to be told that all of them died long ago. However, despite his obvious senility and social ineptitude, Mr. Burns is an extraordinarily clever bussinessman, as he has lost his fortune several times, only to regain it a very brief time later. In the episode The Old Man and Lisa, Burns loses his fortune, and regains it by opening a recycling plant, which allows him to regain his Nuclear Power Plant.
Burns is physically weak, and often shown to have little more strength than an infant. In "Rosebud
Rosebud (The Simpsons)
"Rosebud" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons fifth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 21, 1993. The episode begins by showing how on the eve of his birthday, Mr. Burns starts to miss his childhood teddy bear Bobo...
" 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 a thumbs-up, and crushing an insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
by stepping on it. He pitched the opening baseball at a game in "Dancin' Homer
Dancin' Homer
"Dancin' Homer" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 8, 1990. In the episode, Homer fires up the crowd at a Springfield Isotopes baseball game and is chosen to be the team's new mascot. He immediately becomes a...
", but was only able to throw it a tiny distance, which drew mocking laughter from the crowd. Similarly, when Burns joined Homer's ten pin bowling team in Team Homer
Team Homer
"Team Homer" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons seventh season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 7, 1996. In the episode, Homer starts a bowling team with Moe, Apu, and Otto. When Mr. Burns discovers the team was funded with his money, he insists on joining...
, he was barely able to roll the ball down the lane.
He also had a teddy bear named "Bobo" that he loved as a child, revealed in the episode "Rosebud"
Rosebud (The Simpsons)
"Rosebud" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons fifth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 21, 1993. The episode begins by showing how on the eve of his birthday, Mr. Burns starts to miss his childhood teddy bear Bobo...
. The stuffed animal was lost and eventually the stuffed bear became a toy for Maggie. In "American History X-cellent
American History X-cellent
"American History X-cellent" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons twenty-first season and 458th overall. In this episode, Burns is arrested for possessing stolen art and Smithers is chosen to run the nuclear plant—only to turn into a misanthropic slave driver when his co-workers begin taking...
", 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 the Schutzstaffel
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
.
Creation
Burns's character, appearance, and mannerisms are based on several different people. The show's creator Matt GroeningMatt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
principally based Burns on his high school teacher Mr. Bailey. Drawing further inspiration from oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
, David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
and fictional character Henry Potter
Mister Potter
Henry F. Potter is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1946 Frank Capra film It's a Wonderful Life. He occupies slot #6 on the American Film Institute's list of the 50 Greatest Villains in American film history . Mr...
from It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern....
, Groening made Burns the "embodiment of corporate greed". Animator David Silverman
David Silverman
David Silverman is an animator best known for directing numerous episodes of the animated TV series The Simpsons, as well as The Simpsons Movie...
parodied Burns's appearance on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
founder Barry Diller
Barry Diller
Barry Charles Diller is the Chairman and Senior Executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp and the media executive responsible for the creation of Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting.-Early life:...
, and modeled his body on a praying mantis. The idea of Burns reading employee names off cards in "There's No Disgrace Like Home
There's No Disgrace Like Home
"There's No Disgrace Like Home" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons first season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 28, 1990. In the episode, Homer becomes ashamed of his family after a catastrophic company picnic and decides to enroll them in therapy. The...
" came from an article about Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
that writer Al Jean
Al Jean
Al Jean is an award-winning American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on The Simpsons. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his writing career in the 1980s with fellow Harvard alum Mike Reiss...
had read. In some episodes, parallels have been drawn between Burns and moguls such as Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
and, more frequently, fictional character Charles Foster Kane
Charles Foster Kane
Charles Foster Kane is a fictional character and the subject of Orson Welles' 1941 film Citizen Kane. Welles played Kane , with Buddy Swan playing Kane as a child...
from Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
. Writer George Meyer
George Meyer
George A. Meyer is an American producer and writer. Raised in Tucson, Arizona in a Roman Catholic family, Meyer attended Harvard University. There, after becoming president of the Harvard Lampoon, he graduated in 1978 with a degree in biochemistry. Abandoning plans to attend medical school, Meyer...
lifted Burns's "Excellent!" hand gesture from his former Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
colleague Jim Downey. While perhaps not intentional, Mr Burns' physical characteristics and mannerisms are cited as a modern example of the Commedia dell'arte
Commedia dell'arte
Commedia dell'arte is a form of theatre characterized by masked "types" which began in Italy in the 16th century, and was responsible for the advent of the actress and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. The closest translation of the name is "comedy of craft"; it is shortened...
character Pantalone
Pantalone
Pantalone, or Pantalone del bisognosi, Italian for 'Pantalone of the needy', is one of the most important principal characters found in commedia del arte...
.
Matt Groening got Burns' middle name from a Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
department store in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
's Northwest Industrial
Northwest Industrial, Portland, Oregon
Northwest Industrial is an almost entirely industrial neighborhood in the Northwest section of Portland. According to the Portland Bureau of Planning, it "is one of the few remaining large urban industrial districts in the United States" and "one of the premier heavy industrialdistricts in the...
district and his surname from Burnside Street, a main thoroughfare in Portland. Burns' first name being Charles is a reference to Charles Foster Kane. In the script for "There's No Disgrace Like Home
There's No Disgrace Like Home
"There's No Disgrace Like Home" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons first season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 28, 1990. In the episode, Homer becomes ashamed of his family after a catastrophic company picnic and decides to enroll them in therapy. The...
", Al Jean and Mike Reiss
Mike Reiss
Michael "Mike" Reiss is an American television comedy writer. He served as a show-runner, writer and producer for the animated series The Simpsons and co-created the animated series The Critic...
referred to him as "Mr. Meanie".
Coincidentally, the 19th century businessman and founder of Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
was called Charles Montgomery Barnes (1833–1907).
In the second season, the writers started to enjoy writing about Smithers
Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers, Jr., usually referred to as Smithers, is a recurring fictional character in the animated series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. Smithers first appeared in the episode "Homer's Odyssey", although he could be heard in the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open...
and Burns's relationship, and they often pitched episodes with them as the focus, but many never came to fruition.
In the 2011 episode Flaming Moe, it was shown for his last will and testament that his full legal name is Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber Burns. The names Plantagenet and Schicklgruber indicate a mix of English royal blood (see House of Plantagenet
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
) with that of Adolf Hitler's lineage (see Alois Schicklgruber).
Voice
Christopher Collins
Christopher Charles Collins , also known as Chris Latta, was an American actor, voice artist and comedian, perhaps best known as the voice of Cobra Commander on the G.I. Joe animated series and as the voice of Starscream in the first Transformers animated series...
in the episode "Homer's Odyssey". He was soon replaced by Harry Shearer
Harry Shearer
Harry Julius Shearer is an American actor, comedian, writer, voice artist, musician, author, radio host and director. He is known for his long-running role on The Simpsons, his work on Saturday Night Live, the comedy band Spinal Tap and his radio program Le Show...
, who has voiced the character ever since. He modeled the voice on Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore
Lionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Shearer is also the voice of Smithers
Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers, Jr., usually referred to as Smithers, is a recurring fictional character in the animated series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. Smithers first appeared in the episode "Homer's Odyssey", although he could be heard in the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open...
and is able to perform dialogue between the two characters in one take. Shearer said that Burns is the most difficult character for him to voice because it is rough on his vocal cords and he often needs to drink tea and honey to soothe his voice. He describes Burns as his favorite character, saying he "like[s] Mr. Burns because he is pure evil. A lot of evil people make the mistake of diluting it. Never adulterate your evil."
Reception
In 2006, WizardWizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
magazine rated Burns the 45th greatest villain of all time. In a 2007 article, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named Smithers
Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers, Jr., usually referred to as Smithers, is a recurring fictional character in the animated series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. Smithers first appeared in the episode "Homer's Odyssey", although he could be heard in the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open...
the 16th greatest sidekick of all time. They also described Smithers and Burns as being "TV's most functional dysfunctional couple". In a 2003 article, EW also named "Last Exit to Springfield
Last Exit to Springfield
"Last Exit to Springfield" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season which originally aired March 11, 1993. It was directed by Mark Kirkland and was the last episode written by Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky...
" the greatest episode of The Simpsons. Other episodes which feature Burns placed on the list, including "Rosebud
Rosebud (The Simpsons)
"Rosebud" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons fifth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 21, 1993. The episode begins by showing how on the eve of his birthday, Mr. Burns starts to miss his childhood teddy bear Bobo...
", at number two, and the "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" two-part episode, at number 25. Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
placed "Rosebud" first on their list of the top 25 The Simpsons episodes.
Forbes estimates Burns's net worth at $1.3 billion, placing 12th on the 2008 Forbes Fictional 15
Forbes Fictional 15
The Forbes Fictional 15 is a list generated by Forbes magazine that lists the 15 richest people in the realm of fiction. The members are characters from movies, books, cartoons, television, video games, and comics....
list. Burns has been on the list since 1989 and has previously placed fifth in 2005, second in 2006 and sixth in 2007 when he was estimated to be worth $16.8 billion.
Burns's evil has made him a popular example of terrible television bosses. In 2006, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas
Challenger, Gray & Christmas
Challenger, Gray & Christmas, with headquarters located in Chicago, Illinois, is the oldest executive outplacement firm in the US. It has offices in 52 cities in the US and Canada, and has operations in Japan and Mexico...
released a report saying that Burns was one of the eight worst bosses on television. The News & Observer
The News & Observer
The News & Observer is the regional daily newspaper of the Research Triangle area of the U.S. State of North Carolina. The N&O, as it is popularly called, is based in Raleigh and also covers Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill. The paper also has substantial readership in most of the state east of...
named Burns the third worst boss, calling him "heartless, greedy and exceptionally ugly, Mr. Burns makes Ebenezer Scrooge seem downright lovely."
In the run-up to the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's 2009 mayoral election
New York City mayoral election, 2009
The 2009 election for Mayor of New York City took place on Tuesday, November 3. The incumbent Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, an independent who left the Republican Party in 2008, won reelection on the Republican and Independence Party/Jobs & Education lines with 50.7% of the vote over the retiring City...
, several posters appeared throughout the city, showing Burns and accompanied by the words "No Third Terms, Vote for Burns" – a reference to Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
's unprecedented run for a third term that year—in the style of Shepard Fairey
Shepard Fairey
Frank Shepard Fairey is an American contemporary graphic designer, and illustrator who emerged from the skateboarding scene. He first became known for his "André the Giant Has a Posse" sticker campaign, in which he appropriated images from the comedic supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. His...
's Obama poster
Barack Obama "Hope" poster
The Barack Obama "Hope" poster is an image of Barack Obama designed by artist Shepard Fairey, which was widely described as iconic and became synonymous with the 2008 Obama presidential campaign...
. The city's Board of Elections announced that December that Burns had received 27 write in votes out of 299 write in votes cast.
In the first episode of the sixth season of American Dad TV Show, in the opening scene, Roger is disguised as the Crypt Keeper from Tales from the Crypt, and is talking about The Simpsons episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?".