Over the years guest appearances have come thick and fast on The Simpsons. If you include the movie, there have been over 660 different celebrities on the show who between them have amassed a number of guest appearances not far shy of 1000. Some have been epic - like Albert Brooks aka Hank Scorpio - and some, simply put, haven't. Just ask Justin Bieber. There have also been stars who started as guests, but ended up fitting in so seamlessly or so successful that they were invited back regularly. Kelsey Grammar was so good as Sideshow Bob that he's become one of the most beloved guest characters the show has ever seen. Likewise Phil Hartman first appeared in a one off in 'Bart Gets Hit By A Car' in 1991 before going on to amass 52 guest appearances as Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure. But for all of those celebrities who became the foundation for some of the best Simpsons episodes, there were some who - rather unthinkably - actually turned down the chance to appear.
11. Don King
The episode: 'The Homer They Fall' The role: Don King as Lucius Sweet Surely the 'just stuck his hand in an electrical socket' hairstyle, thin spectacles and expressive flailing arms were a pretty simple indication that Lucius Sweet is a close sibling to Don King. Obviously, the character was written in his likeness. So why not cast the man himself for the part? Well, the writers had that exact same thought. They pictured the loud, larger than life, animated Don King in glorious 2D, yellow animation, but King had no interest in playing a parody version of himself. All was not lost though as the role eventually went to Paul Winfield, who had previously played King in the biopic Tyson, a performance that was so nailed on that distinguishing the two would have been close to impossible anyway.
I have been described as a sportsman with the brain of an athlete and the body of a scientist. Since it was established that playing wouldn't work out for me I have taken to writing.
