Every Death In The Simpsons Ranked

Head of the "Pretzel Wagon" franchise, Frank Ormand convinces Marge to invest in the bready snack to go head-to-head with The Springfield Investorettes and their "Fleet-A-Pitta". Unfortunately for Marge, the business flops harder than an uncooked pretzel. Even more unfortunately for Frank, he dies in car crash.

Upon seeing Marge upset at her business failing, Homer tracks down Frank and talks to his wife. When he asks to see the franchise owner, his widow informs him that Frank and the executor of his estate both died in the same off-screen wreck. Out of answers, Homer turns to Fat Tony and the mob for help, which sets up this episode's final act.

Frank was a good character considering he was barely on screen - almost certainly down to the fact that he was voiced by Hollywood legend, Jack Lemmon - but his death was mostly played for laughs. It's not particularly tragic or emotive, but rather a gag that's used to pivot the story towards the mobsters.

Could Frank Ormand's death have been more impactful if the writer's had given it more thought? It's hard to say? Was this an end befitting a two-time Oscar winner? Definitely not.