The Simpsons: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Season 2
6. "Sam Etic"
"Lisa's Substitute" is still a beloved episode of The Simpsons and with good reason.
Lisa's infatuation with Mr. Bergstrom is a bittersweet tale of a little girl starved of a positive male influence in her life and, whilst he may or may not have red in his ledger, Dustin Hoffman gives a fantastic performance as the aforementioned teacher.
Although, at the time, nobody knew who to credit this performance to.
According to the credits at the end of the episode, Mr. Bergstrom was voiced by a man called "Sam Etic". Now we all know Etic was actually Hoffman, but why try and fool everyone?
Well, to put it bluntly, Hoffman didn't want to be associated with a cartoon.
Unlike today where a guest spot on The Simpsons is a sign that you've made it in showbiz, the show didn't have nearly as much credibility in 1990.
Hoffman agreed to the role, but only if he was credited under a pseudonym. "Sam Etic" was invented by James L. Brooks as a nod to Hoffman's Jewish heritage.
Hoffman wasn't the only celebrity to guest in The Simpsons under a fake name, but you'll have to wait until the next list to hear about that.