25 Best Simpsons Guest Stars

25 - James Earl Jones
Starring As: Maggie

When Homer accidentally turns a toaster into a time machine, his travels change the course of history, including making Maggie a homicidal tot who kills Groundskeeper Willie with an ax before removing her pacifier and uttering, via Jones' deep vocals, "This is indeed a disturbing universe."

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24 - Johnny Carson, Hugh Hefner, Bette Midler, Luke Perry and the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Starring As: Themselves

The eclectic bunch appears on Krusty's comeback special, which Bart and Lisa help arrange (a la Elvis' famous '68 comeback concert) when Gabbo kills Krusty's ratings. Perry plays an extra role in the activities, too: He's Krusty's half-brother, who stands in for Sideshow Mel ("Sideshow Luke Perry").

23 - Johnny Cash
Starring As: A coyote

Cash plays a spirit guide, in the form of a coyote, who Homer hallucinates after he eats insanely hot chili peppers. The coyote tries to nudge our hero off on a spiritual journey, before suggesting Homer needs to be more acquisitive - "You don't even have a computer" – and trying to eat his pants.

22 - Cypress Hill, Peter Frampton, Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth
Starring As: Themselves

Homer bonded with the rockers when he joined their Lollapalooza-ish Hullapalooza tour, telling Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan, "Thanks to your gloomy music, (my kids have) finally stopped dreaming of a future I can't possibly provide." Replies Corgan: "Well, we try to make a difference."

21 - Danny DeVito
Starring As: Herbert Powell

Homer's half sibling was excited to meet the Simpsons at first, but found out just how much brotherly love could cost – i.e. his car company – when Homie's kooky auto design proved the biggest flop since the Edsel. Fortunately, a loan from Homer helped Herbert invent a new gizmo and regain his wealth.

20 - Mel Gibson
Starring As: Himself

Gibson makes the mistake of hitching his star to Homer's wagon when the big lug suggests ending the actor's remake of 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' with a mass murder of all the congressmen and the president. When the movie premieres, the audience revolts, and Mel boots Homer out of his limo.

19 - Mark Hamill
Starring As: Himself

The 'Star Wars' star is in Springfield for a sci-fi convention, where Homer saves him for being trampled by zealous fans. Hamill then decides to stay in town and perform in a dinner theater production of 'Guys and Dolls', where his version of Nathan Detroit sings songs like 'Luke be a Jedi Tonight.'

18 - Tito Puente
Starring As: Himself

The Latin music legend, ticked off because Mr. Burns' monopoly of Springfield Elementary's oil meant the school couldn't afford to hire him as a music teacher, was a prime suspect in Burns' shooting. Tito cleared himself by pointing out his method of revenge wasn't a gun, but a harshly-worded tune.

17 - Stephen Hawking
Starring As: Himself

The scientist helped restore order in Springfield when a fight broke out amongst the town's MENSA members and the less intelligent ... er, townsfolk who weren't MENSA members. Hawking surmises the MENSA faction's new utopia is actually a "Fruitopia," backed by Homer, who thinks Hawking is Larry Flynt.

16 - Glenn Close
Starring As: Mona Simpson

Homer's mom had been presumed dead, but when reports of Homer's own death were greatly exaggerated, he stumbled upon proof that she was actually alive. Turns out she was on the lam after Joe Namath's hippy hair at Super Bowl III inspired her to plant a bomb that nuked Mr. Burns' harvested germs.

15 - Elvis Costello, Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz, Tom Petty, Keith Richards and Brian Setzer
Starring As: Themselves

Mick and the fellas promise "you'll experience the complete rock n' roll lifestyle, without the lawsuits and STDs" at their fantasy camp, but their business-like attitude – Mick gets mad when Homer messes up his paperwork – clashes with their teachings on playing a burning guitar with your teeth.

14 - Ron Howard
Starring As: Himself

The former Richie Cunningham appeared in an episode with Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin, but was less impressed with Homer, who insisted upon calling Howard Potsie and Horshack. Opie got the last laugh, though, stealing Homer's idea for a buddy movie about a time-traveling killer robot and a talking pie.

13 - Penny Marshall
Starring As: Ms. Botz

Ms. Botz is actually Lucille Botzkowski, a.k.a. "The Babysitter Bandit," a thief who dupes her way into houses by posing as a sitter. Of course she ends up on Evergreen Terrace, where Bart and Lisa quickly identify her and tie her up, but Homer comes home and sets her free before the police arrive.

12 - Leonard Nimoy
Starring As: Himself

The 'Trek' icon was the grand marshal for the launch of the ill-fated monorail, and, as a visiting dignitary, was subject to the obligatory indignities that come with any celeb trip to Springfield. In this case, Mayor Quimby wrongly pegged him as both a 'Star Wars' and 'Little Rascals' cast member.

11 - Darryl Strawberry
Starring As: Himself

Scandal-plagued in real life, Strawberry was a consummate team player in Springfield, hired by Mr. Burns to help the nuclear plant softball team defeat Shelbyville. Homer's peeved that Strawberry takes his spot, but a bit of dumb luck (would he have any other kind?) makes Homer a hero in the end.

10 - Elizabeth Taylor
Starring As: Maggie

The Oscar winner had just one line, actually, just one word, as she voiced Maggie Simpson's first utterance. When a warring Bart and Lisa prompt Homer to proclaim that "the sooner kids talk, the sooner they talk back" while he's putting Maggie to bed, the infant drops her pacifier and says, "Daddy."

9 - Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger
Starring As: Themselves

Paragliding Homer takes a detour right into (then-married) Alec and Kim's vacation home, and begs to become their personal assistant. They agree, only to have Homer blab to everyone about the secret hideaway, forcing them to oust him. His revenge: Starting a mobile museum about "Hollywood jerks."

8 - Michael Jackson
Starring As: Leon Kompowsky

The eccentric Jackson, who insisted upon being credited as John Jay Smith, was Homer's psych ward buddy, a "big white guy" who thought he actually was Wacko Jacko. In the end, Leon, as fake Michael, helped Bart write a birthday song for Lisa, which was sung by ... a Michael Jackson impersonator.

7 - Dustin Hoffman
Starring As: Mr. Bergstrom

He was 'Mr. Nerdstrom' to her classmates, but Lisa was crushin' on her substitute teacher, the only adult male who liked her precocious ways. Mr. Bergstrom also fended off more randy advances, channeling Hoffman's 'The Graduate' when he said, "Mrs. Krabappel, you're trying to seduce me."

6 - James Taylor
Starring As: Himself

The folk rocker saves the day when hapless Homer wins a trip on the space shuttle and jams the instruments with ants. Taylor tells the astronauts that he and pal Art Garfunkel had an ant problem at their vineyard, and suggests creating a vacuum to suck the bugs into space ... mission accomplished.

5 - Albert Brooks
Starring As: Hank Scorpio and Jacques

Brooks played a fine pair of weasels, as Homer's evil genius Globex Corp. boss Hank Scorpio in a 007 spoof, and as Jacques, the slick French bowling instructor who put the moves on Marge. "Marge, darling. There are ten pins in my heart, you've knocked over eight. Won't you please pick up that spare?"

4 - Michelle Pfeiffer
Starring As: Mindy Simmons

Homer's got cheatin' on his mind after meeting co-worker Mindy, a beauty who loves doughnuts, beer, TV, sneaking naps at work ... she's a female version of him! His love for Marge ultimately prevails, but not before he and Mindy travel to a convention together, where she puts the moves on Homer J.

3 - John Waters
Starring As: John

John's a local antiques dealer who befriends the Simpson clan, until Homer learns John is gay. He wigs when Bart begins to emulate John, whose friendliness and understanding make Homer's attempts to de-gay Bart – by taking him to a steel mill, which turns out to be a gay bar - more and more absurd.

2 - Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce
Starring As: Sideshow Bob and Cecil, Sideshow Bob's brother

The bickering 'Frasier' Crane brothers took their squabbles to Springfield, where parolee Bob went to live with Cecil. Cecil, jealous of Bob's job with Krusty, tried to frame his sib for embezzlement. Bart and Lisa save the day, but they can't save the brothers, who are forced to share a jail cell.

1 - Phil Hartman
Starring As: Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz

The late, great Hartman was a Springfield staple, voicing both shyster attorney Hutz and D-list actor McClure. Hutz operated "I Can't Believe It's a Law Firm!" at the mall, while McClure voiced infomercials and educational films, and resorted to marrying Selma to try to save his fledgling career.