Harry Shearer

Having been the voice of 21 characters on the long-running animated sitcom "The Simpsons" (Fox, 1989- ), actor and comedian Harry Shearer was known by millions without most even recognizing his face. A child actor who segued into comedy, Shearer first emerged as an adult in Rob Reiner's beloved mockumentary, "This is Spinal Tap" (1984), while earning laughs on "Not Necessarily the News" (HBO, 1983-1990) and as a writer-performer on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ). After later appearing in big budget movies like "Godzilla" (1998) and "The Truman Show" (1998), he tapped into his more political side to portray Watergate criminal G. Gordon Liddy in the comedy "Dick" (1999). In the following decade, Shearer joined friend Christopher Guest for the director's improvisational satires, "A Mighty Wind" (2003) and "For Your Consideration" (2006). But it was being one of the more versatile voices on "The Simpsons" that proved to be his most valuable contributions, with such noted characters as Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Dr. Hibbert and Mr. Burns being among fan favorites. In addition to appearing on and off the screen, Shearer hosted a popular political satire radio program while contributing to numerous publications and websites, including The Los Angeles Times and The Huffington Post. A masterful jack of all trades, Shearer made an indelible mark on entertainment in a wide variety of mediums.