The Simpsons episode
"Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"
Herb & Homer meet for the first time
Episode no.	28
Prod. code	7F16
Orig. airdate	February 21, 1991
Show runner(s)	James L. Brooks Matt Groening Sam Simon
Written by	Jeff Martin
Directed by	W.M. "Bud" Archer
Chalkboard	"I will not sell land in Florida"
Couch gag	Maggie is in Marge's hair.
Guest star(s)	Danny DeVito as Herb Powell
DVD commentary	Matt Groening Jeff Martin Al Jean Mike Reiss
Season 2 October 11, 1990 – July 11, 1991
Bart Gets an F Simpson and Delilah Treehouse of Horror Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish Dancin' Homer Dead Putting Society Bart vs. Thanksgiving Bart the Daredevil Itchy & Scratchy & Marge Bart Gets Hit by a Car One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish The Way We Was Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment Principal Charming Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? Bart's Dog Gets an F Old Money Brush with Greatness Lisa's Substitute The War of the Simpsons Three Men and a Comic Book Blood Feud
List of all The Simpsons episodes
Seasons
1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19

"Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" is the fifteenth episode of The Simpsons' second season. Simpsons redirects here. ... Screencap from Simpsons episode Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Herbert Anthony Herb Powell is a fictional character on The Simpsons, voiced by Danny DeVito. ... Homer Simpson is also a character in the book and film The Day of the Locust. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... James L. Brooks (born May 9, 1940) is a three-time Academy Award, nineteen-time Emmy and Golden Globe-winning American producer, writer, and film director. ... Matthew Abram Groening is an American cartoonist (Life in Hell) and the Emmy Award-winning creator of the animated series, The Simpsons and Futurama. ... Sam Simon is an American television producer and writer, most notable as one of the original developers of The Simpsons, along with Matt Groening and James L. Brooks. ... Al Jean (left) and David Mirkin (right), have both been writers for The Simpsons for more than ten years. ... Jeff Martin was a writer The Simpsons during the first four seasons. ... The three people are caricatures of (left to right) Rich Moore, Wes Archer and David Silverman[1] The following is a list of directors who have worked on the Fox animated television series The Simpsons. ... Wesley Wes Archer (born November 26, 1961) is a television animation director. ... Bart writes The Pledge of Allegiance does not end with Hail Satan The chalkboard gag is a running visual joke that occurs during the opening credits of many episodes of The Simpsons. ... The couch gag is a running visual joke in the opening credits of the animated television series The Simpsons. ... For the singer-songwriter, see Maggie Simpson (musician). ... Marjorie Marge Simpson (née Bouvier) is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons and is voiced by Julie Kavner. ... (left to right) Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Keith Richards, Homer, Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz and Brian Setzer guest starred in the heavily promoted season 14 episode How I Spent My Strummer Vacation. This is a list of guest stars who appeared on The Simpsons. ... Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. ... Herbert Anthony Herb Powell is a fictional character on The Simpsons, voiced by Danny DeVito. ... The Simpsons DVD season boxsets have been released since 2001 in different regions all over the world. ... Matthew Abram Groening is an American cartoonist (Life in Hell) and the Emmy Award-winning creator of the animated series, The Simpsons and Futurama. ... Jeff Martin was a writer The Simpsons during the first four seasons. ... Al Jean is a TV comedy writer most known for his work on The Simpsons. ... Mike Reiss is an American TV comedy writer. ... The Simpsons second season originally aired between October 1990 and July 1991, beginning on October 11, 1990. ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Bart Gets an F is the first episode of The Simpsons second season, which aired on October 11, 1990. ... Simpson and Delilah is the second episode of The Simpsons second season, which aired on October 18, 1990. ... This article refers to the first Treehouse of Horror episode. ... Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish is the fourth episode of The Simpsons second season. ... Dancin Homer is the fifth episode of The Simpsons second season. ... Dead Putting Society is the sixth episode of The Simpsons second season. ... Bart vs. ... Bart the Daredevil is the eighth episode of The Simpsons second season. ... Itchy & Scratchy & Marge is the ninth episode of The Simpsons second season and first aired on December 20, 1990. ... Bart Gets Hit by a Car is the tenth episode of The Simpsons second season. ... “One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish” is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons’ second season. ... The Way We Was is the 12th episode of the second season of The Simpsons. ... “Homer vs. ... Principal Charming is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons second season, airing on February 14, 1991. ... Barts Dog Gets an F is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons second season, airing on March 7, 1991. ... Old Money is an episode of the second season of The Simpsons Episode details Production Number: 7F17 Original Air Date: March 28, 1991 Writers: Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky Director: David Silverman Blackboard: I will not grease the monkey bars Couch Gag: Grampa wakes up Synopsis Spoiler warning: Abe meets... Brush with Greatness is the 18th episode from the second season of The Simpsons. ... Lisas Substitute is the 19th episode of the second season of The Simpsons. ... The War of the Simpsons is the 20th episode of the second season of The Simpsons. ... “Three Men and a Comic Book” is the 21st episode of the second season of The Simpsons. ... Blood Feud is the last episode of the second season of The Simpsons. ... The following is an episode list for the Fox animated television series The Simpsons. ... The Simpsons Season 1 DVD Digipak. ... The Simpsons second season originally aired between October 1990 and July 1991, beginning on October 11, 1990. ... The Simpsons Season 3 DVD. 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Plot

After watching the latest McBain movie, Grampa Simpson suffers a heart attack. Thinking he might die, he is prompted to confess a long-hidden secret: Homer has a half-brother. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Abraham J. Simpson (Grampa or Abe) is a fictional character featured in the animated cartoon television series The Simpsons. ... Homer Simpson is also a character in the book and film The Day of the Locust. ...

As Grampa explains, he had met a carnival floozy and prostitute before marrying Homer's mother. They had a son, and left him at the Shelbyville Orphanage. Determined to find his brother, Homer and his family go to the orphanage and find out that Abe's son was adopted by a Mr. and Mrs. Powell and named Herbert. This article describes the festival season. ... Whore redirects here. ... This article is about a character from The Simpsons. ... Shelbyville is a fictional city on the television series The Simpsons that is located adjacent to Springfield. ... // An orphanage is an institution or asylum for the care of a child bereaved of both father and mother; sometimes, also, a child who has but one parent living. ... Herbert Anthony Herb Powell is a fictional character on The Simpsons, voiced by Danny DeVito. ...

Herb Powell, who looks just like Homer, except taller, slimmer and with more hair, is the head of eponymously-named automobile manufacturer Powell Motors, which is in danger of being taken over by the Japanese because of otherwise poor management. He is very rich, but is quite unhappy not knowing who he is and where he comes from. He is overjoyed upon hearing of his half-brother and invites the entire Simpson family to stay at his mansion in Detroit. Car redirects here. ... This article is about the automaker. ... This article is about the Japanese motor corporation. ... Nissan Motor Co. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about a truck manufacturer. ... For other uses, see Suzuki (disambiguation). ... Mitsubishi Motors Corporation ) is the fifth largest automaker in Japan and the thirteenth largest in the world by unit sales. ... For other uses, see Subaru (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Detroit redirects here. ...

Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are enthralled by Herb's wealthy lifestyle and kind personality, although Marge constantly worries about spoiling her kids. Herb then decides that Homer, being an "average" American, is the perfect person to design a new car for his company. Homer is given entirely free rein in the design, but is at first too timid to voice an opinion, as Herb's designers begin to design the car with their own ideas in mind. When Herb gets word of this, he gives Homer a pep talk that sends him back to the designers determined to build the car with all sorts of weird effects like bubble domes, tail fins and several horns that play "La Cucaracha". For the comic book series of the same name, see Bart Simpson comics. ... Lisa Marie Simpson is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Yeardley Smith; Lisa is the only character Smith voices on a regular basis. ... For other uses, see La Cucaracha (disambiguation). ...

At the unveiling of the new car, dubbed "The Homer", Herb is horrified to discover that the car is a monstrosity that costs $82,000 ($125,791.13 when inflation adjusted to 2007). Herb's company folds, his mansion is sold off and he leaves regretting that he ever met his brother. As he departs on the bus he angrily remarks to Homer that he "has no brother". Lisa laments, "His life was an unbridled success... until he found out he was a Simpson." In the end of this episode, while Homer drives the family home, Bart tells him that the car he built was great. Homer becomes relieved to discover that at least one person seems to like it. USD redirects here. ...

The Homer

The Homer

The features Homer added to his vehicle are:

• Extremely large beverage holder
• A little ball on top of the aerial
• Tail fins
• Bubble domes
• Shag carpeting
• Several horns that all play "La Cucaracha"
• For younger passengers a second soundproof bubble dome with optional straps and muzzles

Homer describes the car as "powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball". For other uses, see Nerf (disambiguation). ...

Debut Appearances

Characters making a first appearance in this episode are:

• Herb Powell

• Mona Simpson

Herbert Anthony Herb Powell is a fictional character on The Simpsons, voiced by Danny DeVito. ... This article is about a character from The Simpsons. ...

Trivia

• In the video games The Simpsons Road Rage and The Simpsons Hit & Run, the Homer is a drivable vehicle, complete with a horn which plays "La Cucaracha.".
• Herb returns, and his plight is resolved, in the later episode "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" (Season 3).
• This episode marks the first appearance of Homer's mother, who is voiced by Maggie Roswell. She is seen again in another flashback in "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy" and then turns out to be alive and reunited with her family in "Mother Simpson" where she is voiced by Glenn Close.
• A few of the things suggested for "The Homer", like super-sized cup holders and built-in media-players, are now incorporated into modern day cars.
• The Simpsons kids were all born in wedlock, but Bart was, as Homer likes to put it, a "close call".
• The name of Kumatsu Motors, who takes over Herb's company, and builds Homer's snowplow in "Mr. Plow", is probably derived from Japanese heavy equipment manufacturer Komatsu.
• Herb's birth is somewhat similar to Bongo in Life in Hell's birth.
• The director of the Shelbyville orphanage closely resembles Dr. Hibbert in both voice and looks, the only difference being his mustache. The director also makes mention of his search for his long lost twin brother. All of this evidence points to Dr. Hibbert and the director being twin brothers. Homer could have quite easily help reunite them, however Homer had a lot on his mind (and is quite dim).

Computer and video games redirects here. ... The Simpsons Road Rage is a video game that was released in 2001 by Electronic Arts. ... The Simpsons Hit & Run is an action adventure video game based on the animated sitcom The Simpsons. ... Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes? is the 24th episode of The Simpsons third season. ... This article is about a character from The Simpsons. ... Maggie Roswell is an actress best known for her voice work on The Simpsons depicting the characters of Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, Miss Hoover, and Luann Van Houten among others. ... Grampa vs. ... Mother Simpson is the eighth episode of The Simpsons seventh season. ... Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is a five-time Academy Award-nominated American film and stage actress and singer. ... Marriage is a relationship and bond, most commonly between a man and a woman, that plays a key role in the definition of many families. ... Mr. ... Komatsu Limited ) or Komatsu Hanomag excavator in Germany Komatsu construction vehicle in New Orleans, Louisiana (USA) Komatsu (コマツ) (TYO: 6301) is a Japanese company that manufactures construction, mining, and military equipment, industry machinery such as press machines, lasers, and thermoelectric modules. ... Life in Hell is a weekly comic strip by Matt Groening. ... Shelbyville is the name of several places in the United States of America: Shelbyville, Arkansas Shelbyville, Illinois Shelbyville, Indiana Shelbyville, Kentucky Shelbyville, Michigan Shelbyville, Missouri Shelbyville, Tennessee Shelbyville, Texas Shelbyville is also a town in the television series The Simpsons. ... This article contains a list of recurring characters from The Simpsons with descriptions. ...

Cultural references

• The title of this episode is also the name of the non-existent book "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" in the Preston Sturges film Sullivan's Travels. The film is also where the Coen Brothers got the name for their movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?.
• The storyline where a very controversially styled car causing the company to tank both echoes that of the Edsel and the Tucker Torpedo. The Edsel was a very controversially styled car that bore the name of Henry Ford's son, which is now considered one of the biggest flops in history (In fact, the name "Edsel" has since become assoiated with "failure") While the Tucker was a very advanced car. "The Homer"'s unveiling is a parody of the Tucker's unveiling, down to the girls wearing pink gowns, to Herb Powell calling it "The Car of the 90s" (Preston Tucker referred to the Tucker as the "Car of the 50s", hinting at how advanced it was). However, this is an injoke, as the Tucker was very advanced for its time, while "The Homer" was notoriously dated, using design features like tailfins, which went out of style in the 1950s. The storyline also slightly takes off that of the AMC Pacer, which was a controversially styled car that is blamed for the final fall of American Motors.
• Herb Powell lives in a house that looks like Frank Lloyd Wright's house in Oak Park, Illinois, works in a studio that looks like the Taliesin school of architecture in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and his factory is none other than the Johnson Wax Company in Racine, Wisconsin, all three buildings designed by Wright.

Preston Sturges (August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959), originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated screenwriter and director born in Chicago. ... Sullivans Travels is a 1941 American film written and directed by Preston Sturges. ... Joel and Ethan Coen, known as The Coen Brothers, are Oscar-winning American filmmakers. ... For the film soundtrack, see O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack). ... The Edsel was a make of automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company during the 1958, 1959, and 1960 model years. ... 1948 Tucker Torpedo cars on display at the Gilmore Car Museum A Tucker Torpedo at the Blackhawk Auto Museum Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tucker vehicles See also Preston Tucker The Tucker Torpedo was an advanced automobile conceived by Preston Tucker and briefly produced in Chicago, Illinois in 1948. ... Henry Ford (1919) Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was the founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of modern assembly lines used in mass production. ... Preston Thomas Tucker Preston Thomas Tucker (September 21, 1903 – December 26, 1956) was an American automobile designer and entrepreneur. ... The AMC Pacer was a two-door compact automobile produced in the United States by the American Motors Corporation between 1975 and 1980. ... American Motors Corporation (AMC) was an American automobile company formed on January 14, 1954 by the merger of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company. ... Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, interior designer, writer, educator, and philosopher from Oak Park, Illinois. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Downtown (Oak Park Avenue) Ernest Hemingway Museum Oak Park, Illinois Lake Theater and shops along Lake Street. ... Taliesin or Taliessin (c. ... Spring Green is a village located in Sauk County, Wisconsin. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

The Simpsons Portal

• Episode Capsule on "Simpsons Archive"
• "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" at the Internet Movie Database