One thing that is easy to do is lose track of is the number of celebrity guest voices on The Simpsons. There are so many of them. Some like Mick Jagger or George Harrison play themselves. My preference has always been for celebrities that lend their voice to an original character. Danny DeVito was great as Homer's half brother Herb Powell. Kelsey Grammar does a brilliant turn in the recurring role of Sideshow Bob.

Another great guest voice over was the illegitimate son of Mr Burns: Larry Burns. This character was ably voiced by comic legend Rodney Dangerfield. The episode was a Simpsons classic. It starts off with a much loved debate between Marge and Homer over whether or not to pick up a hitch-hiker. The hitch-hiker turns out to be Larry Burns, the son of Mr Burns.

As a collector of all things Simpsons, this was a character that I really wanted for my collection. My only problem is that they only featured the character once. This was one of the few figures that I actually ordered for myself. (I usually rely on birthday and Christmas presents to expand my set.) I was pretty happy when I got the figure.

By appearance, Larry Burns looks like a caricature of Rodney Dangerfield. Granted, it would be a journey back in time to a younger Dangerfield. The figure has a full head of hair and a puzzled look on the face. The hair is disheveled and the tie is crooked. One can also easily discern that Larry Burns doesn't turn down mugs of beer or slices of pizza. One disappointment with the figure is that Playmates omits the three birth marks on the forehead that Larry inherited from his father.

As with most of the figures in the series, there is very limited motion. The arms can be moved up and down. The head can only be turned slightly to either side. It's a sturdy figure but repeated attempts at moving limbs would likely result in a broken toy.

It is also part of the interactive series. The World of Springfield figures can speak when secured on compatible environments. Unfortunately, this figure only speaks on two environments: Moe's Tavern the Court Room. Due to an ordering mix up, I didn't get the Moe's Tavern environment for my birthday last week. (pity parties are appreciated). Sadly, I am unable to swear by the quality of the voice. Most of the voices are very accurate. A couple (like the Ned Flanders figure) are a bit high pitched.

Larry Burns also comes with five accessories. He has a suitcase, a Springfield sign, a picture of a young Monty Burns, squash candy and a gone drinkin' sign. These pieces are all very small and should be kept from the reach of younger children. The package states the toy is appropriate for ages 4 and up.

The age guidelines for the Simpsons can be amusing because most of the collectors are adults. Of course the package does include the words and up. Nowhere does it cap off the age. I don't know how interested children would be in these toys anyway. The limited motion would probably lead to boredom. There are many other toys that would be better play objects for young children. These are better as display items than as toys for unending play.

This is one that I recommend for the serious fans of The Simpsons. It would also be an amusing gift for the hardcore Rodney Dangerfield fan. It's a character that only appeared in one episode so the casual fan or collector might not view this as an essential figure. Being s Simpsons fanatic and a Rodney fan, it was a vital figure for me. And it's a fine addition to an evergrowing collection.




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 7.99