Larry Burns: Mr Burns' long-lost son
1008 words | Reading time: 6 minutes
CharacterLarry Burns
A jovial oaf running a roadside souvenir stand recognizes his father in an old photograph and turns up at the mansion: Larry Burns, the billionaire's illegitimate son, gets a single episode, "Burns, Baby Burns" (1996). What follows: his instant friendship with Homer, the fake kidnapping dreamed up to wring an admission of affection out of Burns, a bittersweet ending, and the part written to measure for Rodney Dangerfield. The profile of the son who warmed the coldest heart in Springfield.
Picture the absolute opposite of Mr. Burns: a jovial, shameless oaf who turns up at the mansion loudly claiming his place in the family.
For the length of a single episode, the coldest billionaire in Springfield discovers that he has a son. Here is the profile.
Contents
Who is Larry Burns?
Larry Burns is the illegitimate, long-lost son of Charles Montgomery Burns, born of an old affair. He earns a modest living running a roadside souvenir stand when he recognizes his father in an old photograph — and immediately turns up in Springfield. He appears in the single episode "Burns, Baby Burns" (1996).
📸 It's at his roadside souvenir stand that Larry recognizes his father in an old photograph; your own family photos, meanwhile, can sit right next to your change in one of our Simpsons wallets.
The exact opposite of his father
The character's comedy rests on a total contrast: where Mr. Burns is refined, cruel and icy, Larry is coarse, jovial and vulgar, a true blue-collar guy. He immediately strikes up a friendship with Homer, with whom he shares a solid taste for idleness and beer. A son whom Burns, obsessed with appearances and flanked by Smithers, has real trouble accommodating.
A bittersweet parting
Hurt by his father's contempt, Larry goes along with a fake kidnapping — Homer's idea — meant to force Burns to admit that he loves his son. Once the hoax is exposed, the ending is not a disowning after all: Burns forgives, but acknowledges that he can never be the father Larry needs. The two part on good terms, and Larry reveals that he already has a wife and children waiting for him — the whole thing closing on an impromptu block party.
🥤 Hoax exposed, Burns forgives, and it all ends in an impromptu block party: for the next one that springs up on your street, our Simpsons insulated tumblers keep the drinks cool until the last guest heads home.
Larry Burns's voice
In the original version, Larry is voiced by stand-up legend Rodney Dangerfield. The part was in fact written to measure around his stage persona, the man who "gets no respect". A piece of casting that is the whole point of the character.
📱 Larry's part was written to measure for Rodney Dangerfield, the man who "gets no respect"; the phone you use to replay his original voice deserves a little more of it, and one of our Simpsons iPhone cases takes care of that.
The father
Simpsons Keychain - Mr Burns Excellent
"Excellent…" on a keychain: the father Larry spent his whole life looking for.
€14.90 View product →
Summary table
| Profile | Details |
|---|---|
| Identity | Mr. Burns's illegitimate, long-lost son |
| His temperament | Coarse, jovial and vulgar — the opposite of his father |
| Episode | "Burns, Baby Burns" (1996), his only appearance |
| The ending | A parting on good terms, not a disowning |
| Original voice | Rodney Dangerfield |
FAQ
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Who is Larry Burns?Mr. Burns's illegitimate, long-lost son, a jovial oaf who turns up in Springfield for the length of one 1996 episode.
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Does Mr. Burns disown Larry in the end?No: after the fake kidnapping, Burns forgives but admits that he cannot be a real father. They part on good terms.
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Whose idea is the fake kidnapping?Homer's, who hopes it will force Burns to admit his affection for his son.
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Who voices Larry Burns?Stand-up comedian Rodney Dangerfield, whose persona inspired the writing of the part.
Conclusion
Warm, loud and perfectly out of place in the Burns mansion, Larry is an irresistible counterpoint to Springfield's great villain. A one-episode son who, for a moment, warmed the coldest heart in town.
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