Farnsworth...20years ago?

[on:]

Hopefully no one has discussed this before, but in season 1 episode 13 of The Simpsons, "Some Enchanted Evening", when Maggie is watching the typical elf show in one scene a green elf version of Professor Farnsworth can be seen.

This episode aired 1989 and Futurama launched 1999.


Full-size

The aired TV version is much clearer, this is a screen cap from a online version.

What do you think - coincidence or secret origin of the Farnsworth design?

[Reply #1 on:]

I don't know...but the glasses are obviously the same. Very interesting.

[Reply #2 on:]

That's Bart...

[Reply #3 on:]

nah ive seen the early drawings of the prof, sure the glasses are the same, but the drafts of the prof had his head all strange-like.

[Reply #4 on:]

Yeah, the glasses look very much like Professor Farnsworth's. Definetely a secret origin of the Farnsworth design, I think.

[Reply #5 on:]

x.Bianca.x do you say it's just coincidence, or do you think maybe it influenced the cartoonists?

I like to think it's tied together...somewhat wishful thinking I suppose lol

[Reply #6 on:]

:O!

Matt Groening should sue himself.

[Reply #7 on:]

Huh? He should demote himself?

[Reply #8 on:]

This is the worst thread I've ever seen on PEEL, and I've seen 7 years of hjs and winna.

No, I'm kidding about that, but this is a coincidence so obvious it begs for stupid conspiracy theories.

[Reply #9 on:]

Because glasses like that have never been drawn before, and must directly relate to the very creation of a Futurama character two decades later.

[Reply #10 on:]

It shouldn't?

[Reply #11 on:]

They just probably took the glasses because they were so thick.

[Reply #12 on:]

It's doubtful they even took them.

Some Enchanted Evening is not known for its fine animation, and the commentary on the S1 Simpsons DVD makes that pretty clear. There's no way Groening would go back and look through that episode for an idea of a potential character design.

It's a coincidence.

[Reply #13 on:]

Yeah, he probably just draws thick glasses like that. I mean, you see same things all over the place but that is just the artist's style.

[Reply #14 on:]

Hopefully no one has discussed this before...

'Fraid so. 

[Reply #15 on:]

^No! I was so happy I caught it 

Just to clarify "secret origin of the Farnsworth design" wasn't meant very seriously. I'm not saying M.G. intentionally hid this correlation, rather I just wanted to give two polar opposites for discussion. The other thread SpaceCase posted has a much clearer image which looks even more so Prof. Farnsworth in my opinion, but I guess it can be argued Prof. Fink also has similar glasses. I'm undecided.

To lighten up the mood;
"Animation is built on plagiarism! If it weren't for someone plagiarizing The Honeymooners, we wouldn't have The Flintstones. If someone hadn't ripped off Sergeant Bilko, there'd be no Top Cat. Huckleberry Hound, Chief Wiggum, Yogi Bear? Hah! Andy Griffith, Edward G. Robinson, Art Carney." - Roger Meyers Jr.

[Reply #16 on:]

I don't get that bit about Yogi Bear Yogi Bear was a true patriot!