Troy McClure is a fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman and first appears in the second season episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment". McClure is a washed-up actor, usually shown doing low-level work, such as hosting infomercials and educational films. He appears as the central character in "A Fish Called Selma", in which he marries Selma Bouvier to aid his failing career and quash rumors about his personal life. McClure also 'hosts' "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" and "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase". McClure was partially based on B movie actors Troy Donahue and Doug McClure as well as Hartman himself. Following Hartman's death on May 28, 1998, all of his Simpsons characters were retired, with Hartman's last appearance as McClure being in the tenth season episode "Bart the Mother". McClure is often cited as one of the series' most popular characters; in 2006 IGN ranked him first on their list of the "Top 25 Simpsons Peripheral Characters".