Gil Gunderson

Gil Gunderson (usually referred to as Ol' Gil or Gil) is an unsuccessful and unlucky businessman of Springfield.

Biography
Gil has held many different jobs, all of which he eventually quits because something bad happens to him: For example, being shot in his first day as a bank security guard.

Gil frequently refers to himself in the third person ("C'mon, help ol' Gil out here!"). He has a tendency to punch people violently in the arm while trying to tell a story. Gil has been married, as evidenced by his mentioning that his wife was going to leave him if he didn't start "bringing in the green". Later, when he telephoned his wife and overheard her carousing with his friend, he didn't have the heart to stop her.

He has several health problems, including bronchitis and a bad back. He's also a strong moocher, and is adept at piano singalongs.

Among the large number of jobs Gil has had is real estate agent. When Marge started working as a realtor, Lionel Hutz told her, "Welcome to the big league, Marge. There's over fifty years of experience right in this room! And forty-two of those years are Gil's!", which seemed to imply that before he ran into Marge, Gil actually kept professions. He used to be a salesman, but he didn't sell any cars. He was almost going to sell one to Homer, but another salesman took his sale. He has sometimes tried to be a lawyer, like when he assisted Marge with her anti-sugar campaign, one of his few successful jobs, though it was not the same when Homer and Marge went to prison. He once worked at the Kwik-E-Mart, but he slipped and hurt his leg. He used to work at The Springfield Shopper, trying to sell newspaper subscriptions, but one of the customers on the phone told him to dance for it. Although that person couldn't see Gil, he danced anyway, desperate to sell something. He tried pitching a product for Amway - a multi-level marketing company - during an AA meeting after supposedly losing three jobs in two days. He was a "Coleco" computer salesman, asking the school to buy lots of computers to help "Ol' Gil".

One of his most miserable jobs was one as a bank security guard, where he was shot several times by robbers just as he was entering the bank for his first day of work.

Gil got a job as a Mall Santa, where he brought a Malibu Stacy out of the back room stock for Lisa as a Christmas present, but it was for Mr. Costington's daughter, so he fired him. The Simpsons let him stay in their house for one night, but he brought all his stuff in and made it into an extended stay. He got on the entire family's nerves, but Marge found herself unable to kick him out because she could not say "no" to him. After an entire year, Gil finally moved to Scottsdale because he got a job as a house salesman. Marge still had to say "no" to him, so the family went to Scottsdale to talk to him. There, they discovered Gil was actually successful at this job, as everyone acclaimed him. But when Marge finally confronted Gil and shouted at him because of his being so annoying, Gil's co-workers thought was a miserable man, so he was fired. Marge regretted her actions and offered to buy a house in Scotsdale so Gil could keep his job. This was successful and Gil celebrated Christmas with the Simpsons again.

Another of the few successful moments Gil has enjoyed is when he won a crossword contest, but only because he fooled Lisa by making her take his glasses, which he didn't actually need.

Gil has had several homes. He once lived at the Springfield Men's Mission (a hostel for down-and-outs) but was forceably ejected from the premises because he had overstayed the "six month occupancy limit." A defiant Gil walked straight into a shady organ donation clinic to sell his eyes for cash. Gil used to live in a hot-air balloon, which was stolen by Homer and Marge. Gil's lone possession in the balloon is a hot plate (on which he still had two more payments to make). Gil has also been living in a storage locker. He was once seen climbing out of a sewer before remembering that he lived there.

Gil once attempted suicide by hanging himself with Christmas lights. He appears later ice skating near Homer's house with the Christmas lights around his neck.

Gil nearly hit Snowball V in his car (just before Lisa adopted her), missing her and hitting a tree instead. Lisa saw the near-accident as a sign of good luck and decided to keep the cat, but Gil was left with a smashed-up and burning car. He still danced around celebrating, though, saying that thanks to insurance he'd be eating that night.

Gil got a job working as a bagger at Swapper Jack's

Non-canon
Gil has also been seen as a farmer. He had a thiriving field of corn which would have yielded a bumper crop, but unfortunately, it was completely devoured by Homer's clones. The clones then ate Gil.

In the video game The Simpsons: Hit & Run, Gil appears in all levels and characters can purchase cars from him.

Behind the Laughter
Gil is based on Jack Lemmon's portrayal of Shelley Levene in the film version of : a nervous, middle-aged man with the inability to hold a steady job due to strings of misfortunes that tend to hit him at the worst times.