Rainier Wolfcastle
Rainier Luftwaffe Wolfcastle
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Character Information
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Rainier Luftwaffe Wolfcastle (voiced by Harry Shearer) is an Austrian-accented, musclebound action movie star.
Contents
Profile
Wolfcastle is a parody of actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger. Wolfcastle's ex-wife, who appeared in one episode in which the couple remarried, is named Maria Shriver Kennedy Quimby (as in Schwarzenegger's wife Maria Shriver), and he was seen at a gathering of members of the Quimby family, who are modeled after the Kennedys. In the episode Homerazzi he remarries Maria Shriver Kennedy Quimby.
Wolfcastle is a veteran of many violent action movies, most notably "the McBain series which does not correspond to a 1991 action movie by the same name." It is frequently suggested that his career has been on the decline since a movie featuring a "magic ticket" similar to Last Action Hero. He battles frequently with weight problems, though tries to pass it off as something he is doing for a role. His films are sometimes critical failures; Jay Sherman introduced Wolfcastle in an interview on his TV show as "star of the reprehensible McBain movies"
According to various Simpsons episodes, Wolfcastle began his acting career as a child in Austria, appearing on long television commercials advertising bratwurst. At roughly the same time, he began experimenting with bodybuilding, and his physique earned him a starring role in several gay pornography films, shelves of which were seen by Homer during one of Wolfcastle's debt-induced garage sales. He was also the primary actor on advertisements for "PowerSauce Bars"; bars claiming to boost muscle growth, but which were in fact a mash of apple cores and Chinese newspapers.
Character History
The character was originally referred to both within the show and by the production team as McBain, taken from the role he portrayed in the fictional action film franchise. However, for a short time, The Simpsons could not use the McBain name because a movie of the same name (unrelated to The Simpsons character) was released in 1991. During this time, the movie's producers refused to give Twentieth Century Fox and Matt Groening's production company clearance to use the "McBain" name, so the name of Rainier Wolfcastle was used to sidestep this. Later, the use of "McBain" as both Wolfcastle's alter-ego and continuing series of films returned to the show.
Wolfcastle himself can be briefly seen in the angry crowd in The Simpsons Movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger also appears in the movie as president, drawn almost exactly like Wolfcastle and voiced by Harry Shearer using the Wolfcastle voice.
The name "Rainier" is a spelling variant of Rainer, a common German given name. Also, "Rainier" is a common reference to Mt. Rainier, a large volcano within view of Seattle, Washington. Most Simpsons character names come from streets and landmarks near Portland, Oregon, the hometown of Simpsons creator Matt Groening.[1]
It is also possible that his family name is a reference to the popular video game Wolfenstein 3D and it's sequel Return to Castle Wolfenstein.
Jobs
Rainier Wolfcastle has, in different Simpsons episodes, been a presenter at the Academy Awards, a spokesperson for the PowerSauce energy bar, a celebrity judge in radio station KBBL's contest "How Low Will You Go" (along with Krusty the Clown and Madeleine Albright), host of a short-lived talk show, and a guest on Inside the Actors Studio with James Lipton (in which he kills Lipton after getting into character as McBain). His daughter Greta dated Bart in the episode, The Bart Wants What It Wants. He also was co-owner of a Planet Hollywood spoof, along with "Chuck Norris, Johnny Carson's third wife, and the Russian mafia".
Apart from the McBain series, Wolfcastle also played Radioactive Man in an ill-fated live-action movie version of the comic book series. Wolfcastle has also ventured into comedic roles; in one episode he carries Homer in an oversized Snugli for babies, remarking, "I used it to carry Rob Schneider in the movie My Baby is an Ugly Man."
Politics
Rainier Wolfcastle appears to have political ambitions, as noted by his candidacy for mayor in the recall election of Mayor Diamond Joe Quimby. He is a member of the inner circle of the Springfield Republican Party which meets at Burns's mansion and includes Burns, Krusty, Dr. Hibbert, Count Dracula and Bob Dole.
Anti-Semitism/Prejudices
His lead-in announcer on "Up Late with McBain" dresses in a full SS uniform, complete with Nazi armband. In the episode "See Homer Run", in a stump speech he refers to himself as being, among other things a "...son of a Nazi...". Despite his aforementioned involvement in the gay porn industry, Rainier himself may also be homophobic, as evidenced by his accusing an entire audience of being homosexuals after they booed him for describing someone's outfit as making them "look like a homosexual". Wolfcastle has twice been seen campaigning for Mayor or campaigning for Sideshow Bob for Mayor.
Trivia
- his middle name is Luftwaffe, which means Air Force. But neither in Austria nor in Germany Luftwaffe is a name anyone would give his children.
Episode Appearances
In the episode, "Homerazzi", it is revealed that his middle name is Luftwaffe.
See also
