Like Father, Like Clown
The Simpsons, season 3, episode 6. First aired October 24, 1991. 136 moments of about ten seconds each: open one for its frame, what happens and what's said.
← Homer Defined Treehouse of Horror II → The whole episode as text
About the episode
Pressured into a long-promised dinner with the Simpsons, Krusty the Clown reveals that he was born Herschel Krustofsky and that his father, Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, disowned him for choosing comedy over the rabbinate. Bart and Lisa set out to reunite them, but the rabbi rebuffs them until they win him over with a quotation from Sammy Davis Jr., and father and son reconcile on Krusty's show.
- Written by
- Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky
- Directed by
- Jeffrey Lynch and Brad Bird
- Guest stars
- Jackie Mason as Hyman Krustofsky
- Chalkboard gag
I will finish what I sta
- Couch gag
- Lying Down Bart
- Production code
- 8F05
The synopsis is our own. Credits and guest stars from Wikipedia and the Simpsons wiki.
Every moment
-
Bart Simpson stands in a classroom at a blackboard, chalk in hand, writing the words…
“The Simpsons”
0:00–0:12 -
Homer holds a glowing green rod with tongs at a nuclear plant control console beneath a CAUTION sign…
0:12–0:25 -
Lisa plays in a school band among rows of kids playing brass and woodwinds while a heavyset conductor…
0:25–0:38 -
Homer leans out of a pink doorway with one arm outstretched and a leg raised, holding a dark object
0:38–0:51 -
Krusty the Clown stands on a circus stage and holds up a red-handled axe while the crowd of Springfield…
“I hold in my hand the final axe.”
0:51–1:01 -
Krusty the Clown stands before an audience under a glowing APPLAUSE sign, and then an axe spins…
1:01–1:09 -
Krusty the Clown stands in front of a red curtain and smiles while gesturing with white-gloved hands
“Well, kids, that's all the time we have for today.”
1:09–1:18 -
Krusty the Clown stands in the center in front of a red-and-orange circus tent, grinning and laughing…
“Oh, she was a sport.”
1:18–1:27 -
Krusty the Clown stands at the center of a group under an orange-and-red circus tent with a red curtain…
“but now the time has come to go.”
1:27–1:36 -
Krusty the Clown appears on a boxy monitor in a dark studio, gesturing and grinning as he speaks
“See you some other time!”
1:36–1:42 -
Krusty the Clown walks down a corridor beside a woman with lavender hair, a blue dress and red beads…
“Great show, Krusty. I really laughed when you did that one.”
1:42–1:52 -
Krusty the Clown and white gloves, stands bent forward holding a white towel while a lavender-haired woman…
“Damn, I'm exhausted. Those kids were like ice out there.”
1:52–2:02 -
Krusty the Clown stands beside a green door holding a white towel and pointing a gloved finger while a woman…
“I don't know any Bart Simpson.”
2:02–2:13 -
Bart Simpson in an orange shirt stands in a crowd of legs with heavy-lidded eyes and a smirk, while Krusty…
“Uh, won't happen again.”
2:13–2:25 -
Maggie Simpson and Santa's Little Helper are in the Simpson kitchen, with Marge Simpson in her blue beehive…
“Hello?”
2:25–2:35 -
Marge Simpson stands at a kitchen wall phone beside cream canisters and a blender, first wide-eyed…
“Oh, hello, Mrs.”
2:35–2:49 -
A woman with grey-violet hair and a pink bead necklace, possibly Patty or Selma, sits at a desk on the phone…
“Oh, Mrs.”
2:49–2:58 -
Krusty the Clown scrubs the pink-tiled corner of a bathroom shower with a brush, sprawled low among cleaning…
“Lousy mildew.”
2:58–3:09 -
Bart lies on his bed in a bedroom with a red headboard and lamp, holding a telephone, then sits at a desk…
“Okay, Milhouse, how many crusty autographs should I put you down for?”
3:09–3:22 -
Lisa, Maggie, Marge and Homer sit at the kitchen table with a blue tablecloth and glasses of milk…
“This could be the start of something big.”
3:22–3:32 -
An unseen figure's yellow-gloved hand moves across a cluttered desk holding a Radioactive Man comic titled…
“Dear Krusty, this is Bart Simpson,”
3:32–3:35 -
Bart Simpson leans on a wooden counter and stares glumly down at a small Krusty the Clown doll-shaped badge…
“Dear Krusty, this is Bart Simpson,”
3:35–3:45 -
One of Marge's twin sisters, Patty or Selma sits at a desk in a pink room
“I always suspected that nothing in life mattered.”
3:45–3:54 -
Krusty the Clown holds a card reading "1-909 SEX-CHAT" showing a drawing of a woman with a phone
“Ooh, sex chat.”
3:54–4:05 -
Krusty the Clown stands in a doorway in his clown makeup, holding a small white card in one white-gloved hand…
“you'll be connected to a hot party with some of the world's most beautiful women.”
4:05–4:13 -
Krusty the Clown stands in a purple room holding a phone to his ear, while Patty holds a sheet of paper…
“Are you a beautiful woman? Do I sound like a beautiful woman?”
4:13–4:21 -
Krusty the Clown stands before a green door between purple walls, wearing a pink suit, blue bow tie and white…
“Read this. I, um... Uh, uh...”
4:21–4:34 -
A woman with grey-violet hair in a light blue dress and red beads, apparently one of Marge's twin sisters…
“It says that the little boy who never lost faith in you has lost faith in you.”
4:34–4:42 -
Krusty the Clown stands in a purple room beside a green door and a Krusty the Clown poster, while a woman…
“Hey, not the face! Why, you maddening, impossible man!”
4:42–4:55 -
Marge Simpson sits at a blue-covered kitchen table holding a white cup and saucer while Bart Simpson stands…
“Bart, wipe your feet.”
4:55–5:06 -
Bart Simpson first appears in a close-up with wide, glancing eyes and a sly smile while Homer's hand rests…
“Yes.”
5:06–5:18 -
Krusty the Clown holds baby Maggie in a red armchair in the pink living room while Marge, Lisa, and Homer…
“Hey, hey!”
5:18–5:23 -
Milhouse and Bart stand together on a night street lined with houses and a red fire hydrant
“Oh, hi, Bart. I was just in the neighborhood and...”
5:23–5:36 -
Krusty the Clown rides a unicycle across a pink living room with his arms spread wide while Homer, Marge…
“Krusty, you don't have to be on tonight.”
5:36–5:50 -
Bart in a blue suit with a pink tie gestures with an open hand, while Milhouse stands beside him in a pink…
“Yeah.”
5:50–6:03 -
Milhouse and Bart in a dark suit sit at a dinner table with a yellow cloth, while a bald man in a blue suit…
“Who wants to say grace?”
6:03–6:11 -
Krusty the Clown sits in front of a pink and purple backdrop, first talking with his hands raised…
“Krusty, would you do the honors? Well, all right, I'm a little rusty, but I'll try.”
6:11–6:21 -
Homer Simpson in a dark blue suit, Lisa Simpson in her red dress with a pearl necklace, and Krusty the Clown…
“he's talking funny talk. No, Dad, that's Hebrew.”
6:21–6:30 -
Homer Simpson in a blue suit and green tie sits at a dinner table with Lisa Simpson, who wears a pearl…
“A Jewish entertainer? Get out of here. Dad,”
6:30–6:37 -
Homer Simpson sits at a dining table with Lisa Simpson, who wears a pearl necklace, while holding a wine…
“there are many prominent Jewish entertainers, including Lauren Bacall, Dunshore,”
6:37–6:44 -
Krusty the Clown sits at the dinner table in his purple shirt and bow tie, weeping and dabbing his eyes…
“Krusty, are you all right?”
6:44–6:54 -
Homer and Lisa sit at a small dining table with pink walls, a wine glass, a plate of food, and a red flower…
“Hey, Krusty, you gonna finish that meatloaf or what?”
6:54–7:06 -
Krusty the clown, with teal hair and white gloves, sits at a dining table with a yellow cloth, a lit candle…
“Poor Krusty. He's like a black velvet painting come to life.”
7:06–7:18 -
Krusty the Clown sits at a table with cutlery and a glass of water at the edges
“First of all, my real name isn't Crusty the Clown.”
7:18–7:27 -
Krusty the Clown sits at a table in a lavender shirt and gesturing with his white-gloved hands, first…
“His father was a rabbi.”
7:27–7:36 -
A yellow-skinned man with teal curly hair, a black headband, white shirt, tie and suspenders stands…
“People would come from miles around to ask his advice.”
7:36–7:39 -
A blue-haired man in a black suit and tie stands with a red-bearded man in a black hat and long grey coat…
“Reb Khristovsky, should I finish college?”
7:39–7:53 -
Two bearded men in black hats and long black coats stand before a shop, the red-bearded man on the left…
“Rabbi, should I buy a Chrysler? Could you rephrase that as an ethical question?”
7:53–8:06 -
A teal-haired, round-faced character with a black hat, white shirt, tie and suspenders stands at the left…
“Papa, when I grow up, can I be a clown? No,”
8:06–8:13 -
A bearded, red-haired man in a long dark coat and black hat leans down beside a small teal-haired figure…
“I want to make people laugh. Herschel, life is not fun.”
8:13–8:22 -
Sideshow Bob leans in close to a young boy with teal curly hair, a white shirt, suspenders and a tie…
“Do as I say, or you'll get such a zits that you won't even know what hit you.”
8:22–8:32 -
A bearded, red-haired man in a long dark coat and black hat walks past the shop window of Yiddle's Jokes…
“I got my first big laughs at yeshiva impersonating my father.”
8:32–8:43 -
Homer and Bart sit at a dining table set with steak plates, with a curly teal-haired woman in a white shirt…
“Boy, you don't have to follow in my footsteps.”
8:43–8:55 -
Lisa Simpson sits beside Krusty the Clown at a dinner table set with plates, a wine bottle, salt and pepper…
“Why, you little... Casty, please continue.”
8:55–9:06 -
Krusty the Clown first stands on a stool at a bathroom sink squirting from a bottle while Sideshow Bob…
“Then came my big break. A Talmudic conference in the Catskills,”
9:06–9:17 -
Krusty the Clown performs before a crowd of bearded men in black hats and a bald man in a suit, first…
“But the Lord works in mysterious ways.”
9:17–9:28 -
Krusty the Clown and a red nose, stands against a red wall holding a bunch of colorful balloon animals…
“As a matter of fact, he was voted the most likely to hear God.”
9:28–9:41 -
Krusty the Clown and a red polka-dot tie, performs on a red curtained stage holding a bunch of colorful…
“My father would have never suspected a thing were it not for one rowdy rabbi.”
9:41–9:52 -
A bearded man with a bushy orange beard, black hat and grey coat stands gesturing with both hands…
“Ersel.”
9:52–10:04 -
Krusty the clown, with green hair, a red nose and a polka-dot tie, sits slumped and weeping under a red…
“I never want to see you again. You, you clown?”
10:04–10:17 -
Bart sits at the left edge of a dining table set with wine glasses, candles, and plates, facing Krusty…
“That is so sad. Krusty, do you think about your father a lot?”
10:17–10:25 -
Marge carries a tray with a white cup and saucers past a red lamp in a pink living room while Lisa's spiky…
“Oh, look at you, Bart.”
10:25–10:37 -
Homer and a spiky-haired Bart ride a red roller coaster car on a track in a snapshot labeled Duff Garden's…
“Oh, hey!”
10:37–10:42 -
Krusty the clown, with blue hair and a bow tie, sits reading a black book on a red couch between Bart…
“I can't believe that little boy in the pictures is you, Bart.”
10:42–10:54 -
Homer stands in a pink living room beside a green lamp and a red armchair, clutching his head and grimacing…
“Do you have any yearbooks? No, that's it.”
10:54–11:05 -
Krusty the Clown sits on a dark red couch in a pink room, holding a black case and grinning widely while Bart…
“Gladly.”
11:05–11:17 -
Krusty the Clown stands on a lit front path at night in the rain and then looks down at a small object…
“Good night, Krusty. Sorry about your dad.”
11:17–11:30 -
Mr. Burns walks through heavy rain along a blue-walled street past the Springfield-X theater
11:30–11:35 -
Krusty the Clown stands beside a newsstand rack of magazines including Cooking with Coconut, Faberge Egg…
11:35–11:46 -
Krusty the Clown sits in a dim bus station waiting room while a uniformed man in a blue cap lies stretched…
“Academy Award Playhouse now returns you to...”
11:46–11:54 -
Krusty the Clown sits slumped on a bench in a dingy bus station beneath a Scenic South Dakota poster…
“Welcome to our spaceship, Mighty Hercules.”
11:54–12:06 -
A yellow man with stubble, teal curly hair, a grey tank top and plaid shorts sits on a bed in a blue-walled…
“What's this? I hear a phone ring and all of a sudden there's nothing.”
12:06–12:17 -
Itchy and Scratchy appear in a Simpsons-style animated segment
“Scratchy Show!”
12:17–12:28 -
On a TV screen, a blue cartoon mouse splattered with blood swings a bloody blade and cuts up a black cartoon…
12:28–12:37 -
Krusty the Clown stands before orange curtains beside a blue film projector on a table
“Didn't Itchy Junior look happy playing with his father?”
12:37–12:46 -
Krusty the Clown stands before a stage curtain and a blue film projector in a purple shirt, green pants…
“Didn't Scratchy Junior look happy playing with his dad until they got run over by the”
12:46–12:56 -
Bart, in his orange shirt and blue shoes, Lisa and baby Maggie sit together on a brown couch in a pink living…
“Poor Krusty. A man who envies our family is a man who needs help.”
12:56–13:05 -
Reverend Lovejoy sits behind a desk in a white robe and blue tie, with Lisa on the left and Bart…
“Reverend Lovejoy, we need you to help us find a rabbi.”
13:05–13:17 -
Bart and Lisa sit side by side on green tufted chairs at a wooden desk in an office with large windows
“Christians. No, no, we're not converting.”
13:17–13:27 -
Bart and Lisa Simpson stand against green tufted upholstery in the foreground, with Bart in an orange-red…
“Really? I didn't know that. Gee, I mention it in my sermon every week.”
13:27–13:36 -
Bart and Lisa sit at a desk across from a grinning slick man in a white suit, pink shirt and blue tie…
“Oh, well, why don't you have a free T-shirt?”
13:36–13:49 -
Bart stands beside a green sign outside Temple Beth Springfield that reads "Rabbi Hyman Krustofski"…
“I bet the rabbi misses Krusty. He'll be so happy he'll be crying in his beard.”
13:49–14:02 -
Bart and Lisa stand by a doorway, and in the next moment an elderly bearded man with grey curly hair…
“We came to talk to you about your son. I have no son!”
14:02–14:12 -
An aerial, night-time view of the KBBL Radio building, a brown-roofed station with a lattice antenna tower…
“KBBL Talk Radio And in order to keep our broadcasting license,”
14:12–14:24 -
Milhouse sits at a purple mixing board in a radio booth, wearing a shirt that reads FOGHAT
“In that spirit, we bring you Gabbin' About God, sponsored by Ace Religious Supply,”
14:24–14:32 -
Milhouse sits at a mixing board in a studio wearing a FOGHAT t-shirt, and a Bleeding Gums Murphy poster…
“With us tonight, once again, our very own three wise men,”
14:32–14:41 -
Milhouse headphones and a FOGHAT t-shirt, sits at a studio desk in a radio booth, holding a pencil…
“Good to see you again. Nice to see you. Okay,”
14:41–14:51 -
Milhouse sits in a radio studio wearing headphones and a light blue shirt, holding a pencil and speaking…
“Great. Good conversation there.”
14:51–15:02 -
A bearded old man in a long dark robe, a bald man in a blue shirt with a clerical collar, and a dark-haired…
“Some people got nothing to do but call people in anger.”
15:02–15:10 -
Milhouse holds a microphone near his mouth and grins in a tiled studio while a man in a cap and headphones…
“Okay. Let's clear the board.”
15:10–15:23 -
A man with a black pompadour, pink shirt, dark tie and headphones sits with his hands clasped at a microphone…
“shouldn't the father forgive the son? I think so.”
15:23–15:32 -
Lisa and Bart stand in a bedroom beside a lamp and a green telephone, with Bart holding the receiver…
“There's nobody in charge. They leave a building without people watching it,”
15:32–15:44 -
Starting on an empty city street lined with a pale apartment block, a brick building with a fire escape…
“Oh, the best charity is to give and not let other people know.”
15:44–15:49 -
Five bearded, elderly men in dark coats and black hats stand together on an outdoor rooftop ledge…
“But what if your example encourages others to give?”
15:49–15:58 -
Several bearded men in black hats and long dark coats stand outdoors on a platform against a blue sky…
“Speaking of charity, Rabbi Khrustoski, don't you think it's time you forgave your son?”
15:58–16:06 -
Lisa Simpson sits on the edge of a blue bed in a pink bedroom, wearing her orange dress and pearl necklace…
“Oy, this guy's tough. Bart, we're going to have to outsmart him.”
16:06–16:13 -
An elderly man with a bushy grey beard, grey hair at the sides, and a black coat sits in a red armchair…
“What?”
16:13–16:23 -
Krusty the Clown stands in front of a blue poster with partial lettering and a cartoon rat face…
“The French government wants to give me the Legion of Honor?”
16:23–16:34 -
Bart hides behind a large Izzy's Deli menu held up at the counter while a deli worker in a white hat, green…
16:34–16:38 -
Bart and Lisa Simpson sit in a red-upholstered deli booth, holding up large Izzy's deli menus with Hebrew…
“Are you kids ready to order yet? Sorry, no.”
16:38–16:50 -
An elderly bearded man with curly grey hair around a black crown, in a dark sweater, is seated in a diner…
“But the Joey Bishop, eh, too fatty. The Jackie Mason, I don't know.”
16:50–17:01 -
Bart slumps in a diner booth beside a red seat while a lavender-haired waitress with teal glasses, a green…
“What? On white bread. Listen, you tell Mr.”
17:01–17:13 -
Krusty the Clown and green hair, stands beside a heavyset woman with lavender curly hair, glasses, a green…
“Um, could you direct me to President Francois Mitterrand's table?”
17:13–17:21 -
Lisa Simpson and Bart Simpson stand side by side at a counter inside a store
“Bart, we've been going about this all wrong.”
17:21–17:32 -
Bart and Lisa stand together at a wooden card catalog in the Springfield library, with Bart on the left…
“We're gonna hit him where it hurts. Right in the Judaica.”
17:32–17:36 -
Bart sits at a library table in the foreground, leaning over a large open picture book while Lisa reads…
“Glub, glub, glub. Oh, Noah, Noah, save us, save us.”
17:36–17:48 -
Bart Simpson first sits at a desk behind a stack of colored books while reading a handwritten note…
“This looks good, Bart.”
17:48–18:02 -
Bart stands wide-eyed and open-mouthed holding a sheet of paper while an elderly bearded man with curly grey…
“Yes.”
18:02–18:12 -
Bart Simpson and Lisa Simpson sit at a library table surrounded by stacked books
“End of story.”
18:12–18:21 -
Bart stands in a steamy wooden sauna among elderly, grey-bearded men seated on tiered benches beside a basket…
“At all times, let a man be supple as a reed and not rigid as a cedar.”
18:21–18:29 -
Bart sits naked on a wooden sauna bench among a group of older, grey-bearded men wearing towels, including…
“But, my short-learned friend, the book of Joshua says,”
18:29–18:37 -
Lisa sits slumped at a desk stacked with books, pencil in hand, while Bart leans…
“Is it not written in the Talmud? Who will bring redemption?”
18:37–18:50 -
Bart stands in a close-up against a blue wall with a framed picture beside him, his eyes glancing sideways…
“Sorry, my friend, I'm still not convinced.”
18:50–18:54 -
Bart and Lisa stand together in front of a brown panelled door
“Here you go, Bart.”
18:54–19:06 -
Bart and Lisa Simpson sit across a park chess table from an elderly bearded man in a black hat and dark coat…
“Ugh, Rabbi.”
19:06–19:18 -
Bart sits across a chessboard from an elderly bearded man in a black hat and dark coat
“But the great thing is,”
19:18–19:31 -
Bart Simpson sits across a chessboard from an elderly bearded man in a black hat and long dark coat
“Who said that, Rabbi Hillel? Nope. It was Judy the Pious.”
19:31–19:42 -
An elderly bearded man in a black hat and grey coat sits at an outdoor chess table with Lisa and Bart…
“The Candyman?”
19:42–19:55 -
Lisa in her orange dress and pearl necklace stands beside a patio chessboard watching Bart in his orange…
“There, there, Rabbi.”
19:55–20:08 -
Krusty the Clown bursts through a torn red paper hoop in a circus ring with red curtains and tattered white…
“Hey, kids! Today's show is gonna be the funniest,”
20:08–20:15 -
Krusty the Clown stands slumped and dejected in front of a torn red-and-white paper hoop on a circus stage…
“How the hell would they roll the cartoon?”
20:15–20:23 -
Krusty the Clown leans against a brick wall in an alley, smoking a cigarette and laughing with his eyes closed
“Oh, yeah.”
20:23–20:33 -
Krusty stands in a purple-walled corridor with an elderly bearded man in a black coat, while Marge…
“Son.”
20:33–20:43 -
Krusty the Clown stands on a circus ring stage in front of a packed crowd of cartoon audience members seen…
“Boys and girls, I'd like to be serious for a moment, if I may.”
20:43–20:55 -
Krusty the Clown stands on a circus stage before a red curtain with orange dots, first clasping his gloved…
“Let's have a warm, Krusty welcome for my estranged father, Rabbi Hyman Krustovsky.”
20:55–21:05 -
A bald man with blue hair at the sides, in a black tuxedo and pink bow tie, stands on a stage before a red…
“Lenny, a little reconciliation music, if you please.”
21:05–21:12 -
Krusty the Clown stands with his arm around a bearded elderly man in a black robe and black hat, in front…
“Oh, my papa, to me he was so wonderful.”
21:12–21:25 -
Bart and Lisa stand beside one of Marge's twin sisters, Patty or Selma, with grey-violet hair and a blue…
“No one could be so gentle and so lovable.”
21:25–21:38 -
Krusty the Clown stands with a bearded old man in a black robe and hat in front of a red curtain, with Bart…
“Oh, I love you, son.”
21:38–21:48 -
The scene is a plain black screen with yellow credit text in the Simpsons title style
21:48–21:59 -
No Simpsons characters appear in this moment; it is a black closing credits card with yellow text on a plain…
21:59–22:09 -
No characters appear in this sequence of black closing credits from The Simpsons
22:09–22:20 -
A black closing credits roll from The Simpsons
22:20–22:31 -
A black end-credits sequence of text cards
22:31–22:41 -
No regular Simpsons characters or cartoon figures appear; this is a black end-credit sequence in yellow…
22:41–22:52 -
Silhouetted audience members, including a few with curly hair, sit in rows of theater seats facing a blank…
“Thank you.”
22:52–23:04
Who's in it
Bart Simpson, Homer Simpson, Lisa Simpson, Marge Simpson, Maggie Simpson, Moe Szyslak, Milhouse Van Houten, Barney Gumble, Chief Wiggum, Krusty the Clown, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Patty Bouvier, Reverend Lovejoy, Selma Bouvier, Santa's Little Helper, Sideshow Mel, Itchy, Scratchy, Bleeding Gums Murphy, Coward, The Happy Little Elves, Mr. Teeny, Radioactive Man, Cheery, Corporal Punishment, Larry Davis, Lois Pennycandy, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Alfred Hitchcock, George Harrison, The Beatles, Tina Ballerina, Hyman Krustofsky, Adam, Clown Doctor, Eve, Ice Cream Lady, John Lennon, Martians, Noah, Itchy Jr., Krusty and the Krums, Lenny, Monsignor Kenneth Daly, Scratchy Jr., Yiddle
Everyone who appears in it, from the Simpsons wiki. Every character