Moleman flying an early flying machine. The scene where Milhouse is in a jet pretending to fire missiles at his parents because he's upset with them, would later inspire the episode "A Milhouse Divided". In that episode, Milhouse's parents become divorced, and it is also a reference to Dr. Frasier Crane. A character modeled after Fox Network owner Rupert Murdoch briefly appears in a scene set in jail. The censors said that Murdoch could not be shown, but Murdoch gave his permission for his caricature to be used. R. Lee Ermey, known for his role in Full Metal Jacket, guest stars as Col. Leslie "Hap" Hapablap. The role was specifically written for him and much of his dialogue was difficult to write. The line "What is your major malfunction?" is based on dialogue from Full Metal Jacket. Cultural references The episode is a parody of "'60s-era nuclear war movies" and contains several references to Cold War films. There were also several references to Dr. Strangelove: the underground compound resembles the War Room from the film; Professor Frink was redesigned to parody the title character; the tune that Sideshow Bob whistles while preparing the bomb is "We'll Meet Again", as sung by Vera Lynn at the end of the film; and Krusty's acting whilst he defends television is based on George C. Scott's performance as General Buck Turgidson.Weinstein, Josh (2005). Commentary for "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox. An alien appears in Hanger 18, a reference to the film of the same name, and indirectly the Roswell incident. Another parodied film is the 1964 thriller Fail-Safe by Sidney Lumet: at the beginning of the third act of the episode, scenes of everyday life across Springfield are shown, and one by one, with a 'zooming' sound effect, they all freeze-frame in anticipation of the (supposedly) imminent nuclear blast; such was the ending of Fail-Safe. One of the scenes before the supposed nuclear blast shows Maggie picking flowers in a field, with the camera zooming into her eye, and then the minuscule blast occurs. This is a parody of the innovative and controversial Daisy advertisement used by Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1964 United States presidential election. Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor from Doctor Who makes an appearance. Reception In its original broadcast, "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming" finished 49th in ratings for the week of