Why is Laura Powers not a recurring Simpsons character, in spite of being The Simpson family's (former) neighbor?

Question

She only had one noticeable role ("New Kid on the Block"). After that, she mysteriously disappeared ("Mr. Plow" and onward). It's an odd removal, but Bart just forgot about her within a week after November 12, 1992.

She only was mentioned by her mom  in "Marge on the Lam" (Lionel Hutz was the babysitter, for who knows why) and I think she had two cameos in "The Simpsons Movie". Flashback in "Simpsons Clip Show".

Is there perhaps any information regarding this? It is odd how she and her mom are not recurring characters in the show.

Answer 1

She and her mother are not recurring characters because:

*They we're voiced by episodic guest stars Pamela Reed(Ruth Powers) and Sara Gilbert(Laura Powers)

*They had to leave springfield (or at least the house next to the Simpson's house) because of police (I think).

So, it's not odd at all.

Also, they do have a cameo in the season 21 episode "The Bob Next Door"

Comments

I was unsure about "The Bob Next Door", since I never watched it. I never watched The Simpsons Movie either, so I was unsure about those two.

Laura does seem to be one of those forgotten/rarely talked about Simpsons characters. One time appearances have their downsides.

Thank you for your quick reply. :)

Edit: Have you noticed that Ruth Powers makes recurring cameo appearances? I noticed her in "A Tree Grows in Springfield", which oddly comes after "The Bob Next Door".

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Ruth makes frequent appearances in crowd scenes throughout the show. Laura to the best of my knowledge hasn't been seen since, or very rarely.

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I think she [Laura] only makes a visual cameo appearance in The Simpsons Movie and, according to Loco97, "The Bob Next Door". She makes a cameo in a comic story [Siege on Evergreen Terrace] as well (sunbathing outside the Simpsons' pool... :/) She's away from everyone. I'm surprised Bart didn't notice her (or care).

Oh, yeah. Bart mentions her in "The Bart Book". I think our wiki said so. It also is odd that he doesn't even mention her in the show. You don't need guest stars for that.

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The Simpsons has a habit of "putting people on a bus". That's a term that means that a seemingly important character comes in, or is in a show since the beginning, and then at one point just leaves the show and never comes back, nor is mentioned. Laura is just one of many of these.