Ned Flanders
Nedward “Ned” Flanders Jr. undoubtedly stands as Springfield’s most cheerful and amiable fictional resident. As one of the earliest characters in The Simpsons, Ned debuted in 1989 in the episode “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.”
Interestingly, Ned Flanders derived his name from Flanders Street in the hometown of The Simpsons creator Matt Groening—Portland, Oregon. According to The Simpsons executive producer Mike Scully, Flanders was intended to represent everything Homer desired to be but couldn’t achieve.
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