Alec Gibson (Home and Away)

Josh Webb

Josh Webb, portrayed by Erik Mitsak, made his first appearance on 7 February 1991 as the primary antagonist in Home and Away. Known as a "jailbird" out on bail, Josh battles with attempts to change his ways but remains infamous for his criminal history, which includes car theft and confidence tricks. His street-smart, quick-witted demeanor aids him in dodging law enforcement, while his appealing looks often lead others to overlook his misdeeds. He exploits his mother, Gerry, manipulating her to conceal his deceitful actions.

As the elder sibling of Rachel Webb (Beth Champion), Josh forms a friendship with Rachel’s boyfriend Blake Dean (Les Hill). He invites Blake, Rachel’s sister Karen Dean (Belinda Jarrett), and their acquaintances to a party that culminates in a drug-related police raid. Upon discovering Blake and Rachel’s romance, Josh assaults Blake, sparking conflicts involving Adam Cameron (Mat Stevenson). In retaliation, Josh frames Adam for theft but is ultimately unmasked and incarcerated.

Following his release, Josh feigns rehabilitation and organizes a camping trip with Blake and Adam, secretly planning to murder them. The plot fails, leading to Josh’s re-arrest and return to prison. Erik Mitsak departed the series in early 1992, with the character’s exit occurring off-screen.

Cynthia Ross

Cynthia Ross, played by Belinda Giblin, debuted on 11 February 1991. The casting of Giblin and the introduction of Cynthia were revealed in the 29 December 1990 edition of TV Week. Cynthia arrives as the mother of Haydn Ross (Andrew Hill) and the former spouse of Michael Ross (Dennis Coard). Her arrival in Summer Bay aims to interfere with Michael’s developing relationship with Pippa Fletcher (Debra Lawrence). Haydn attempts to reconcile his parents, but when this effort fails, he runs away. After being located, Cynthia takes Haydn back to the city for several weeks. Cynthia’s final appearance was on 6 March 1991.

Nick Parrish

Nick Parrish, portrayed by Bruce Roberts, first appeared on 4 March 1991. Roberts was cast just one day after completing drama school. He exited the series in 1994 to relocate to the United Kingdom with his partner, Suzanne Dando. Roberts garnered considerable fan mail from UK viewers, including an unusual unstamped letter from a woman named "Kate," who wrote, "Dear Nick, We will be married next week, Kate."

Sam Marshall

Sam Marshall, played by Ryan Clark, made his debut on 3 April 1991. Clark was seven years old when cast and balanced filming Home and Away three days per week alongside school commitments, supported by an on-set tutor. He departed the show in 2000 to pursue other career opportunities but returned briefly in 2005 for the milestone 4000th episode. Glenn Wheeler of The Morning Show described Sam as part of one of Australian television’s "most beloved families" over a ten-year period. The character gained particular popularity among teenage female viewers, with MSN recognizing Clark as one of Australia’s notable teen heartthrobs during the 1990s.

Julie Gibson

Julie Gibson, portrayed by Naomi Watts, first appeared on 23 April 1991. Announced in TV Week, Julie was characterized as a paraplegic—a role Watts found both distinctive and demanding—spending several weeks mastering wheelchair use prior to filming. Julie’s storyline focuses on her relationship with Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts), which faces opposition from her protective brother Revhead (Gavin Harrison) due to Nick’s occupation as a police officer. Despite Revhead’s efforts to separate them, Julie and Nick amicably end their relationship upon realizing they are better suited as friends.

Julie's paralysis stems from a previous car accident. Following her father Alec’s death from a heart attack and her breakup with Nick, Julie opts to leave Summer Bay to attend university, reassuring Revhead that she can manage independently despite his concerns.

Lucinda Croft

Lucinda "Lou" Croft, brought to life by Dee Smart, made her first appearance on 13 June 1991 and exited the series in 1992. Smart, who had completed three years of drama studies in Sydney, landed her debut acting role with this character and originally committed to a two-year contract. Nevertheless, she chose to leave after just eight months. Mary Fletcher from Inside Soap praised Smart for transforming Lucinda into one of the most beloved figures on Home and Away.

David Croft

David Croft, enacted by Guy Pearce, was introduced on 19 July 1991. Pearce began filming in May 1991; David was presented as the nephew of Donald Fisher and sibling to Lucinda Croft. His storyline spanned six weeks, concluding on 21 August 1991.

David arrives in Summer Bay aiming to mend his fractured relationship with his sister Lucinda following a family dispute over a failed investment that resulted in losing their parents' home. He also starts a romantic involvement with Sophie Simpson, despite resistance from Sophie's foster parents due to their age gap. After a trial separation, David plans to depart but consents to reunite with Sophie later.

Tragically, David perishes in a head-on car accident while listening to a recorded message from Sophie. Subsequently, Sophie discovers she is expecting David’s child, Tamara, and later relocates to Perth near David’s mother. She names another child born in 2003 in his honor.

Barbara Toner of the Sydney Morning Herald critiqued David's storyline as less compelling than other plots. Nonetheless, Channel 5 recognized the episode depicting David’s death as one of their favorite moments from Home and Away.

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee, portrayed by Alistair MacDougall, first appeared on 22 August 1991 and departed on 27 November 1992. Following his exit, MacDougall expressed openness to returning for a guest role if Ryan was portrayed as an antagonist, mentioning he enjoyed playing Ryan but would have extended his stay if the scripts were more robust. An Inside Soap contributor described Ryan as a "wealthy troublemaker".

Finlay Roberts

Finlay Roberts, played by Tina Thomsen, first appeared on 18 September 1991 and continued until 1994, returning for guest appearances in 1996 and 1997. Thomsen moved from Brisbane to Sydney during her teenage years specifically to accept this role. In an interview with Jenna Price of the Sydney Morning Herald, Thomsen highlighted that her parents supported her career choices without pressure, underscoring her personal determination.

Greg Marshall

Greg Marshall, brought to life by Ross Newton,

Simon Fitzgerald

Simon Fitzgerald, played by Richard Norton, first appeared on 25 September 1991 and exited the series on 24 July 1992. Norton joined Home and Away following a year-long stint on rival soap Neighbours. Brendon Williams of the Daily Mirror described Norton’s portrayal of Simon as "a significant success".

Irene Roberts

Irene Roberts made her initial appearance on 29 October, originally portrayed by Jacqui Phillips before Lynne McGranger took over the role. McGranger received a nomination for "Funniest Performance" at the 2007 Inside Soap Awards. The Sydney Morning Herald identifies Irene as one of the show's three enduring "legacy characters," alongside Alf and Colleen. According to Holy Soap, her most impactful storyline involved being attacked by the vindictive ex-wife of her former partner Ken.

Damian Roberts

Damian Roberts, enacted by Matt Doran, first appeared on 6 November 1991. Doran secured a regular role starting in 1992, continuing until 1995, with guest appearances in 1996. Ben Hamilton portrayed a younger Damian in flashback scenes during 1997. Upon one return, the character adopted dreadlocks, signaling a departure from his previous look. Damian attracted considerable attention, particularly from female fans, although critics often viewed him as an underdog lacking prominent romantic arcs.

Additional Characters

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Role Description
15–16 January	Jack Cody	Colin Taylor	Prospective buyers of the Beach House who withdraw after uncovering maintenance problems and a prior scam involving Marilyn Chambers.
15–16 January	Helen Cody	Jan Adele	Accompanies Jack Cody during their consideration of purchasing the Beach House.
16 January	Peter	Scott Kelly	Friend to Pippa Fletcher; declines to purchase a gypsy caravan intended for use by a children's home.
21 January	Jake Wood	Frankie Davidson	Neighbour interested in acquiring a caravan; offers a goat as barter instead of money.
22 January	Postmaster Bagley	Ron Gaist	Distributes HSC exam results to students, confirming passes for Steven Matheson and Marilyn Chambers.
30 January–7 April 1993	Louise Scott	Elaine Hudson	Member of the foster care department assisting with cases involving children such as Sam Marshall and Tracey Turner.
4 February–28 March	Tony Clark	Rob Hunter	Real estate agent overseeing the sale of the Stewart store.
6 February–17 April	Rachel Webb	Beth Champion	Dates Blake Dean; departs Summer Bay following family complications.
8–27 February	Roy Jackson	Fredric Abbott	Local farmer leasing his land to Ben and Carly Lucini.
8–14 February	Betty Jackson	Marie Armstrong	Encourages Carly Lucini to take over farm management.
8 March–8 April	Gerry Webb	Julie Godfrey	Mother to Rachel and Josh Webb; disapproves of Rachel's relationship and relocates after Josh’s arrest.
19 March–3 May	Mark Smith	Greg Hatton	Member of Summer Bay High swim team; briefly involved romantically with Karen Dean.
27 March–13 May	Rodney White	Lester Morris	Headmaster at Yabbie Creek High; engages in rivalry and social clashes with Donald Fisher.
27 March	Val White	May Howlett	Rodney White's spouse; experiences marital tension during social functions.
11 April–18 July	Jackie Nicholls	Erica Williams	Mother of Sam Marshall; faces custody challenges resulting in foster care arrangements.
18 April	Veterinarian	Michael Beckley	Examines poultry for illness affecting Ben and Carly Lucini’s farm animals.
22 April	Smart Alec no.1	Adam Garcia	Swim team member who mocks another over diving abilities.
30 April	Celebrant	Carmel Mullin	Officiates Michael Ross and Pippa Fletcher’s wedding ceremony.
30 April–1 May	Military Police Officers	Leo Taylor, Timothy Sullivan	Arrest Ben Lucini for AWOL during wedding reception; charges are eventually dismissed.
8–21 May	Alec Gibson	David Baldwyn	Father to Revhead and Julie Gibson; passes away following a heart attack.
10–24 May	Jean Chambers	Maggie Kirkpatrick	Marilyn Chambers' aunt; her visit triggers Marilyn's search for her biological parents.
22 May–21 June	Kenny Gibbs	David Field	Janitor selling an old vehicle to Blake Dean and Haydn Ross.
20 June–3 July	Max Riley & Heather Riley	Bruce Venables & Lynne Porteous	Couple initially believed by Marilyn Chambers to be her birth parents before her true parents arrive.
5 June–11 July	Margaret Lynch	Gennie Nevinson	Year 11 personal development teacher fixated on Sophie Simpson; leaves after revealing personal tragedy.
5 June	Mrs Clifton & Stanley Clifton	Marianne Krogdahl & Brett Caroll	Family mistakenly identified by Marilyn Chambers as her own relatives; clarifies the misunderstanding.
7 June–10 July	Tracey Turner	Tania Martin	Foster child causing household conflict; eventually moved due to behavioral problems.
2–3 July	George Davidson & Heather Davidson	Doug Scroope & Lynne Rainbow	Marilyn Chambers’ biological parents who place her into care to pursue performing careers.
23 July–14 August	Diane Robertson & Peter Mansell	Hanna McLeod & Troy O'Hearn	Schoolmates competing for attention; involved in social rivalries and events surrounding Sally Fletcher’s birthday party.
30 July–21 August	Constable Rogers	Dominic Purcell	Police officer assisting with criminal investigations and accident responses in Summer Bay.
2 August–2 October	Martin Bradley & Lois Crawford	John Bonney & Tina Bursill	Education department head and appointed Head Teacher at Summer Bay High; Lois faces community opposition leading to resignation amid controversy involving student complaints.
11–12 September	Isabelle Britton	Collette Roberts	Police officer briefly dating Nick Parrish to incite jealousy; relationship ends due to unresolved feelings elsewhere.
3–9 October	Sharyn McKinley & Annette Hodges	Liza Witt & Kylle Hogart	Year 11 students engaged in social dynamics with Blake Dean and Simon Fitzgerald, resulting in disciplinary measures.
6–28 November	Bill Fitzgerald	Terry Bader	Simon Fitzgerald's father involved in business affairs; imprisoned for fraud before attempting reconciliation with his son.
14 November	Ian Gardiner, Elaine Gardiner & Susie Gardiner	Andrew S. Gilbert, Lisabeth Kennely, Lauren Snell	Family experiencing domestic difficulties attended by police intervention leading to conflict resolution efforts.
19 November–19 June 1992	Ruth Winston, Dr. Winston	Anna Phillips	Local physician managing Sophie Simpson’s pregnancy and childbirth while supporting community health needs.

References

• Kercher, John. The Official Home and Away Annual. Grandreams Ltd, 1993. ISBN 0-86227-954-2

External links

• Cast and characters on the Official Australian Home and Away website
• Cast and characters on the Official UK Home and Away website
• Cast and characters listed on the Internet Movie Database