Bill Fitzgerald (Home and Away)

Josh Webb

Josh Webb, brought to life by Erik Mitsak, made his first appearance on 7 February 1991 as the notorious "resident troublemaker" of Home and Away. Known as a "jailbird" currently out on bail, Josh attempts to reform but finds it difficult. Mitsak, frequently cast in roles as youthful delinquents, humorously acknowledged his recurring typecasting. The character is depicted as "one of the worst," yet his innocent appearance helps him avoid suspicion. Josh's background includes crimes such as car theft and hustling, coupled with enough street smarts to evade law enforcement. He often deceives his mother, Gerry (Julie Godfrey), manipulating her while keeping her devoted.

As the elder brother of Rachel Webb (Beth Champion), Josh forms a friendship with her boyfriend Blake Dean (Les Hill). He invites Blake, Rachel, and their circle to a party that culminates in a drug raid. Upon discovering Blake and Rachel's relationship, Josh assaults Blake. After receiving a punch from Adam Cameron (Mat Stevenson), Josh retaliates by falsely accusing Adam of theft but is soon uncovered and imprisoned.

Following his release, Josh feigns rehabilitation and invites Blake and Adam on a camping trip with the concealed intention to murder them. The plan unravels when they uncover his true motives, resulting in Josh’s re-arrest. Mitsak exited the series in early 1992 through an off-screen departure.

Cynthia Ross

Cynthia Ross, portrayed by Belinda Giblin, made her debut on 11 February 1991. Giblin's casting and character information were revealed in the 29 December 1990 edition of TV Week. Cynthia is introduced as the mother of Haydn Ross (Andrew Hill) and the former wife of Michael Ross (Dennis Coard). According to a TV Week article, Cynthia arrives in Summer Bay to "cause disruption," unsettling Michael’s relationship with Pippa Fletcher (Debra Lawrence). Her last appearance was on 6 March 1991.

Cynthia's arrival in Summer Bay stirs conflict between Michael and his new partner Pippa. Haydn attempts to reconcile his parents, but after the effort fails and he runs away, Cynthia takes him back to the city for several weeks.

Nick Parrish

Nick Parrish, enacted by Bruce Roberts, first appeared on 4 March 1991. Roberts secured the role just one day after completing drama school. He departed the show in 1994 to relocate to the United Kingdom with his girlfriend, Suzanne Dando. During his time on the series, Roberts received a significant volume of fan mail from UK viewers, including an unusual letter from a woman named "Kate" declaring, "Dear Nick, We will be married next week."

Sam Marshall

Sam Marshall, played by Ryan Clark, was introduced on 3 April 1991. Clark was seven years old when cast and balanced filming three days weekly with schooling, supported by an on-set tutor. He left the series in 2000 to explore other career paths but returned in 2005 for the milestone 4000th episode alongside former cast members. Glenn Wheeler of The Morning Show highlighted Sam as part of one of Australian television's most beloved families over ten years. The character garnered particular popularity among teenage female audiences, with MSN recognizing Clark as one of Australia’s '90s teen icons.

Julie Gibson

Julie Gibson, portrayed by Naomi Watts, made her debut on 23 April 1991. Her casting was revealed in TV Week on 16 March 1991. Julie is a paraplegic following a previous car accident and begins dating Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts). Her protective brother, Revhead (Gavin Harrison), disapproves of the relationship due to Nick's occupation as a police officer. Despite Revhead’s objections, Julie and Nick part ways on good terms, recognizing their compatibility is better suited to friendship. After the passing of their father, Alec Gibson, Julie is devastated when Nick ends their relationship. She then decides to leave Summer Bay for university in the city, assuring Revhead she is capable of managing on her own. Watts later reflected on her six-week tenure as "miserable," highlighting the challenges of the role.

Lucinda Croft

Lucinda "Lou" Croft, enacted by Dee Smart, first appeared on 13 June 1991 and departed in 1992. Smart, who had completed three years of drama studies in Sydney, landed her inaugural acting role through this character. Although initially contracted for two years, she exited after eight months. Mary Fletcher from Inside Soap praised Smart for making Lucinda one of Home and Away's most beloved characters.

David Croft

David Croft, played by Guy Pearce, was introduced on 19 July 1991 and left on 21 August 1991. He is presented as the nephew of Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn) and the brother of Lucinda. Pearce’s stint lasted six weeks. David arrives in Summer Bay seeking reconciliation with his estranged sister Lucinda following a family dispute over a failed investment that resulted in their parents losing their home.

David embarks on a contentious relationship with Sophie Simpson (Rebekah Elmaloglou), which faces opposition from Sophie's foster parents because of their age gap. After briefly separating, they decide to reunite; however, David tragically dies in a car accident caused by an oncoming vehicle driven by Karen Dean (Belinda Jarrett). Sophie later gives birth to their daughter Tamara and eventually moves closer to David’s mother.

While critics such as Barbara Toner from the Sydney Morning Herald found David’s storyline somewhat lackluster despite Pearce’s cinematic background, Channel 5 (UK) singled out the episode featuring David’s fatal crash as one of their "favourite ever Home and Away episodes."

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee, portrayed by Alistair MacDougall, first appeared on 22 August 1991 and exited on 27 November 1992. After his departure, MacDougall expressed interest in returning for a guest appearance if Ryan were rewritten as an antagonist, noting he would have remained longer if given stronger scripts. An Inside Soap contributor described Ryan as a "wealthy troublemaker".

Finlay Roberts

Finlay Roberts, played by Tina Thomsen, debuted on 18 September 1991 and continued until 1994, with guest appearances in 1996 and 1997. Thomsen relocated from Brisbane to Sydney during her teenage years to accept the role. She acknowledged her parents’ support but emphasized her own determination in securing the part.

Greg Marshall

Greg Marshall, brought to life by Ross Newton, made his debut on 20 September 1991. Newton exited the series in 1993 but made a brief comeback in 2000. He viewed his involvement with Home and Away as a significant chance during the show's formative years. His character was integral to one of Australian television’s most cherished families.

Simon Fitzgerald

Simon Fitzgerald, played by Richard Norton, first appeared on 25 September 1991 and left the show on 24 July 1992. Norton joined Home and Away following a year-long stint on rival soap Neighbours. Brendon Williams from the Daily Mirror described Norton as "a major success" in the role of Simon.

Irene Roberts

Irene Roberts was introduced 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 program’s three enduring "legacy characters," alongside Alf and Colleen. Holy Soap noted her standout moment as "Being attacked by the deranged ex-wife of her former lover Ken."

Damian Roberts

Damian Roberts, enacted by Matt Doran, first appeared on 6 November 1991. Doran was a regular cast member from 1992 to 1995, with occasional guest roles until 1996. Ben Hamilton portrayed a young Damian in flashbacks during 1997. Jason Herbison of Inside Soap observed Damian’s transformation from a clean-cut youth to sporting dreadlocks. A reporter from BIG! highlighted Doran’s emergence as a popular soap actor with a devoted fan following. A columnist from Shout commented on Damian’s scarcity of romantic storylines, while Inside Soap characterized him as consistently unlucky.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Notes
15–16 January	Jack Cody	Colin Taylor	Prospective buyers of the Beach House who retract their offer after uncovering the property's poor state and Marilyn Chambers’ previous financial deception.
15–16 January	Helen Cody	Jan Adele	Accompanies Jack Cody; shares the same circumstances.
16 January	Peter	Scott Kelly	Pippa Fletcher's friend who declines purchasing an old gypsy caravan intended for his children.
21 January	Jake Wood	Frankie Davidson	Neighbor interested in buying a caravan but ends up bartering it for a goat.
22 January	Postmaster Bagley	Ron Gaist	Distributes HSC exam results confirming passes for Steven Matheson and Marilyn Chambers.
30 January–7 April 1993	Louise Scott	Elaine Hudson	Foster care department employee assisting with child fostering cases involving Sam Marshall and Tracey Turner; engaged in custody and housing support issues.
4 February-28 March	Tony Clark	Rob Hunter	Real estate agent handling the sale of Stewart's store.
6 February–17 April	Rachel Webb	Beth Champion	Dates Blake Dean; relationship strained due to her brother's criminal activities; departs Summer Bay following misunderstandings.
8–27 February	Roy Jackson	Fredric Abbott	Local farmer leasing land to Ben and Carly Lucini.
8–14 February	Betty Jackson	Marie Armstrong	Encourages Carly Lucini to take charge of farm management.
8 March–8 April	Gerry Webb	Julie Godfrey	Mother of Rachel and Josh Webb; disapproves of Rachel's relationship; relocates after Josh's arrest.
19 March–3 May	Mark Smith	Greg Hatton	Member of swim team who briefly dates Karen Dean.
27 March–13 May	Rodney White	Lester Morris	School principal competing with Donald Fisher; participates in school events illustrating community dynamics.
27 March	Val White	May Howlett	Rodney White's spouse; experiences strain during social activities due to Rodney's preoccupations.
11 April–18 July	Jackie Nicholls	Erica Williams	Mother facing challenges caring for son Sam; consents to foster care arrangement amid difficulties.
18 April	Vet	Michael Beckley	Visits local farm addressing poultry health issues.
22 April	Smart Alec no.1	Adam Garcia	Swim team member known for teasing teammates.
30 April	Celebrant	Carmel Mullin	Conducts wedding ceremony for Michael Ross and Pippa Fletcher at Summer Bay House.
30 April–1 May	Military Police	Leo Taylor, Timothy Sullivan	Officers arrest Ben Lucini during wedding reception; charges are subsequently dropped.
8–21 May	Alec Gibson	David Baldwyn	Father of Revhead and Julie Gibson; dies after suffering a heart attack amid family developments.
10–24 May	Jean Chambers	Maggie Kirkpatrick	Marilyn Chambers' aunt whose strict demeanor causes friction; reveals details about Marilyn's biological parents prior to leaving.
22 May–21 June	Kenny Gibbs	David Field	Janitor who sells 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; develop rapport but depart after real parents arrive with proof.
5 June–11 July	Margaret Lynch	Gennie Nevinson	Year 11 personal development teacher who becomes fixated on Sophie Simpson; leaves after suspicions arise about her motives.
5 June	Mrs Clifton & Stanley Clifton	Marianne Krogdahl & Brett Caroll	Mistaken by Marilyn Chambers as biological relatives; clarify misunderstanding causing emotional distress.
7 June–10 July	Tracey Turner	Tania Martin	Foster child who generates conflict with Sophie Simpson; eventually moved after tensions escalate.
2–3 July	George Davidson & Heather Davidson	Doug Scroope & Lynne Rainbow	Marilyn Chambers' biological parents; traveling performers who place her in care for career reasons but exploit her generosity, leading to estrangement.
23 July–14 August	Diane Robertson & Peter Mansell	Hanna McLeod & Troy O'Hearn	Schoolmates involved in social rivalries including birthday celebrations and Nippers activities.
30 July–21 August	Constable Rogers	Dominic Purcell	Police officer assisting with law enforcement duties including accident response and suspect apprehension.
2 August–2 October	Martin Bradley & Lois Crawford	John Bonney & Tina Bursill	Education department head overseeing Summer Bay High; appoints Lois as Head Teacher whose strict policies cause community backlash leading to resignation amid controversy.
11–12 September	Isabelle Britton	Collette Roberts	Police officer who briefly dates Nick Parrish attempting to provoke jealousy but faces unreturned feelings.
3–9 October	Sharyn McKinley & Annette Hodges	Liza Witt & Kylle Hogart	Year 11 students approached romantically by Blake Dean and Simon Fitzgerald; reject advances resulting in disciplinary action against the boys.
6–28 November	Bill Fitzgerald	Terry Bader	Simon Fitzgerald's father involved in business transactions with Alf and Ailsa Stewart; history of fraud leads to imprisonment and later parole correspondence with Simon.
14 November	Ian Gardiner, Elaine Gardiner & Susie Gardiner	Andrew S. Gilbert, Lisabeth Kennely, Lauren Snell	Family experiencing domestic violence addressed by Constable Nick Parrish; intervention results in conflict involving Donald Fisher.
19 November–19 June 1992	Ruth Winston, MD	Anna Phillips	Local physician managing Sophie Simpson’s pregnancy and delivery, providing critical medical care during pivotal moments.

External links

• Cast and characters on the Official AU Home and Away site
• Cast and characters on the Official UK Home and Away site
• Cast and characters at the Internet Movie Database