Cynthia Ross

Josh Webb

Josh Webb, brought to life 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 strives to change his ways but faces ongoing difficulties, reflecting a history of criminal activities such as car theft and deceit. His street-smart, fast-talking demeanor enables him to outwit law enforcement, while his innocent appearance helps him avoid suspicion. Josh frequently manipulates his mother Gerry (Julie Godfrey), using lies to dominate her and further his own agendas.

As the elder sibling of Rachel Webb (Beth Champion), Josh forms a connection with her boyfriend Blake Dean (Les Hill) and arranges a party that ultimately leads to a drug-related police raid. Upon learning about Blake and Rachel’s relationship, Josh assaults Blake, sparking a conflict involving Adam Cameron (Mat Stevenson). In retaliation, Josh falsely accuses Adam of theft but is eventually uncovered and sentenced to prison.

Following his release, Josh pretends to have reformed and invites Blake and Adam on a camping trip with the hidden intention of murdering them. His scheme is discovered and prevented, resulting in his subsequent re-arrest. Actor Mitsak departed the series in early 1992 through an off-screen exit.

Cynthia Ross

Cynthia Ross, portrayed by Belinda Giblin, was introduced on 11 February 1991. Her casting and character background were revealed in the 29 December 1990 edition of TV Week. Cynthia is the mother of Haydn Ross (Andrew Hill) and former spouse of Michael Ross (Dennis Coard). She arrives in Summer Bay with the intent to interfere in Michael's relationship with Pippa Fletcher (Debra Lawrence), generating conflict. Haydn attempts to reconcile his parents but fails and subsequently runs away. After being located, Cynthia takes him away to the city for several weeks. Her final appearance was on 6 March 1991.

Nick Parrish

Nick Parrish, enacted by Bruce Roberts, made his debut on 4 March 1991. Roberts was cast just one day after completing drama school. He exited the show in 1994 to relocate to the United Kingdom with his girlfriend, Suzanne Dando. During his time on the series, Roberts received significant fan correspondence from the UK, including a notable letter from a woman named "Kate" who claimed they would be married the following week.

Sam Marshall

Sam Marshall, played by Ryan Clark, first appeared on 3 April 1991. Clark was seven years old when cast and balanced filming three days per week alongside schooling, supported by an on-set tutor. He departed in 2000 to explore other career opportunities but returned in 2005 for the celebration of the show’s 4000th episode. Glenn Wheeler from The Morning Show recognized Sam as part of one of Australian television’s most cherished families over a decade. The character gained popularity among teenage girls, with MSN describing Clark as one of Australia’s '90s teen idols.

Julie Gibson

Julie Gibson, portrayed by Naomi Watts, made her first appearance on 23 April 1991. Her casting was announced in TV Week on 16 March 1991. Julie is a paraplegic due to a previous car accident and begins a relationship with Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts), which is opposed by her brother Revhead (Gavin Harrison) because of Nick’s role as a police officer. Despite Revhead’s objections, Julie and Nick end their relationship amicably upon realizing they are better suited as friends. Watts described her six-week tenure on the show as "miserable."

After her father Alec's (David Baldwyn) death from a heart attack and Nick’s breakup, Julie leaves Summer Bay to pursue university studies in the city despite Revhead’s concerns about her independence.

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, then a drama student based in Sydney, secured her debut acting role through this character. Although she initially committed to a two-year contract, 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, portrayed by Guy Pearce, was introduced on 19 July 1991. Presented as Donald Fisher’s nephew and Lucinda's brother, Pearce began filming in May 1991. His storyline spanned six weeks, concluding on 21 August 1991.

David arrives in Summer Bay aiming to mend his strained relationship with his sister Lucinda following a family conflict over an unsuccessful investment. He develops a romantic connection with Sophie Simpson (Rebekah Elmaloglou), despite opposition from Sophie's foster parents due to their age gap. After a period of separation, David plans to leave town but tragically dies in a car accident caused by an oncoming vehicle driven by Karen Dean (Belinda Jarrett). Subsequently, Sophie learns she is expecting David’s child and relocates to Perth to be near his mother, Mary.

Barbara Toner of the Sydney Morning Herald found David’s narrative lacking in engagement despite Pearce’s emerging film career. However, Channel 5 singled out the episode showcasing David’s fatal crash as one of their preferred Home and Away installments.

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee, enacted by Alistair MacDougall, debuted on 22 August 1991 and departed on 27 November 1992. Following his exit, MacDougall expressed openness to returning for a cameo appearance if the character were developed as an antagonist, adding he would have remained longer had the scripts been more compelling. 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, with guest appearances in 1996 and 1997. Thomsen relocated from Brisbane to Sydney during her teenage years to accept the role. In an interview with Jenna Price of the Sydney Morning Herald, Thomsen highlighted that her parents were encouraging without being forceful, emphasizing her own resolve.

Greg Marshall

Greg Marshall, portrayed by Ross Newton, debuted on 20 September 1991. Newton left the show in 1993 but made a brief return in 2000. He described joining Home and Away as an excellent opportunity during its period of growing popularity. Glenn Wheeler from The Morning Show recognized Greg as part of one of Australian television’s "most cherished families".

Simon Fitzgerald

Simon Fitzgerald, played by Richard Norton, first appeared on 25 September 1991 and left on 24 July 1992. Norton joined Home and Away following a year-long stint on the competing soap Neighbours. Brendon Williams of the Daily Mirror remarked that Norton was "extremely popular" as Simon.

Irene Roberts

Irene Roberts first appeared on 29 October, originally portrayed by Jacqui Phillips before Lynne McGranger assumed the role. McGranger earned a nomination for "Funniest Performance" at the 2007 Inside Soap Awards. The Sydney Morning Herald identifies Irene as one of the show's enduring "legacy characters," alongside Alf and Colleen. According to Holy Soap, her most unforgettable scene involved "Being attacked by the mad ex-wife of her former lover Ken."

Damian Roberts

Damian Roberts, played by Matt Doran, made his debut on 6 November 1991. Doran was a regular cast member from 1992 until 1995, with guest appearances continuing through 1996. The role of a young Damian was portrayed by Ben Hamilton in 1997 flashbacks. Upon returning, Damian's appearance changed, including dreadlocks. Portraying Damian significantly increased Doran's popularity, earning him a devoted fan following. Critics observed that the character lacked major romantic story arcs and described him as "always destined to be a loser."

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Notes
15–16 January	Jack Cody	Colin Taylor	Interested in purchasing the Beach House; withdraws after discovering property complications and a scam involving Marilyn Chambers.
15–16 January	Helen Cody	Jan Adele	Accompanies Jack Cody during his consideration of buying the property.
16 January	Peter	Scott Kelly	Friend of Pippa Fletcher; refuses to buy an old gypsy caravan intended for his children’s home.
21 January	Jake Wood	Frankie Davidson	Neighbor interested in acquiring an old caravan; offers a goat as barter instead of money.
22 January	Postmaster Bagley	Ron Gaist	Delivers Year 12 HSC results, 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 including Sam Nicholls and Tracey Turner; aids Angel Brooks in finding accommodation.
4 February–28 March	Tony Clark	Rob Hunter	Real estate agent handling the sale of the Stewart store.
6 February–17 April	Rachel Webb	Beth Champion	Dates Blake Dean; departs Summer Bay following family issues and misunderstandings.
8–27 February	Roy Jackson	Fredric Abbott	Farmer leasing land to Ben and Carly Lucini.
8–14 February	Betty Jackson	Marie Armstrong	Encourages Carly Lucini to take charge of farm operations.
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 dates Karen Dean.
27 March–13 May	Rodney White	Lester Morris	Headmaster at Yabbie Creek High; competitor to Donald Fisher; involved in school activities and social affairs.
27 March	Val White	May Howlett	Rodney White’s wife; frustrated during a bridge game due to her husband’s distraction.
11 April–18 July	Jackie Nicholls	Erica Williams	Mother of Sam Nicholls; faces custody challenges resulting in foster care placement.
18 April	Vet	Michael Beckley	Veterinarian treating farm animals suspected of illness.
22 April	Smart Alec no.1	Adam Garcia	Swim team member who mocks others about their diving abilities.
30 April	Celebrant	Carmel Mullin	Conducts Michael Ross and Pippa Fletcher’s wedding ceremony at Summer Bay House.
30 April–1 May	Military Police	Leo Taylor, Timothy Sullivan	Arrest Ben Lucini for going AWOL during wedding reception; charges are later dismissed.
8–21 May	Alec Gibson	David Baldwyn	Father of Revhead and Julie Gibson; dies following a heart attack.
10–24 May	Jean Chambers	Maggie Kirkpatrick	Marilyn Chambers’ aunt; creates tension within foster family before revealing details about Marilyn’s birth parents.
22 May–21 June	Kenny Gibbs	David Field	Janitor who sells an old car to Blake Dean and Haydn Ross.
20 June–3 July	Max Riley / Heather Riley	Bruce Venables / Lynne Porteous	Couple initially mistaken by Marilyn Chambers as her biological parents; later disproved by arrival of actual parents.
5 June–11 July	Margaret Lynch	Gennie Nevinson	Year 11 personal development teacher with a troubled history who departs after developing an unhealthy obsession with a student.
5 June	Mrs Clifton / Stanley Clifton	Marianne Krogdahl / Brett Caroll	Individuals mistakenly identified by Marilyn Chambers during her search for biological family, causing emotional distress.
7 June–10 July	Tracey Turner	Tania Martin	Foster child whose behavior causes friction in foster home, leading to transfer after conflicts with Sophie Simpson escalate.
2–3 July	George Davidson / Heather Davidson	Doug Scroope / Lynne Rainbow	Marilyn Chambers’ biological parents who exploit her generosity, prompting Marilyn to cut ties.
23 July–14 August	Diane Robertson / Peter Mansell	Hanna McLeod / Troy O'Hearn	Schoolmates competing for attention; involved in rivalry and personal conflicts with Sally Fletcher.
30 July–21 August	Constable Rogers	Dominic Purcell	Police officer assisting with criminal investigations and emergencies in Summer Bay.
2 August–2 October	Martin Bradley / Lois Crawford	John Bonney / Tina Bursill	Education department head who appoints Lois as Head Teacher at Summer Bay High; Lois enforces strict policies causing community backlash and eventual resignation amid controversy.
11–12 September	Isabelle Britton	Collette Roberts	Police officer who briefly dates Nick Parrish to provoke jealousy but is not central to his main relationships.
3–9 October	Sharyn McKinley / Annette Hodges	Liza Witt / Kylle Hogart	Year 11 students targeted by Blake Dean and Simon Fitzgerald’s inappropriate advances, resulting in disciplinary measures.
6–28 November	Bill Fitzgerald	Terry Bader	Simon Fitzgerald’s father involved in dubious business activities; ultimately imprisoned for fraud before reconnecting with his son after parole.
14 November	Ian Gardiner / Elaine Gardiner / Susie Gardiner	Andrew S. Gilbert / Lisabeth Kennely / Lauren Snell	Family affected by domestic violence; community intervention leads to protective actions.
19 November–19 June 1992	Ruth Winston, Dr. Winston	Anna Phillips	Local physician managing health concerns including Sophie’s pregnancy and childbirth, playing a vital role in community healthcare services.

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