David Croft (Home and Away)

Josh Webb

Josh Webb, brought to life by Erik Mitsak, made his debut on 7 February 1991 as the notorious "resident troublemaker" in Home and Away. As a "jailbird" currently out on bail, Josh faces ongoing challenges in attempting to lead a lawful life. Mitsak, who frequently portrayed "young thug" roles, remarked on his recurring characters being involved in violent situations. Josh is characterized as "one of the worst offenders," yet his "angelic appearance" often allows him to avoid suspicion. His background is rooted in criminal activities such as car theft and street hustling, and he is known for his quick speech and cunning intelligence that enable him to stay ahead of the authorities.

Josh regularly deceives his mother, Gerry (played by Julie Godfrey), manipulating her trust through lies to achieve his aims. Mitsak departed the series in early 1992 with an off-screen exit for his character.

As the elder sibling of Rachel Webb (Beth Champion), Josh forms a friendship with her boyfriend Blake Dean (Les Hill) and organizes a party attended by Blake, Rachel's sister Karen Dean (Belinda Jarrett), and their friends, which ultimately results in a drug raid. Upon discovering Blake and Rachel's relationship, Josh attacks Blake and later falsely accuses Adam Cameron (Mat Stevenson) of theft. Once his deceit is uncovered, Josh is incarcerated.

Following his release, Josh pretends to have changed and invites Blake and Adam on a camping trip with a hidden plan to murder them. The scheme fails, leading to his re-arrest and return to prison.

Cynthia Ross

Cynthia Ross, portrayed by Belinda Giblin, first appeared on 11 February 1991. Details about Giblin’s casting and the character 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 purpose in Summer Bay is to disrupt Michael’s relationship with Pippa Fletcher (Debra Lawrence). Despite Haydn's efforts to reconcile his parents, the reunion attempt fails, prompting him to run away. After being located, Cynthia takes Haydn back to the city for several weeks. Her last appearance occurred on 6 March 1991.

Nick Parrish

Nick Parrish, enacted by Bruce Roberts, made his first appearance 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 partner, Suzanne Dando. Notably, Roberts received an unusual fan letter from a UK admirer named "Kate," who professed plans to marry him within a week, illustrating his appeal beyond Australia.

Sam Marshall

Sam Marshall, played by Ryan Clark, debuted on 3 April 1991. Clark was seven years old when cast and balanced filming Home and Away three days weekly alongside schooling, supported by an on-set tutor. He left the series in 2000 to explore other career paths but returned briefly in 2005 for the show's milestone 4000th episode celebration. Glenn Wheeler from The Morning Show described Sam as part of one of Australian television’s most cherished families over a decade. The character gained significant popularity among teenage female viewers, with MSN recognizing Clark as one of Australia’s prominent teen heartthrobs during the 1990s.

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, a condition resulting from a previous car accident. She began dating Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts), although her protective brother Revhead (Gavin Harrison) opposed the relationship due to Nick’s occupation as a police officer. Despite Revhead's objections, Julie and Nick ended their romance on friendly terms, realizing they were better suited as friends. After the passing of her father Alec from a heart attack and Nick ending their relationship, Julie departed Summer Bay to pursue university studies in the city, confident in her ability to live independently despite Revhead’s worries. Watts later described her stint on the show as "six miserable weeks."

Lucinda Croft

Lucinda "Lou" Croft, played by Dee Smart, first appeared on 13 June 1991 and exited in 1992. Having studied drama in Sydney for three years, Smart landed her initial acting role through this character and signed a two-year contract but chose to leave after eight months. Mary Fletcher of Inside Soap praised Smart for making Lucinda one of the most beloved characters in Home and Away.

David Croft

David Croft, enacted by Guy Pearce, was introduced on 19 July 1991 and departed on 21 August 1991. Filming commenced in May 1991, with David portrayed as Donald Fisher’s nephew and Lucinda Croft’s brother. Pearce’s involvement lasted six weeks.

David arrives in Summer Bay aiming to mend his strained relationship with his sister Lucinda following a family dispute over a failed investment. He quickly becomes romantically involved with Sophie Simpson (Rebekah Elmaloglou), despite objections from her foster parents due to their age gap. After Sophie spends some time away, they agree to reunite; however, David tragically dies in a car accident caused by an oncoming vehicle driven by Karen Dean and Adam Cameron. Sophie later gives birth to their daughter Tamara and eventually moves to Perth, near David’s mother.

Barbara Toner of the Sydney Morning Herald criticized David's storyline as lacking engagement despite Pearce’s cinematic experience. Nonetheless, Channel 5 recognized the episode featuring David's fatal crash as one of their favorite moments in Home and Away.

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee, played by Alistair MacDougall, made his first appearance on 22 August 1991 and departed on 27 November 1992. Following his exit, MacDougall told Inside Soap he would consider returning for a guest appearance if the character were developed as an antagonist, stating "I would have stayed longer before if the scripts had been good enough."

Finlay Roberts

Finlay Roberts, portrayed by Tina Thomsen, made her debut on 18 September 1991 and remained until 1994, with subsequent guest appearances in 1996 and 1997. Thomsen moved from Brisbane to Sydney during her teenage years specifically for this role. In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, she attributed her pursuit of acting to the encouragement and support of her parents rather than any pressure.

Greg Marshall

Greg Marshall, brought to life by Ross Newton, first appeared on 20 September 1991, exited in 1993, and briefly returned in 2000. Newton described his casting on Home and Away as "a fantastic opportunity" during the show's ascent in popularity. Glenn Wheeler of The Morning Show remarked that Greg was part of one of Australian television’s "most cherished families".

Simon Fitzgerald

Simon Fitzgerald, played by Richard Norton, made his first appearance on 25 September 1991 and left the series on 24 July 1992. Norton joined Home and Away following a year-long stint on rival soap Neighbours. Brendon Williams from the Daily Mirror commented that Norton was "extremely popular" in the role of Simon.

Irene Roberts

Irene Roberts entered the series on 29 October, initially portrayed by Jacqui Phillips before Lynne McGranger took over the role. McGranger received a nomination for "Funniest Performance" at the 2007 Inside Soap Awards. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Irene is regarded as one of the show’s three enduring "legacy characters," alongside Alf and Colleen. Holy Soap highlights her most notable moment as being attacked by her former lover Ken’s ex-wife.

Damian Roberts

Damian Roberts, enacted by Matt Doran, first appeared on 6 November 1991. Doran became a regular cast member in 1992 and stayed until 1995, with occasional guest returns through 1996. In flashbacks from 1997, a young Damian was portrayed by Ben Hamilton. One of Damian's returns featured a new look with dreadlocks, marking a significant change from his previously clean-cut image. The role increased Doran’s popularity, particularly among female viewers; however, Damian’s character was often depicted as unlucky in romance and lacking major story arcs.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Context
15–16 January	Jack Cody	Colin Taylor	Potential purchaser of the Beach House who withdraws after discovering property complications and a scam involving Marilyn Chambers.
15–16 January	Helen Cody	Jan Adele	Accompanies Jack Cody as part of the prospective buyer duo.
16 January	Peter	Scott Kelly	Friend of Pippa Fletcher who declines to purchase an old gypsy caravan intended for use as a children’s home.
21 January	Jake Wood	Frankie Davidson	Neighbour interested in buying an old caravan; transaction concludes with receiving a goat instead of money.
22 January	Postmaster Bagley	Ron Gaist	Delivers HSC results to students, confirming passes for Steven Matheson and Marilyn Chambers.
30 January–7 April 1993	Louise Scott	Elaine Hudson	Member of the foster department facilitating Bobby Simpson's fostering of Sam Nicholls and assisting with other foster cases.
4 February–28 March	Tony Clark	Rob Hunter	Estate agent responsible for managing the sale of the Stewart store.
6 February–17 April	Rachel Webb	Beth Champion	Dates Blake Dean; relationship ends after family difficulties and misunderstandings prompt her departure from Summer Bay.
8–27 February	Roy Jackson	Fredric Abbott	Local farmer leasing his property to Ben and Carly Lucini.
8–14 February	Betty Jackson	Marie Armstrong	Encourages Carly Lucini to take over farm management after Ben expresses interest.
8 March–8 April	Gerry Webb	Julie Godfrey	Mother of Rachel and Josh Webb; disapproves of Rachel's relationship and relocates following Josh's arrest.
19 March–3 May	Mark Smith	Greg Hatton	Member of Summer Bay High swim team who briefly dates Karen Dean.
27 March–13 May	Rodney White	Lester Morris	Headmaster at Yabbie Creek High; rival to Donald Fisher; involved in school activities and social engagements.
27 March	Val White	May Howlett	Wife of Rodney White; frustrated during social occasions due to Rodney's distractions.
11 April–18 July	Jackie Nicholls	Erica Williams	Sam Nicholls’ mother who struggles with custody issues resulting in Bobby Simpson fostering Sam.
18 April	Vet	Michael Beckley	Visits Ben and Carly Lucini's farm concerning dead chickens and potential disease outbreak.
22 April	Smart Alec no.1	Adam Garcia	Yabbie Creek High swim team member who mocks Haydn Ross about diving skills.
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 dropped.
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 during her stay but reveals information about Marilyn’s biological parents.
22 May–21 June	Kenny Gibbs	David Field	Janitor at Summer Bay High 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; they develop a bond before her real parents arrive.
5 June–11 July	Margaret Lynch	Gennie Nevinson	Year 11 personal development teacher at Summer Bay High who fixates on Sophie Simpson due to resemblance to her deceased daughter; leaves town shortly afterward.
5 June	Mrs Clifton & Stanley Clifton	Marianne Krogdahl & Brett Caroll	Misidentified by Marilyn Chambers as her family during her search for biological parents; clarify the misunderstanding.
7 June–10 July	Tracey Turner	Tania Martin	Fostered by Pippa Ross and Michael Ross; conflicts with Sophie Simpson lead to transfer after physical altercation is uncovered.
2–3 July	George Davidson & Heather Davidson	Doug Scroope & Lynne Rainbow	Marilyn Chambers’ biological parents; traveling performers who placed her into care; exploit Marilyn resulting in estrangement.
23 July–14 August	Diane Robertson & Peter Mansell	Hanna McLeod & Troy O'Hearn	Classmates competing for attention at Sally Fletcher’s birthday party and Nippers club, leading to social tensions and unsuccessful interactions.
30 July–21 August	Constable Rogers	Dominic Purcell	Police officer assisting Nick Parrish with local incidents including investigation into a fatal car accident.
2 August–2 October	Martin Bradley & Lois Crawford	John Bonney & Tina Bursill	Education department head appoints Lois as Summer Bay High head teacher; her strict approach causes controversy leading to resignation amid false allegations.
11–12 September	Isabelle Britton	Collette Roberts	Police officer who briefly dates Nick Parrish intending to provoke jealousy; relationship does not progress due to Nick’s lingering feelings for another woman.
3–9 October	Sharyn McKinley & Annette Hodges	Liza Witt & Kylle Hogart	Year 11 students who reject advances from Blake Dean and Simon Fitzgerald, resulting in disciplinary action against the boys.
6–28 November	Bill Fitzgerald	Terry Bader	Simon Fitzgerald’s father involved in business dealings with Alf and Ailsa Stewart; leaves town after exposure, later imprisoned for fraud before reconnecting with Simon upon parole.
14 November	Family affected by domestic violence addressed through police intervention; Ian assaults Donald Fisher during conflict resolution efforts.
19 November–19 June 1992	Local physician who discovers Sophie Simpson's pregnancy and supports her through childbirth. %} References External links Cast and characters on the Official Australian Home and Away site Cast and characters on the Official UK Home and Away site Cast and characters at the Internet Movie Database