George Davidson (Home and Away)

Josh Webb

Josh Webb, brought to life by Erik Mitsak, made his first appearance on 7 February 1991 as the notorious troublemaker of Home and Away. Known as a "jailbird" out on bail, Josh is a cunning street criminal with a record involving car theft and deceit. Despite his checkered history, his innocent appearance often helps him avoid suspicion. He exerts control over his mother, Gerry, through frequent dishonesty and manipulation.

Josh is the elder sibling of Rachel Webb (played by Beth Champion). He forms a friendship with her boyfriend Blake Dean (Les Hill) and invites Blake, Rachel, and their acquaintances to a party that ultimately results in a drug raid. Upon learning about Blake and Rachel's relationship, Josh attacks Blake and later falsely accuses Adam Cameron (Mat Stevenson) of theft. However, Josh’s deception is uncovered, leading to his imprisonment.

Following his release, Josh pretends to have changed and tricks Blake and Adam into joining him on a camping trip with the intention of murdering them. The pair discover his plan in time to stop the attack, resulting in Josh’s re-arrest. Erik Mitsak departed from the series in early 1992, with Josh’s exit left ambiguous and occurring off-screen.

Cynthia Ross

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

As Michael’s ex-spouse and mother to Haydn and Kate, Cynthia’s presence in Summer Bay creates friction between Michael and his new partner Pippa Fletcher. Haydn attempts to reconcile his parents but fails, prompting him to run away. After being located, Cynthia takes Haydn back to the city for several weeks.

Nick Parrish

Nick Parrish, played by Bruce Roberts, made his debut on 4 March 1991. Roberts secured the role just one day after completing drama school. He exited the series in 1994 to relocate to the United Kingdom with his girlfriend, Suzanne Dando. During his tenure on the show, Roberts received significant fan correspondence from UK viewers, including an unusual marriage proposal from a woman named "Kate."

Sam Marshall

Sam Marshall, portrayed by Ryan Clark, first appeared on 3 April 1991. Clark was seven years old when cast and balanced filming three days per week with school attendance, supported by an on-set tutor. He departed from the show in 2000 to explore other career opportunities but returned in 2005 for the milestone 4000th episode alongside former cast members. Glenn Wheeler of The Morning Show recognized Sam as part of one of Australian television's most cherished families over ten years. The character gained particular popularity among teenage female audiences. MSN highlighted Clark as one of Australia’s memorable teen heartthrobs from 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. To authentically represent her character's paraplegia resulting from a previous car accident, Watts dedicated several weeks to using a wheelchair during preparation.

The narrative involving Julie focuses on her romantic involvement with Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts), which is met with disapproval from her brother Revhead (Gavin Harrison) due to Nick’s position as a police officer. Although Revhead attempts to drive them apart, Julie and Nick conclude their relationship on good terms, recognizing their compatibility as friends rather than partners. Watts later reflected on her stint in the series as "six miserable weeks."

Following the passing of her father, Alec (David Baldwyn), and the end of her relationship with Nick, Julie opts to leave Summer Bay to pursue university studies in the city. She reassures Revhead that she is capable of managing on her own despite his reservations.

Lucinda Croft

Lucinda "Lou" Croft, enacted by Dee Smart, first appeared on 13 June 1991 and departed in 1992. Having studied drama in Sydney for three years, Smart secured her inaugural acting role through this character and initially committed to a two-year contract but exited after eight months. Mary Fletcher of Inside Soap praised Smart’s portrayal, crediting her with making Lucinda one of Home and Away's standout characters.

David Croft

David Croft, brought to life by Guy Pearce, was introduced on 19 July 1991. Filming commenced in May 1991, presenting David as Donald Fisher’s nephew and Lucinda Croft’s brother. Pearce’s involvement spanned six weeks, concluding on 21 August 1991.

David arrives in Summer Bay seeking to mend his fractured relationship with his sister Lucinda following a family disagreement over a failed investment. Their uncle Donald facilitates their reconciliation. Subsequently, David embarks on a contentious romance with Sophie Simpson, whose foster parents express concern due to his age. After a separation arranged by Sophie's foster mother, Pippa Ross, David plans to travel but tragically dies in a car crash before reuniting with Sophie.

Sophie later learns she is expecting David’s child and gives birth to their daughter Tamara. She eventually relocates to Perth near David’s mother Mary and names another child after him in 2003.

Barbara Toner from the Sydney Morning Herald critiqued David's storyline as lacking engagement despite Pearce’s cinematic background. Channel 5 (UK) recognized the episode featuring David's fatal accident as one of their preferred Home and Away installments.

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee, played by Alistair MacDougall, made his first appearance on 22 August 1991 and exited on 27 November 1992. After departing, MacDougall expressed openness to returning for a brief role if the character was portrayed as an antagonist, noting he would have remained longer had the scripts been more compelling. An Inside Soap journalist described Ryan as a "wealthy troublemaker".

Finlay Roberts

Finlay Roberts, portrayed by Tina Thomsen, debuted on 18 September 1991 and stayed until 1994, returning for guest appearances in 1996 and 1997. Thomsen relocated from Brisbane to Sydney during her teenage years to accept the role. In an interview, she mentioned that her parents supported her career goals without exerting pressure.

Greg Marshall

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

Simon Fitzgerald

Simon Fitzgerald, portrayed 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 from the Daily Mirror remarked that Norton was "a major success" in his role as Simon.

Irene Roberts

Irene Roberts entered the series on 29 October, initially played by Jacqui Phillips before Lynne McGranger took over the role. McGranger earned a nomination for "Funniest Performance" at the 2007 Inside Soap Awards. The Sydney Morning Herald recognizes Irene as one of the trio of "legacy characters," alongside Alf and Colleen. Holy Soap notably highlighted Irene's striking storyline involving an assault by her former lover Ken's ex-wife.

Damian Roberts

Damian Roberts, enacted by Matt Doran, made his first appearance on 6 November 1991. Doran was a regular cast member between 1992 and 1995, returning occasionally until 1996. In flashbacks from 1997, Ben Hamilton portrayed a young Damian. Upon returning, Damian sported dreadlocks, marking a departure from his previously neat appearance. Doran’s performance established him as a well-liked figure in soap circles with a devoted audience. Critics observed that Damian frequently lacked major romantic plots, which contributed to his underdog image.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Circumstances
15–16 January	Jack Cody	Colin Taylor	Interested in purchasing the Beach House but withdraws after uncovering maintenance problems and a scam involving Marilyn Chambers.
15–16 January	Helen Cody	Jan Adele	Partner to Jack Cody during the attempt to buy the Beach House.
16 January	Peter	Scott Kelly	Friend of Pippa Fletcher; declines to acquire an old gypsy caravan intended for children’s accommodation.
21 January	Jake Wood	Frankie Davidson	Neighbor who considers buying a gypsy caravan but ends up with a goat instead.
22 January	Postmaster Bagley	Ron Gaist	Responsible for handing out HSC results to students including Steven Matheson and Marilyn Chambers.
30 January–7 April 1993	Louise Scott	Elaine Hudson	Member of the foster care department facilitating placements for children such as Sam Nicholls 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 difficulties and 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 manage farming operations after Ben shows interest.
8 March–8 April	Gerry Webb	Julie Godfrey	Mother of 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’s 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 affairs and social matters.
27 March	Val White	May Howlett	Wife of Rodney White; experiences frustration during social events due to her husband’s preoccupations.
11 April–18 July	Jackie Nicholls	Erica Williams	Mother of Sam Nicholls; faces custody challenges resulting in foster care placements.
18 April	Vet	Michael Beckley	Veterinarian consulted regarding poultry health issues on Ben and Carly's farm.
22 April	Smart Alec no.1	Adam Garcia	Swim team member known for teasing others about their diving abilities.
30 April	Celebrant	Carmel Mullin	Officiates Michael Ross and Pippa Fletcher’s wedding at Summer Bay House.
30 April–1 May	Military Police	Leo Taylor, Timothy Sullivan	Arrest Ben Lucini for going AWOL during wedding festivities; 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 disclosing Marilyn’s biological parentage.
22 May–21 June	Kenny Gibbs	David Field	Janitor at Summer Bay High who sells Blake Dean and Haydn Ross a faulty car.
20 June–3 July	Max Riley & Heather Riley	Bruce Venables & Lynne Porteous	Couple initially mistaken by Marilyn Chambers as her biological parents; leave after her real parents arrive.
5 June–11 July	Margaret Lynch	Gennie Nevinson	Year 11 personal development teacher fixated on student Sophie Simpson; exits following personal complications.
5 June	Mrs Clifton & Stanley Clifton	Marianne Krogdahl & Brett Caroll	Misidentified by Marilyn Chambers as her family; clarify mistaken identity, disappointing Marilyn.
7 June–10 July	Tracey Turner	Tania Martin	Fostered by Pippa Ross and Michael Ross; causes friction with Sophie Simpson leading to transfer to another home.
2–3 July	George & Heather Davidson	Doug Scroope & Lynne Rainbow	Marilyn Chambers’ biological parents; traveling performers who exploit her generosity before being rejected.
23 July–14 August	Diane Robertson & Peter Mansell	Hanna McLeod & Troy O'Hearn	Classmates competing for attention during Summer Bay House events; involved in social rivalries including Nippers activities.
30 July–21 August	Constable Rogers	Dominic Purcell	Police officer assisting in criminal investigations and accident responses within 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 implements strict policies provoking community backlash leading to resignation.
11–12 September	Isabelle Britton	Collette Roberts	Police officer briefly dating Nick Parrish, creating tension with Lucinda Croft.
3–9 October	Sharyn McKinley & Annette Hodges	Liza Witt & Kylle Hogart	Year 11 students pursued by Blake Dean and Simon Fitzgerald; disciplinary action follows after intentions are disclosed to guardians.
6–28 November	Bill Fitzgerald	Terry Bader	Simon Fitzgerald's father involved in fraudulent business dealings; imprisoned before reconciling with son post-release.
14 November	Ian, Elaine & Susie Gardiner	Andrew S. Gilbert, Lisabeth Kennely, Lauren Snell	Family affected by domestic violence addressed by local authorities; intervention leads to conflict involving Donald Fisher.
19 November–19 June 1992	Ruth Winston, M.D.	Anna Phillips	Local doctor overseeing Sophie Simpson’s pregnancy and delivery, playing a crucial role in community healthcare services.

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 on the Internet Movie Database