Johnny Cooper (Home and Away)

Johnny Cooper
Occupation	Fictional character
Years active	2006–2008
Known for	Home and Away

Johnny Cooper is a fictional persona featured in the Australian soap opera Home and Away, brought to life by actor Callan Mulvey. His first appearance occurred on-screen on 19 October 2006.

Character development

Johnny represents one of the series’ notable "bad boy" archetypes. A reporter from Channel 5 highlighted his menacing demeanor. As the leader of a gang, Johnny partakes in various criminal acts such as robbery, extortion, and homicide. His storylines include framing Brad Armstrong (Chris Sadrinna) with drug charges and attempting to murder both Sally Fletcher (Kate Ritchie) and Ric Dalby (Mark Furze). He also coerces Sam Holden (Jessica Chapnik) into assisting him in gaining access to the hospital to kill Sally by threatening her son Rory Tolhurst (Jack Rickard). When Sam resists, Johnny assaults her with a cricket bat. Though hospitalized, Johnny survives until Sam tries to end his life using a fatal injection.

A central plot involves Ric being falsely accused of murdering Johnny’s brother Rocco Cooper (Ian Meadows) and imprisoned alongside Johnny. This storyline delves into their experiences behind bars and their ongoing animosity. According to Furze, Johnny arranged a prison transfer specifically to face Ric. Following a drug raid that uncovers Johnny’s illicit activities, he retaliates by placing shards of glass in Ric’s meals as intimidation. Ric gains support from Guard Jones (Warwick Young), who offers a transfer in exchange for Ric’s assistance in exposing Johnny’s drug trafficking. Nevertheless, Ric’s scheme ends in failure.

Storylines

Johnny makes his initial appearance outside Summer Bay High, warning his brother Rocco about fulfilling gang obligations. After threatening principal Brad, Johnny vandalizes Brad’s apartment and coerces Rocco into committing a robbery, which they redirect to Amanda Vale’s residence. During the heist, Amanda and Peter Baker are taken hostage. Johnny then insists that Rocco move into Summer Bay House; although Sally initially refuses after Brad’s warning, she relents following an assault orchestrated by Johnny.

Johnny intensifies his illegal activities by compelling Rocco to steal and targeting Brad through dangerous driving incidents. Despite Brad reporting these offenses, Johnny avoids capture and initiates psychological harassment by leaving messages about Brad’s deceased wife at the school. When Brad retaliates physically, Johnny pays a student to falsely accuse him of drug dealing, resulting in Brad’s suspension as principal.

Johnny plots a Credit Union robbery but is thwarted when Brad alerts authorities. He escapes arrest due to Rocco removing incriminating evidence. Later, Brad discovers stolen jewelry at Johnny’s residence, prompting Rocco to betray him to law enforcement. After Sally uncovers Johnny’s true intentions and reports him, Johnny is apprehended and incarcerated. From prison, he orders Rocco to kill Sally; Rocco stabs her but she survives. To protect himself, Rocco remains in a safe house but dies in hospital following an attack intended for him that leads to Ric Dalby’s wrongful conviction.

While imprisoned, Johnny torments Ric until evidence exonerates Ric and secures his release. In early 2008, Johnny escapes custody and returns seeking vengeance against Ric and Sally. Disguised as a chauffeur and hiding in the bushland, he takes Colleen Smart hostage and confronts Miles Copeland and Roman Harris, culminating in a standoff. Johnny stabs Sally before fleeing; during the police pursuit, Jack Holden shoots him in the arm but he manages to escape.

Johnny hides at the Holden residence with assistance from Jack’s estranged wife Sam, whom he blackmails. After assaulting Sam when she lies about Sally's condition, he takes Matilda Hunter hostage and threatens Ric but is subdued by Sam with a cricket bat.

At the hospital, Johnny suffers brain injury but hints at concealed information before experiencing cardiac arrest. Sam later kills him by administering a morphine overdose. Plagued by guilt and visions of Johnny, Sam's criminal exposure leads her to suicide following the discovery of an incriminating letter.

Reception

Mulvey received nominations for "Best Bad Boy" at the Inside Soap Awards in both 2007 and 2008 due to his depiction of Johnny. A journalist from The Age remarked that the "flat-out nasty" character was a perfect fit for Mulvey. Johnny appeared in What's on TV as one of "The 50 most evil soap villains of all time" and was also recognized as one of Channel 5's top Home and Away "bad boys."

The decision to kill off the character left a critic from the Daily Record feeling underwhelmed, suggesting that Sam's cricket bat assault alone might have delivered a stronger impact. Additional writers from the same publication referred to Johnny as a "sinister crook" and a "ruthless thug." An Inside Soap correspondent described him as a "crazy criminal."