Kenny Gibbs

Home and Away

Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	January 17, 1988 (1988-01-17)
Headquarters	Sydney , Australia

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" currently out on bail, Josh battles to leave his criminal past behind, relying on his streetwise nature and quick wit to evade capture. His history is marked by offenses such as car theft and various cons. Despite his unlawful behavior, his angelic appearance often leads others to forgive him. Josh frequently deceives his mother, Gerry (Julie Godfrey), manipulating her trust through constant falsehoods to achieve his own ends.

Mitsak mentioned that Josh’s departure from the series in early 1992 was handled quietly and off-camera. Josh is the elder sibling of Rachel Webb (Beth Champion). He forms a friendship with Rachel’s boyfriend Blake Dean (Les Hill) and invites Blake, Rachel’s sister Karen Dean (Belinda Jarrett), along with their friends, to a party that ultimately results in a drug-related police raid.

Upon discovering Blake and Rachel’s romantic involvement, Josh attacks Blake, sparking a confrontation that leads to Adam Cameron (Mat Stevenson) stepping in physically. In retaliation, Josh falsely accuses Adam of theft but is eventually unmasked and sent to prison. After his release, Josh pretends to have changed and tricks Blake and Adam into joining him on a camping trip with intentions to kill them. The pair uncover his plot, foil the plan, and Josh is subsequently re-arrested.

Cynthia Ross

Cynthia Ross, portrayed by Belinda Giblin, made her debut on 11 February 1991. Details regarding her casting and character were revealed in the 29 December 1990 issue of TV Week. Cynthia appears as the mother of Haydn Ross (Andrew Hill) and the former spouse of Michael Ross (Dennis Coard). She arrives in Summer Bay aiming to disrupt Michael's relationship with Pippa Fletcher (Debra Lawrence). Haydn attempts to reunite his parents, but their reconciliation fails, leading him to run away. Once found, Cynthia takes Haydn back to the city for several weeks. Her final appearance occurred on 6 March 1991.

Nick Parrish

Nick Parrish, enacted by Bruce Roberts, first appeared 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. Roberts received an abundance of fan mail from UK viewers, including an extraordinary letter from a woman named "Kate" who proclaimed their forthcoming marriage, underscoring his overseas appeal.

Sam Marshall

Sam Marshall, played by Ryan Clark, arrived on screen on 3 April 1991. Clark was only seven years old when cast and balanced filming three days weekly alongside schooling, supported by an on-set tutor. He departed the series in 2000 to explore other ventures but briefly returned in 2005 for the show's milestone 4000th episode. Sam was part of one of Australian television’s most cherished families and attracted a devoted teenage female following, with Clark recognized as a teen idol during the 1990s.

Julie Gibson

Julie Gibson, portrayed by Naomi Watts, first appeared on 23 April 1991. Her character was distinguished by a storyline featuring her status as a paraplegic following a car accident. Julie’s plotline focused on her relationship with Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts), which faced opposition from her protective brother Revhead (Gavin Harrison), who disapproved due to Nick’s occupation as a police officer. Despite Revhead’s interference, Julie and Nick ended their romance amicably, concluding they were better suited as friends. After her father Alec’s death and breaking up with Nick, Julie left Summer Bay to pursue university studies, asserting her independence despite Revhead's reservations. Watts described her tenure on the show as "six miserable weeks."

Lucinda Croft

Lucinda "Lou" Croft, brought to life by Dee Smart, made her first appearance on 13 June 1991 and departed in 1992. Smart, who underwent three years of drama training in Sydney, landed her inaugural acting role with this character and initially committed to a two-year contract. Nevertheless, she exited after only eight months. Mary Fletcher from Inside Soap praised Smart for transforming Lucinda into one of Home and Away's most beloved figures.

David Croft

David Croft, portrayed by Guy Pearce, debuted on 19 July 1991. Introduced as the nephew of Donald Fisher and sibling to Lucinda, David’s presence spanned six weeks, concluding on 21 August 1991. Pearce began filming in May 1991.

David arrives in Summer Bay aiming to mend ties with his estranged sister Lucinda following a family dispute over a failed investment that impacted their parents financially. Their uncle Donald steps in to facilitate their reconciliation. David develops a romantic relationship with Sophie Simpson (Rebekah Elmaloglou), despite objections from her foster parents due to their age gap. After Sophie spends time away at Pippa's mother's residence as a test of their relationship, David plans a trip himself; they agree to reunite afterward.

Tragically, David perishes in a car crash caused by an oncoming vehicle driven by Karen Dean (Belinda Jarrett) and Adam Cameron (Mat Stevenson). Devastated by his death, Sophie later discovers she is expecting David’s child and gives birth to a daughter named Tamara. She eventually relocates to Perth to be near David's mother Mary and names another child in his honor.

Barbara Toner of the Sydney Morning Herald found David’s storyline lacking engagement despite Pearce’s cinematic background. In contrast, Channel 5 singled out the episode featuring David’s fatal accident as one of their preferred Home and Away installments.

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee, enacted by Alistair MacDougall, first appeared on 22 August 1991 and departed on 27 November 1992. Following his exit, MacDougall expressed openness to returning for a cameo if the character was portrayed as an antagonist. An Inside Soap contributor labeled Ryan as a "wealthy troublemaker".

Finlay Roberts

Finlay Roberts, played by Tina Thomsen, made her debut on 18 September 1991 and remained until 1994, with guest appearances in 1996 and 1997. Thomsen relocated from Brisbane to Sydney for this role while still in her teenage years. She acknowledged her parents’ encouragement but highlighted her own determination in securing the part.

Greg Marshall

Greg Marshall, portrayed by Ross Newton, first appeared on 20 September 1991. Newton left the series in 1993 but returned briefly in 2000. He described joining Home and Away as an important opportunity during the show's early popularity. The character belonged to one of Australian television’s "most cherished families".

Simon Fitzgerald

Simon Fitzgerald, played by Richard Norton, debuted on 25 September 1991 and left on 24 July 1992. Norton joined Home and Away following a year-long stint on rival soap Neighbours. Brendon Williams of the Daily Mirror observed Norton was "very popular" portraying Simon.

Irene Roberts

Irene Roberts made her first appearance on 29 October, initially portrayed by Jacqui Phillips before Lynne McGranger assumed 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. According to Holy Soap, her most memorable storyline involves surviving an assault by the vindictive ex-wife of her former partner Ken.

Damian Roberts

Damian Roberts, played by Matt Doran, first appeared on 6 November 1991. Doran was a regular cast member from 1992 through 1995 and made guest appearances until 1996. A younger version of Damian was portrayed by Ben Hamilton in 1997 flashbacks. Upon returning, Damian adopted dreadlocks, shedding his previously neat image. This character significantly boosted Doran’s popularity and amassed a devoted fan base. Critics remarked on Damian’s absence of romantic plots and labeled him as "consistently unlucky."

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Context
15–16 January	Jack Cody	Colin Taylor	Interested in purchasing the Beach House; withdrew after discovering maintenance problems and a scam linked to Marilyn Chambers.
15–16 January	Helen Cody	Jan Adele	Accompanied Jack Cody during property negotiations.
16 January	Peter	Scott Kelly	Friend of Pippa Fletcher; declines to buy an old gypsy caravan intended for his children’s home.
21 January	Jake Wood	Frankie Davidson	Neighbor seeking to acquire a caravan; trades it for a goat after bargaining.
22 January	Postmaster Bagley	Ron Gaist	Delivers HSC exam results to students Steven Matheson and Marilyn Chambers, both successful.
30 January–7 April 1993	Louise Scott	Elaine Hudson	Member of the foster care department handling cases including Sam Nicholls and Tracey Turner; supports Angel Brooks in securing housing.
4 February–28 March	Tony Clark	Rob Hunter	Real estate agent responsible for selling the Stewart store.
6 February–17 April	Rachel Webb	Beth Champion	Dates Blake Dean; relationship ends due to family legal issues and misunderstandings prompting her departure from Summer Bay.
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 the farm during Ben’s absence.
8 March–8 April	Gerry Webb	Julie Godfrey	Mother of Rachel and Josh Webb; disapproves of Rachel’s relationship with Blake Dean; relocates following 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 and adversary of Donald Fisher involved in school events and social interactions.
27 March	Val White	May Howlett	Wife of Rodney White; irritated by his lack of focus during social gatherings.
11 April–18 July	Jackie Nicholls	Erica Williams	Mother of Sam Nicholls; faces custody challenges resulting in Bobby Simpson fostering Sam.
18 April	Vet	Michael Beckley	Consults on livestock health concerns for Ben and Carly Lucini’s farm.
22 April	Smart Alec no.1	Adam Garcia	Swim team member who mocks another student regarding diving abilities.
30 April	Celebrant	Carmel Mullin	Officiates the wedding of Michael Ross and Pippa Fletcher at Summer Bay House.
30 April–1 May	Military Police	Leo Taylor, Timothy Sullivan	Arrest Ben Lucini for going AWOL during wedding reception; charges eventually dismissed.
8–21 May	Alec Gibson	David Baldwyn	Father to Revhead and Julie Gibson; passes away following a heart attack.
10–24 May	Jean Chambers	Maggie Kirkpatrick	Aunt to Marilyn Chambers; creates tension with foster family before disclosing Marilyn’s biological parents’ identities.
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 mistaken by Marilyn Chambers as her birth parents; depart after true parents arrive.
5 June–11 July	Margaret Lynch	Gennie Nevinson	Year 11 personal development teacher at Summer Bay High; fixated on Sophie Simpson due to resemblance to deceased daughter; leaves town shortly after arrival.
5 June	Mrs Clifton & Stanley Clifton	Marianne Krogdahl & Brett Caroll	Mistakenly believed by Marilyn Chambers to be her family members; they deny any relation, disappointing her hopes.
7 June–10 July	Tracey Turner	Tania Martin	Fostered by Pippa Ross and Michael Ross; conflicts with Sophie Simpson lead to her transfer following an altercation.
2–3 July	George Davidson & Heather Davidson	Doug Scroope & Lynne Rainbow	Marilyn Chambers’ biological parents; traveling performers who initially placed her in care but later reveal their identity; their exploitative conduct causes Marilyn to reject them.
23 July–14 August	Diane Robertson & Peter Mansell	Hanna McLeod & Troy O'Hearn	Schoolmates vying for attention during Summer Bay House events, including Sally Fletcher's birthday party and Nippers club activities.
30 July–21 August	Constable Rogers	Dominic Purcell	Police officer assisting Nick Parrish with law enforcement duties, including responding to an accident resulting in David Croft's death.
2 August–2 October	Martin Bradley & Lois Crawford	John Bonney & Tina Bursill	Education department head Martin appoints Lois as Head Teacher at Summer Bay High. Lois implements strict policies causing friction with staff and residents. After accusations against her are disproved, she resigns under pressure.
11–12 September	Isabelle Britton	Collette Roberts	Police officer who briefly dates Nick Parrish aiming to provoke jealousy but relationship does not progress due to his 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 dubious business dealings with Alf and Ailsa Stewart; ultimately imprisoned for fraud but later attempts reconciliation with Simon.
14 November	Ian Gardiner, Elaine Gardiner & Susie Gardiner	Andrew S. Gilbert, Lisabeth Kennely, Lauren Snell	Family experiencing domestic abuse attended by Constable Nick Parrish; intervention results in conflict with Ian Gardiner assaulting Donald Fisher.
19 November–19 June 1992	Ruth Winston, Dr. Winston	Anna Phillips	Local physician providing care for Sophie Simpson during pregnancy and childbirth, facilitating early medical support for newborn Tamara.

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 site
• Full cast and characters at the Internet Movie Database