Rachel Webb

Josh Webb
Occupation	Fictional character
Years active	1991–1992
Known for	Home and Away

Josh Webb

Josh Webb, brought to life by Erik Mitsak, made his first appearance on 7 February 1991 as Home and Away's archetypal "resident villain." Characterized as a "jailbird" out on bail aiming to turn over a new leaf, Josh is a quick-witted and street-savvy offender notorious for car theft and evading capture. His innocent appearance sharply contrasts with his criminal lifestyle and manipulative nature, particularly in his dealings with his mother, Gerry (Julie Godfrey), whom he repeatedly deceives to achieve his goals.

As the elder sibling of Rachel Webb (Beth Champion), Josh forms a connection with her boyfriend Blake Dean (Les Hill). He invites Blake, Rachel's sister Karen (Belinda Jarrett), and their circle to a gathering that culminates in a drug raid. Upon discovering Blake and Rachel's romantic involvement, Josh physically attacks Blake and subsequently implicates Adam Cameron (Mat Stevenson) in theft, before his schemes are uncovered, resulting in imprisonment.

Following his release, Josh pretends to have changed and entices Blake and Adam on a camping trip with the intention of murdering them. His plan is foiled, leading to his rearrest. Erik Mitsak exited the series in early 1992 through an off-screen departure.

Cynthia Ross

Cynthia Ross, portrayed by Belinda Giblin, made her debut on 11 February 1991. Giblin’s casting alongside Cynthia’s introduction was publicized in the 29 December 1990 edition of TV Week. Cynthia enters the storyline as the mother of Haydn Ross (Andrew Hill) and former spouse of Michael Ross (Dennis Coard). A TV Week journalist described her arrival in Summer Bay as disruptive, particularly affecting Michael’s relationship with Pippa Fletcher (Debra Lawrence). Cynthia’s final episode aired on 6 March 1991.

As Michael’s ex-wife and mother to Haydn and Kate, Cynthia’s presence stirs conflict between Michael and his new partner Pippa. Haydn attempts to reconcile his parents, but when his efforts fail, he runs away. After being located, Cynthia takes him back to the city for several weeks.

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 departed from the series in 1994 to relocate to the UK with his girlfriend, Suzanne Dando. Roberts received considerable fan correspondence from Britain, including an unusual letter from a woman named "Kate" which read, "Dear Nick, We will be married next week."

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 per week alongside schooling, supported by an on-set tutor. He left the show in 2000 to explore other career opportunities but returned briefly in 2005 for the celebration of the show’s 4000th episode. Glenn Wheeler from The Morning Show remarked that Sam was part of one of Australian television’s "much loved families" for ten years. The character gained particular popularity among teenage female audiences, with MSN describing Clark as "one of Australia’s very own ’90s teen heartthrobs."

Julie Gibson

Julie Gibson, portrayed by Naomi Watts, made her debut on 23 April 1991. Her casting was featured in TV Week on 16 March 1991, highlighting her role as a paraplegic character. To prepare for the part, Watts spent time using a wheelchair prior to filming, describing the experience initially as "the most amazing," though she later referred to it as "six miserable weeks."

The narrative involving Julie focuses on her romantic involvement with Nick Parrish (Bruce Roberts), which faces opposition from her protective brother Revhead (Gavin Harrison), who disapproves because Nick is a police officer. Despite Revhead's efforts to hinder their relationship, Julie and Nick part ways amicably, concluding they are better suited as friends. After the death of her father, Alec (David Baldwyn), and the end of her relationship with Nick, Julie decides to leave Summer Bay to pursue university studies, assuring 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. At the time, Smart was studying drama in Sydney and landed this role as her first acting job. Although she initially signed a two-year contract, she chose to leave after eight months. Mary Fletcher from Inside Soap praised Smart for transforming Lucinda into one of Home and Away's most beloved characters.

David Croft

David Croft, played by Guy Pearce, was introduced on 19 July 1991 and exited on 21 August 1991. As Donald Fisher’s nephew and Lucinda Croft’s brother, Pearce filmed his scenes over six weeks beginning in May 1991. David arrives in Summer Bay seeking to mend his strained relationship with his sister Lucinda but soon becomes romantically involved with Sophie Simpson, despite objections from Sophie's foster parents due to their age gap.

David’s storyline ends tragically when he dies in a car crash caused by an oncoming vehicle driven by Karen Dean and Adam Cameron. Following this, Sophie becomes pregnant and relocates to Perth to be closer to David’s mother. The brief arc received mixed reactions; Barbara Toner of the Sydney Morning Herald described the plot as uninteresting despite Pearce’s film credentials. Conversely, Channel 5 (UK) singled out the episode featuring David's death as one of their favorite moments in Home and Away.

Ryan Lee

Ryan Lee, portrayed by Alistair MacDougall, first appeared on 22 August 1991 and departed on 27 November 1992. After leaving the show, MacDougall revealed in an interview with Inside Soap that he enjoyed portraying Ryan and expressed willingness to return for a guest appearance if his character were developed into a more villainous role. An Inside Soap contributor described Ryan as a "rich, ratbag."

Finlay Roberts

Finlay Roberts, portrayed by Tina Thomsen, made her debut on 18 September 1991 and stayed until 1994, with brief guest appearances in 1996 and 1997. Thomsen relocated from Brisbane to Sydney during her teenage years to accept the role. In a discussion with the Sydney Morning Herald, she mentioned that her parents encouraged her dreams without exerting pressure.

Greg Marshall

Greg Marshall, brought to life by Ross Newton, first appeared on 20 September 1991, left the series in 1993, and returned briefly in 2000. Newton described his involvement with Home and Away as a significant chance during the show's expanding phase. Television host Glenn Wheeler remarked that Greg was a member of one of Australian television’s "most cherished families".

Simon Fitzgerald

Simon Fitzgerald, enacted by Richard Norton, arrived on-screen on 25 September 1991 and exited on 24 July 1992. Norton joined Home and Away following a year-long stint on the rival soap Neighbours. Brendon Williams from the Daily Mirror commented that Norton was "a major success" portraying Simon.

Irene Roberts

Irene Roberts first appeared on 29 October, originally 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 recognized Irene as one of the program’s three enduring "legacy characters," alongside Alf and Colleen. Holy Soap cited her most unforgettable moment as "Being attacked by the deranged ex-wife of her former lover Ken."

Damian Roberts

Damian Roberts, played by Matt Doran, debuted on 6 November 1991. Doran became a main cast member in 1992, continuing until 1995, with guest spots until 1996. A younger version of Damian was portrayed by Ben Hamilton in flashbacks during 1997. Jason Herbison from Inside Soap observed Damian's transformation from a neat appearance to sporting dreadlocks. A reporter from BIG! highlighted Doran's rise as a favored soap star with a strong female following. Meanwhile, Shout magazine suggested the character lacked romantic storylines, and Inside Soap described him as consistently unfortunate.

Additional Characters

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Details
15–16 January	Jack Cody	Colin Taylor	Interested buyers of the Beach House who withdraw after uncovering maintenance problems and a scam involving Marilyn Chambers.
15–16 January	Helen Cody	Jan Adele
16 January	Peter	Scott Kelly	Friend of Pippa Fletcher who refuses to purchase an old gypsy caravan intended for his children's home.
21 January	Jake Wood	Frankie Davidson	Neighbor keen on buying the caravan, eventually exchanging it for a goat.
22 January	Postmaster Bagley	Ron Gaist	Distributes HSC results confirming passes for Steven Matheson and Marilyn Chambers.
30 January–7 April 1993	Louise Scott	Elaine Hudson	Foster care department official assisting Bobby Simpson with fostering cases including Sam Nicholls and Tracey Turner, also helping Angel Brooks secure housing.
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; relationship strained due to her brother's criminal actions; departs Summer Bay following misunderstandings.
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 charge of farm operations.
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 swim team; briefly involved with Karen Dean.
27 March–13 May	Rodney White	Lester Morris	Headmaster at Yabbie Creek High; engages in rivalry with Donald Fisher and attends educational conferences.
27 March	Val White	May Howlett	Rodney's spouse, irritated 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 leading to Bobby Simpson fostering Sam.
18 April	Veterinarian	Michael Beckley	Visits Ben and Carly Lucini's farm concerning poultry illness.
22 April	Smart Alec no.1	Adam Garcia	Swim team member who mocks Haydn Ross.
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 reception; charges later dropped.
8–21 May	Alec Gibson	David Baldwyn	Father of Revhead and Julie Gibson; dies after suffering a heart attack.
10–24 May	Jean Chambers	Maggie Kirkpatrick	Marilyn Chambers' aunt; stirs household tension before revealing Marilyn's biological parents’ location.
22 May–21 June	Kenny Gibbs	David Field	Janitor at Summer Bay High who sells Blake Dean and Haydn Ross an old Morris Minor.
20 June–3 July	Max Riley & Heather Riley	Bruce Venables & Lynne Porteous	Couple initially mistaken by Marilyn Chambers as her biological parents before true parents arrive.
5 June–11 July	Margaret Lynch	Gennie Nevinson	Year 11 personal development teacher obsessed with Sophie Simpson; leaves town amid suspicions.
5 June	Mrs Clifton & Stanley Clifton	Marianne Krogdahl & Brett Caroll	Misidentified by Marilyn Chambers as her family, causing emotional distress upon correction.
7 June–10 July	Tracey Turner	Tania Martin	Foster child creating conflict with Sophie Simpson; transferred following escalating tensions and injuries.
2–3 July	George Davidson & Heather Davidson	Doug Scroope & Lynne Rainbow	Marilyn Chambers' biological parents who exploit her generosity; relationship ends acrimoniously.
23 July–14 August	Diane Robertson & Peter Mansell	Hanna McLeod & Troy O'Hearn	Schoolmates competing for attention at Sally Fletcher's birthday party and within Nippers club; Peter’s dinner date with Sally fails due to his behavior.
30 July–21 August	Constable Rogers	Dominic Purcell	Police officer assisting Nick Parrish with arrests and responding to fatal car accident involving key characters.
2 August–2 October	Martin Bradley & Lois Crawford	John Bonney & Tina Bursill	Education department head appoints Lois as Summer Bay High Head Teacher; strict methods provoke community backlash resulting in resignation after false assault claims are disproved.
11–12 September	Isabelle Britton	Collette Roberts	Police officer who briefly dates Nick Parrish to incite jealousy but fails due to his lingering feelings for Lou.
3–9 October	Sharyn McKinley & Annette Hodges	Liza Witt & Kylle Hogart	Year 11 students targeted unsuccessfully by Blake Dean and Simon Fitzgerald in seduction attempts leading to disciplinary action.
6–28 November	Bill Fitzgerald	Terry Bader	Simon Fitzgerald’s father involved in questionable business dealings; imprisoned for fraud but later seeks reconciliation with Simon.
14 November	Ian Gardiner, Elaine Gardiner & Susie Gardiner	Andrew S. Gilbert, Lisabeth Kennely & Lauren Snell	Family affected by domestic violence attended by Constable Nick Parrish; intervention leads to conflict with Ian Gardiner assaulting Donald Fisher.
19 November–19 June 1992	Ruth Winston, local physician	Provides support to Pippa Ross during Sophie Simpson’s pregnancy diagnosis and childbirth, playing an essential role in Summer Bay’s 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 at the Internet Movie Database