The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the Australian soap opera Neighbours in 1985, by order of first appearance. They were all introduced by the show's creator and executive producer Reg Watson. The 1st season of Neighbours began airing on 18 March 1985. The first episode introduced the members of the Ramsay and Robinson families as well as bachelor Des Clarke and stripper Daphne Lawrence. Max Ramsay, his wife Maria and their sons, Shane and Danny lived at Number 24. Jim Robinson lived next door with his children; Paul, Julie, Scott and Lucy. They were joined by Jim's mother in law, Helen Daniels. Myra De Groot joined the cast as Des's mother, Eileen and Maxine Klibingaitis arrived as plumber's assistant, Terry Inglis. Philip Martin began appearing from June and his children, Debbie and Michael, arrived in July and October respectively. Con man Douglas Blake played by James Condon made his first appearance in September.
Max Ramsay, played by Francis Bell, made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Max is the patriarch of the Ramsay family and Ramsay Street is named after his grandfather.[1] Max lived at No.24 with his wife, Maria (Dasha Bláhová) and their sons, Shane (Peter O'Brien) and Danny (David Clencie).[2] Bell based the character of Max on a person who helped raise him in New Zealand. He said "Max is based on a man whom I loved, but who gave me a very hard time".[3]
Danny Ramsay, played by David Clencie, made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Danny was the first character to speak in Neighbours.[4] He is the youngest son of Maria Ramsay (Dagmar Bláhová) and brother to Shane Ramsay (Peter O'Brien). Jason Donovan was initially offered the role of Danny before it was given to Clencie.[5] Danny was described as the "gentler" of the two brothers.[6]
| Maria Ramsay | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Dasha Bláhová | ||||||||||||||
| Created by | Reg Watson | ||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Reg Watson | ||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1985 | ||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 18 March 1985 | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 13 September 1985 | ||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||
| Home | Brisbane | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Housewife | ||||||||||||||
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Maria Ramsay (née Rossi), played by Dasha Bláhová, made her first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Maria is the wife of Max Ramsay and mother to Shane and Danny.[2]
Maria is the daughter of an Italian father, Franco and a Czech mother, Anna. She meets Max Ramsay (Francis Bell) when he works with her father in Queensland. They begin a relationship and later marry. They move to Ramsay Street and Maria gives birth to their first child, Shane (Peter O'Brien).
Maria's marriage to Max is rocky as their personalities are different. When she finds him with another woman on their wedding anniversary, she runs away to the country. At an inn, she meets Tim Duncan (Nick Carrafa) and they have a one night stand. Maria returns to Max, wanting to give their marriage another go. She then she finds out that she is pregnant with Tim's child. Maria decides not to tell Max that the child is not his, but she does tell her friend, Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy). Maria gives birth to Danny (David Clencie). She notices that Max does not have the same interest in him as he did with Shane and she suspects that Max knows he is not Danny's real father.
Maria interviews Terry Inglis (Maxine Klibingaitis) to be Max's assistant and Terry tells her that she is keen to prove that she can do the job as well as any man. Maria supports her and gives Terry the job. When Danny turns eighteen, Maria tells Max the truth. Max becomes enraged and moves into a bedsit. While the couple were separated, Maria falls in love with Richard Morrison (Peter Flett). Danny does not accept the relationship and forces Maria to choose between him and Richard. She makes the difficult choice to be with Richard and she leaves Erinsborough to live in Hong Kong with him. After a few months, Maria returns to her mother's home and she calls Max. Max agrees to give their marriage a second chance and he moves to Brisbane to be with her.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Neighbours, the BBC asked readers to nominate their twenty favourite obscure characters. Maria came in fourteenth place in list.[7] Television critic, Andrew Mercado branded the Ramsay family as being the backbone of the serial during the early years.[8] In her book "Soap opera", Dorothy Hobson describes Maria and her family as "more working class than other characters". She also said "They had working-class jobs but were not represented as cloth cap wearing or dowdy, they were bright and modern and representative of a vibrant and working population."[9]
Julie Robinson, played by Vikki Blanche, made her first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Julie is the daughter of Anne and Jim Robinson (Alan Dale), however Jim is not Julie's biological father. His boss Roger Bannon had raped Anne and Julie was the product. Jim agreed to bring Julie up as his own. Julie is described as being unable to keep her nose out of other people's business and having a "pompous manner."[10] Of Julie, The Independent said "Julie Martin, is such an accomplished blamer that she would be beaten up daily if she were a schoolgirl."[11]
Paul Robinson, played by Stefan Dennis, made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Dennis' agent got him the audition with Neighbours and he was initially not keen.[12] He auditioned for the roles of Shane Ramsay and Des Clarke before being cast as Paul.[13][14] Paul was shown to be the quieter member of his family and he previously worked as an air steward.[15]
Scott Robinson, played by Darius Perkins, made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Scott is the youngest son of Anne and Jim Robinson (Alan Dale). He becomes best friends with Danny Ramsay (David Clencie) and dates Kim Taylor (Jenny Young).[16]
Helen Daniels, played by Anne Haddy, made her first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Haddy was invited by Watson to play Helen, a mother-in-law who was not a stereotypical battleaxe.[17] Helen is the matriarch of the Robinson family household. She married her childhood sweetheart Bill and they had a daughter, Anne. Helen and Bill later adopted Rosemary (Joy Chambers).[18] Helen is described as being "a shoulder to cry on for her friends and family". She is sympathetic, caring and motherly.[18]
Shane Ramsay, played by Peter O'Brien, made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Shane is the elder son of Max (Francis Bell) and Maria Ramsay (Dasha Bláhová). O'Brien auditioned for the role of Shane twice in 1984 and following the cancellation of medical series Starting Out, he was cast as the older Ramsay brother.[19] Shane was described by Network Ten as a "very together guy, despite being deprived of a normal childhood because of his father's obsession with his diving training".[20]
Des Clarke, played by Paul Keane, made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Des, a bank manager, is engaged to Lorraine Kingham (Antoinette Byron), until she calls off the wedding. He then allows Daphne Lawrence (Elaine Smith) to move in. Stefan Dennis originally auditioned for the role of Des.[21]
Daphne Lawrence, played by Elaine Smith, made her first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Daphne a stripper hired for Des Clarke's (Paul Keane) bucks party. Smith originally auditioned for a guest role, but her appearance, particularly her short hair, caught the attention of the casting director and he cast her in the role of Daphne.[22]
Jim Robinson, played by Alan Dale, is the patriarch of the Robinson family. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. The role of Jim was originally given to Robin Harrison, but when contract negotiations broke down between him and Neighbours, the role was given to Dale.[23] Jim is described as a man having it all: wealth, children and having a way with women. Jim changed after his wife's death and was often seen as having a reserved sadness within him, he has also been perceived as "stuffy and proper".[24]
Lucy Robinson, played by Kylie Flinker, is the youngest of Jim Robinson's (Alan Dale) children. She made her first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985. Lucy was created as a young child to help the show appeal to all ages. Lucy is described as being an innocent child who never does anything wrong.[25]
| Kim Taylor | |||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||
| Portrayed by | Jenny Young | ||||||||
| Introduced by | Reg Watson | ||||||||
| Duration | 1985 | ||||||||
| First appearance | 20 March 1985 | ||||||||
| Last appearance | 11 June 1985 | ||||||||
| Classification | Former, recurring | ||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||
| Date of birth | 1970 | ||||||||
| Occupation | Student | ||||||||
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Kim Taylor, played by Jenny Young, made her first on-screen appearance on 20 March 1985. Kim dates her friend Scott Robinson and tries to keep it a secret from her parents.[16]
When Kim starts dating Scott Robinson (Darius Perkins), she decides to keep it a secret as she knows her mother, Marcia Taylor (Maureen Edwards) would not approve. Danny Ramsay (David Clencie) and his friend Eddie Sherwin (Darren Boyd) reveal the relationship when they play a practical joke. They record a conversation between Kim and Scott and edit it to make it sound sexual. Marcia, who teaches at Erinsborough High, forces the boys to play the tape in class, embarrassing Kim and Scott. The couple decide to run way together and they hide out in an old monastery. Kim's mother makes a televised appeal for her safe return.
Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) finds them and Scott goes home to Ramsay Street. However, Kim refuses to see her parents and calls home to tell her mother that she will not be back. Kim heads into the city and finds a bedsit to shares with a girl called Sonia. Scott visits a few times to lend her money and his brother, Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) and Father Barry (Wayne Cull), come to see her and try to change her mind. However, Kim refuses to return home. Weeks later, Kim gets in touch with Scott asking if he can lend her some more money and he borrows it from Paul. Scott realises that there is something really wrong with Kim and she admits that she is hiding from a man named Brad (Rick Ireland), who she had gotten pregnant by. Brad follows Scott to Kim's bedsit and he tells her that he wants her and their baby back.
Kim's pregnant friend, Josie (Cindy Lee), visits her. She makes it clear that she is keeping her child as Brad is organising for her to sell it. Josie explains to Kim that Brad can organise for her to do the same and Kim agrees. Scott disapproves and when Brad starts threatening her, Kim reconsiders the plan. She decides against it altogether when she sees how unhappy Josie is after giving her child away. Scott speaks to Paul and Paul arranges them to visit a family planning clinic. At the clinic, Kim breaks down and is unsure whether to go through with an abortion. Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy) offers to assist Kim by tracking down her parents, who had moved away. Marcia initially refuses to acknowledge Kim, but she eventually goes to see her. Marcia explains to Kim that she had been in a similar situation twenty-seven years ago. She was forced to give away her daughter, Karen. Kim tells her mother that she needs her support and they go home.
| Eileen Clarke | |||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Myra De Groot | ||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Reg Watson | ||||||||||||
| Duration | 1985–1988 | ||||||||||||
| First appearance | 15 April 1985 | ||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 29 March 1988 | ||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||
| Home | England | ||||||||||||
| Occupation | Retired Part-time Coffee Shop assistant (1986–88) |
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Eileen Clarke (née Winston), played by Myra De Groot, made her first on-screen appearance on 15 April 1985. Eileen is the mother of Des Clarke (Paul Keane).
De Groot was only supposed to be in Neighbours for a week, but she thought Eileen was too interesting to be allowed to leave and wrote an expanded character and took it to the producers. They signed her up for a permanent position.[26] The Soap Show called Eileen an "interfering mother."[27]
When her husband, Malcolm (Noel Trevarthen), walks out on her, Eileen is left to raise their son Desmond (Paul Keane) alone. Des leaves home after becoming tired of Eileen's interfering ways. Eileen later follows Des to Erinsborough to check up on him and she takes an instant dislike to Des' housemate, Daphne Lawrence (Elaine Smith). Eileen feigns illness in the hope of extending her stay, but Des sees through her and gets her checked over by a doctor, who tells Eileen that she is fine. Eileen decideds permanently move to Erinsborough anyway and Des finds his mother a home near Ramsay Street. Eileen realises that Des and Daphne are in love and she come to accept Daphne. Des proposes to Daphne and Eileen misses the wedding because she is on a cruise. Eileen stays with Des and Daphne after her home is burgled. Des takes Daphne on honeymoon and leaves Eileen to look after his house and care for their teenage charge, Mike Young (Guy Pearce). Eileen becomes involved in the community and helps Daphne out at her new Coffee Shop. She also joins the Erinsborough Musical Society.
Nell Mangel (Vivean Gray) reads Eileen's tea leaves for her and reveals that a younger man is soon going to enter her life. Eileen begins dressing younger to attract a young man and becomes convinced that Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) is her admirer. Eileen tries to make Harold notice her and he later accepts an offer of dinner. Nell becomes jealous and tells Eileen that Harold is a womaniser, Eileen then ends her pursuit of him. Daphne gives birth to Jamie (SJ Dey) and Eileen dotes on her grandson. Malcolm arrives in Ramsay Street after his daughter, Sally (Rowena Mohr), comes to meet Des. Both Eileen and Des are reluctant to see him, but Malcolm romances Eileen and they decide to get married again. However, Malcolm leaves Eileen on the day of the wedding. Eileen grows close to Sally after his departure, but she also develops an addiction to tranquillisers. She later overcomes this with the help of her family and friends. Daphne dies after a car accident and Eileen suffers a nervous breakdown and is put into a rest home. Des later decides that she should stay with him, but Malcolm gives her and Sally tickets for a trip. Eileen accepts the tickets and she and Sally leave town. They eventually settle in England and Eileen falls in love and marries.
Eileen came in eleventh place on the BBC's twenty favourite obscure characters poll. Viewers said "Des Clarke's mother Eileen, played by the late Myra de Groot.[7] I remember the episode when they went to church and she sung so loudly and out of tune that the rest of the congregation stopped singing, but she ploughed on regardless. It was hysterical".[7]
Terry Inglis, played by Maxine Klibingaitis, made her first on-screen appearance on 11 June 1985. Terry is employed by Max Ramsay (Francis Bell) as a plumber's assistant.[28] She begins a relationship with Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), which The Sydney Morning Herald said was a "whirlwind romance."[28]
Philip Martin, played by Christopher Milne, made his first on-screen appearance on 21 June 1985. Philip is the husband of Loretta (Lyn Semler) and father to Debbie (Mandy Storvik) and Michael (Samuel Hammington). He is the manager of the Pacific Bank.[29]
Debbie Martin, played by Mandy Storvik, made her first on-screen appearance on 27 July 1985. Debbie is the only daughter of Philip (Christopher Milne) and Loretta Martin (Lyn Semler).[30]
| Douglas Blake | |
|---|---|
| Neighbours character | |
| Portrayed by | James Condon |
| Introduced by | Reg Watson |
| Duration | 1985, 1986 |
| First appearance | 17 September 1985 |
| Last appearance | 8 February 1986 |
| Classification | Former, recurring |
| Profile | |
| Occupation | Con Man |
Douglas Blake, played by James Condon, made his first on-screen appearance on 17 September 1985. Douglas is a Con man who targets Helen Daniels, played by Condon's real life wife, Anne Haddy.[31]
When Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy) displays her art work, she attracts the attentions of Douglas. He tells her that her work is great and that he can help her to make a name for herself with an exhibition. Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) is suspicious of Douglas and he finds out from Max Ramsay (Francis Bell) that Douglas has a wife. Jim warns Douglas off of Helen, but Douglas explains that the woman is actually his sister. Douglas plans the exhibition and tells Helen not to pay any money towards it. Helen calls the gallery shortly before the exhibition takes place and is told that Douglas had pulled out. Helen confronts Douglas and he tells her that did not feel that the gallery owners were keen on her work. Helen and Douglas begin to grow closer and Douglas takes Helen to a guesthouse for the weekend. Helen admits that things are moving too quickly for her, but she realises that it might be her last chance for happiness and they start making wedding plans. Douglas says that he is going to buy a cottage for them both, but just before the wedding Douglas tells Helen that the sale on his house had fallen through and he could not purchase the cottage. Jim suggests that he lends the money to Douglas until his house is sold, Helen is unsure, but Douglas talk her round. Jim gives the money to Douglas, but days after the documents are apparently drawn up, Douglas disappears. Jim breaks the news to Helen, who is furious that Douglas had broken her heart and left the family with financial problems.
Helen hires a private investigator to track down Douglas and he discovers that Douglas is at a hotel in the city. Helen gets Madge Mitchell (Anne Charleston) to help her in a plot that would see Jim get his money back. Madge poses as a rich, single woman who checks into the hotel where Douglas is staying. She makes sure that he overhears her complaining about standards and he approaches her. He tells her that his name is Douglas Manning and Madge explains that she is having trouble paying her bill. She explains that she has some diamonds and Douglas tells her that he would be happy to value them for her. Douglas asks why she does not sell the diamonds to pay the bill, but Madge tells him that she took them from her ex-husband. Douglas convinces her to give him a diamond, so he can have it valued. Madge gives him a real diamond from her wedding ring and Douglas tells her that it is worth less than it actually is. Douglas presses her to sell it and the other diamonds. He later tells her that he has found a buyer for the diamonds, which delights Madge. They arrange to meet and exchange the money and the diamonds. Helen decides to apply some extra pressure and her private investigator approaches Douglas in the lobby and explains that he is working for Helen. Douglas panics and he makes the exchange with Madge, who gives him fake diamonds. As he leaves, he sees Helen and pretends to be happy to see her. She reveals that she and Madge set him up and that he had just paid $50,000 for fake diamonds, before walking away.
Michael Martin, played by Samuel Hammington, is the only son of Philip (Christopher Milne) and Loretta Martin (Lyn Semler). He made his first on-screen appearance on 8 October 1985. Ausculture described him as a "troubled teen."[32]
| Date(s) | Character | Actor | Circumstances |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 March | Dr. Lawson | Andrew Gilmour |
Dr. Lawson is the Ramsay family's G.P., who Danny visits, at the request of his father, Max, when he begins having nightmares of his brother Shane dying in a diving accident. |
| 18–22 March | Lorraine Kingham | Antoinette Byron | Lorraine is a friend of Julie Robinson. She got engaged to Des Clarke after meeting him through Julie. The night before the wedding, Julie subconsciously talks Lorraine out of marrying Des and she and her parents call the wedding off in the morning.[33] Lorraine then takes all of the furniture. A couple of years later, Des meets Lorraine when he is away for a conference. |
| 18–19 March | Mrs Kingham | Christine Kaman | Mr and Mrs Kingham are Lorraine's parents. Mr Kingham has reservations about her wedding to Des Clarke, but Mrs Kingham supports her daughter. Lorraine realises that she does not love Des and she and her parents tell him the wedding is off. They are shocked to see Daphne Lawrence coming out of Des' bedroom, where she was trying to find her watch. Mr Kingham recognises her as a receptionist who accused him of sexual harassment. He quickly leaves, but Mrs Kingham apologises to both Des and Daphne. |
| Mr Kingham | James Taylor | ||
| 20 March–18 April | Mrs. Armitage | Marion Heathfield[34] | Mrs. Armitage is a nuisance neighbour of the Robinsons. She frequently complains to Helen Daniels about her husband hitting her and Helen suggests divorce, which prompts Mrs. Armitage to suggest that she may be treated as a sex object if she were single. |
| 20 March–11 June | Marcia Taylor | Maureen Edwards | Marcia is a teacher at Erinsborough High and the mother of Kim. When she learns that Kim is dating Scott Robinson, she bans her from seeing him. Kim runs away with Scott. Marcia tries to find Kim, but eventually the Taylors decide to move away. Weeks later, Helen Daniels calls Marcia and tells her that they have found Kim. Scott takes her to a squat where a pregnant Kim is living. Marcia tells her that she had to give up a baby when she was younger and she makes up with Kim. |
| 20–23 March | Neil Taylor | Bruce Kerr | Neil is the husband of Marcia and father to Kim. He is an accountant and struggles to speak out against his wife's decisions regarding their daughter. Neil finally overrules his wife when she believes that Scott Robinson raped Kim and wants to call the police. |
| 20 March | Dr Willis | Arthur Barradell-Smith | Dr Willis is the Taylor family's physician. Kim visits his surgery in Oakley and asks for the pill. Dr Willis is a little shocked as Kim is fifteen, but he is unable to refuse her. |
| 21–28 March | Eddie Sherwin | Darren Boyd | Eddie is a friend of Danny Ramsay. Eddie and Danny record a conversation between Scott Robinson and Kim Taylor and they edit it to sound sexual. Marcia Taylor makes them play it during a class and embarrassing Scott and Kim. Eddie later gets Danny into trouble when they go to a music store and Eddie steals a cassette tape and Danny is caught instead. |
| 27 March–25 April | Kevin Barry | Wayne Cull | Kevin is a Catholic Priest and an old friend of Daphne Lawrence. Kevin helps Scott and Paul Robinson to track down Kim Taylor. Paul becomes interested in Kevin's social work. Kevin counsels Carol Brown through her alcoholism. Kevin later manages to get Carol to give up alcohol. |
| 28 March–2 July | Gordon Miller | Red Symons | Gordon is Terry Inglis' first husband. Gordon gets involved with a group of criminals and the marriage breaks down. He robs a bank and during the getaway, he crashes into a car carrying Shane and Danny Ramsay. Gordon is sent to prison. He manages to escape and Lucy Robinson spots him in Ramsay Street with a gun. Terry realises that Gordon is following her and she goes to Max Ramsay's bedsit, where Gordon holds them both hostage. Shane comes by and saves them and Gordon is sent back to prison. |
| 2–11 April | Anna Rossi | Roslyn Gentle | Anna is Maria Ramsay's younger sister. When Shane and Danny Ramsay are involved in a car accident, Anna arrives in Erinsborough to support Maria. Jim Robinson invites her to his house, when she finds the Ramsay house empty. Their friendship eventually develops into a relationship. Julie and Lucy Robinson do not accept Anna and try to sabotage the relationship. Anna tells Jim that is returning to Queensland, but Jim convinces her to stay. Jim then proposes to Anna, but it tears the Robinson family apart and Anna decides to leave. She later marries a man named Gino. |
| 9–25 April | Carol Brown | Merrin Canning | Carol is a nosy and judgemental neighbour. She is also an alcoholic. When Daphne Lawrence moves into the street, Carol makes silent phone calls and writes poison pen letters to her. Des later threatens to tells the police on Carol. One day Paul Robinson finds Carol passed out in her hallway. Carol is attacked on her way home and Danny Ramsay rushes to help, but Carol accuses him of mugging her. Carol reports the incident to the police. Carol later calls Paul and tells him that when she woke up from passing out again, she discovered that her husband had taken the children. She also tells him that a bartender had found her purse on the day she was attacked and she drops the charges against Danny. |
| 30 April–15 May | Mrs. Forbes | Gwen Plumb | Scott Robinson and Danny Ramsay run away from home and find work on Mrs Forbes' farm. She offers them food and money in return for their digging her a manure pit. Mrs Forbes calls Scott's father to tell him that the boys are okay. Mrs Forbes' husband dies and when Scott and Danny tell her that the manure pit is complete, Mrs Forbes threatens them with a gun out of grief. Mrs Forbes agrees to sell her farm as she needs the money and makes plans to move into a hostel. The boys then decide to return home after making sure she is okay. |
| 5 June–15 July 1986 | Harry Henderson | Johnny Lockwood | Harry is Daphne Lawrence's grandfather. He purchases the Coffee Shop for her.[35] Harry returns for Daphne's wedding to Des Clarke. |
| 7 June | Tim Duncan | Nick Carrafa | Tim is Danny Ramsay's biological father who is seen a flashback when Maria Ramsay tells her husband Max the truth about Danny's parentage. |
| 10–14 June | Peter Sherwin | Keir Saltmarsh[36] | Pete is a friend of Danny Ramsay. He pretends to be the owner of a local hall, so Danny's mother, Maria, will let Danny have an unsupervised 16th birthday party there. Pete ruins the party by inviting his shady friends and dealing drugs. Pete spikes Danny's drink, which causes him to collapse. Scott Robinson devises a plan to catch Pete by pretending to be interested in the drugs he is selling. Pete is caught by Jim Robinson and Max Ramsay. He is then arrested. |
| 1–19 July | Wendy Gibson | Kylie Foster | Wendy arrives in Ramsay Street and tells Maria Ramsay that her sister, Anna told her to call in. Danny invites Wendy to stay with them. Wendy dates both Danny and Scott Robinson. Anna tells Maria that Wendy was meant to stay with friends, but she ran away. Daphne Lawrence sets Wendy up after she sees her dating both Danny and Scott. She asks a friend to take her out on a date and then leave her at the station. |
| 9 July–11 February 1993 | Loretta Martin | Lyn Semler Jane Bayley |
Loretta is Philip Martin's wife and mother to Debbie and Michael. Loretta is an alcoholic and makes Philip's life hell. She finds out that Philip is seeing Julie Robinson and tells her that Phil is hers. Loretta crashes their car while drunk and she dies, leaving Philip widowed and paralysed.[29] In 1993, Bayley appeared as Loretta in Philip's dream. |
| 10 July–14 August | Joan Langdon | Catherine Lynch[37] | Joan begins dating Des Clarke and they become engaged in a matter of weeks.[38] The engagement is short-lived as Joan returns to her ex-husband Geoff, leaving Des devastated. |
| 11 July–18 October | Wally Walters | Reg Gorman[39] | Wally is the owner of a Mexican restaurant where Scott Robinson gets a part time job. Wally loses the restaurant's lease to Harry Henderson in a poker game. |
| 22–23 July | Bernie Sutton | Jason DeGiorgio | Bernie is given a new bike by his parents and he rides it everywhere. Jim Robinson knocks Bernie down when he comes towards him, Bernie is not harmed. His father explains that he told Bernie to ride towards oncoming traffic and Jim tries to teach Bernie road safety. Bernie is later knocked down and killed while riding his bike on a main road. |
| 22–24 July | Bob Sutton | Chris Waters | Bob buys a new bike for his son, Bernie, which causes a feud with Jim Robinson. Bob teaches Bernie to ride towards oncoming traffic and Jim later hits Bernie. Jim confronts Bob about Bernie and tells Jim to stay out of other people’s business. Bernie is later knocked down and killed. After the funeral, Bob apologises to Jim. |
| 22 July | Jan Sutton | JoAnne Rankin | Bernie's mother and wife to Bob. Jim Robinson tries to convince Jan and Bob that it is not safe for Bernie to ride his bike into the traffic, but Jan sides with Bob when he tells Jim that it is none of his business. Jan is devastated when Bernie is knocked down and killed. |
| 15–23 August | Amy Medway | Paula Duncan[40] | Amy is an old schoolfriend of Max Ramsay and Jim Robinson. Amy writes to Max and he asks her out to dinner. He leaves the restaurant before she turns up. Amy later meets up with Jim and they share a kiss before she leaves for England. |
| 15–23 August | Richard Morrison | Peter Flett | Richard sells Insurance and falls in love with Maria Ramsay. She chooses him over her family and they move to Hong Kong together. However, they split up. |
| 20–28 August | Rachel Burns | Nadine Garner[41] | Daphne Lawrence finds Rachel when she is housesitting. Rachel tells her that her father owns the house and that she is there because she hates her mother's new husband. Daphne tells Rachel that she can stay for a while. Daphne and Rachel start to get on well. Rachel's father turns up and Rachel runs away, but Daphne finds her. Rachel's step father and mother arrive and Rachel tells them that she wants to live with her father and she leaves with him. |
| 10–12 September | Gwen Simpson | Marie Redshaw | Gwen is Helen Daniels' sister. She and Helen had fallen out during their childhood and they were estranged for years. Julie Robinson invites Gwen to her brother's wedding. Helen avoids Gwen when she arrives, but Gwen speaks to Jim Robinson about her regret at not knowing her sister anymore. At the reception, Gwen reveals that she allowed Helen to take the blame for a theft at school. Gwen and Helen then shake hands. |
| 11 September–5 November | Charles Durham | Ross Thompson | Charles shows up in Ramsay Street for Terry Inglis' wedding. He and his accomplice, Barbara Hill are want to retrieve an incriminating tape. They break into Terry's old house and send threatening notes. Charles decides to get rid of Terry, but when Daphne Lawrence borrows Terry's coat, Charles almost runs her down. Terry confronts Charles and shoots him dead. |
| 18 September–5 November | Barbara Hill | Louise Le Nay[42] | Charles girlfriend and accomplice. She finds his body after Terry Inglis' shoots him, but she reports Daphne Lawrence to the police instead. |
| 19 September–2 October | Bess Robinson | June Salter | Bess is Jim Robinson's mother. She arrives to see her grandson, Paul marry Terry Inglis. Jim is uncomfortable having Bess around. Bess almost collapses and she tells Scott that she is dying. Jim tells Bess how unhappy he was as a child because she used to leave him with relatives. Jim forgives his mother when he finds out she is dying. Bess dies in 1989. |
| 3 October–8 November | Kate Drew | Susannah Lobez | Kate is Danny Ramsay's french teacher at Erinsborough High. She dates his father, Max. |
| 30 October–20 April 1988 | Ross Warner | Rod McLennan Tim Hughes |
Ross is Jim Robinson's business partner. Ross offers Jim's son Scott some work at his office. Scott discovers that Ross is corrupt, but Jim is unconvinced. Scott and his wife, Charlene, expose Ross, and Jim is shocked to discover that Ross has been embezzling from the business account. Ross is then arrested. |
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