The Willis family are a fictional family from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours. The first member of the family to appear on-screen was Brad Willis in a guest capacity on 31 October 1989. His younger sister Cody arrived on 24 November 1989. The head of the family, Doug, moved into Ramsay Street the following year with his wife, Pam. Their eldest children, Adam and Gaby, joined them in 1990 and 1991 respectively. Doug's sister, Faye Hudson, arrived on 28 November 1991 and her son, Cameron Hudson joined her in March 1992. Gaby's son Zac was born on 25 July 1994.
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| Brad Willis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Benjamin Grant Mitchell (1989) Scott Michaelson (1991–93) |
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| Duration | 1989, 1991–93 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 31 October 1989 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 15 December 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home | Perth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Barman Surfboard Maker |
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Bradley "Brad" Willis first appeared as a guest character in two 1989 episodes played by Benjamin Grant Mitchell, later to play Cameron Hudson. The character returned in 1991, played by Scott Michaelson.
Brad was a very sporty, athletic man, especially into surfing, and was highly popular with women. He had relationships with Lucy Robinson and Lauren Carpenter as well as his eventual wife Beth Brennan. Brad and Beth married in 1993, leaving Erinsborough for Perth.
Cody Willis, played by Amelia Frid, made her first on-screen appearance on 24 November 1989. Frid successfully auditioned for the role of Cody and she called the experience a "right time, right place thing", she also added that "it was all kind of surreal."[1] Cody became the second member of the Willis family to arrive in Ramsay Street and she dates both Josh Anderson (Jeremy Angerson) and Todd Landers' (Kristian Schmid).[2] Cody is described as a "studious girl".[2]
| Doug Willis | |||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Terence Donovan | ||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Don Battye (1990) Ric Pellizerri (2005) |
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| Duration | 1990-94, 2005 | ||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 1 August 1990 | ||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 27 July 2005 | ||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||
| Home | Darwin | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Builder | ||||||||||||||||
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Douglas "Doug" Willis , played by Terence Donovan made his first on-screen appearance on 1 August 1990. Donovan departed in 1994, but returned briefly for the show's 20th anniversary in July 2005.
In 2005, Donovan reprised his role of Doug to join many ex-cast members who returned for Neighbours' 20th anniversay.[3] Doug is described as being a "bit of a Regular Joe who didn't like rocking the boat or standing out from the crowd." He is also "a man's man" who is not afraid of using his fists and takes great pleasure from making home-brewed beer with Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver).[4]
Doug began working as a builder to support his mother and sister, Faye (Lorraine Bayly) after his ex-marine father, Bert (Bud Tingwell) returned to the seas. While accepting a dare on a Buck's night to hail a cab naked, Doug met Pam Beresford (Sue Jones) and they both fell in love. Doug and Pam married in 1967 and had three children.
Doug and Pam purchase Number 28 Ramsay Street. They have dinner with Beverly (Shaunna O'Grady) and Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) and Doug winds Jim up by flirting with Beverly. When Cody's grades suffer due to her dating Todd Landers (Kristian Schmid), Doug and Pam ban her from seeing him. Doug goes into business with Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) and they try to develop a retirement village project in the bush. Local councillor Felicity Brent (Rhona McLeod) tries to oppose it, but fails. Doug and Paul fall into debt over the development costs. The Willises take a further financial hit due to Cody's student exchange fees and them bailing Brad (Scott Michaelson) out of jail. Gaby (Rachel Blakely) returns and bails the family out. Brenda Riley (Genevieve Lemon) takes a shine to Doug and constantly flirts with him. Pam accuses Doug of having an affair, but he assures her that he is not.
Faye arrives to stay with the family and Doug is willing to put up with his sister, as she is lonely. However, when Faye tries to get Doug back together with his childhood sweetheart, Alexandra Lomax (Chantal Contouri), he asks her to leave. Faye then moves to Number 32. Jill Weir (Lynn Semler) takes an interest in Doug and leans on him and Pam for support during a custody battle with her mother-in-law over her son, Ross (Che Broadbent). Jill later starts to pursue Doug and he is resistant at first, but gives in after assuming Pam is having an affair with Jim. Doug and Jill have a one night stand, but Doug regrets it and confesses to Pam. She throws him out and files for divorce. However, when Doug and Brad are lost at sea, Pam realises how much she really loves him and they reconcile, when he returns. Doug's father, Bert, arrives and Doug is frosty with him as he walked on the family when he was young. Doug becomes angry when he discovers that Gaby has been in contact with Bert for many years. After learning that Bert is dying, Doug makes peace with his father.
Doug faces more money problems when his company is audited and goes into debt. He sells the business to Constructacon and he is kept on as a foreman. However, he is fired due to poor conditions on the site. Doug sinks into depression and several neighbours try to help him, but he rejects their offers. Doug soon lands a job as a sales representative. Doug and Lou Carpenter begin making their own home-brewed beer and they hide it in the shed of a property Doug is renovating. Doug boss, Andrew "Macca" MacKenzie (John Morris), is not happy, but later joins Doug and Lou in their venture. Gaby gives birth to Zac (Jay Callahan), delighting her parents. Gaby leaves for Darwin and Doug and Pam sell up and join her. Cody dies the following year and Pam brings her body to Darwin to be buried. Years later, Doug receives an invitation from Annalise Hartman (Kimberley Davies) to attend a screening of her documentary about Ramsay Street and he returns to Erinsborough with Philip Martin (Ian Rawlings). Doug and Philip sneak into Number 22 and paint a fake beard on a sleeping Lou. Doug and Philip catch up with old friends and enjoy a barbecue and watch the documentary. Lou then joins Doug and Philip on a camping trip up north.
The BBC said Doug's most notable moment was "Having an affair with Jill Weir."[5]
| Pam Willis | |||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Sue Jones | ||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Don Battye (1990) Bill Searle (1996) |
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| Duration | 1990–94, 1996 | ||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 6 August 1990 | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 1 April 1996 | ||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||
| Home | Darwin | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Nurse | ||||||||||||||
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Pamela "Pam" Willis (née Beresford), played by Sue Jones debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 August 1990. Pam was Erinsborough's district nurse, and highly valued by the whole community. Her marriage to Doug at one point ran into trouble when he had an affair with Jill Weir, though this was eventually sorted out. Pam departed Neighbours in 1994, but she made a brief return in 1996 for several episodes involving the aftermath of the shooting and death of her youngest daughter, Cody.
Pam is characterised by her helpful personality, she loves her four children and continually tries to help them out. Pam extended her caring nature through her time on the show working as a nurse.[6]
Pam is a qualified nurse. She met Doug Willis (Terence Donovan) after he got into her car, while nude. The couple fell in love and married in 1967 and they had a son, Adam (Ian Williams). Two years later, Pam fell pregnant again, but lost the baby to SIDS. The experience led her to become a fundraiser for awareness of the condition. In the 1970s, three more children followed, Gaby (Rachel Blakely), Brad (Scott Michaelson) and Cody (Amelia Frid). After Gaby and Brad left home, Pam and Doug decided to look for a smaller house.
Beverly Marshall (Shaunna O'Grady) and her husband, Jim (Alan Dale), invite Pam and Doug to dinner at their house, after the Willises purchase Number 28. Doug's flirting with Beverley angers Jim, but Pam defuses the situation by explaining that she is aware of her husband's flirty nature. The family quickly settle in and Pam returns to nursing. She is delighted when Adam and Cody decide to follow her into medicine. Cody's relationship with Todd Landers (Kristian Schmid) causes friction between the Willis family and the Robinsons. Shortly after Cody leaves for a scholarship in America and Adam relocates to Newcastle, Pam and Doug are joined by Brad and Gaby.
Pam becomes a personal nurse to Garth Kirby (Roy Baldwin), a friend of Doug's. Garth suffers from a terminal illness and he asks for Pam to help end his suffering, but she refuses. Garth dies and an autopsy reveals that he overdosed on his medication. The police charge Pam as they believe she killed him. Pam's nephew, Cameron Hudson (Benjamin Grant Mitchell) arrives to defend her in court and he realises that Pam left her bag unattended long enough for Garth to steal the medication and later kill himself. Pam is cleared of all charges, but her supervisor, Gail Williams (Hilary Henshaw), gives her a hard time. Pam and Jim begin spending a lot of time together as they work on a fundraising board. Jim admits he has feelings for her, but Pam rebuffs him. Pam later discovers Doug has had a one-night stand with Jill Weir (Lyn Semmler) and she throws him out. Pam seeks comfort in Jim's arms and they kiss. When Doug and Brad go missing at sea, Pam is worried. When they are found, Pam halts her divorce plans and forgives Doug.
Pam finds herself at odds with Brad's new girlfriend, Lauren Carpenter (Sarah Vandenbergh) as Brad had been previously engaged to Beth Brennan (Natalie Imbruglia), but had cheated on her with Lauren. When it emerges Brad is gambling, Pam falls out with him further leading him to move in with Lauren and her father Lou (Tom Oliver). However, Brad and Pam patch up their differences, before Brad leaves on a crusie ship for several months. Pam is thrilled when Brad and Beth get back together and get engaged. When Pam and Beth's mother, Bunny (Jan Huggett), start interfering, Brad and Beth decide to elope. Pam, Doug and Bunny track down the couple, but Brad and Beth do not have the heart to tell their parents that they are already married, so they agree to a second wedding ceremony at Number 26. Shortly after Cody returns from America, Pam notices the changes in her mood. This stems from the fact Cody's marriage to Drew Grover (Christopher Kirby) has ended and a lot of her old friends have since moved on. Pam later becomes suspicous when Cody begins seeing Michael Martin (Troy Beckwith) who has recently been released from juvenile detention. This causes a rift between Pam and Julie (Julie Mullins), Michael's stepmother. When Pam and Julie spot Michael and Danni Stark (Eliza Szonert) with syringes, they believe Michael is a junkie, but it transpires that Danni is a diabetic and the syringes contain her insulin.
Gaby gives birth to Zac (Jay Callahan) and Pam is delighted to become a grandmother. Gaby leaves for Darwin and Pam and Doug decide to move up there too. They sell Number 28 to the Kennedy family. Cody is shot during a siege between police and drug dealers and Pam hurries back down to Erinsborough to be by her bedside. Karl (Alan Fletcher) and Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne) invite Pam to dinner in her old home. When Pam goes into hospital to visit Cody that evening, Cody seems as if she may make a full recovery, but she goes into cardiac arrest and is rushed into theatre She dies, leaving Pam devastated. Pam arranges for Cody's funeral to be held in Darwin, but a memorial service is held for her at Lassiter's Lake. Pam then returns home.
Josephine Monroe praised Pam in her book titled "Neighbours: The first 10 years" stating: "A real salt-of-the-earth-type. Pam could always be relied on to help out, especially if it benefited one of her four children."[6] The BBC said Pam's most notable moment was "Kicking Doug out of the house after having he told her about his affair with Jill Weir."[7]
| Adam Willis | |||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Ian Williams | ||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1990–91 | ||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 9 August 1990 | ||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 13 September 1991 | ||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 1969 | ||||||||||||||||
| Home | Newcastle | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Medical student Chauffeur Labourer Doctor |
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Adam Willis, played by Ian Williams, made his first appearance on 9 August 1990. Williams was invited to play the role of Adam shortly after he appeared in Bony, another Grundy production.[8] Williams said the part appealed to him as it was flexible and Adam's humour kept him "fired up."[8] Williams explained that he felt similar to his character as they both loved their families, but he was not impressed with Adam's naivety.[8]
Adam is the eldest child of Doug (Terence Donovan) and Pam Willis (Sue Jones). When his parents and his younger sister Cody (Amelia Frid) decide to move to a smaller house in Ramsay Street, Adam opts to move with them as living on his own will be expensive as he is a medical student. The family move into Number 28 and Adam soon takes a job working for as a chauffeur for Helen Daniels's (Anne Haddy) limousine company Home James.
Adam soon falls for Caroline Alessi (Gillian Blakeney) and but she is involved with Jim Robinson (Alan Dale). Adam competes with Jim to win Caroline's affections which culminates in Adam injuring Jim during basketball practice, which fails to impress Caroline. After Jim and Caroline break up, Caroline realises she is attracted to Adam and they begin dating. However, Adam's struggle with expenses in his student lifestyle leave him feeling inferior; and as a result he and Caroline split but remain good friends.
After struggling at university, Adam decides he wants to give up medicine and drops out to join Doug on his building site. Doug, however isn't convinced and engineers a plan to make Adam's time on the site miserable so he will return to medicine. The plan is successful and Adam returns to university to pursue his degree, much to Pam's delight.
Adam later falls for Gemma Ramsay (Beth Buchanan). Gemma is reluctant to commit to him after a failed relationship with Glen Donnelly (Richard Huggett), but realises she has strong feelings for him and they become a couple. Several months into the relationship, Gemma receives a job offer in Newcastle at an animal sanctuary and she leaves. Adam follows her a month later when he transfers to a local university. Adam completes his studies and becomes a doctor. He and Gemma become engaged.
The BBC said Adam's most notable moment was "Chauffeuring a Lassiter’s client while wearing a toga."[9]
Gabrielle "Gaby" Willis, played by Rachel Blakely made her first on-screen appearance 12 August 1991. A highly ambitious woman who works in the Robinson Corporation, though her aggressive nature is somewhat tempered after she gives birth to son Zac. Gaby becomes the proprietor of the upmarket boutique "Gabrielle's" until her departure in 1994. In 2005, Blakely was one of over twenty ex-cast members who returned to Neighbours to appear in Annalise Hartman's documentary film about Ramsay Street.[3]
| Faye Hudson | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Lorraine Bayly | ||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1991–92 | ||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 28 November 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 14 May 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Home | Paris | ||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Housewife | ||||||||||||||||||
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Faye Hudson (née Willis), played by Lorraine Bayly, made her first on-screen appearance on 28 November 1991 and departed on 14 May 1992.
Faye arrives in Erinsborough and begins staying at Number 28 much to the consternation of her brother, Doug (Terence Donovan), and his family. During the first day of her arrival, she scolds Toby Mangel (Ben Guerens) for playing with snails, which Doug has asked him to collect and criticizes Pam's cooking. Faye's presence serves to irritate the family when she meddles in their affairs and generally takes over the house. The family try various schemes to get rid of her but they backfire. Faye leaves for a short holiday with Nev Cusack (Ewing), a friend of Doug's and when she returns Faye reveals that she and Nev are engaged. On the day of the wedding, Doug is forced to break the news that Nev has jilted her. After her initial unhappiness, Faye pursues Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) much to his displeasure. Jim enlists Dorothy Burke's (Maggie Dence) help to stage a cover that they are a couple to ward off Faye's attention.
Faye's stay with the Willises comes to an end when she oversteps the mark by inviting Doug's childhood sweetheart, Alexandra Lomax to dinner and telling Pam that Doug only married her on the rebound. Doug tells her to leave and she does, only to move two doors down to Number 32 which she rents from Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy). Cameron (Benjamin Grant Mitchell), Faye's estranged son arrives to defend Pam on a murder charge and later moves in with her after they repair their relationship. Gaby (Rachel Blakely), Faye's niece opens her own fashion boutique Gabrielle's at the Lassiter's complex and Faye cannot help but interfere. One night, Faye fails to turn off a heater, which results in the shop burning down. For a while she remains silent but confesses to a furious Gaby. The insurance company take a suit against Faye and she flees Erinsborough under the cover of darkness in a cab. Faye later communicates with the family via postcards and is last known to be living in Paris.
The BBC said Faye's most notable moment was "Being jilted at the altar by Nev Cusack."[10]
| Cameron Hudson | |||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Benjamin Grant Mitchell | ||||||||||||
| Duration | 1992–93 | ||||||||||||
| First appearance | 24 March 1992 | ||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 23 April 1993 | ||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||
| Occupation | Lawyer Journalist Stand-up Comedian |
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Cameron Hudson is the son of Faye Hudson (Lorraine Bayly), who arrives in Ramsay Street in to defend his aunt Pam Willis (Sue Jones) who is accused of murdering Garth Kirby (Roy Baldwin). Cameron is able to prove Pam's innocence successfully. Cameron repairs his fraught relationship with Faye and moves in with her at Number 32. After Faye moves out, Cameron invites Beth Brennan (Natalie Imbruglia) to move in with him. Cameron becomes involved with Jacqueline Summers (Tiffany Lamb) after he helps her on a case but the relationship ends when he finds that he could be facing legal proceedings for becoming involved with a client and when Jacqueline realises he is not completely convinced of her innocence in the case.
Cameron later finds himself offside with the Martin family when he defends Raymond Chambers (Greg Parker) who is accused of trying to abduct Hannah (Rebecca Ritters). Despite Chambers' ex-wife mentioning that he had previously tried to kidnap their daughter in Hong Kong and eyewitness testimony from Toby Mangel (Ben Guerens), Chambers is acquitted, furthering Cameron's stress and he begins to doubt himself as a lawyer. When Cameron intervenes in a confrontation between Chambers and Toby, He is even more convinced of Chambers' guilt and when Cameron arrives home, he finds Chambers' waiting for him in the dark and he blames Cameron for his life being ruined. Cameron forces Chambers to get help and after he breaks down in tears, Chambers hands himself into the police and confesses to the abduction. The Martins apologise for their treatment of Cameron.
After Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy wants to rent Number 32 to the Martins, Cameron and Beth move in with Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver). During this, Cameron does some investigating and discovers Gavin Heywood (Peter Hosking) is involved in some shady business. When Heywood catches Cameron, He has him roughed up by some thugs and is about to have him thrown down a lift shaft. Cameron offers to work for Heywood to prevent being killed and uses this to gain more information. Heywood then begins involving members of Cameron's family in his business. Cameron's life is endangered again when he overhears Heywood and his associate Noddy (Richard Piper) plot to kill him but he engineers a plan which results in Heywood's downfall. Cameron then changes career track and becomes a journalist for the Erinsborough news but is frustrated and surprises everyone with his next career choice; stand-up comedy
When Lou's daughter, Lauren (Sarah Vandenberg) arrives from Queensland, Cameron is smitten with her but does not know she is having an affair with Cameron's cousin, Brad (Scott Michaelson). In order to ward off Cameron's suspicions, Lauren agrees to go out with him. The truth later emerges and Cameron leaves Erinsborough in disgust.
| Zac Willis | |||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Jay Callahan | ||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1994 | ||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 25 July 1994 | ||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 17 October 1994 | ||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former, regular | ||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 July 1994 | ||||||||||||||||
| Home | Darwin | ||||||||||||||||
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Shannon Zachary "Zac" Willis is the son of Gaby Willis and Jack Flynn. He made his first on screen appearance on 25 July 1994, the day of his birth.
During a feature on Neighbours, Anna Pickard of The Guardian tried to choose the characters she would be most starstruck by if she met them. She said "It would have to be the Willis family. All of them. Pam, Doug, Adam, Gaby, Brad and Cody".[11]
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