Doug Willis

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Doug Willis
Neighbours character
Portrayed by Terence Donovan
Duration 1990–94, 2005
First appearance 1 August 1990
Last appearance 27 July 2005
Introduced by Don Battye (1990)
Ric Pellizerri (2005)
Classification Former, regular
Profile
Occupation Builder
Home Darwin

Douglas "Doug" Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Terence Donovan. Doug was introduced by executive producer Don Battye as the patriarch of the newly introduced Willis family. Donovan explained that being part of "a loving family" was one of the main reasons he accepted the role. He said he was happy to stay around for as long as the producers wanted him. Donovan made his first screen appearance as Doug during the episode broadcast on 1 August 1990.

Doug was portrayed as a man's man, down-to-earth, easy-going and friendly. Doug was a builder, who loved his family and enjoyed spending time with his friends. Despite being "an easy touch" as a father, Doug could balance understanding with discipline. Doug and his wife, Pam (Sue Jones) had a solid marriage until they began to neglect each other due to work. When Doug thought Pam was having an affair with their neighbour Jim Robinson (Alan Dale), he ended up having a one-night stand with Jill Weir (Lyn Semler).

Doug's father, Bert (Bud Tingwell), was introduced in 1993. They had had a difficult relationship, but Doug made amends with his father when he learned he was dying. Shortly after, Doug got into debt and lost his job, causing him to sink into a deep depression. One of Doug's last storylines saw him suffer a health scare in which he had to undergo an emergency operation. The character departed on 15 September 1994, after being written out. In July 2005, Donovan reprised his role as part of the show's 20th anniversary celebrations.

Casting

Following a short stint in rival Australian soap opera Home and Away, Donovan joined the cast of Neighbours in 1990.[1] He was cast in the role of Doug, the patriarch of the newly introduced Willis family.[1] The family aspect was one of the main reasons Donovan accepted the part. He told Chris Pritchard from Woman's Own, "I'm very pro that sort of thing. Having been part of two families that broke up in real life, it's nice to be in a loving family – even if it's only make-believe."[1] Donovan added that he was enjoying his time with the show and was happy to stay for as long as the producers wanted him.[1] The actor's son, Jason, previously appeared in the show as Scott Robinson from 1985 to 1989.[1]

Development

Characterisation

"Doug could easily be described as a man's man; he was never afraid to use his fists and one of his greatest pleasures was making home-brewed beer with his best mate, Lou."[2]

—A writer from the show's website describes Doug.

Upon his introduction, Doug was a self-employed builder and "affable fortysomething".[3] He made extra money by buying and doing up houses, before selling them on. Despite this hobby being "unsettling" for his family in the past, they decided that the house he purchased in Ramsay Street should be their permanent residence.[4] Doug loved his family and enjoyed spending time drinking with his friends.[3] In his book, The Who's Who of Soap Operas, Anthony Haywood described Doug as being a "rugged and down-to-earth builder", who is usually easy-going, but does have "an awful temper" when provoked.[4] A writer for the official Neighbours website called Doug a Regular Joe, who did not like standing out in a crowd.[2]

Haywood wrote that Doug's warmth and sense of humour made him popular with his co-workers and friends. Doug also had a habit of flirting with attractive women, but it was perfectly innocent.[4] Doug was "an easy touch" as a father, but he could balance understanding with discipline.[4] Doug often doubted his eldest son Adam's (Ian Williams) determination, but he got on well with Brad (Scott Michaelson).[4] Doug hoped to pass his business onto one of his sons, but was disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm from them both.[3] He was "baffled" by Gaby's (Rachel Blakely) rebellious nature, while Cody (Amelia Frid), his youngest child, was the apple of his eye and often came to him with her problems instead of her mother.[4]

Marriage to Pam Beresford

When Doug accepted a dare to travel naked across town in a taxi, his future wife Pam Beresford (Sue Jones) was the driver.[5] The couple soon married and had four children; Adam, Gaby, Brad and Cody.[3] When Pam wanted to return to work, Doug was "appalled" as he liked the idea of providing for her and wondered who would provide him with his meals.[3] Pam and Doug's seemingly solid marriage soon ran into trouble when they began to neglect each other due to work.[6] Doug was devoting his time to his construction business, while Pam's job as a district nurse gave her increasing independence.[6] Jones said she was not surprised that Pam and Doug were having problems.[6] When Pam began nursing Jim Robinson (Alan Dale) through his heart problems, she became attracted to him. Meanwhile, Doug had attracted the unwelcome attentions of the lonely and "dogged" Jill Weir (Lyn Semler), who was dealing with the death of her son.[6]

Doug's feelings of "vulnerability" made him an easy target for Jill, who saw him as the perfect partner and was determined to get him.[6] With Doug believing Pam was having an affair with Jim, he had a one-night stand with Jill. Doug regretted it immediately, but Jill was keen for it to happen again.[6] An Inside Soap columnist questioned whether the Willis marriage would survive and Jones explained "I think it's worth saving. If Doug and Pam have any sense, they'll sort things out. Who knows? They might even end up with a stronger relationship than they had before."[6] The following year, while Pam was going through menopause, she began to feel that Doug was paying more attention to the cement mixer then he was to her. So, she was pleased to meet Tom Weaver (George Mallaby) at an art class.[7] Tom made his interest in Pam clear and asked her to marry him in front of Doug.[7] Refusing to believe that nothing had happened between Tom and his wife, a "horrified" Doug packed his bag and moved out.[7] After Tom spoke to Doug, he moved back in.[7]

Reuniting with Bert

Doug had a difficult relationship with his father Bert (Bud Tingwell), which made him determined to always be around for his children.[8] When Gaby revealed that she had been writing to her grandfather for years, behind Doug's back, it almost caused a division within the family.[9] Doug had not seen his father since he had walked out on the family when Doug was young.[9] When Pam and Gaby announced that they had invited Bert to stay, Doug forbid them from letting him in the house.[9] At first he refused to tell them why and Pam and Gaby believed that they could re-build the relationship between father and son. An Inside Soap writer commented "But they've got to work fast because times's not on their side."[9] There was "instant friction" between Bert and Doug when they finally met. When Bert tried to explain his actions, Doug refused to forgive him for walking out on his mother.[10] Bert later confided in Wayne Duncan (Jonathon Sammy-Lee) that he was dying and had come to Erinsborough to make amends.[10] Realising that Doug was not going to give Bert a chance, Wayne told him about Bert's condition. However, Bert did not want Doug's pity and made plans to leave on the next boat, but Pam persuaded him to return, where he and Doug made up.[10]

Debt and depression

After getting into debt and losing his job, Doug sank into a deep depression.[11] The storyline began during a few months that were "fraught with anxiety" for both Doug and Pam.[11] Shortly after Brad was left at the altar by his fiancée Beth Brennan (Natalie Imbruglia). Doug bore some abuse when it was discovered that he had known about Brad's affair with Lauren Carpenter (Sarah Vandenbergh).[11] Doug's business seemed to be doing well, but nobody was aware of "the lack of care" Doug had been playing to the books. When he and Pam learned that they owed $70,000 in unpaid taxes and fines, the business "came crashing down."[11] This resulted in Doug having no option, but to sell the business to rival company Constructocon, who bought it and Doug's reputation for a fraction of their real value.[11]

Donovan explained "Things look really bleak for the Willis family right now. Doug can't see any way out of this mess and he's not facing up to things at all."[11] On the orders of his new boss, Mr Baker (Fred Barker), Doug had to take on his nephew – Terry (Adam McInnes) – a lazy "good-for-nothing", who had no interest in the business.[11] Doug ended up firing Terry in a fit of anger, but Baker forced him to re-hire Terry, after threatening him with the sack.[11] The situation was made worse when Doug was finally fired and Donovan commented that it was a nightmare time for Doug, adding "He loved his business and now things have spiralled out of control."[11] While Pam tried her best to comfort Doug, she grew concerned when he started to drown his sorrows with alcohol.[11]

Health scare

During June 1994, Doug found himself going to the toilet more often than normal, leading him to become worried about his health.[12] Thinking something could be seriously wrong, he realised that he needed medical help, but then refused to let the doctor examine him because she was female.[12] It was down to Pam to convince him to let go of his "masculine pride" and allow the doctor to take a look.[12] Doug learned that the problem was due to his prostate and was told that he needed to undergo an emergency operation.[12] He initially refused and Pam had to convince him to change his mind in time to prevent the problem getting any worse.[12]

Departure and return

By mid-September 1994, Doug, Pam and Cody were the only members of the Willis family left in the show. Doug and Pam were written out and replaced by the new five-strong Kennedy family.[13] The couple left Erinsborough for Darwin when Doug was offered some building work with the hotel run by Gaby.[14] On 14 April 2005, Kris Green from Digital Spy reported that Donovan would be reprising his role for a guest appearance as part of the Neighbours 20th anniversary celebrations, which were broadcast in July.[15]

Storylines

After his father walked out, Doug was left to support his mother and sister, Faye (Lorraine Bayly). During a friend's bucks night, Doug accepted a dare to travel across town in a taxi naked. The taxi driver turned out to be Pam Beresford, who Doug fell in love with. He and Pam married and had four children. When Doug does some work on Number 28 Ramsay Street in preparation for a sale, he decides to purchase the house and the family move to Erinsborough. Doug becomes good friends with Joe Mangel (Mark Little), Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) and Jim Robinson, even though they get off to a bad start when Doug flirts with Jim's wife. When Doug's eldest son, Adam, quits medicine, Doug believes he can pass his construction business onto him. However, when he realises that Adam is not really into it, Doug makes his time on the site difficult, forcing Adam to go back to his studies. Doug goes into partnership with Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) and they plan to build a retirement village in the bush. Councillor Felicity Brent (Rhona McLeod) threatens to vote against the development, but fails and work begins. The project eventually collapses, leaving Doug and Paul in debt.

Doug and Pam's financial troubles continue due to Cody's student exchange fees and them having to bail Brad out of jail. Just as they being thinking about selling the house, Gaby tricks one of Doug's debtors into paying up. Doug befriends Brenda Riley (Genevieve Lemon) and she falls in love with him. Brenda kisses Doug, which Gaby witnesses and she tells Pam. Doug explains that he is not having an affair and then tells Brenda that he never felt anything other than friendship towards her. Doug's sister, Faye, comes to stay and Doug puts up with her because she is lonely. When Faye invites Doug's childhood sweetheart, Alexandra Lomax (Chantal Contouri), for a visit, Doug asks her to leave. Faye moves into Number 32 instead. Doug's photo appears in the local newspaper and it is spotted by Jill Weir. She befriends Doug and Pam, who support her in her custody battle for her son. When Jill's son dies, she relies on Doug and Pam. Doug realises that Jill is attracted to him, but Pam fails to notice. When Doug assumes Pam and Jim are having an affair, he has a one-night stand with Jill. Doug immediately regrets it and tells Pam, who throws him out and files for divorce. However, when Doug and Brad are lost at sea, Pam realises how much she loves him and they reconcile.

When Gaby is almost raped by Simon Hunter (Frederick Whitlock), Doug tracks him down and hits him. Simon threatens to sue Doug for assault if Gaby reports him to the police, so she is forced to drop the matter. Doug's father, Bert, turns up after Gaby reveals that she has been writing to him. Bert tries to make amends with his son, but Doug refuses to forgive him. When Doug learns Bert is dying, he decides to make peace with him. Doug is given the contract to rebuild the Waterhole, but before work can begin his company is audited and discovered to be in debt to the tax department, leaving Doug no choice but to sell it to Constructocon. The company keep Doug on, but he is eventually fired. Doug sinks into a deep depression and begins drinking. Things begin to improve when Doug finds a job as a sales representative for a building supplier. Doug and Pam learn that they actually paid the money they were supposed to have owed to the tax department and receive a refund. Doug uses the money to buy a house to do up and he sells it to the council, who ask him to do further renovations to the property. Doug finds himself in trouble with Andrew "Macca" MacKenzie (John Morris) when he and Lou begin brewing their own beer in the shed at the property, but Macca eventually joins them.

Gaby gives birth to a son, Zac (Jay Callahan), who is named after Doug's grandfather and she leaves to run a hotel in Darwin. A few weeks later, she contacts Doug and offers him some building work on the hotel. Doug and Pam decide to sell up and they leave Erinsborough. Cody stays behind to continue her studies. A year later, Cody is shot and Pam returns to be with her, while Doug stays behind as he is the middle of a big building contract. When Cody comes round, Doug speaks with her on the phone. However, Cody takes a turn for the worse and dies. Pam takes her body back to Darwin where she and Doug bury her. In July 2005, Annalise Hartman (Kimberley Davies) invites Doug to attend a screening of her documentary about Ramsay Street. Doug returns with Philip Martin (Ian Rawlings) and they sneak into Number 22 and paint a beard onto a sleeping Lou's face. After watching the documentary, Lou joins Doug and Philip on a fishing trip up north.

Reception

A writer for the BBC's official Neighbours website stated that Doug's most notable moment was "Having an affair with Jill Weir."[16] Haywood commented that Doug was "the more likeable part" compared to Donovan's character, Al Simpson, in Home and Away.[17] Monroe branded Doug "warm-hearted and friendly" and thought that he and Paul made "an odd couple in business".[18] Wanda Jamrozick, writing for The Sydney Morning Herald, called Donovan's performance as Doug "a dominating presence".[19] During her feature on Neighbours, Anna Pickard from 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".[20]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Pritchard, Chris (February 1992). "Jason couldn't have made it without me". Woman's Own (IPC Media): 10–11. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Doug Willis – Terence Donovan". Neighbours.com. Network Ten. Archived from the original on 17 December 2002. Retrieved 15 August 2013. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Monroe 1996, p.55.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Haywood 1991, p.162.
  5. ↑ Simon, Jane (13 October 1996). 's+the+show+that+brought...-a061154021 "101 Neighbours facts to Oz-tonish you!". The People (Trinity Mirror). Retrieved 16 August 2013. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 "They're both as bad as each other!". Inside Soap (Attic Futura (UK) Ltd) (15): 36–37. November 1993. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Doug walks out". Inside Soap (Attic Futura (UK) Ltd) (29): 55. January 1995. 
  8. ↑ Monroe 1996, p.53.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "What's Doug secret?". Inside Soap (Attic Futura (UK) Ltd) (17): 55. January 1994. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Monroe 1994, p.119.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.9 "The debts of despair". Inside Soap (Attic Futura (UK) Ltd) (24): 51. August 1994. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 "Health worries for Doug". Inside Soap (Attic Futura (UK) Ltd) (32): 54. April 1995. 
  13. ↑ Mercado 2004, p.221.
  14. ↑ Johnston 2005, p.220.
  15. ↑ Green, Kris (14 April 2005). "More Neighbours returns confirmed". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 16 August 2013. 
  16. ↑ "Character: Doug Willis". BBC. Archived from the original on 7 October 2003. Retrieved 15 August 2013. 
  17. ↑ Haywood 1991, p.163.
  18. ↑ Monroe 1994, p.113.
  19. ↑ Jamrozick, Wanda (25 February 1992). "Today's people". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 15 August 2013. 
  20. ↑ Pickard, Anna (18 October 2005). "The perfect blend". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). Retrieved 15 August 2013. 
  • Haywood, Anthony (1991). The Who's Who of Soap Operas. Guinness Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85112-966-2. 
  • Johnston, Tony (2005). Neighbours: 20 years of Ramsay Street. News Custom Publishing. ISBN 978-1-876176-78-5. 
  • Mercado, Andrew (2004). Super Aussie Soaps. Pluto Press Australia. ISBN 978-1-86403-191-1. 
  • Monroe, Josephine (1994). The Neighbours Programme Guide. Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0-86369-831-6. 
  • Monroe, Josephine (1996). Neighbours: The First 10 Years. Penguin Group. ISBN 978-0-7181-4212-4. 

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