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This page was last updated on 7th August 2005. Page launched on 7th August 2005. Site launched on 24th January 2004.
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INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES
TV Week Collector Book TV Week, Australia, 30th July 2005
Welcome to the Neighbourhood
Take a trip back to when your new Neighbours moved in
Twenty years ago on Monday, March 18, 1985, Neighbours began on the Seven Network. "Suddenly 5:30pm TV isn't kids' stuff anymore!" screamed the newspaper ads. Indeed, Ramsay Street was a somewhat darker place back in those days, with wife-beating, premarital sex and jokes about rape. The show didn't catch on and was axed by Seven, only to be bought by Network Ten in 1986.
With even fewer viewers than before, it took two unknown stars - Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - to finally make the show a success. The dark, risqué storylines were replaced with perpetually sunny skies, recognizable characters and just enough drama to keep viewers enthralled after every episode. Suddenly, everyone in Australia was talking about the teen romance between Scott and Charlene, and within two years the show was also a hit in the UK.
Along the way, Neighbours has introduced some of the biggest rising stars. Besides Kylie and Jason, Ramsay Street regulars have included Guy Pearce, Peter O'Brien, Natalie Imbruglia, Kimberley Davies, Craig McLachlan, Radha Mitchell, Danile MacPherson, Jesse Spencer, Holly Valance and Delta Goodrem. Even Russell Crowe dropped in!
Just when you think Neighbours has done it all, it reinvents itself and suddenly a new generation of fans is hooked. Let's take a look at Neighbours' most infamous moments - the stories, the fashions, the weddings, the deaths, the merchandise, the sets, the music, the mullets and those taunting summer cliffhnagers.
Famous visitors
Many familiar faces have been spotted in Erinsborough. Here are a few of our favourites
Warwick Capper Before it got blown up last year, the coffee shop always seemed to attract the celebs - like then Sydney Swans player Warwick in 1986.
Molly Meldrum Molly listened to Scott (Jason Donovan) and Mike's (Guy Pearce) demo tape when they wanted to become pop stars in 1986. Oddly enough, this is how most musicans get their first break!
Abigail Back in the '70s there was nobody sexier than Number 96's Abigail. Playing Betty Bristow, she tried to steal Harold (Ian Smith) from his beloved Madge (Anne Charleston) in 1989.
Clive James Ex-pat Aussie Clive hosted his own TV show in the UK, but in truth he really wanted to guest star in Neighbours. In 1996, episode 2547, his wish was granted and he was given the part of a mute postman.
Joy Chambers Being married to the boss Reg Grundy, had its fringe benefits for Joy, who is remembered for her role in The Flying Doctors. Joy played the part of Rosemary, Helen's (Anne Haddy) sassy adopted daughter and a very successful businesswoman.
Pet Shop Boys Actually, only one of the Pet Shop Boys scored a cameo. Keyboardist Chris Lowe wandered into the cul-de-sac looking for a recording studio in 1995, leaving fan Annalise (Kimberley Davies) disappointed that she had missed him.
Fiona Coote In 1980, at the age of 14, Fiona became the youngest Australian to have a heart transplant. The producers thought this was reason enough for her to wander into Erinsborough and start a conversation with Mike a few years later.
The mullet factor
Could the phenomenal success of Neighbours be linked to the mullet? When the soap first moved to Network Ten, Jason Donovan and Guy Pearce were mullet-free. However, as their mullets grew, so did the ratings. By the time Craig McLachlan unveiled his curly mullet in 1987, the show was a hit! But without those actors, ratings dropped - until the arrival of Jarrod "Toadfish" Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney), who had the greatest mullet of all! Long live the Ramsay Street mullet!
The best bits...
Here's our pick of the most exciting storylines ever!
1. The romance What could ever top the romance between Charlene and Scott? They met, she punched him, they fell in love, he surfed, she moved into a caravan and then they got married.
2. The twins Paul Robinson couldn't work out why his new secretary was efficient one day and flaky the next. It turned out he'd hired twins, Christina and Caroline - and had slept with them both!
3. Finding Annalise's dad It seemed like just another day in Ramsay Street when Annalise went in search of her long-lost dad, so imagine our surprise when she discovered that he was in fact, a female impersonator!
4. Nina's secret passion When it was discovered she could sing, Nina Tucker was transformed from shy highschool student into a star performer and a bit of a heart-breaker. This was cut short when Delta was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, leaving us in the lurch and wondering about her love affair... triangle... quadrangle!
5. Susan's amnesia Susan slipped on some spilt milk, suffered partial memory loss and reverted to being a flighty teenager. It was a hoot watching her fashion and music tastes change as she fell in love with Karl all over again.
... and the worst bits
Sometimes the writers didn't quite hit the nail on the head
1. Bouncer's wedding Look, we understand it was just a dream sequence, but really, was it absolutely necessary to see Bouncer the dog getting married?
2. The Lims' arrival Ramsay Street finally became a bit multicultural with the arrival of the Vietnamese Lim family, but how did Julie Martin welcome them? By accusing them of eating a neighbourhood dog!
3. Cheryl's kidnapping When her son, Brett, was framed on drugs charges in Colombia, Cheryl flew over to save him - and quickly got herself kidnapped.
4. Mark jilting Annalise Mark was at the altar about to marry Annalise when he decided to call it off - to become a priest! After driving everybody mad with his preaching, Mark fell off a roof, lapsed into a coma, woke up and left town.
5. The tragic explosions First to go was Charlene's caravan, then Gaby's boutique erupted in 1992, the Waterhole the next year, then the doctor's surgery went up in flames in 1996. Hopefully Lassiter's exploding last year is the end of it!
Back from the dead
In 1991, Harold and Madge were travelling around Australia by car when he was swept off rocks and disappeared out to sea. Five years later Harold was discovered alive and well and working for the Salvation Army with no memory of his former life. Apparently he'd been picked up by a boat. Toady, Harold gets more fan mail than any other cast member, so it's doubtful that producers will be silly enough to kill him off again!
Hanging in suspense
A Neighbours cliffhanger is sure to leave you sitting on the edge of your seat - but it wasn't always the case
Once upon a time, Neighbours finished every year with a happy ending and a good old-fashioned Christmas singalong. Then they discovered how much more fun it was to leave characters in peril for the long, hot summer...
1985 As the show finished its run on the Seven Network, Danny (David Clencie) discovered that Max (Francis Bell) wasn't his real father.
1986 Clive (Geoff Paine) was knocked out in a boxing match and dreamed that Ramsay Street had turned into a Christmas panto - with him as Santa, Scott as a toy soldier and Charlene as a doll. Go figure.
1987 Paul and Gail (Fiona Corke) reunited during drinks at the Waterhole. Cue the Christmas singalong.
1988 Jane (Annie Jones) accepted Mark Granger's (Colin Handley) proposal of marriage. Cue the Christmas singalong.
1989 Madge won the lottery while Beverley (Shauna O'Grady), who was being blackmailed, ended the year worrying alone in her kitchen - with the Christmas singalong going on in her lounge room.
1990 Matt (Ashley Paske) and Gemma (Beth Buchanan) were in a motorcycle accident, and Jim's (Alan Dale) long-lost son, Glen (Richard Huggett), turned up. Nobody seemed to notice that he looked like Sonny Bennett, who had blown everyone up in E Street.
1991 A year after finding his real dad, poor Glen fell off the roof at Lassiter's. By the New Year, he was a paraplegic.
1992 The disasters got worse as Hannah (Rebecca Ritters) and Beth (Natalie Imbruglia) were trapped in a burning cottage, starting the loooong tradition of fires in Erinsborough.
1993 Gaby and Annalise's plane crashed, leaving them stranded in the bush.
1994 Mark revealed that he didn't want to marry Annalise and that he decided to become a preist instead.
1995 Sam (Richard Grieve) discovered that his girlfriend, Annalise, was having an affair with Stonie (Anthony Engelman). At least she was over the priest.
1996 Would Karl be able to perform an emergency tracheotomy on his son, Mal (Benjamin McNair)?
1997 Now this was a good one: Karl and Sarah (Nicola Charles) began their affair, Billy (Jesse Spencer) and Caitlin (Emily Milburn) were kissing just as his girlfriend, Anne (Brooke Satchwell), was about to knock on the door. And Ben (Brett Cousins) flipped his car just after Phillip (Ian Rawlings) proposed to Ruth (Ailsa Piper).
1998 Anne bogged her car in a creek and Joel (Daniel MacPherson) got trapped underneath as floodwaters began to rise. The moral is... don't drive and cry during a thunderstorm!
1999 Drew (Dan Paris) proposed to Libby (Kym Valentine) at an end-of-millennium street party just as the Scully house burst into flames - with little Lolly (Jiordan Anna Tolli) trapped inside.
2000 Oops! Due to a scheduling mishap, the cliffhanger episode - guest starring Human Nature and finishing with Joe (Shane Connor) in the middle of a bushfire - actually aired two weeks early. So there was no disaster to end the year.
2001 After giving birth to baby Ben, Libby had a seizure and flatlined.
2002 Aww, Susan regained her memory when remarrying Karl, and Lyn (Janet Andrewartha) announced her pregnancy.
2003 Another year, another wedding. Lou (Tom Oliver) married Trixie (Wendy Stapleton), but during the reception, Harold had a stroke and collapsed.
2004 Ho-hum, Lassiter's blew up. But things looked up when a familiar face appeared in the crowd watching the fireworks. The return of Paul Robinson promised a great 20th year for 2005!
Classic covers!
Craig in drag and our favourite mag - we look back at some of the best Neighbours cover shots
Dressed for success So why was Craig McLachlan's character Henry Ramsay, modelling a dress on the front cover of TV WEEK? "Leading up to her wedding, Madge was doing her own sewing and required a glamorous model, and I was the next best thing!" Craig says. The next week, Craig appeared in more appropriate attire for the wedding. "I'd get excited when a wedding or even a funeral was coming up so I could cover my torso. I spent most of my time in overalls and no shirt, or less!"
Time to smile What? Is that Annalise feeding a lamb? For Kimberley Davies, who made her name playing the sexy siren in the early 90's, posing for this cover was a welcome change. Instead of her usual pout, she got to smile! For Kimberley, it was sometimes tough playing such a trouble-making character - especially when people would mistake her for Annalise on the street. "People would abuse me in the street for whatever Annalise had done that particular week," she tells TV WEEK. "But that's about it. Otherwise it was a great time in my life." And yes, Kimberley still regularly visits her "secret bush retreat"!
A new generation Daniel MacPherson, who played Joel Samuels, remembers this cover fondly. He was still a newcomer to Neighbours and was having the time of his life, bonding with other cast members like Jacinta Stapleton, who played Amy Greenwood, and Jesse Spencer, who played Billy Kennedy. "That must have been about a year in for me," Daniel says. "Jacinta and Jesse had been there a while, but I was still feeling pretty lucky at that point. It was my first time out of home and on TV. I went straight from high school to a very blessed life."
The start of something Before receptionist Sarah Beaumont entered Dr Karl Kennedy's life, he was just a simple suburban doctor and dad. But this cover marked a change for Karl, and he set into motion a chain of events that changed the Kennedys' lives forever. "Basically it was bringing the whole Sarah/Karl/Susan triangle to a head at the time," Alan Fletcher explains. "I remember this cover well. Sarah went walking on the clifftops and slipped. It was terribly difficult for young Nicola Charles who played her, because she was suspended over this cliff for absolutely ages, poor thing. Not to mention the fact that she broke most of her nails on the day!
Liar, liar... This cover marked the start of what has become one of the most sensational storylines in Neighbours' history. It's not until this week that Izzy's lie is finally revealed - in spectacular fashion. When Natalie Bassingthwaighte first shot this cover for TV WEEK she had no idea that a year later, her character's little dramas would still be playing out. For Natalie, playing bitchy Izzy Hoyland has been a real challenge, especially filming the explosive scenes we're about to see. "She's told this lie and she's just never gotten out of it. This week, it finally comes to the crunch and she has to tell Karl," Natalie says.
Ready... Set!
If you think the characters are hard to keep up with, take a closer look at the sets
On any long-running TV show, it's important to keep the art and props department busy - and one of the ways to do this is to constantly redecorate the sets. "People do up their houses all the time," explains Carole Harvey, Neighbours' production designer for the past 11 years. "So we do up the characters' homes as well. I really enjoy coming to work every day. It's always different and varied."
Over the years, redecorating the houses on Ramsay Street has been nearly incorporated into the plots. Remember the opening scene of Neighbours when it first aired on Network Ten? Since the sets housed at the Seven Network has been "accidentally destroyed", Ten had to construct brand new ones from scratch, and they took the opportunity to lighten and freshen up the look of the show. So as a new Scott Robinson wandered into view, there were Helen and Jim effortlessly sticking up brand new wallpaper!
Since then it's been a constant whirl of home decorations. Who can forget Cheryl Stark's tasteless home renovation in 1993, or Lou demanding his tenants make his house look less shabby in 2003? "We think of the person who lives in the house, then where they would shop and their price range. It's always about what's affordable for them in their circumstances," Carole says. "Now that Susan Kennedy's house is her own, we decorated according to her taste, rather than her family's."
One renovation was necessary because the famous Robinson house was being relocated to the Melbourne Museum so fans could see up close where Scott and Charlene's wedding reception was held (not to mention checking out the famous actors' autographs on the back of the walls). That's why, in the show, the house caught fire during the millennium street party on New Year's Eve, and once the original set had been shipped off to the museum, in came the art department to build a new one at Ten's Nunawading studios.
Sometimes the Neighbours set needed to be altered because one of the homes used in filming had made some changes. For example, when a house at the real Ramsay Street, Pin Oak Court, changed the look of its front door, the corresponding set in the studio also had to replace its door. One of Carole's first sets was the old coffee shop, and she misses it today. "It had a real retro look to it, with the old jukebox, and I was sad to see it go. But the new store is great for Harold and Lou to play off one another. They get all the mail because they're a sorting post office, so that opens them up to more storyline possibilities. Australia Post have been absolutely wonderful and they love their new Erinsborough branch!"
The Neighbours art department was also in charge of the pool outside Lassiter's, which was originally built for Holiday Island in 1981. "We always had a filter going to keep the water nice and we grew some amazing fish in there," Carole says. Sadly, the giant carp have now been relocated to a new home since the pool was filled in after last year's renovation of the Erinsborough shopping village. This new outdoor location was specifically redesigned so viewers can tour the Neighbours back lot á la Universal Studios in Hollywood. Every week, hundreds of fans (with a large contingent being British backpackers) hop on a tour bus to drive out to the real Ramsay Street. Soon they'll be able to walk through the outdoor sets, as well as attend a weekly trivia night at a local hotel.
"There's always a time and a place to redecorate, and the recent changes have given the show a new and younger look," Carole says. No doubt there will continue to be upgrading and renovations, and some might be strictly storyline-related. "It's an ongoing process. I think we've got some really great cliffhanger stories that might result in some new sets," Carole hints. Uh-oh - we feel another Neighbours explosion coming on...
Neighbourhood watch
Your easy guide to who's lived where in Ramsay Street
No.22 Its first resident was stripper Daphne (Elaine Smith) and when she moved in with Des (Paul Keane), wacky doctor Clive moved in. It then became somewhat of a lovenest for Paul, who got it on there with wives Gail and Christina. After the Lim family's disasterous short stay, Cheryl bought the house and her partner, Lou, still lives there today, even though Paul has recently re-bought the property.
No.24 This was the original Ramsay home, first lived in by plumber Max and then taken over by his sister, Madge, who moved in with kids Charlene and Henry, and later husband Harold. While they left Ramsay Street for a period, Marlene (Moya O'Sullivan) moved in until their return. After Madge's death, Harold remained and now lives there with son David (Kevin Harrington) and his family.
No.26 Once the home of the extended Robinson family, it became the Martin household after Jim's death in 1993. Since 1999 it has housed the Scullys, and while most of that family has moved on, Lyn remains with young son Oscar (Ingo Dammer-Smith) and rents out rooms to the Timmins family. Hopefully they appreciate the luxury makeover the fictional reality TV show Making Mansions gave the property.
No.28 This was Des' house until he sold it to the Willis family in 1990. They, in turn, sold it to the Kennedys a few years later and son Mal redecorated, giving it a completely new look. It's currently the home of Susan Kennedy after she received it as part of her divorce settlement.
No.30 Bought by Jim Robinson as a wedding present for son Paul (until psycho first wife Terry, played by Maxine Klibingaitis, shot him there), it didn't feature in the action again until teacher Dorothy (Maggie Dence) moved in. It's now a share household jointly owned by Toadie, Stuart (Blair McDonough) and Connor (Patrick Harvey).
No.32 Once the family home of stickybeak Mrs Mangel (Vivean Gray), it's housed both the Rebecchi and Wilkinson families, as well as schoolteacher Tess (Krista Vendy). Now it's the much-loved home of the Hoyland gang.
Memorabilia Madness!
When Neighbours made it big in the UK, the merchandise took on a mind of its own
First in stores were lots of tie-in books, which told untold stories and focused on key episodes. UK fans also loved collecting their yearly "annuals" from 1989 to 1992, not to mention such titles as The Neighbours Factfile, Neighbours: Behind The Scenes and even Neighbours: The Playscripts, a series of plays for school classrooms!
British fans also couldn't get enough of Neighbours trading cards, sheet music and even a Neighbours board game. Controversially, there was also a video, Neighbours: The Scott And Charlene Love Story. Kylie Minogue objected to this compilation being sold a full year after she had left the show, but failed in her court bid to stop its release.
Fashion is never kind to a show that's been on air for 20 years, but needless to say, the Neighbours clothing line from the '80s is particularly horrifying today!
However, these days there's a whole new range of merchandise for fans to snap up - and there's not a midriff top in sight. Australia Post is releasing a set of commemorative stamps featuring 10 of the show's best loved stars. There's a new commemorative book - Neighbours: 20 Years Of Ramsay Street - and four new paperbacks, which tell untold stories about what some much-missed characters are up to now. And finally, there's also a brand-new Neighbours board game with more than 600 trivia questions! And rumour has it that some Neighbours DVDs and albums may be released. So stay tuned!
Same but different!
Either Dr Karl is secretly a plastic surgeon, or that's a different actor...
It's a testament to a show's success if its audience will accept a favourite character being played by a different actor. In Neighbours, it's happened time and time again, and neither viewers nor Ramsay Street residents seem to have noticed - or cared!
1. Scott Robinson Jason Donovan was first to try out for the youngest Robinson boy, but decided to finish school first. So Darius Perkins scored the role, but when the show moved to Network Ten, producers recast Jason. Would Charlene and Scott still be the greatest Neighbours love story if played by Kylie... and Darius?
2. Dr Beverly Marshall/Robinson Did Jim Robinson really not notice that his wife was a different person? When she was played by Lisa Armytage, she was a kind brunette, but after returning from a work conference, she was a blonde minx who was now portrayed by Shauna O'Grady. Jim obviously assumed it was all just a hairdresser mix-up!
3. Lucy Robinson In her first incarnation, Lucy was a cute little girl played by Kylie Flinker. Then she became a whiny teenager played by Sasha Close. Finally, Lucy returned from boarding school as a blonde bombshell played by Melissa Bell.
4. Julie Robinson Martin Vikki Blanche originated the role of big-mouth Julie Robinson and when her character left Erinsborough to marry Phillip, the actress moved on to The Flying Doctors. Six years later, Julie returned with her husband and kids, and this time was played by Julie Mullins.
Worldwide Appeal
Aussies aren't the only ones who need their daily dose of Neighbours
Here in Australia, Neighbours is a dinnertime institution, shown at 6:30pm every weeknight (except for Tasmanians, who see it at 5pm). In the UK, the show rules all three meal zones. The BBC premieres each episode at 1:40pm before repeating the same day at 5:35pm. In Ireland, they also repeat the show at 7:35am, so there's no excuse for missing a show!
Estonia and Iceland also need two fixes of Ramsay Street a day, but Cyprus seems to be coping with just the one show at 3pm weekdays. However, they also have an "omnibus edition", which is all five weekly episodes in one, every Sunday afternoon. Even New Zealand loves a Neighbours omnibus and gets its weekly dose at noon on Saturdays.
But we'll never see the show in the US again after two failed attempts. The first was in their summer of 1991, and only in Los Angeles and New York. But teens never came indoors at 5:30pm to watch! Another 13-week package of the show also flopped, with 65 episodes quietly airing at 1:30am! So while most of the world just loves Ramsay Street, it seems the Americans will never understand - unless we subtitle it for them!
We wish!
We all know that Neighbours megastars will never return, but we can still dream
Let's face it, Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue probably won't come back to Ramsay Street, but we refuse to entertain the notion that Scott and Charlene aren't living happily in Queensland! Here's our wish list for the next dream cast reunion...
Shane Ramsay (Peter O'Brien) Years after Shane had left Ramsay Street, his swimming trophies still had pride of place in Madge's lounge room and she would sometimes call him up for a favour. Presumably he still lives close by, so it's not hard to imagine he's still lurking around somewhere. We see him coming back to go head-to-head with Paul Robinson over his murky business dealings. And can't you just see him with serial cheater Izzy?
Bouncer (Bouncer) We've all seen this soap plot before, when a popular actor is killed off and then returns. Usually they come back as a long-lost twin or a spooky look-alike, as it was with [NotKerry] Gabrielle (Linda Hartley) being a "dead-ringer" for Harold's dead daughter, Kerry Bishop. So when a blonde labrador turns up, we wonder if the dog is related to Bouncer. His long-lost son perhaps?
Mike Young (Guy Pearce) Last time we saw Mike, he was heading off to look after his sick mother, who apparantly took quite a few years to actually die! A deathbed confession from her has brought Mike back to the cul-de-sac to search for his real dad - and it seems like randy old Lou Carpenter just couldn't keep his pants zippered up all those years ago! Daddy?!
Henry Mitchell (Craig McLachlan) For the past 16 years, Henry has been one of New Zealand's biggest DJs, but our curly-haired moppet has not been keeping up or ageing well. Broke and on the run from some pretty shady characters, Henry is hoping that Harold might have some cash left over from Madge's lottery win all those years ago and lend him a buck or two. That's if he doesn't run into trouble first...
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