| Narelle Smart | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home and Away character | |||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Amanda Newman-Phillips | ||||||||||
| First appearance | 25 March 1988 | ||||||||||
| Last appearance | 5 October 1988 | ||||||||||
| Classification | Former; recurring | ||||||||||
| Introduced by | Alan Bateman | ||||||||||
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Narelle Smart is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away , played by Amanda Newman-Phillips. Narelle debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 25 March 1988, but left the show just over six months later.
Newman-Phillips, who was professionally trained at Ensemble Theatre Studios in Sydney, went onto have two other soap roles before joining the cast of Home and Away. [1] [2] In 1989, Newman-Phillips was chosen as one of four cast members who toured and promoted the show in United Kingdom, following its debut there. The actors also helped launch the show's official UK fan club. [1]
Narelle is described as the "Home and Away dreamer, a dizzy 20-year-old blonde who plotted on leaving her home town of Yabbie Creek, to become a rich and famous popstar". [3]
Narelle's first on-screen kiss is with fellow character Steven Matheson (Adam Willits), at the age of seventeen, Steven is three years younger than Narelle. As the age difference was reflected off-screen too, it made everyone involved in the scenes nervous. Willits said, "I'd go for an older woman, if Steven can, I certainly can." [4] While discussing the scenes he added "In the script, he had this plan to get Narelle to kiss me, because he has done a survey and he's a pretty hot kisser. It wasn't as though they were in love though." [5] In an interview with Murray Clifford from Evening Times , Newman-Phillips described the filming the story, revealing "Narelle seduces Steven and when it came to the kissing scene we were both very nervous. It was the first for both of us and we just couldn't get the scene right, so we did some extra rehearsing. The kiss only lasted a minute, but in the end, it took us a couple of hours to get it perfect for the cameras." [6] Whilst interviewed by TV Week , Willits stated: "When you consider rehearsals and retakes, we kissed a hell of a lot. It was great. She gave me all the pointers". [7] While Newman-Phillips said, "Adam's a sweetie after all the fuss had died down it was great fun." [8] Willits later revealed that Steven and Narelle's kiss was "his greatest moment" in the show. [9]
Newman-Phillips was contracted as a guest cast member. Of her Narelle's exit from the series, the actress told a reporter from TV Life that "Narelle left in search of a guy. It was left open-ended. Now I think they want me back so I could be returning to the show around March." She added that it would have been great to reprise her role, something which has never happened. [10] In December 1989, Mike Brenard from The People reported that Newman-Phillips had been involved in a contractual pay dispute with producers. Newman-Phillips refused to comment on the issue but her mother, Heather claimed poor treatment of her daughter that played into her departure. She added that Newman-Phillips received "low wages" for her role and was never compensated for the show's success in the UK. [11]
Narelle arrives at the Summer Bay House asking to audition for Frank Morgan's (Alex Papps) band. Narelle is the cousin of Lance Smart (Peter Vroom) and Bobby Simpson (Nicolle Dickson) helps her to get ready and she starts her audition by dancing around Frank's living room and singing for him. Bobby thinks Narelle is better suited to stripping so Frank told her that she could not join the band, but should pursue a career in dancing. Narelle tells Bobby that she should dress more feminine in order to impress Frank, who Narelle thinks is attractive.
Narelle attends the school dance and asks Bobby if she has made her move on Frank. Martin Dibble (Craig Thomson) and Lance convince Narelle to sneak into the local hospital to find out what had happened to Frank and Roo Stewart (Justine Clarke), after they break up. She later visits Frank with the proposal that he moves in with her. Frank is tired of life at the caravan park and takes her up on the offer, moving into the flat above the general store. This annoys Celia Stewart (Fiona Spence) who does not approve of Narelle's short skirts. Alf Stewart (Ray Meagher) employs Narelle at the general store which annoys Celia even more. Celia begins to order Narelle around at work and treats her badly. After helping Steven out with his science project on kissing, she falls for him and they begin dating, much to the town's shock as there is a four-year age gap. However, this is cut short when Narelle falls for his uncle, Philip (John Morris) and kisses him. In order to save Steven's reputation out of fear he may be bullied for being dumped, Philip and Narelle concoct a story in which Steven dumps Narelle. Celia threatens to evict Narelle from the flat but after she supports her in time of family drama, she relents. The next target of Narelle's affections is Gary Samuels (Darius Perkins) but she changes her mind when Carly Morris (Sharyn Hodgson) accuses Gary of raping her. Narelle then decides to leave Summer Bay in order to find herself a man. She later settles in Queensland and Bobby visits her for several weeks.
The role of Narelle made Newman-Phillips one of the most famous soap stars in the United Kingdom and was tipped to replace Kylie Minogue (Neighbours) as the "number one". [12] Sue Corbett from Sunday Life reported that Newman-Phillips and Benson were "expected to attract the same cult following as their screen rivals Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan." [13] Writers from Edinburgh Evening News and Daily Mirror branded the character a "dizzy blonde". [14] [15] Another Daily Mirror reporter called her "sex-pot Narelle" and Mike Brenard from The People branded her role in the soap as the "sexbomb Narelle". [16] [11] Journalist Murray Clifford wrote that Narelle is a "gorgeous blond" in articles published in both South Wales Echo and Evening Times. [2] [6]
Lance Smart is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Peter Vroom. Vroom appeared from the pilot episode as one of the serial's original characters. Lance is characterised a "slow witted" larrikin and those around him see him as a "joke". Lance forms an on-screen partnership with Martin Dibble and their characters were subsequently used as the serial's comedy characters. Both Vroom and Thomson said that their characters did not provide a realistic representation of young people as the production team often censored their dialogue. Lance also has an over-protective mother Colleen Smart with whom he had to contend with. His main romantic relationship is with Marilyn Chambers and the pair became engaged. Their romance was short-lived as Lance decided against marrying her. Lance and Martin were named as the "thickest characters ever to grace soapland" in the Daily Record.
Ruth "Roo" Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Justine Clarke from 1988 to 1989. The character made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 January 1988. Clarke quit the role in 1989 and the character was written out. In August 2010, it was announced that Roo would return to Home and Away with Georgie Parker in the role. The character returned on 29 October 2010.
Steven Matheson is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Adam Willits. Steven was created by Alan Bateman as one of the serial's original characters and he first appeared in the pilot episode. Willits received the role after being one of over three hundred actors to audition for the roles of the serial's foster children. He was a regular cast member from 1988 to 1991 and again between 1995 and 1996. He has continued to make guest appearances in from 1997 until 2008.
Carly Lucini is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by actress Sharyn Hodgson. She was one of the soap's original female protagonists, appearing as one of the Fletchers' foster children in the pilot episode on 17 January 1988. The soap's primary focus was placed upon the Fletchers and their gang of foster children, moving as outsiders to a caravan park in the seaside town of Summer Bay. Carly remained in the serial as a regular character until 1991, covering issues such as rape, alcoholism and child abuse, as well as a problematic marriage to soldier Ben Lucini, played by actor Julian McMahon. Hodgson has made numerous guest appearances since her exit.
Rebecca Nash is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away. The character was played by actress Jane Hall in 1989, Danielle Carter in 1994, and Belinda Emmett from 1996 to 1999. Megan Connolly temporarily played the character in 1998, while Belinda Emmett received treatment for cancer.
Floss McPhee is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away, played by Sheila Kennelly. The character made her first screen appearance on 17 January 1988, which was the show's pilot episode. She departed in 1989, when she was written out of the series along with Frank Lloyd who played her on-screen husband Neville McPhee. However she has made sporadic returns first in 2000, for Sally Fletcher's wedding storyline and again in 2002, 2004 and 2008, for various story arcs.
Thomas Edward Fletcher is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by actor Roger Oakley. He made his first screen appearance in the pilot episode broadcast on 17 January 1988. The character departed on 30 April 1990, but reappeared briefly in 2008 as a ghost in Sally Fletcher's near-death experience following her second stabbing.
Bobby Marshall is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Nicolle Dickson. She was introduced in the pilot episode by executive producer Alan Bateman. Nearly four hundred actresses auditioned to play Bobby, with Dickson taking the role. Bobby is described as a trouble-making teen who is rebellious and a loner. Bobby became a popular character because of her confronting attitude. Bobby's story lines have focused on finding her biological parents, her feud with Roo Stewart, adoption and her marriage to foster brother Frank Morgan. Bobby's marriage to Frank was only implemented when script writers were sure viewers approved of it. At certain points in Bobby's duration, Dickson disapproved of her actions, for instance she became frustrated with her because she decided to find her biological parents without thinking about her foster parents' feelings. Dickson decided to leave the serial in 1993, and the character was killed off in a boat accident. In 1995 Dickson made a cameo appearance when Ailsa Stewart has hallucinations of Bobby in her fridge door. Dickson has received a Logie Award for her portrayal of Bobby and she has been referred to as a "Summer Bay icon".
Celia Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away played by Fiona Spence. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 26 January 1988. The character is portrayed as a gossiping busybody and spinster who occupies her time with the Presbyterian church. In her early appearances, she formed an alliance with Donald Fisher and, though she has conservative views, she is not malicious. After one year as Celia, Spence hoped that she would find romance and change her attire. Producers decided to implement change and added smart outfits to the character's wardrobe. Spence decided to leave the series in 1990 and Celia departed the same year. She has since reprised the role on four occasions. After carrying out missionary work in Africa she returned to Summer Bay in 2000, 2002 and 2005. In 2012, it was announced that Spence had agreed to return once again. Originally heralded as the chance for Celia to reconnect with her on-screen brother, Alf Stewart, it was later revealed that she was hiding a shameful secret.
Emma Jackson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Dannii Minogue. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 22 September 1989. She departed on 22 August 1990. Emma was described as a teen punk and a tomboy.
Aviva "Viv" Newton is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away, played by Mouche Phillips. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 5 July 1989. Phillips audition for the role and informed her she had been successful via an answering machine message. She began filming the same week but Phillips was immediately unhappy with her experience. Viv was written out of the series the following year and she made her final appearance during the episode broadcast on 25 May 1990. Phillips later revealed that she found the role to be unchallenging and the show's writing repetitive. Phillips reprised the role in 1991, for the UK theatre tour of Home and Away: The Musical.
Grant Mitchell is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Craig McLachlan. Grant debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 9 February 1990. McLachlan had previously appeared on rival soap opera Neighbours playing Henry Ramsay. When his contract was due to be renewed, the Seven Network offered him a more flexible contract to appear in Home and Away, which McLachlan signed. Grant arrives in Summer Bay as a new teacher starting work at the local school. Grant is described as a likeable teacher with a good rapport with his pupils. His unorthodox teaching methods land him with the nickname "Cool Mitch".
Matthew "Matt" Wilson is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Home and Away, portrayed by Greg Benson. He debuted on-screen during the pilot episode airing on 17 January 1988. He was introduced as a recurring character and was later promoted to a series regular. He left the series in 1991 and returned for a guest appearance in 2002.
Martin Dibble is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away, played by Craig Thomson. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 January 1988, during the show's pilot episode. Martin is characterised as an idle and concoctor of schemes that are always unsuccessful. Thomson has described him numerous times as a "yobbo" or a "yob". Writers often used Martin for comic relief in between the show's more serious stories. They also created an on-screen partnership between him and Lance Smart. Together they were the show's "larrikins" with over-the-top personalities.
Frank Jonathan Morgan is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Alex Papps. Frank debuted on-screen in the serial's pilot episode and was the first character to appear. Frank is one of the five foster children of Pippa and Tom Fletcher who move to Summer Bay to begin a new life. The serial's creator Alan Bateman thought of the idea while observing the locals of a rural town in New South Wales opposing the idea of foster children living in the area. Papps was cast into the role and immediately began receiving fan mail. Frank has been played by actors Bradley Pilato and Michael Scilusa during flashback sequences.
Episode 2351 of the Australian television soap opera Home and Away was broadcast on the Seven Network on 30 March 1998. It was written by Ray Harding and directed by series producer Russell Webb. The plot sees Irene Roberts and Marilyn Chambers visiting Selina Roberts in England, where she is recuperating from malaria, which she caught while travelling. Irene realises that something else is amiss with Selina and arranges a reunion between her and her former fiancé Steven Matheson. The episode was filmed on-location in Ironbridge, Shropshire and marks the first time Home and Away was filmed overseas.
Home and Away: The Musical is a 1991 stage musical with music and lyrics by Chris Summerfield, and a book by various writers. It is based on the Australian soap opera Home and Away. The show was created and directed by Paul Hammond and developed by the British Albermarle Montrose company. The musical features thirteen scenes divided between two acts, with fourteen musical numbers. Hammond developed the idea after realising Home and Away potential to become a successful musical that would be an ideal fit in the 1990s lifestyle. Hammond envisioned the musical that would replicate the success and legacy of Grease. Hammond travelled to Australia to secure the rights for the show. He met with potential cast members and hired the original cast members Justine Clarke, Mouche Phillips, Adam Willits, Sharyn Hodgson, Julian McMahon and Craig Thomson. British actors Matthew Cammelle, Andrew Lawden, Karen Heyworth and Paul Murphy assumed the remaining roles. Home and Away's executive producer Des Monaghan and staff from the Seven Network in Australia offered support during the show's development.
