| Ryan McLachlan | |||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Richard Norton | ||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1990–1991 | ||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 15 February 1990 | ||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 21 March 1991 | ||||||||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Don Battye | ||||||||||||||||
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Ryan McLachlan is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours , played by Richard Norton. He made his first appearance on 15 February 1990 and remained on the show until 21 March 1991.
Following the departure of Craig McLachlan, who played Henry Ramsay, producers began a search for possible "heart-throbs" to replace him. They cast Adelaide actors Richard Norton and Jeremy Angerson as Ryan and Josh Anderson respectively. Their casting was publicised in the 6 January 1990 issue of TV Week . [1] On comparisons to McLachlan, Norton described Ryan as "a natural, athletic type like Craig" and thought those traits were what the producers were looking for. [1] He joked "Having the name McLachlan did worry me a bit... but I'm Richard Norton, that's who I am." [1] Norton was not concerned about the pressure of stepping into McLachlan's shoes, noting that the show had lost some actors and needed new characters. [1]
Neighbours marked Norton's first "proper" acting job. He had previously done some radio voice-overs and acted in school productions, but he was starting a traineeship in hotel work when he auditioned for the serial. [1] Norton later told another reporter from TV Week that he had grown in confidence after numerous auditions and when the opportunity to play Ryan arose "everything just happened at once." [2] He also said that he "couldn't believe his luck" when he received the role of Ryan. [3] Norton thought that he might have been chosen because he had "a look", saying "That's it in this industry. They do go for the looks. There's got to be some talent there, too, but I think you've just got to be natural." [1] Norton was nineteen when he began filming and he relocated to Melbourne for the part. [3] He admitted to being scared on his first day, so he was relieved to see Angerson, whom he had met at the auditions in Adelaide. [1] As well as being cast at the same time, Norton and Angerson lived together in a flat share. [4]
Ryan is the older brother of Tiffany McLachlan (Amber Kilpatrick) and he is very protective towards his younger sister. [5] Anthony Hayward, author of The Who's Who of Soap Operas, described Ryan as "intelligent and excellent in sports such as athletics, surfing and basketball". [5] Ryan also enjoyed singing, girls and looking for something new and exciting. He was popular and proved to be a loyal friend. [5] Hayward went on to say that while Ryan had a mischievous sense of humour, he often became annoyed when he was the victim of his sister's practical jokes. [5] Ryan moved to Erinsborough, after being expelled from his private school. [5] When he started at the local high school, Ryan told the other pupils that he had been expelled for locking a teacher in a cupboard. [5]
Ryan and Tiffany come to Ramsay Street to stay with their aunt, Dorothy Burke (Maggie Dence). The storyline highlighted how Dorothy was ill-equipped to look after children and helped learn more about the character's background. [6] After he finishes school, Ryan secures a job as a postman and later meets an older woman, Virginia Wenham (Kristie Grant). She tries to seduce Ryan and Norton described his character as "awkward in this situation". [2] He explained that was a coming-of-age storyline for Ryan, adding "he's a healthy young teenager and he thinks 'Wow! an older woman.'" [2]
Norton stayed with Neighbours for one year until he left to join the cast of rival soap opera Home and Away . [7] Norton did not believe that he made the role a success. He told Mark Barden from the Reading Post that "I learned a lot working on Neighbours but it took longer to fit in with the established stars. I played a pretty subdued character in Neighbours, I suppose I was a bit scared because everything was new so I did hold back quite a bit with Ryan." [8] Ryan's departure storyline saw him leave Ramsay Street to join the army. His final episode, which was broadcast on 21 March 1991, featured Dorothy trying to talk him out of joining. [9] [10]
Ryan arrives in Erinsborough after being expelled from private school. After an initially frosty start, he soon makes friends with Nick Page (Mark Stevens), Sharon Davies (Jessica Muschamp), Matt Robinson (Ashley Paske) and Lee Maloney (Maree Ackehurst). Sharon takes a shine to Ryan but he is oblivious to this, instead asking her if a friend of hers is interested in him.
When Dorothy becomes principal of Erinsborough High, he finds it hard to swallow and receives some teasing about it. Gemma Ramsay (Beth Buchanan) moves with her aunt Madge (Anne Charleston) and uncle Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) and both Matt and Ryan are taken with her. Ryan is disappointed when Gemma chooses Matt. Ryan's parents, Russell and Petra (Bernadette Wheatley), go overseas and he moves in with Dorothy. After doing a little digging, Ryan uncovers the truth about his uncle Colin (Robert Alexander) being in prison, rather than being dead as Dorothy had led him to believe. After Colin is paroled, he and Dorothy give their marriage another chance, but it falls apart when Colin is discovered having an affair with Rosemary Daniels (Joy Chambers). Ryan then stands by Dorothy during the fallout.
Ryan later passes his HSC and decides to become a postman. During one of his rounds he is seduced by married woman Virginia Wenham but before anything can happen, Ryan flees when her husband, Bernie (Robert Morgan) almost catches them one day. Bernie recognizes Ryan and after selling him Encyclopedias against his will, he threatens him to stay away from Virginia. After listening to Jim Robinson's (Alan Dale) Vietnam War stories, Ryan decides to enlist in the army. This decision shocks Ryan's friends and Dorothy but they agree to support him all the way and Ryan leaves Erinsborough.
A writer for the BBC's Neighbours website said Ryan's most notable moment was "telling his rich girlfriend to hit the road". [11]
The Robinson family are a fictional family from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours. The family were created by Reg Watson and introduced in the first episode of the serial, broadcast on 18 March 1985. The family initially consisted of Jim Robinson, his mother-in-law Helen Daniels, and his four children Paul Robinson, Julie Martin, Scott Robinson, and Lucy Robinson. The Robinsons have one of the largest and most complex family trees in the show's history.
Helen Daniels is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by Anne Haddy. Following the death of Jim Robinson in 1993, she remained the only original character played continuously by the same actor until her own death in 1997, making her the second longest-serving original character after her grandson Paul Robinson.
Henry Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Craig McLachlan. He made his first screen appearance on 19 February 1987. Henry is the only son of Fred and Madge Mitchell and brother to Charlene and Sam Cole. Henry was known as a joker and was always coming up with schemes to make money. Henry dated Sue Parker and Melanie Pearson before beginning a relationship with Bronwyn Davies. He later moved to New Zealand to be a Disc jockey and married Bronwyn. He departed on 23 November 1989. McLachlan won three Logie Awards for his role as Henry during his time with Neighbours.
Jamie Clarke is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours. The character was originally played by S.J. Dey from the character's birth and introduction on 30 July 1987. Ryder Susman briefly took over the role in 1989, as it was becoming more obvious that Dey was a girl. Dey returned to the role, but later in 1989, brothers Nicholas and James Mason took over the role of Jamie until the character departed in 1990. In 2003, the character returned, this time played by Angus McLaren.
Melanie Pearson is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Lucinda Cowden. She made her first appearance as Melanie during the episode broadcast on 30 July 1987. Cowden originally appeared in a guest role, with Melanie being introduced as a love interest of Henry Ramsay. Cowden returned as a regular cast member and the character was made a secretary working for Paul Robinson. Melanie is characterised as having a zany personality and wears wacky outfits. She also has a unique sounding laugh, which Cowden likened to sounds made by a seal or a donkey. Melanie's laugh became one of her defining features and television critics have discussed it in reviews.
Marco Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Felice Arena. He made his first screen appearance as Marco during the episode broadcast on 5 May 1992. Marco was the first character introduced from the show's new Alessi family. He joined cousins and established characters Caroline Alessi and Christina Robinson in Ramsay Street. His parents Benito and Cathy Alessi with sibling Rick Alessi soon followed. Arena was happy to portray an Italian character because it resembled himself - noting that characters of a different ethnicity were rare on the show.
Gaby Willis is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Rachel Blakely. The show's casting director spotted Blakely on the cover of a magazine and asked her to audition for the role of Gaby. Blakely received the part and she was introduced to the show during a period of roller-coaster ratings. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 12 August 1991. Gaby was introduced as the eldest daughter of Doug and Pam Willis. She comes to Erinsborough after taking a business course in Japan. Gaby is characterised as beautiful, intelligent and the apple of her father's eye. She also has a temper, leading Blakely to call her fiery.
Dorothy Burke is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Maggie Dence. The actress accepted the role after being approached by a representative from the show's production company. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 March 1990. Dorothy is portrayed as an eccentric. She is well travelled and speaks several languages. She often wears black clothing, which a writer for the official show website said gives her "a witch-like appearance." During her time in the show, Dorothy was the principal of Erinsborough High School. Dence did not have much in common with Dorothy, and a reporter noted that she was barely recognisable out of character, especially without her iconic hairstyle. Dence filmed her final scenes for Neighbours in November 1992. She confirmed that Dorothy would not be killed-off. Her final scenes aired on 3 February 1993, as Dorothy leaves Erinsborough with her love interest Tom Merrick.
Shane Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Peter O'Brien. He made his first appearance during the show's first episode, broadcast on 18 March 1985. Shane is the son of Max Ramsay and Maria Ramsay. His storylines included training to be an Olympic swimmer and being involved in two car crashes, with the second killing Jean Richards, leaving Shane facing manslaughter charges. Writers also created a relationship story with Daphne Lawrence. O'Brien decided to leave Neighbours in 1986 and Shane departed during the episode broadcast on 3 March 1987. O'Brien reprised the role in July 2022 for what was then thought to be the show's final episodes.
Gemma Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Beth Buchanan. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 June 1990. The actress was not sure about a long-term commitment to the serial and initially signed a six-month contract. Buchanan was one of the casting directors top choices to join Neighbours during a cast revamp and efforts to rejuvenate the show during the early 1990s. Gemma was introduced as Madge Bishop's niece. She moves to Erinsborough to live with her aunt, following her mother's death. She is portrayed as intelligent, care free, independent, and someone who will stand up for her friends.
Nick Page is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Mark Stevens. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 22 July 1988. Stevens auditioned for the role alongside forty one other actors and successfully made it through screen-tests. Nick is characterised as a tough orphan who is made homeless following the death of his grandmother. Nick is also portrayed as problematic and wayward, causing trouble for other characters in the show. Stevens has stated in different interviews that he self-identifies with Nick's tough persona. Writers created stories for Nick which eventually lead to him becoming a "nicer" character.
Melissa Jarrett is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Jade Amenta. She made her first appearance on 8 August 1989. Melissa departed on 9 April 1991. Amenta reprised her role in a guest appearance which was broadcast on 4 December 2023.
Wayne Duncan is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Jonathon Sammy-Lee. He made his first screen appearance as Wayne during the episode broadcast on 4 February 1993. Wayne becomes a chemistry teacher at Erinsborough High with an unorthodox approach. He is arrogant, intelligent and articulate – all traits that make him confident in arguments. A country man and strong believer in violence when protecting property – Wayne's attitude and gun possession polarized the way other characters viewed him. He has a destructive romance with Gaby Willis. The pair enjoy sparring throughout their relationship but eventually realise they need to separate.
Josh Anderson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Jeremy Angerson. He first appeared on-screen in the episode airing on 5 February 1990. He arrives in Erinsborough following his father's relocation to the area. Producers hired Angerson because they were increasing the size of the male cast. Josh is characterised as academically bright and good at chemistry. Angerson has described Josh as "naïve and a bit unpredictable" and "honest". During his tenure Josh helped to form the show's group of teenage characters consisting of himself, Todd Landers, Melissa Jarrett and Cody Willis. Other stories included a relationship with Phoebe Bright, the issue of temporary blindness and Josh becoming a stripper. The latter storyline challenged Angerson who felt nervous portraying a stripper. He later described filming Josh's stripping scenes as "pretty horrendous" and an "horrific experience".
The Ramsay family is a fictional family from the Australian soap opera Neighbours. The family were one of three central families created by Reg Watson and introduced in the first episode of Neighbours in March 1985. Watson wanted the Ramsays to be humorous and rougher than the Robinson family. Ramsay Street, a cul-de-sac which is the central setting of the series, is named after the family. In 2001, the last Ramsay, Madge, departed the series. Eight years later, a new generation of the Ramsay family was introduced.
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".
Adam Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ian Williams. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 9 August 1990. Williams was cast in the role in early 1990, but did not start filming until June because he had work commitments to another television project. News outlets claimed producers cast Williams to replace former fan-favourite cast members, a claim the actor found insulting.
Simon Fitzgerald is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away, played by Richard Norton. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 25 September 1991. Norton was cast in the show after appearing in fellow soap opera Neighbours just a few months prior. Simon is characterised as a "joker" who enjoys playing pranks on his friends. Simon was introduced alongside his criminal father Bill Fitzgerald, who soon abandoned him. Writers paired Simon with Sophie Simpson for his first relationship story, although she is pregnant with another man's child. Producers decided to write Norton out of the show after one year, which shocked Norton. This led him to accuse the show's production of promoting other cast members better in storylines. Simon departed during the episode broadcast on 24 July 1992.
