List of Home and Away characters introduced in 1990
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. The 3rd season of Home and Away began airing from 8 January 1990. The following is a list of characters that first appeared in 1990, by order of first appearance. They were all introduced by the show's executive producer Des Monaghan. In January, Rebekah Elmaloglou began appearing as [|Sophie Simpson]. The following month Craig McLachlan and Julian McMahon took on the respective roles of school teacher [|Grant Mitchell] and soldier Ben Lucini. March saw the introduction of Jaiman Paget Bayly as recurring character [|Murray "Mullet" Jensen]. Beach House landlord Ernie Jacobs made his debut in April, along with [|Bridget Jackson] played by Paula Duncan. Craig Black began his second role in the serial as student [|Paul Jensen] in May. Josephine Mitchell joined the cast as policewoman [|Jane Holland]. Les Hill and Belinda Jarrett joined the show in July as siblings [|Blake] and Karen Dean. Kate Raison arrived in September playing the role of Jennifer Atkinson, a love interest for Steven Matheson. October saw the arrival of divorcé [|Michael Ross], played by Dennis Coard. The following week, he was joined by his teenage son [|Haydn Ross], played by Andrew Hill. In November, Rachael Beck joined the cast as Grant's sister [|Kim Mitchell].
Sophie Simpson
Sophie Simpson, played by Rebekah Elmaloglou, debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 23 January 1990 and appeared until 1993. Elmaloglou once took a break from filming due to exhaustion, and quit the serial to pursue other projects as her work load took a negative impact on her health. Elmaloglou made subsequent guest appearances as Sophie in 2002, 2003 and 2005.Grant Mitchell
Grant Mitchell, played by Craig McLachlan, debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 9 February 1990. McLachlan departed the series that year, though filmed additional appearances which were not aired until the following year. Grant last appeared on 20 September 1991. McLachlan described Grant as being "pretty trendy for a teacher". Grant is "loved" by students because he chooses to rebel against the establishment. However, Grant loves teaching and his pupils. For his portrayal of Grant, MacLachan won the "Most Popular Actor" award at the 1991 Logie Awards.Ben Lucini
Benito "Ben" Lucini, played by Julian McMahon, debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 27 February 1990 and remained until 1 May 1991. McMahon had to audition four times, before the producers agreed that he was right for the role of Ben. Ben was described as being "relaxed" and "easy-going" for a twenty-one-year-old male. Ben is an Italian character and comes from a large family. Ben used to have a liking for partying and booze, but as he grew older he matured and changed his outlook in life. Ben is a soldier, he soon falls in love with the town and established character Carly Morris and leaves the army. Hodgson described Ben as having "traditional values" and "stability". Carly admires these traits and feels ready to settle down with him. Ben and Carly marry and Hodgson predicted that their marriage would be successful because they "really do want what is best for each other". McMahon quit Home and Away the same year that his character arrived. Peter Holmes of The Sydney Morning Herald was critical of McMahon's acting in the role, calling him "wooden" and saying he did "a splendid impression of a Thunderbird".[|Mullet]
Murray "Mullet" Jensen, played by Jaiman Paget Bayly, first appeared on 26 March 1990 and departed on 18 July 1990. In their book Home and Away Annual, Kesta Desmond and David Nicholls describe Mullet as an "energetic and boisterous eleven-year-old". He is an "average country kid" with an "adventurous and cheeky" side to his persona. His real name is Murray, but due to his extreme liking for fishing, he adopts the nickname "Mullet". Mullet is also an outsider and "contents himself" with life's simple pleasures. He is the type of child that is easily entertained, more so with a fishing rod. Mullet's family live below the poverty line. His mother, Lorraine Jensen, has been unable to provide Mullet and his older brother, Paul Jensen, with the luxuries other children get. Mullet does not have pocket money, so he decides to sell his fish to Ailsa Stewart.Mullet takes a liking to classmate Sally Fletcher. Sally is annoyed with his constant following of her and avoids him at every opportunity. Eventually, Sally relents and they become friends. Mullet brings home a crab to the Fletcher family and they serve it up for dinner, not knowing that the crab is in fact, Alf Stewart's pet crab "Claws". Alf is upset but Mullet offers to help him fish as way of an apology. When Sally asks about Mullet's home, he becomes evasive and refuses to let her see his house as his family does not have much money. Mullet goes as far to invent an excuse that his mother, Lorraine has been hospitalised after burning herself while cooking. Sally soon discovers the truth and tells him it does not matter and invites him to be a guest at Carly Morris and Ben Lucini's wedding, which he accepts. When Mullet takes Tammy Newton fishing, Sally becomes jealous. After Tammy leaves, Mullet and Sally audition for the Surf Club's talent night performing "There's a Hole in My Bucket" and on opening night they make several mistakes in the act, which raises a laugh from the audience who assume it is scripted but Sally does not see the funny side. Later in the evening, Mullet assists Adam Cameron in a magic trick where he creates the illusion of sawing his assistant Marilyn Chambers in half. The trick is ruined when Mullet, posing as Marilyn's feet, gets out of the box. After Marilyn gives Mullet and Sally dancing lessons and Mullet decides he wants to be a pop star and changes his image which does little to impress Sally and reverts to his old look. Mullet attends the wedding and dances with Sally at the reception. After this, Mullet is not seen again but he is mentioned by Steven Matheson a decade later when he teases Sally about past romances in the aftermath of her failed wedding to Kieran Fletcher.
Ernie Jacobs
Ernie Jacobs, played by David Weatherley, debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 16 April 1990 and last appeared on 9 January 1991.Ernie rents the beach house out to Matt Wilson, Adam Cameron and Marilyn Chambers. The three decide to set Ernie up. Marilyn invites Ernie around for a date and attempts to seduce him. Matt and Adam wait outside with a camera, when Ernie kisses Marilyn, Adam takes a photograph. Matt notices that the picture has not developed correctly, but Adam enters the house and presents Ernie with the picture. After he and Matt burn the kitchen linoleum while making some toffee, Adam replaces it with turf that is infested with fleas, which then begin to populate the house. Ernie arrives at the house to confront Adam, but he detonates a flea bomb. Ernie throws the bomb out of the window, causing it to smash. He then threatens to evict his three tenants. Ernie runs for councillor and is happy when Alf Stewart is forced to drop his campaign when he is charged with driving over the alcohol limit. Bobby Simpson decides to run in direct competition to stop Ernie getting into power. Marilyn later finds an incriminating letter and she and Bobby blackmail Ernie. Ernie later sells the house to Marilyn.
Bridget Jackson
Bridget Jackson, played by Paula Duncan, made her first appearance on 20 April 1990. Duncan had a five-week contract, but producers were keen for her to sign on with the serial permanently. However, Duncan had received a number of other job offers at the same time. She told Glen Williams of TV Week: "Suddenly everybody wants me. It's a big decision for me whether or not to continue. I've got so many other things happening – not only as an actress, but also as a producer." Duncan was also reluctant to be parted from her husband John Orcsik, who was appearing in a play in Melbourne, and their children. Bridget is Emma Jackson's mother. Duncan called her character "absolutely dreadful", describing her as "raw and uneducated, she talks really rough, and she is like nothing I've ever played." Despite not being a nice character, Duncan enjoyed played Bridget, adding that she is "an absolute monster." Duncan also enjoyed working with Minogue, saying they got off to a good start and became really close.After Bridget's daughter Emma attacks her stepfather in self-defence, she comes to stay with her aunt Ailsa Stewart, who was unaware Bridget had a child. Bridget and Ailsa are estranged because Ailsa killed their abusive father. Bridget later follows her daughter to Summer Bay and tells Ailsa's husband Alf Stewart that she wants to take her back home. Ailsa refuses to let her sister take Emma, as she had only just settled into the Bay. It becomes clear that the sisters do not like each other and Ailsa later tells Bridget that Emma's stepfather abused her. She is not convinced when Bridget tells her she has separated from Barry. Bridget tries to talk with Emma, but she refuses to listen, until Bridget corners her on the beach and reveals that she asked Barry to leave after he confessed to abusing Emma. Ailsa and Bridget constantly clash and Emma becomes caught in the middle, until Bridget wins her over by buying her a new dress and taking her on a night out. She persuades Emma to come home and live with her again, but a few weeks later Emma returns and tells Alf that Bridget has not changed and has taken Barry back.
Paul Jensen
Paul Jensen, played by Craig Black, debuted on-screen during the episode 8 May 1990. Black previously played the role of [|Travis] in one episode. Paul is seventeen years old when he first arrives in Summer Bay. He is the son of Michael and Lorraine Jensen and the older brother of Mullet. Paul is described as a "warm and articulated young man, slightly above average in academic ability." Paul is good friends with Steven Matheson. Paul's father, Michael is a failed country and western musician. His failures caused the breakdown of his marriage with Lorraine. Paul is "blessed with a great musical talent far more than his father ever possessed". Lorraine becomes adamant that Paul will not pursue a career in music; despite his "obvious talent". Lorraine banned all musical instruments from being used in their home. Paul's talent is totally "self-taught" and by giving up his lunch breaks, he secretly practised on the school and surf club pianos. Paul's teacher Grant Mitchell recognises his talent. Grant defies Lorraine's wishes and stages a talent show to showcase Paul's musical skills.Grant finds Paul playing the piano in secret on his lunch break. Grant tells Paul that he is talented and told him to apply for a music scholarship in order to afford his own instrument. Paul refuses the offer and takes a job at Alf Stewart's shop instead and buys a second hand one. Lorraine becomes annoyed with Paul for running up her electricity bills. Grant helps Paul train, but Lorraine finds out and tells him that he is wasting his life attempting to pursue a music career. Paul tells Grant to leave him alone, so Grant organises a school concert with the aim of showing everyone Paul's talent, but he refuses to take part. Paul makes friends with Emma Jackson and develops an attraction to her. Emma starts to feel the same, despite already dating Adam Cameron. Emma listens to Paul playing the piano and compliments him. Paul cannot handle the praise and Emma realises that he wrote the piece for her. Emma asks him to play the song for her again and then kisses him. Emma tells Paul that she is still with Adam.
Lorraine later decides to support Paul's musical ambitions and he takes part in the concert. When Adam finds out about Paul and Emma, he challenges Paul to a fight. The pair start brawling after Adam insults his father, Michael. Alf decides to set up a fair boxing match between the pair. Alf and Steven help Paul train. Emma tries to stop the fight but it goes ahead and soon gets out of hand. Emma is annoyed that two men are fighting over her, so Marilyn Chambers, Sophie Simpson and Carly Morris help Emma sabotage the fight by throwing buckets of water over them. Paul is angry with Emma for embarrassing him and tries to end their relationship, but Emma talks him around. Vicki Baxter plants exam papers in Emma's locker, causing her to be expelled from school. Paul is unsure of whether to believe that Emma is innocent, so she dumps him. Paul and Steven hatch a plan to prove that Vicki was behind the plot, by pretending to date her. Vicki confesses to planting them and Paul clears Emma's name. Ailsa Stewart and Bobby Simpson convince Emma that Paul is a good person and she forgives him. Emma secures a job on the Gold Coast and has to move away. She tells him that her feelings have changed, but still wants to remain friends and leaves him behind.