Ohen the dust settles and we look back on Neighbours, how will we see its legacy? Will we consider it part and parcel of the monoculture of terrestrial television? Are we going to scratch our heads and wonder why we’ve spent so long in the grip of a show in which very little happened? Are we just going to remember Bouncer’s dream and let go of the rest?
I suspect we’ll see Neighbors as a supreme star-maker. The series has probably produced more megastars than all the other soap operas combined. You’ve already heard a lot about Margot Robbie, Liam Hemsworth, Russell Crowe and all the other Neighbors actors who rose to international stardom after appearing on the show. Here are a few actors who had more interesting post-Neighbors experiences, though.
Shane Connor (Joe Scully, 1999-2004)
Although Connor has continued to work steadily since leaving Neighbors – appearing in Australian TV drama City Homicide and horror film Wolf Creek 2 – the most interesting part of his career has been his departure from Ramsay Street. Connor was fired for “negligence and misconduct” after overcoming an amphetamine problem. He took the show to court. The judge ruled he was wrongfully dismissed and awarded him the equivalent of £130,000 in damages.
Dan Falzon (Rick Alessi, 1992-1995)
The floppy-haired heartthrob Falzon has seen his career zigzag all over the place since leaving Neighbors in the mid-1990s, continuing to play while forming a band with his brother. Until recently employed as a paramedic in Alice Springs, Falzon is also the managing director of Earth Sanctuary, an ecotourism and astronomy business. Ten years ago, he was also a YouTuber; he uploaded a video where an alien welcomes you to the Galactic Federation of Light.
Elaine Smith (Daphne Clarke, 1985-1988)
One of the original stars of Neighbors, Smith’s character was killed in a car crash at the height of his popularity. She had a successful acting career after Neighbours, playing roles in the TV series The Flying Doctors and State Coroner, but said she struggled with the pressures of fame. In 2017, she was photographed outside a school in Sydney, after training as a teacher.
Alan Dale (Jim Robinson, 1985-1993)
I’ve tried not to include many personalities who continued to perform after Neighbours, but Alan Dale deserves special consideration. Prolific beyond words, there was a time when Dale appeared on TV whenever high-profile drama needed a mildly menacing authority figure. He was Charles Widmore in Lost. He was the vice president of 24. He was in The West Wing, and Ugly Betty, and NCIS, and CSI, and JAG. He was even in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Dale has perhaps the best-traveled domain of any Neighbors actor.
Craig McLachlan (Henry Ramsay, 1987-1989)
After leaving Neighbours, McLachlan instantly had a UK No. 2 hit with his song Mona, although unlike some of his co-stars he turned out to be a one-hit wonder. Nonetheless, he continued to perform regularly on television and on stage, being nominated for a Logie Award as recently as 2016. However, in 2018 an investigation revealed he had been the subject of complaints from co- female stars. Victoria Police charged him with one count of common assault, eight counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted indecent assault, although he was acquitted of all charges. the accusations in 2020. He has not acted since the allegations were made and has not updated his social media since May.
Rebecca Ritters (Hannah Martin, 1992-1999)
Finally, my favorite post-Neighbors story. Ritters joined the show when she was eight years old and left when she was 15. She spent her later years, like most teenagers, trying to find her place in the world. She toured with the British Shakespeare Company. She briefly appeared on Coronation Street. She took a job as a receptionist at Warner Brothers Records. And then, after all that, she fell into journalism. Since 2015 she has lived in Berlin, working as a journalist and presenter for Deutsche Welle, most recently covering the Ukrainian war.
theguardian Gt