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| Kate Ritchie (Sally), Norman Coburn (Donald) and Ray Meagher (Alf) are Australia's longest-serving soap stars - it says so in The guinness book of records! The trio - who started on the Summer Bay soap in 1987 - were delighted when they were told thay had qualified for the latest adition. Actress Carole Willesse was originally cast as foster mum Pippa, but left before filming started and was replaced by Vanessa Downing. Debra Lawrance took over in 1990. Judy Nunn (Ailsa) once wrote scripts for Neighbours. She also got married twice in one week. A few days after her character Ailsa tied the knot with Alf, Judy wed actor Bruce Venables, who, incedently, spoke the series first words. Emmanuel Marshall played Summer Bay High Student teacher Brett Egan. However the actor had never sat in a class room before as he was educated at home by his parents. Rebekah Elmologlou's (Sophie Simbson) 2 brothers both had roles in the soap. One as the terminally ill Sebastian, who romanced Somalian refugee Stephanie Moboto in 1997. Then Sebastian Elmaloglou played the role of Max Sutherland between 2002 and 2004. Their aunt is Dame Judy Dench. When Angel Parich arrived in Summer Bay, she had red hair. Producers refused to let Melissa dye her hair, so the actress lightened it gradually. Nobody noticed until a channel seven boss saw her standing in front of herself in reception and realised she had become blonde. Angelica La Bozetta, the original Natalie Nash, was in the all-girl pop group The Chantoozies with fellow soap star Ally Fowler (Zoe in Neighbours and Angela in Sons and Daughters) Shane Ammann might have fitted as Summer Bay's sun-kissed Curtis Reed, but the blone actor was in fact born in snowy Switzerland. When Richard Grieve moved from Neighbours to Home And Away, he didn't have to dye his hair anymore. Producers thought his natural silver streaks suited Dr Lachlan Fraser. Jesse McGregor's daughter Rachel was originally played by Kelly Glaister, sister of Corey, who played Angel's son Dylan. For Nic Testonis first few weeks on screen, the credits of Home And Away misspelt his name as "Nick". They had copied it from one of his previous TV shows where it was also misspelt. While most soap stars claim, they've always wanted to be an actor, Nic Testoni had a rather different ambition when he was a child - he wanted to be an under taker. Tempany Deckart (Selina) is a keen collector of Antiques. One of her most prized ossesions is a pair of avaitors goggles! Belinda Emmett first appeared in Home And Away in 1995 as Gail, who had a fling with Travis. A year later, she returned in the role of Rebecca Fisher and married him! Ada Nicodemou, lovely Leah, played a bunny girl waitress in the film the Matrix and met her hero Keanu Reeves. Kimberley Cooper - flame-haired Gypsy - vividly remembers the moment she found out she's won the part. "I wasled through the door and saw mum with a single tear rolling down her cheek," she recalls. "She said "Congratulations" and gave me 12 roses. It's a moment i will never forget!" Norman Coburn (Fisher) used to stutter as a child and claims he bunked of school because of it. His daughter Nana has had two roles in Home And Away: as Vicky who had a feud with Emma Jackson and as a single mum who helped hide Dodge after he faked his own death. Kylie Watson - Shauna - did plenty of research for her role before joining as the Bay's first resident lifesaver. She observed lifesavers at work, talked to them and watched swimmers in triathalons. "Lifesaving was completely foreign to me" admits Kylie. "So i did as much research as i could." Julian McMahon is the son of a former Australian Prime minister, Sir William McMahon. |
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