Fascinating facts about The Sullivans
Before They Were Famous
International stars who made appearance in The Sullivans include Mel Gibson, who played sailor Ray Henderson, Sam Neill, who was an early love interest for Kitty, Noni Hazelhurst who was Mrs Jessup's lodger Lil Duggan, and Gary Sweet who played “Magpie” Madden.
Soap star guests
Actors who guested in The Sullivans and then went on to play a much better known soap role
Christine Amor (Stella Burke) played Godfrey Carson's kind-hearted young wife Felicity in Carson's Law.
Francis Bell was radio-host Billy Brinkley in The Sullivans but will be best remembered for playing cantankerous Max Ramsay in the early years of Neighbours. Francis tragically died in 1994.
Diane Craig was Pamela, the “other woman” in Alice's first marriage, to Michael Watkins. She later went on to replace Penny Cook in the role of Ellie Fielding in E Street. She now stars as scheming businesswoman Deborah McManus in Out of the Blue.
Myra De Groot was Mrs Jessup's interfering sister Laura Watkins. She starred opposite Vivean Gray again in Neighbours, as Des Clarke's interfering mother, Eileen. Myra sadly died in 1988.
Belinda Giblin broke John Sullivan's heart as nurse Sue Marriott. Almost a decade later she made an impression as Rowena Wallace's replacement in Sons & Daughters, playing the new look “Pat the Rat”, Alison Carr.
Caroline Gillmer was Dutch cafe owner and resistance member Marianne De Jeong, who housed Norm, Tom and Meg when they first arrived in Holland. She went on to play bigger roles in two other Aussie soaps, first as Helen Smart in Prisoner and then Cheryl Stark in Neighbours.
Jacqui Gordon was schoolgirl Marjorie Fulton, who gave Geoff Sullivan his first kiss. A few years later she was Susie Driscoll in Prisoner, whom the Halfway House was named after.
Patsy King had a small role as Jack Fletcher's nagging wife Beryl before going on to be Governor of Wentworth, Erica Davidson in Prisoner.
Debra Lawrence (Prue Waterman) went on to play a girlfriend of John Palmer and Terry Hansen in Sons & Daughters before taking over the role of Pippa Fletcher from Vanessa Downing on Home & Away.
Roger Oakley played Major Barrington in The John Sullivan Story and episodes of The Sullivans before becoming the first patriarch of Home & Away as Tom Fletcher.
Darius Perkins played Marianne's young son, Willi De Jeong. He was later the original Scott Robinson in Neighbours, before the role was taken over by Jason Donovan during the soap's heydey.
Saskia Post played Dutch refugee Juliana Sleven. She later appeared in early episodes of Sons & Daughters as Kerry Mitchell, the mother of Rob's child. This was followed by a role as Jessica Stewart in Return to Eden.
Sean Scully was Sam Kendall, who married Sue Marriott (played by Belinda Giblin). In Sons & Daughters his character, Jim O'Brien, dated Patricia (later played by Belinda Giblin, as Alison Carr) and was engaged to Beryl Palmer before being killed in an explosion.
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