Cathy Alessi
Encyclopedia
Catherine "Cathy" Alessi is a fictional character
from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
, played by Elspeth Ballantyne
. She made her first on-screen appearance on 29 July 1992 and remained until her departure on 4 August 1993.
(George Spartels
), when she was sixteen as she had fallen pregnant. Cathy's Catholic parents forced her to put her daughter up for adoption. Cathy and Benito went on to have two sons, Marco
(Felice Arena
) and Rick
(Dan Falzon
), but Cathy did not forget or forgive herself for giving her baby away.
Benito's niece, Christina
(Gayle Blakeney
), and her husband leave Number 22 Ramsay Street to him and Cathy. They move in and settle down well in the community. Cathy takes over the Coffee Shop lease from Madge Bishop
(Anne Charleston
) and employs a pregnant Phoebe Bright
(Simone Robertson
) to help out. Phoebe's pregnancy makes Cathy's regrets over giving her daughter away resurface and she tells Benito that she wants to try for a baby. Benito is initially against the idea as he had a vasectomy after Rick was born. However, he decides to get it reversed. Cathy is devastated to learn from the doctors that she is not able to carry a child to full term due to her age. Phoebe asks Cathy to be godmother to her daughter, Hope.
Cathy's spaghetti sauce recipe catches the eye of a sauce manufacturer and they ask Cathy to sell the ingredients to them. She initially refuses to consider the offer as the recipe had been passed down from Mama Alessi in Italy. The manufacturer also wants to add extra flavourings, which Cathy believes would ruin the taste, but she agrees to the deal as the money is too good to turn down. Marco and Rick are told about their older sister and Marco finds her. Lindsay agrees to meet Cathy and Benito, but only if Marco does not tell them she is their daughter. He brings her to the house and Cathy and Benito believe she is Marco's girlfriend. They are shocked when Marco reveals that Lindsay is their daughter. Cathy meets Lindsey, but she becomes upset when Lindsay tells her that she wants to get on with her life. Cathy gives her some knitted booties that she had kept and Lindsay agrees to keep in touch.
Benito is offered a job in Sydney and Cathy leaves the Coffee Shop in the hands of Phoebe and her husband, Stephen
(Lochie Daddo
). Cathy is not happy that Rick wants to stay behind, but she gives him her blessing. When Phoebe and Stephen leave town, Rick takes over the Coffee Shop until Cathy comes back to terminate the lease. Cathy tries to persuade Rick to come to Sydney with her, but she eventually arranges for Lou Carpenter
(Tom Oliver
) to take Rick in.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, played by Elspeth Ballantyne
Elspeth Ballantyne
Elspeth Ballantyne is an Australian actress, born in Adelaide. Having started her career as a laboratory Technician, she then attended the prestigious drama school, the National Institute for Dramatic Arts...
. She made her first on-screen appearance on 29 July 1992 and remained until her departure on 4 August 1993.
Storylines
Cathy was born to Irish parents and she married her childhood sweetheart, Benito AlessiBenito Alessi
Benito Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by George Spartels. He made his first on-screen appearance on 28 July 1992 and remained until 28 May 1993.-Storylines:...
(George Spartels
George Spartels
George Spartels is an Australian actor of Greek descent, who is best known for his role on the television soap opera Neighbours, playing Benito Alessi. He was married to actress Elizabeth Alexander....
), when she was sixteen as she had fallen pregnant. Cathy's Catholic parents forced her to put her daughter up for adoption. Cathy and Benito went on to have two sons, Marco
Marco Alessi
Marco Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Felice Arena. He made his first on-screen appearance on 5 May 1992 and departed the series on 18 November 1992.-Casting:...
(Felice Arena
Felice Arena
Felice Arena is an Australian children's author and illustrator, and occasional actor. He is best known for the bestselling and award-winning Specky Magee series, and his hilarious Farticus Maximus books...
) and Rick
Rick Alessi
Riccardo "Rick" Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Dan Falzon. He made his first on-screen appearance on 8 June 1992 and he remained until his departure on 9 March 1995.-Casting:...
(Dan Falzon
Dan Falzon
Dan Falzon is an Australian actor of Maltese descent, best known for his role as Rick Alessi on the television soap opera Neighbours. He also appeared in the Channel Nine drama The Alice, as a park ranger. He also formed the short lived pop group Milk with his brother, releasing the single...
), but Cathy did not forget or forgive herself for giving her baby away.
Benito's niece, Christina
Christina Alessi
Christina Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Gayle Blakeney. She made her first on-screen appearance on 18 January 1990, when she moved into Ramsay Street with her twin sister, Caroline. Christina marries Paul Robinson and gives birth to their son,...
(Gayle Blakeney
Gayle & Gillian Blakeney
Gayle and Gillian Blakeney are Australian identical twins who performed together as actresses and as a dance/pop duo in the 1990s. Born in Brisbane on 9 July 1966. Gayle is older by nine minutes. They are most widely known for their stint in the soap opera Neighbours.-Early career:The girls knew...
), and her husband leave Number 22 Ramsay Street to him and Cathy. They move in and settle down well in the community. Cathy takes over the Coffee Shop lease from Madge Bishop
Madge Bishop
Margaret Mary "Madge" Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Anne Charleston. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 January 1986. Madge was one of the matriarchs of the Ramsay family. She departed in 1992, before making a return in 1996...
(Anne Charleston
Anne Charleston
Anne Charleston is an Australian actress currently based in Galway, Ireland and the UK. She is known for her roles as Madge Bishop in the Australian soap opera Neighbours and Lily Butterfield in Emmerdale.-Early career:...
) and employs a pregnant Phoebe Bright
Phoebe Gottlieb
Phoebe Gottlieb is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Simone Robertson. She made her first on-screen appearance on 23 September 1991...
(Simone Robertson
Simone Robertson
Simone Robertson is an Australian actress best known for her 1991–1993 role as Phoebe Gottlieb in the TV series Neighbours. Her sister is Aimee Robertson. She is also a trained jazz and tap dancer.-TV:...
) to help out. Phoebe's pregnancy makes Cathy's regrets over giving her daughter away resurface and she tells Benito that she wants to try for a baby. Benito is initially against the idea as he had a vasectomy after Rick was born. However, he decides to get it reversed. Cathy is devastated to learn from the doctors that she is not able to carry a child to full term due to her age. Phoebe asks Cathy to be godmother to her daughter, Hope.
Cathy's spaghetti sauce recipe catches the eye of a sauce manufacturer and they ask Cathy to sell the ingredients to them. She initially refuses to consider the offer as the recipe had been passed down from Mama Alessi in Italy. The manufacturer also wants to add extra flavourings, which Cathy believes would ruin the taste, but she agrees to the deal as the money is too good to turn down. Marco and Rick are told about their older sister and Marco finds her. Lindsay agrees to meet Cathy and Benito, but only if Marco does not tell them she is their daughter. He brings her to the house and Cathy and Benito believe she is Marco's girlfriend. They are shocked when Marco reveals that Lindsay is their daughter. Cathy meets Lindsey, but she becomes upset when Lindsay tells her that she wants to get on with her life. Cathy gives her some knitted booties that she had kept and Lindsay agrees to keep in touch.
Benito is offered a job in Sydney and Cathy leaves the Coffee Shop in the hands of Phoebe and her husband, Stephen
Stephen Gottlieb
Stephen Gottlieb is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Lochie Daddo. He made his first on-screen appearance on 12 October 1992.-Casting:...
(Lochie Daddo
Lochie Daddo
Christopher Lachlan "Lochie" Daddo is an Australian actor and television presenter. His elder brothers are actors Andrew and Cameron Daddo, and Andrew's twin, Jamie Daddo.-Career:...
). Cathy is not happy that Rick wants to stay behind, but she gives him her blessing. When Phoebe and Stephen leave town, Rick takes over the Coffee Shop until Cathy comes back to terminate the lease. Cathy tries to persuade Rick to come to Sydney with her, but she eventually arranges for Lou Carpenter
Lou Carpenter
Louis "Lou" Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Tom Oliver. He made his first on-screen appearance on 30 March 1988. Lou appeared for a brief time, before leaving and later returning in January 1992 as a regular cast member. He is the longest...
(Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver is an English television, film and theatre actor best known today for playing the role of Lou Carpenter in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Career:...
) to take Rick in.