Danny Ramsay
Encyclopedia
Daniel "Danny" Ramsay is a fictional character
from the Australian Network Ten
soap opera Neighbours
, played by David Clencie. He made his first on-screen appearance in Neighbours' first episode on 18 March 1985. Danny became the first character to speak in the show. Danny's storylines focused on his troubled relationship with his father Max
and his subsequent discovery that Tim Duncan is his real father, his friendship with Scott Robinson
and his job as a bank teller. Danny moved away from Ramsay Street on 31 July 1986. In 2005, Clencie reprised his role as Danny for a cameo in Annalise Hartman
's documentary on Ramsay Street.
, who would later go on to play Scott Robinson, was initially offered the role of Danny Ramsay in 1984, when Neighbours was in its planning stages. Former The Sullivans
actor, David Clencie was later cast as the sixteen year old Danny in 1985, when Clencie was twenty. Clencie starred in the first scene of the first episode and became the first person to speak on Neighbours. Clencie enjoyed the early days of the show and said "We'd have a good laugh, something that's probably missing a bit from a lot of television these days. And the directors went with it, they said 'this is great, let's do it'". Neighbours was axed after 170 episodes and Clencie said the cast were "gobsmacked". A few weeks later, he received a call from his agent who told him that Neighbours was starting again after Network Ten
picked it up and they wanted him to be in it. They offered him a year's contract and Clencie accepted. He said "I was just elated, and most of the cast were, because we had really felt robbed at the time".
Clencie and his character were written out of the show after just over a year. The departure was by mutual agreement between Clencie and the producers. Clencie said "I was offered three different contracts with the show, but after discussion it was decided I would take a break". Clencie later said he left without regret because he felt that Danny had nowhere left to go as a character.
In 2005, Clencie was one of many ex-cast members who made a return to Neighbours to appear in an episode celebrating the show's 20th anniversary. On his return, Clencie said "I went back as my character Danny for the twentieth anniversary a couple of years ago, and I couldn't actually believe that people would remember me. I was welcomed with open arms and did my little scene as Danny, you know, 'where is he now?'. He's building pools in Brisbane, so that's a better life than he had in Ramsay Street!"
). Maria let her husband Max
(Francis Bell
) believe Danny was his son. Max and Danny had a difficult relationship, with Max often comparing Danny to his older brother, Shane
(Peter O'Brien).
Danny began having strange dreams in which he saw Shane being killed during his swimming training. Maria suggested that he go see a doctor to try to work out what was causing them. Danny found the explanation himself when he and Shane were involved in a car accident, which ended Shane's swimming career. Danny believed that his dreams represented a warning. Danny and his best friend, Scott Robinson
(Darius Perkins
) were wrongly accused of mugging Carol Brown (Merrin Canning) and they ran away from home. They ended up staying with Mrs. Forbes (Gwen Plumb
) on her farm after their possessions were stolen. They worked there part time, before returning home. Both Danny and Scott fell for Maria's sister's friend, Wendy Gibson (Kylie Foster
).
Maria left Max to go and live with Richard Morrison (Peter Flett) in Hong Kong and Danny learnt the truth about his real father. He overheard Max tell his teacher that he was not Danny's real father. Danny went through an identity crisis and he finally understood why Max always treated him differently. Max eventually admitted to Danny that he still loved him as his own son. Danny then began concentrating on a career and he became a junior teller at a bank. Danny fell for a fellow employee, Marcie, and he tried to impress her. Marcie told him that she would do anything for the person who took her to Sufer's Paradise.
Danny needed to make some extra money and he began working as a gorilla-gram for Clive Gibbons
(Geoff Paine). Max disliked Clive, so Danny kept his job a secret. His secret job was exposed on the day of Des Clarke
's (Paul Keane
) wedding to Daphne Lawrence (Elaine Smith
). Clive asked Danny to fill in for someone else and he agreed, knowing he would be late for the wedding. Shane was driving Daphne to the church and when he saw a man in a gorilla costume running towards the church, he invited him into the car, thinking it was Danny. The man pulled a gun out and made Shane drive them to the country, he was part of a group of thieves who had robbed the bank earlier that day. Danny was placed in jail overnight and questioned by the Police because of his gorilla suit. Marcie later rejected Danny's offer of a trip to the mountains, meaning Danny had become a gorilla-gram for nothing. Maria and Max's marriage had broken up, but they later reunited in Queensland and Danny decided he had nothing left in Ramsay Street. He got himself a job transfer to another branch of his bank and left Erinsborough.
gave Danny a 2 out of 5 for his contribution to Neighbours, during a feature called "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". She said "Danny was one of the original cast of Neighbours, although he didn't stay in the show for very long. He had an ongoing rivalry with brother Shane, and was good mates with Scott Robinson, but his only real storylines of note were the revelations over his paternity, and a stint working for Dr Clive Gibbons as a gorilla-o-gram".
In her book "Soap opera", Dorothy Hobson describes Danny and his family as "more working class than other characters", also stating: "They had working-class jobs but were not represented as cloth cap wearing or dowdy, they were bright and modern and representative of a vibrant and working population."
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 Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
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 David Clencie. He made his first on-screen appearance in Neighbours
Max Ramsay
Max Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Francis Bell. He made his first on-screen appearance in the show's pilot episode on 18 March 1985. Max was the patriarch of the Ramsay family and Ramsay Street is named after his grandfather...
and his subsequent discovery that Tim Duncan is his real father, his friendship with Scott Robinson
Scott Robinson (Neighbours)
Scott James Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Jason Donovan. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985, in the show's first episode. Scott was originally played by Darius Perkins until he was recast.-Casting:Darius...
and his job as a bank teller. Danny moved away from Ramsay Street on 31 July 1986. In 2005, Clencie reprised his role as Danny for a cameo in Annalise Hartman
Annalise Hartman
Annalise Kratz is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Kimberley Davies. She debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 15 January 1993 and departed in 1996, and a brief return in 2005. Annalise has often been portrayed as having a conniving persona...
's documentary on Ramsay Street.
Casting
Jason DonovanJason Donovan
Jason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
, who would later go on to play Scott Robinson, was initially offered the role of Danny Ramsay in 1984, when Neighbours was in its planning stages. Former The Sullivans
The Sullivans
The Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-classMelbourne family and the effect World War II had on their lives...
actor, David Clencie was later cast as the sixteen year old Danny in 1985, when Clencie was twenty. Clencie starred in the first scene of the first episode and became the first person to speak on Neighbours. Clencie enjoyed the early days of the show and said "We'd have a good laugh, something that's probably missing a bit from a lot of television these days. And the directors went with it, they said 'this is great, let's do it'". Neighbours was axed after 170 episodes and Clencie said the cast were "gobsmacked". A few weeks later, he received a call from his agent who told him that Neighbours was starting again after Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
picked it up and they wanted him to be in it. They offered him a year's contract and Clencie accepted. He said "I was just elated, and most of the cast were, because we had really felt robbed at the time".
Clencie and his character were written out of the show after just over a year. The departure was by mutual agreement between Clencie and the producers. Clencie said "I was offered three different contracts with the show, but after discussion it was decided I would take a break". Clencie later said he left without regret because he felt that Danny had nowhere left to go as a character.
In 2005, Clencie was one of many ex-cast members who made a return to Neighbours to appear in an episode celebrating the show's 20th anniversary. On his return, Clencie said "I went back as my character Danny for the twentieth anniversary a couple of years ago, and I couldn't actually believe that people would remember me. I was welcomed with open arms and did my little scene as Danny, you know, 'where is he now?'. He's building pools in Brisbane, so that's a better life than he had in Ramsay Street!"
Characterisation
Being the "gentler" of the two brothers, Danny could not take Max's bullying ways, unlike his brother Shane. The constant tension between Danny and Max and Danny seemingly having a better relationship with his mother then Shane, led Andrew Mercado to question whether Danny was struggling to come to terms with his sexuality in his 2004 book Super Aussie soaps. Danny would spend more time with his mother where he could be more "theatrical", Mercado also described Danny as being "girlie" and pondered whether this made Max believe that Danny was not a true Ramsay. Max believed Danny was a "wimp" and wished he would be more like Shane. When Danny found out about his real parentage, he went through an identity crisis as he felt unloved. The news split the family in half, with Danny leaving for Brisbane with his mother. Of his character, Clencie said "He's an interesting character to play, a bit different from all the others". He added that there are many different sides to Danny and that he is "brash and wild on the outside, but underneath quite troubled and confused". Clencie has also claimed that Danny was an extension of his own persona describing him as: "young, wild, crazy yet vulnerable and a nice kid."Storylines
Danny Ramsay is the youngest son of Maria Ramsay (Dasha Blahova), he was born after a one-night stand between herself and Tim Duncan (Nick CarrafaNick Carrafa
Nick Carrafa is an Australian actor best known for his television roles as Tony Romeo on the Australian soap opera Neighbours and Alfredo on the comedy series Acropolis Now.-Career:...
). Maria let her husband Max
Max Ramsay
Max Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Francis Bell. He made his first on-screen appearance in the show's pilot episode on 18 March 1985. Max was the patriarch of the Ramsay family and Ramsay Street is named after his grandfather...
(Francis Bell
Francis Bell (actor)
Francis Bell was a UK-born New Zealand resident actor who achieved international stardom playing the part of original character Max Ramsay in the early years of the popular Australian soap opera, Neighbours. during his career he also acted in Australian serials The Sullivans and Sons and...
) believe Danny was his son. Max and Danny had a difficult relationship, with Max often comparing Danny to his older brother, Shane
Shane Ramsay
Shane Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Peter O'Brien. He made his first appearance on-screen in the first Neighbours episode on 18 March 1985. Shane is the son of Max and Maria Ramsay...
(Peter O'Brien).
Danny began having strange dreams in which he saw Shane being killed during his swimming training. Maria suggested that he go see a doctor to try to work out what was causing them. Danny found the explanation himself when he and Shane were involved in a car accident, which ended Shane's swimming career. Danny believed that his dreams represented a warning. Danny and his best friend, Scott Robinson
Scott Robinson (Neighbours)
Scott James Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Jason Donovan. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985, in the show's first episode. Scott was originally played by Darius Perkins until he was recast.-Casting:Darius...
(Darius Perkins
Darius Perkins
Darius Perkins is an Australian actor, best known for his longest-running role, Scott Robinson in soap opera Neighbours, in 1985. His first role was on The Sullivans in 1976. He played "Charlie" in All The Green Years and played guest roles in Prisoner and A Country Practice. He also played "Ben"...
) were wrongly accused of mugging Carol Brown (Merrin Canning) and they ran away from home. They ended up staying with Mrs. Forbes (Gwen Plumb
Gwen Plumb
Gwen Plumb AM BEM was a veteran Australian performer of stage, radio and television.-Biography:Gwendoline Jean Plumb was born in 1912...
) on her farm after their possessions were stolen. They worked there part time, before returning home. Both Danny and Scott fell for Maria's sister's friend, Wendy Gibson (Kylie Foster
Kylie Foster
Kylie Foster is an Australian actress, who remains best known for her role in Prisoner as "bad seed" inmate Angela "Angel" Adams. She also appeared in Home and Away as Leanne Dunn in 1989....
).
Maria left Max to go and live with Richard Morrison (Peter Flett) in Hong Kong and Danny learnt the truth about his real father. He overheard Max tell his teacher that he was not Danny's real father. Danny went through an identity crisis and he finally understood why Max always treated him differently. Max eventually admitted to Danny that he still loved him as his own son. Danny then began concentrating on a career and he became a junior teller at a bank. Danny fell for a fellow employee, Marcie, and he tried to impress her. Marcie told him that she would do anything for the person who took her to Sufer's Paradise.
Danny needed to make some extra money and he began working as a gorilla-gram for Clive Gibbons
Clive Gibbons
Clive Archibald Gibbons is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Geoff Paine. Paine was spotted by the Reg Grundy Organisation and offered the role of Clive. He made his first appearance on 22 January 1986...
(Geoff Paine). Max disliked Clive, so Danny kept his job a secret. His secret job was exposed on the day of Des Clarke
Des Clarke (Neighbours)
Desmond Kingsley "Des" Clarke is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Paul Keane. He made his first on screen appearance on 18 March 1985, the show's first episode.-Stroylines:...
's (Paul Keane
Paul Keane
Paul Keane is an Australian actor well known for playing Des Clarke in the soap opera Neighbours. Other TV credits include Bliss and Flight Into Hell. He was trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1983....
) wedding to Daphne Lawrence (Elaine Smith
Elaine Smith (actress)
Elaine Smith found fame as an actress on Australian television.She is best known for her role as Daphne Clarke in the soap opera Neighbours...
). Clive asked Danny to fill in for someone else and he agreed, knowing he would be late for the wedding. Shane was driving Daphne to the church and when he saw a man in a gorilla costume running towards the church, he invited him into the car, thinking it was Danny. The man pulled a gun out and made Shane drive them to the country, he was part of a group of thieves who had robbed the bank earlier that day. Danny was placed in jail overnight and questioned by the Police because of his gorilla suit. Marcie later rejected Danny's offer of a trip to the mountains, meaning Danny had become a gorilla-gram for nothing. Maria and Max's marriage had broken up, but they later reunited in Queensland and Danny decided he had nothing left in Ramsay Street. He got himself a job transfer to another branch of his bank and left Erinsborough.
Reception
Ruth Deller of television website LowcultureLowculture
lowculture.co.uk is a UK television website founded in January 2003 by Paul Lang, who currently works as the art director of Doctor Who Adventures.-Purpose:...
gave Danny a 2 out of 5 for his contribution to Neighbours, during a feature called "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". She said "Danny was one of the original cast of Neighbours, although he didn't stay in the show for very long. He had an ongoing rivalry with brother Shane, and was good mates with Scott Robinson, but his only real storylines of note were the revelations over his paternity, and a stint working for Dr Clive Gibbons as a gorilla-o-gram".
In her book "Soap opera", Dorothy Hobson describes Danny and his family as "more working class than other characters", also stating: "They had working-class jobs but were not represented as cloth cap wearing or dowdy, they were bright and modern and representative of a vibrant and working population."