Jim Robinson (Neighbours)
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Robinson is a fictional character
from the Australian Network Ten
soap opera Neighbours
, played by Alan Dale
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985, which was the shows first episode. Jim was the patriarch of the Robinson family. Dale departed the show in 1993 after falling out with the producers over pay. Jim died on-screen of a heart attack on 29 April 1993.
actor Alan Dale
. Scenes starring Harrison had to be reshot. The character of Jim earned Dale acclaim across the world, including the United Kingdom. Dale found his role on Neighbours "exciting" and it enabled him to provide for his sons. He stayed for eight years before Jim was killed off.
Dale left the series when he fell out with the producers over the pay he and the rest of the cast received. In an interview with the Metro
newspaper, Dale called his time working for Grundy
"the worst experience", he added "They practically forced us to be miserable. It paid me enough to get my boys through their teenage years, but I wasn’t happy and we parted on bad terms." Dale also said that the Neighbours producers 'stitched' him up on his last day of filming. Jim died of a heart attack and Dale said "they left me lying on the floor all day. They enjoyed themselves". Dale struggled to find work in Australia after Neighbours because he was typecast as Jim.
). James was killed during the Second World War and Bess began travelling around the world leaving Jim with various relatives. Jim began a relationship with Anne Daniels, while studying Engineering at university. The couple married and moved to Ramsay Street, and Anne gave birth to their son Paul
(Stefan Dennis
). Jim's boss Roger Bannon propositioned Anne, she turned him down, but he raped her and she became pregnant. Jim agreed to raise the child, a girl called Julie (Julie Mullins), as his own. Anne gave birth to another son, Scott
(Jason Donovan
). While Jim was away in the Vietnam War, he slept with Maureen Donnelly and she later gave birth to a son, Glen
(Richard Huggett). Anne died after giving birth to Lucy
(Melissa Bell
) and her mother, Helen
(Anne Haddy
) moved in with Jim.
), before he begins a relationship with Zoë Davis
(Ally Fowler
). Zoe becomes pregnant, but she miscarries and later leaves Erinsborough. Jim then dates Ruth Wilson (Stephanie Daniel) and she is welcomed into the family, before she leaves for London. Jim comes into conflict with his youngest son, Scott, when he announces that he is going to marry Charlene Mitchell
(Kylie Minogue
). Jim eventually gives the couple his blessing. Jim has a love for cars and he buys an old motor racing car. He later buys fifty percent of Rob Lewis' (Ernie Bourne
) garage, and after Rob's death, Jim buys the rest of the business. His cousin, Hilary
(Anne Scott-Pendlebury
) introduces him to Beverly Marshall
(Shaunna O'Grady
) and they later marry.
Beverly's niece and nephew, Katie
(Sally Jensen) and Todd Landers
(Kristian Schmid) come to stay and Todd becomes like a son to Jim. Beverly wants children despite Jim's reluctance. After two miscarriages and a failed adoption, the couple separate and Beverly leaves. Jim is shocked when his son Glen arrives as he was unaware of his existence. Jim welcomes Glen into the family. Todd dies after being knocked down by a van, devastating Jim. Jim has a massive heart attack following a bike race and needs bypass surgery. Pam Willis (Sue Jones
), a nurse at Erinsborough Hospital, helps Jim recover and they begin to develop feelings for each other, but she later reunites with her husband.
Annalise Hartman
's (Kimberley Davies
) mother, Fiona (Suzanne Dudley), sets her sights on Jim knowing he is wealthy and Jim ignores the warnings from his family that Fiona is a gold digger. Helen and Julie try to warn Jim that Fiona is only after his money, but Jim refuses to listen. The stress of all the feuding takes its toll on Jim and he suffers another heart attack. He collapses on the kitchen floor and dies. Instead of phoning for an ambulance, Fiona transfers his money to her account and lets his sister-in-law Rosemary Daniels
(Joy Chambers
) discover his body.
(Charlene Robinson
). The Times
named Jim's death as one of their top 15 most memorable Neighbours moments and The Independent
named his death as one of the 10 best soap exits.
Ruth Deller of website Lowculture
gave Jim a 4 and a half out of 5 for his contribution to Neighbours, in a feature called "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". During a review of Neighbours 20th anniversary episode, television critic Charlie Brooker
expressed his disappointment that Jim did not make an appearance, he said "It's a shame they didn't go the whole hog and include updates from those characters who left Erinsborough in a coffin. I'd have loved to see, say, Jim Robinson bellowing a few lines from heaven (never spoke without shouting, that man)".
In 2010 to celebrate Neighbours' 25th anniversary Sky
, a British satellite broadcasting company profiled 25 characters of which they believed were the most memorable in the series history. Jim is in the list and describing him they state: "Jim lives on in the collective memory thanks to people declaring whenever Alan Dale is on TV, 'look, Jim Robinson is on Torchwood/24/Ugly Betty, LOL.' Push them harder, and they'll probably just about remember Jim dying of a heart attack in the chintz-tastic Robinson home in 1993. Such is the fate of a family man who didn't really have memorable storylines outside of his four walls, but he did bequeath a set of Soapland's finest, most gently mental children, including villainous 'business' man Paul, occasional stripper Lucy, technically-not-his-daughter Julie, and technically-not-his-monobrow Todd Landers".
In her book "Soap opera", Dorothy Hobson describes Jim as breaking a the stereotype of the time because Jim owned a sucsessful business and branded him a "successful role model for a single father running a home."
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 Alan Dale
Alan Dale
Alan Hugh Dale is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale developed a love of theatre and also became a rugby player. After retiring from the sport he took on a number of professions to support his family, before deciding to become a professional actor at the age of 27. With work limited in New...
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 18 March 1985, which was the shows first episode. Jim was the patriarch of the Robinson family. Dale departed the show in 1993 after falling out with the producers over pay. Jim died on-screen of a heart attack on 29 April 1993.
Casting
The role of Jim Robinson was originally given to Robin Harrison, but when contract negotiations broke down between him and Neighbours, the role was given to former The Young DoctorsThe Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
actor Alan Dale
Alan Dale
Alan Hugh Dale is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale developed a love of theatre and also became a rugby player. After retiring from the sport he took on a number of professions to support his family, before deciding to become a professional actor at the age of 27. With work limited in New...
. Scenes starring Harrison had to be reshot. The character of Jim earned Dale acclaim across the world, including the United Kingdom. Dale found his role on Neighbours "exciting" and it enabled him to provide for his sons. He stayed for eight years before Jim was killed off.
Dale left the series when he fell out with the producers over the pay he and the rest of the cast received. In an interview with the Metro
Metro (Associated Metro Limited)
Metro is a free daily newspaper in the United Kingdom published by Associated Newspapers Ltd . It is available from Monday to Friday each week on many public transport services across the United Kingdom.-History:The paper was launched in London in 1999, and can now be found in 14 UK urban centres...
newspaper, Dale called his time working for Grundy
Reg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
"the worst experience", he added "They practically forced us to be miserable. It paid me enough to get my boys through their teenage years, but I wasn’t happy and we parted on bad terms." Dale also said that the Neighbours producers 'stitched' him up on his last day of filming. Jim died of a heart attack and Dale said "they left me lying on the floor all day. They enjoyed themselves". Dale struggled to find work in Australia after Neighbours because he was typecast as Jim.
Characterisation
Jim is described as a man having it all: wealth, children and having a way with women. Jim is cited to have changed after his wife's death, from the serial's inception Jim was often seen as having a reserved sadness within him, he has also been perceived as "stuffy and proper". Although he had a way with women, during his time in the serial he did not have that many relationships. Dale complained about this stating that he thought Jim's celibacy was too unrealistic because of his wealthy and good looking status. He has also been described as always being there for his children and would do anything to help them. The role of Jim has also been described as being "vital" and like an "anchor" to Neighbours. Jim dedicated his time to ensuring that his four children have the best in life. He was an understanding and caring father with a "great sense of fun".Background
Jim Robinson was the son of James and Bess Robinson (June SalterJune Salter
June Marie Salter AM was an Australian actress.-Biography:June Salter was born in Bexley, New South Wales, the youngest of six children. As a child she studied piano and elocution and attended Kogarah Secondary School...
). James was killed during the Second World War and Bess began travelling around the world leaving Jim with various relatives. Jim began a relationship with Anne Daniels, while studying Engineering at university. The couple married and moved to Ramsay Street, and Anne gave birth to their son Paul
Paul Robinson (Neighbours)
Paul Stewart Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, a long-running serial drama about social life in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. He is played by Stefan Dennis. Paul debuted in the serial's first episode in 1985 and appeared on a...
(Stefan Dennis
Stefan Dennis
Stefan Dennis is an Australian actor, best known for playing the role of Paul Robinson in the soap opera, Neighbours, from its first episode in March 1985 to the present day...
). Jim's boss Roger Bannon propositioned Anne, she turned him down, but he raped her and she became pregnant. Jim agreed to raise the child, a girl called Julie (Julie Mullins), as his own. Anne gave birth to another son, Scott
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...
(Jason Donovan
Jason 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...
). While Jim was away in the Vietnam War, he slept with Maureen Donnelly and she later gave birth to a son, Glen
Glen Donnelly
Glen Donnelly is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Richard Huggett. He made his first on-screen appearance on 7 December 1990. Glen was the secret son of Jim Robinson. He arrives in Ramsay Street to meet his father and to ask for money to pay for his...
(Richard Huggett). Anne died after giving birth to Lucy
Lucy Robinson
Lucy Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Melissa Bell. She had previously been portrayed by Kylie Flinker and Sasha Close. She was created by producer Reg Watson as one of Neighbours' original characters. Lucy was a prominent figure...
(Melissa Bell
Melissa Bell (actress)
Melissa Bell is an Australian actress and singer. She was the third actor to play Lucy Robinson in soap opera Neighbours....
) and her mother, Helen
Helen Daniels
Helen Daniels is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by Anne Haddy. Following the death of Jim Robinson in 1993, she remained the only original character left in the series until her own death in 1997, making her the second longest-serving original character...
(Anne Haddy
Anne Haddy
Anne Haddy was an Australian film and television actress, best known for her role in the long-running soap opera, Neighbours.-Early and personal life:...
) moved in with Jim.
1985–1993
Jim has a brief relationship with Anna Rossi (Roslyn GentleRoslyn Gentle
Roslyn Gentle is an Australian actress, best known for her role in the television series Prisoner as librarian/prostitute Laura Gardiner/Brandy Carter – an inmate who suffers from multiple personality disorder – in 1983....
), before he begins a relationship with Zoë Davis
Zoë Davis
Zoe Davis is a fictional character from the Australia soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by Ally Fowler. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 January 1986.-Character creation and development:...
(Ally Fowler
Ally Fowler
Alexandra Fowler , better known under her stage name Ally Fowler, is an Australian actress who came to prominence with parts in two major soap operas of the 1980s: Angela Hamilton in Sons and Daughters and Zoe Davis in Neighbours...
). Zoe becomes pregnant, but she miscarries and later leaves Erinsborough. Jim then dates Ruth Wilson (Stephanie Daniel) and she is welcomed into the family, before she leaves for London. Jim comes into conflict with his youngest son, Scott, when he announces that he is going to marry Charlene Mitchell
Charlene Robinson
Charlene Edna Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Kylie Minogue. She made her first on-screen appearance on 17 April 1986 when she came to join her mother Madge in Ramsay Street. Charlene was a tomboy and later worked as a Mechanic...
(Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
). Jim eventually gives the couple his blessing. Jim has a love for cars and he buys an old motor racing car. He later buys fifty percent of Rob Lewis' (Ernie Bourne
Ernie Bourne
Ernest Alfred "Ernie" Bourne was an English-born Australian actor, best known for his regular roles on television....
) garage, and after Rob's death, Jim buys the rest of the business. His cousin, Hilary
Hilary Robinson
Hilary Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Anne Scott-Pendlebury. The character first appeared on-screen on 25 June 1987, returning in 1988, in a guest capacity and returned in a permanent role in 1989 and left the show in 1990. She...
(Anne Scott-Pendlebury
Anne Scott-Pendlebury
Anne Scott-Pendlebury is an Australian television and film actress, who played the role of Hilary Robinson in the soap opera, Neighbours during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
) introduces him to Beverly Marshall
Beverly Marshall
Beverly Marshall is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours. The character was originally played by Lisa Armytage and she made her first on-screen appearance on 6 July 1987. Shaunna O'Grady took over from Armytage and began playing the character from 16 March 1989 until her...
(Shaunna O'Grady
Shaunna O'Grady
Shaunna O'Grady is an Australian actress who played the second incarnation of Jim Robinson's wife, Beverley Marshall on the long running soap opera Neighbours. She is the grand-daughter of writer John O'Grady , and is married to the television director Chris Adshead.-External links:...
) and they later marry.
Beverly's niece and nephew, Katie
Katie Landers
Katie Landers is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Sally Jensen. She made her first on screen appearance on 15 February 1988. Katie is the niece of Beverly Marshall and sister to Todd Landers. During her time in the show, she became close friends with Toby...
(Sally Jensen) and Todd Landers
Todd Landers
Not to be confused with Simpsons character Todd FlandersTodd Robert Landers is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Kristian Schmid. He made his first on-screen appearance on 15 February 1988. Todd died on 13 July 1992, but reappeared as a ghost the...
(Kristian Schmid) come to stay and Todd becomes like a son to Jim. Beverly wants children despite Jim's reluctance. After two miscarriages and a failed adoption, the couple separate and Beverly leaves. Jim is shocked when his son Glen arrives as he was unaware of his existence. Jim welcomes Glen into the family. Todd dies after being knocked down by a van, devastating Jim. Jim has a massive heart attack following a bike race and needs bypass surgery. Pam Willis (Sue Jones
Sue Jones (actress)
Sue Jones is an Australian actress, born in Wales, UK. She is probably best known for playing Pam Willis in Neighbours from 1990 to 1994. She had also played an on-going role in the situation comedy The Tea Ladies , and was Kathy Hall in Prisoner in 1981...
), a nurse at Erinsborough Hospital, helps Jim recover and they begin to develop feelings for each other, but she later reunites with her husband.
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 (Kimberley Davies
Kimberley Davies
Kimberley Davies is an Australian actress most famous for playing Annalise Hartman on the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 1993 to 1996...
) mother, Fiona (Suzanne Dudley), sets her sights on Jim knowing he is wealthy and Jim ignores the warnings from his family that Fiona is a gold digger. Helen and Julie try to warn Jim that Fiona is only after his money, but Jim refuses to listen. The stress of all the feuding takes its toll on Jim and he suffers another heart attack. He collapses on the kitchen floor and dies. Instead of phoning for an ambulance, Fiona transfers his money to her account and lets his sister-in-law Rosemary Daniels
Rosemary Daniels
Rosemary Daniels is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Joy Chambers. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 February 1986 and appeared intermittently. Rosemary is the adoptive daughter of Helen Daniels and the sister of Anne Robinson....
(Joy Chambers
Joy Chambers
Joy Chambers is an Australian actress and author. She is best known for such television soap opera roles as Rita Merrick in The Restless Years, Dr Robyn Porter in The Young Doctors, and Rosemary Daniels in Neighbours. Chambers has played Rosemary since 1986. Rosemary is the only character who has...
) discover his body.
Reception
In 2007, Amazon.co.uk reported that they had sold more DVDs of films and television shows featuring Dale than any featuring other ex-Neighbours cast members. Dale has sold over twice as much as Kylie MinogueKylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
(Charlene Robinson
Charlene Robinson
Charlene Edna Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Kylie Minogue. She made her first on-screen appearance on 17 April 1986 when she came to join her mother Madge in Ramsay Street. Charlene was a tomboy and later worked as a Mechanic...
). The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
named Jim's death as one of their top 15 most memorable Neighbours moments and The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
named his death as one of the 10 best soap exits.
Ruth Deller of website Lowculture
Lowculture
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 Jim a 4 and a half out of 5 for his contribution to Neighbours, in a feature called "A guide to recognising your Ramsays and Robinsons". During a review of Neighbours 20th anniversary episode, television critic Charlie Brooker
Charlie Brooker
Charlton "Charlie" Brooker is a British journalist, comic writer and broadcaster. His style of humour is savage and profane, with surreal elements and a consistent satirical pessimism...
expressed his disappointment that Jim did not make an appearance, he said "It's a shame they didn't go the whole hog and include updates from those characters who left Erinsborough in a coffin. I'd have loved to see, say, Jim Robinson bellowing a few lines from heaven (never spoke without shouting, that man)".
In 2010 to celebrate Neighbours' 25th anniversary Sky
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
, a British satellite broadcasting company profiled 25 characters of which they believed were the most memorable in the series history. Jim is in the list and describing him they state: "Jim lives on in the collective memory thanks to people declaring whenever Alan Dale is on TV, 'look, Jim Robinson is on Torchwood/24/Ugly Betty, LOL.' Push them harder, and they'll probably just about remember Jim dying of a heart attack in the chintz-tastic Robinson home in 1993. Such is the fate of a family man who didn't really have memorable storylines outside of his four walls, but he did bequeath a set of Soapland's finest, most gently mental children, including villainous 'business' man Paul, occasional stripper Lucy, technically-not-his-daughter Julie, and technically-not-his-monobrow Todd Landers".
In her book "Soap opera", Dorothy Hobson describes Jim as breaking a the stereotype of the time because Jim owned a sucsessful business and branded him a "successful role model for a single father running a home."