Clive Gibbons
| Clive Gibbons | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||||||||
| Neighbours character | |||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Geoff Paine | ||||||||||
| Duration | 1986–1987, 1989, 2017– | ||||||||||
| First appearance | 22 January 1986 | ||||||||||
| Introduced by |
|
||||||||||
| Classification | Current; regular | ||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||
| Occupation |
|
||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Father | Charles Gibbons |
|---|---|
| Brothers | Graham Gibbons |
| Sisters | Claire Gibbons |
| Uncles | Ted Gibbons |
| Nieces | Vicki 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 screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 22 January 1986. Clive's storylines included running a gorillagram agency, setting up a gardening business, saving Lucy Robinson's life and falling in love with Susan Cole. Paine decided not to renew his contract and he departed Neighbours on 27 February 1987. In 1989, the character made a brief return, before departing once again in October of that year. Paine reprised the role 28 years later, and Clive returned from 9 March 2017 as the new COO of Erinsborough Hospital.
The Grundy Organisation discovered Paine while he was performing in a college production at the Victoria Arts Centre, they asked him to come in for a screen test and offered him the role of Clive. Paine almost turned down the role as he looked down on acting in a soap. He said "I suppose at the time I was a bit too idealistic about the world of acting. Playing a messenger in a gorilla suit might not be King Lear, but at least it pays the rent."
After more than a year, Paine decided not to renew his contract after fearing that he may be typecast. He left in 1987 and he said "I don't regret leaving Neighbours at all. I think it's terrific the way the show's taken off, but I'm very pleased with the direction I've taken." Paine later made a brief return to the show in 1989.
Clive brought a breath of fresh air to Ramsay Street when he moved in. Josephine Monroe, author of Neighbours: the first 10 years described Clive as "one of life's eccentrics" and explained that he took care of people and often lured them into his latest harebrained scheme. Simon Plant from the Herald Sun said Clive was "mild-mannered". Dave Hogan and Neil Wallis of The Neighbours Factfile said Clive was "Cheerful and slightly wacky." They added that he was the "court jester" of Ramsay Street and the model on which the character of Henry Ramsay (Craig McLachlan) was based. Clive gave up medicine to start up a series of wacky businesses. His gorillagram agency outraged some of neighbours, particularly Max Ramsay (Francis Bell).
...
Wikipedia