Joe Mangel

Joe Mangel
Neighbours character
Portrayed by	Mark Little
Duration	1988–1991, 2005
First appearance	8 August 1988
Last appearance	23 November 2005
Created by	Ray Kolle
Introduced by	Don Battye (1988) Ric Pellizzeri (2005)
Classification	Former; regular
Profile
Occupation	Gardener Construction worker Handyman
Home	Kimberley
Joe as he appeared in his early years (1989)
Father Leonard Mangel Mother Nell Mangel Sisters Amanda Harris Wife Noeline Mangel (until 1989) Kerry Bishop (1989–90) Melanie Pearson (1991–93) Sons Toby Mangel Adoptive daughters Sky Mangel Grandsons Scotty Granddaughters Kerry Mangel Uncles Cedric Mangel Aunts Isabelle Nieces Jane Harris

Walter Joseph "Joe" Mangel is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Mark Little. He debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 8 August 1988. Little later departed the serial and Joe left in 1991. In 2005 Little agreed to reprise the role as part of Neighbours' twentieth anniversary celebrations and remained for four months. Joe's storylines included his bad relationship with his mother, being widowed, life as a single parent and a custody battle to keep his child. Joe is deemed as a stereotype Australian man and a likable rogue character.

Actor Mark Little joined the cast of Neighbours in 1988. He took up the offer to play Joe Mangel, after being black listed from various work opportunities due to his strong ties to the union and the "overtly political nature" of his solo theatre shows. The role was originally intended to last for three months. Of how he approached the part, Little wrote "I committed myself to the task. And I made the idea more palatable by deciding that I would treat it as a pop art experiment, after all, no one was watching. Little did I know that I would be dabbling with similar themes as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Like Dr. Frankenstein, I was about to create a pop monster. The wild man, Joe Mangel." Little's contract was later extended.

On Joe's arrival it became apparent that he was nothing like his mother Nell Mangel (Vivean Gray). Joe has been described as an "unreconstructed oaf who likes drinking beer", he is green fingered and loves gardening and also acts brutish. He also has a love for betting and likes to keep up with the status quo. Many of Joe's traits annoyed other residents, with Nell and Dorothy Burke (Maggie Dence) constantly trying to make Joe behave himself and change his ways. He would often clash with his niece Jane Harris (Annie Jones) also hated Joe's love for loud music, football and beer drinking. When his son Toby (Ben Guerens) came to live with him he had a hard time adjusting to fatherhood and saw it as a chore at first, later he began to realise Toby's clever potential, he became proud and transformed into a good father. Through his relationship with Kerry Bishop (Linda Hartley-Clark), Joe was portrayed as being the complete opposite of her, he remained acting out his blunt and sometimes selfish ways, however he truly loved her.