Simon Fitzgerald (Home and Away)
| Simon Fitzgerald | |||
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| Home and Away character | |||
| Portrayed by | Richard Norton | ||
| Duration | 1991–1992 | ||
| First appearance | 25 September 1991 | ||
| Last appearance | 24 July 1992 | ||
| Introduced by | Des Monaghan | ||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||
| Profile | |||
| Occupation | Student (1991–1992) | ||
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| Father | Bill Fitzgerald |
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Simon Fitzgerald is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Richard Norton. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 25 September 1991. and departed on 24 July 1992.
Prior to joining Home and Away, Norton had appeared on rival soap opera Neighbours as Ryan McLachlan for one year. Joining the series had changed Norton's perception of being a working actor. He told John Kersher in The Official Home and Away Annual that the "best thing" about Neighbours was the money, but at Home and Away it was about doing a job he enjoyed.
Kercher described Simon as the serial's "resident heart-throb" and his "suntanned good looks mean that he never has a shortage of girls to go out with". There is no one that "fails to fall for his smooth talk". When Simon arrives in Summer Bay, he is "diligent and hardworking", a "model student" and has an "excellent academic record". But Simon also has a "mischievous side" and enjoys playing "elaborate pranks" which he always gets away with because "his politeness acts as the perfect foil".
Simon's mother died in the years before he moved to Summer Bay. His father Bill (Terry Bader) decided to relocate to the area, but Simon becomes "puzzled" by the quick move and assumes it is for business reasons. He later discovers that Bill had embezzled money. After an argument with Bill, Simon decides to move in with Blake Dean (Les Hill).
The series formed an on-screen duo with Simon and Blake. Norton told Josephine Monroe from Inside Soap that he and Hill "built up quite a rapport" and they worked hard on their characters' friendship. Norton liked the idea of "these two young lads being cheeky and wacky", they were the "Laurel and Hardy" of Summer Bay. In one storyline Simon begins a relationship with Sophie Simpson (Rebekah Elmaloglou), but she finds out that she is pregnant by another character. Simon decides to pretend that he is the baby's father so that Sophie will not have face parenthood alone. As a reporter from Channel 5 wrote "Simon’s declaration that he is the dad comes as just as much of a surprise [for Sophie]. Although she’s uneasy about the lie, Sophie can’t deny Simon’s logic." They added that she "fudges the dates" and everyone thinks that Sophie slept with Simon "the minute he arrived in town". But eventually truth comes out. Norton said that it was an example of a "good storyline" for Simon and said that it was the "hardest" he had to portray. Later Lisa Anthony from BIG! magazine reported that Kathryn Dufty had been cast in the role of Toni Bryant. She added that Toni while she comes to Summer Bay with Blake, it would be Simon who she makes an "immediate impression" on. She also released pictures of the duo kissing.
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