Lionel Skeggins
Encyclopedia
Lionel Skeggins was a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera
Shortland Street
. He was portrayed by John Leigh and after making his debut as a guest character in 1993, he returned from 1994 to the character's disappearance in 1999 as a core cast member.
and was originally scheduled to appear for two weeks.
' (Marton Csokas
) wedding to Gina Rossi
(Josephine Davison
). He attempts to play a practical joke on Leonard but it backfires with Chris
(Michael Galvin
) finding out and reversing it on Lionel.
Lionel returns in 1994 after Leonard puts him in charge of running the hospital cafe. Lionel falls for Kirsty
(Angela Dotchin
) and they start dating and fall in love after Lionel lies about saving children from a fire. Lionel decides to propose but Kirsty dumps him to be with badboy, Greg
(Tim Balme
). Lionel and Kirsty reunite and decide to marry but the wedding gets interrupted by Stuart Neilson
(Martin Henderson
). The couple later marry in a smaller ceremony in 1995.
Lionel and Kirsty bought an old broken down house called Polkinghorne. Kirsty was hit by a truck that crashed through the hospital in December 1995 and suffered memory loss, forgetting ever loving Lionel. She returned to ex lover Greg, devastating Lionel. In 1996 Lionel dated Grace Kwan (Lynette Forday) and rejected Kirsty's advances but eventually reunited with her at the new year.
In 1997 they again separated and Lionel returned to Grace who eventually dumped him as well. Kirsty decided to end the marriage in divorce and while the two travelled to see Lionel's father in a plane, the plane malfunctioned and plummeted to the ground. The two survived and divorced. In 1998 Lionel tried to get back together with Kirsty one last time, but he was too late and Kirsty had left the country. He bought the R Bar from Alex and renamed it Lionel's. He soon got the sock of his life when it was revealed that he had in fact sired an illegitimate son Luke (Greg Freeman), who was now 15.
Lionel began to date Mackenzie Choat (Ingrid Park) and in 1999 the two got engaged. Shortly after the wedding, Lionel discovered large amounts of money in Mackenzies bag and realized she had bludgeoned Oscar (Christopher Brown). While running from his wife, Lionel is swept off a rock by a huge wave. His body was never recovered however his wallet was found.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
. He was portrayed by John Leigh and after making his debut as a guest character in 1993, he returned from 1994 to the character's disappearance in 1999 as a core cast member.
Introduction
Lionel was introduced as a friend of established character LeonardLeonard Dodds
Dr. Leonard Rossi-Dodds was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Marton Csokas, who has since gone on to receive international acclaim...
and was originally scheduled to appear for two weeks.
1993-1999
Lionel arrives in 1993 as the best man at Leonard DoddsLeonard Dodds
Dr. Leonard Rossi-Dodds was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Marton Csokas, who has since gone on to receive international acclaim...
' (Marton Csokas
Marton Csokas
-Early life:Csokas was born in Invercargill, New Zealand. His mother, a nurse, is of Irish and Danish descent; his Hungarian-born father, also named Márton Csókás, worked as a mechanical engineer...
) wedding to Gina Rossi
Gina Rossi
Gina Rossi-Dodds was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was portrayed by Josephine Davison and was part of the original cast.-1992-1995:...
(Josephine Davison
Josephine Davison
Josephine Davison is a New Zealand actress. She is well known for playing Gina Rossi-Dodds in the New Zealand soap Shortland Street, Morgana in Power Rangers: S.P.D. and the voice of Itassis in Power Rangers: Mystic Force...
). He attempts to play a practical joke on Leonard but it backfires with Chris
Chris Warner
Dr. Christopher "Chris" Warner is a fictional character and current main protagonist on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He is portrayed by Michael Galvin. He is the only original character to still be on the show....
(Michael Galvin
Michael Galvin
Michael Galvin is a New Zealand actor, singer and playwright, well known for his role as Dr. Chris Warner on the soap opera Shortland Street, a character he has played almost continuously since the shows debut in 1992.-Early life:...
) finding out and reversing it on Lionel.
Lionel returns in 1994 after Leonard puts him in charge of running the hospital cafe. Lionel falls for Kirsty
Kirsty Knight (character)
Kirsty Knight is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street and was portrayed by Angela Dotchin as part of the 1992 original cast up until 1998....
(Angela Dotchin
Angela Dotchin
-External links:...
) and they start dating and fall in love after Lionel lies about saving children from a fire. Lionel decides to propose but Kirsty dumps him to be with badboy, Greg
Greg Feeney
Greg Feeney is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, who was portrayed by Tim Balme for numerous recurring stints throughout the mid to late nineties....
(Tim Balme
Tim Balme
Timothy Guy Balme is an actor and screenwriter from New Zealand. He's most famous for his roles on the long-running soap opera Shortland Street and Mercy Peak, as well as lead roles in the cult favorites Braindead and Jack Brown Genius...
). Lionel and Kirsty reunite and decide to marry but the wedding gets interrupted by Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson was a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Martin Henderson and was part of the original cast, with a lot of the first episode focusing around him....
(Martin Henderson
Martin Henderson
Martin Henderson is a New Zealand actor, well known to American audiences for his starring role in the ABC TV series Off the Map, while remaining known in his home country for his teenage role as Stuart Neilson in the soap opera Shortland Street.-Life and career:Henderson was born in Auckland, New...
). The couple later marry in a smaller ceremony in 1995.
Lionel and Kirsty bought an old broken down house called Polkinghorne. Kirsty was hit by a truck that crashed through the hospital in December 1995 and suffered memory loss, forgetting ever loving Lionel. She returned to ex lover Greg, devastating Lionel. In 1996 Lionel dated Grace Kwan (Lynette Forday) and rejected Kirsty's advances but eventually reunited with her at the new year.
In 1997 they again separated and Lionel returned to Grace who eventually dumped him as well. Kirsty decided to end the marriage in divorce and while the two travelled to see Lionel's father in a plane, the plane malfunctioned and plummeted to the ground. The two survived and divorced. In 1998 Lionel tried to get back together with Kirsty one last time, but he was too late and Kirsty had left the country. He bought the R Bar from Alex and renamed it Lionel's. He soon got the sock of his life when it was revealed that he had in fact sired an illegitimate son Luke (Greg Freeman), who was now 15.
Lionel began to date Mackenzie Choat (Ingrid Park) and in 1999 the two got engaged. Shortly after the wedding, Lionel discovered large amounts of money in Mackenzies bag and realized she had bludgeoned Oscar (Christopher Brown). While running from his wife, Lionel is swept off a rock by a huge wave. His body was never recovered however his wallet was found.