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Lou Carpenter
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Louis Thomas Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Tom Oliver. He first appeared in 1988 and returned in January 1992 as a regular character. He is the longest running character in the show's history, having been in it for 18 years (1988, 1992-present).
irst appeared in the show in March 1988 to win his High School sweetheart Madge Ramsay away from her fiancé, Harold Bishop.
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Louis Thomas Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Tom Oliver. He first appeared in 1988 and returned in January 1992 as a regular character. He is the longest running character in the show's history, having been in it for 18 years (1988, 1992-present).
History
As recurring
He first appeared in the show in March 1988 to win his High School sweetheart Madge Ramsay away from her fiancé, Harold Bishop. Ultimately Lou failed and returned to Queensland.
As main
Return
He reappeared several years later in January 1992, four months after Harold was presumed drowned at sea, and from that point became a permanent fixture on the show. Lou was written out of the show in 1996, but the producers had a change of heart when they received numerous petitions and letters from fans around the world, and he returned to the show two months later. Lou has remained in Neighbours since that time.
Lou has been married three times, the most recent marriage (to Nina Tucker's mother Trixie) lasting only a matter of months. Lou currently owns half of the General store alongside his best friend (and former rival), Harold. He has previously owned the garage Carpenter's Mechanics, a car yard Carpenter's Cars and Lou's Place, and was a Dungeons and Dragons player for a brief period.
Kidney problems
After falling out with Harold over their mutual attraction to Rosie Hoyland they were eventually reconciled during their mutual recovery from a major operation, in this case a transplant, after Harold donated Lou a kidney. This also caused one of the more entertaining moments between the two. After Harold suffered a stroke, while drunk he accused Lou of being a kidney thief.
Moving around
He went to jail but was later released after an appeal hearing conducted by lawyer Toadfish Rebecchi. He was kicked out of his house by Paul Robinson, who rented the house to Lou after buying it from Valda Sheergold. Lou was forced to move into Number 30, and when that share house situation didn't work out he lived in a tent in a caravan park.
Blackmailing Izzy
Lou was blackmailing Izzy Hoyland with a videotape of her kissing Ned Parker which was intended for Paul from the mystery stalker, but this backfired when Izzy (with encouragement from Max) told Paul the truth herself. In truth she was trying to seduce Ned to break up his relationship with Elle. Paul set up a rival to The General Store, a luxury café called Lucinda's, which squeezed Lou and Harold briefly out of business.
Mishka
While looking for love on the internet, Lou hooked up with a Russian Mail-Order Bride, called Mishka Schneiderova (played by actress Deborah Kennedy). After a very passionate cyber-relationship, Mishka came over to Australia, on a fake visa, unknown to Lou. When he arrived at the airport to pick her up she wasn't here, Lou presumed she had seen him and run away. However Mishka turned up at Lou's doorstep later than evening and explained that she had visited a beauty salon and missed her flight because of it. Lou was reluctant to believe her but a nice home cooked meal made by Mishka sorted things out. While questioning their relationship, Harold found out that Lou had been lying about his age. Luckily, Mishka had lied about her age too, with Lou firstly asking if Mishka was her mother. Their relationship blossomed, and despite several "white lies" being told, their love was true. After the invention of "Old 997 Vodka", named after Mishka's old address in Moscow, Harold got suspicious of Mishka, believing she was an alcoholic. Lou and Mishka denied that Old 997 was a vodka, and said it was a cleaning fluid. This led to a more serious suspicion when Harold saw Mishka drinking this "cleaning fluid" in his garden. When the truth finally came out, Harold demanded that all of the profits made from the sale of their vodka go to a charity. Lou donated it to Mishka's hero Shane Warne's charity, The Shane Warne Foundation, which made Warne so happy, he visited Mishka in person.
After possibly the happiest day of her life, disaster struck, when two men claiming to be from the Russian Foreign Service said they had to take Mishka away, because of her fake passport. Later on it was revealed that the men were actually agents of Mishka's husband, Igor, who was attempting to kidnap her. Mishka returned to Russia, and Lou was devastated. He then went to Russia to rescue his love but discovered she had fallen back in love with Igor and returned heartbroken. Lou has now decided that he needs an Australian woman and has set his sights on neighbour Janelle Timmins. Lou has also returned from Russia with a mysterious tattoo baring Mishka's name on his back and a gap in his memory regarding his time in Russia. After having some hypnotherapy from Karl, he remembered that Mishka pushed him down the stairs in a hotel. After a while Mishka came back as a stewardess for Australian Airlines. They got back together when Janelle told him to. However, when it seemed to go well for the two of them, when Mishka was trying to get Australian citizenship, she bribed the officers, who were interviewing her, mistakenly. Lou became heartbroken, as she was forced to leave Australia.
Lolly
In 2007, Lou got back on his feet, and soon after, his non-biological daughter Lolly returned (played by Adelaide Kane). Lou was totally supportive of her, despite her stealing and lying to numerous people, such as Karl Kennedy and Pepper Steiger. Lou accused Pepper after Lolly lied to Susan Kinski about Pepper hitting her, though it was soon revealed that it was her stepmother Sandy who was hitting her, the reason why Lolly wanted to live with Lou. Lou found out when Sandy came to stay and kicked her out of the house. He is currently working for BonzAir, where he insists that they put him off the roster a lot, but in fact he has a fear of flying. He was trying to get the Moscow route to see his girlfriend Mishka.
Later Lolly left to be with real father John. Lou drove her, and Zeke Kinski (Matthew Werkmeister), Lolly's boyfriend, went with them in the car. Lou, Lolly and Zeke then went to see Mishka in Russia for the weekend.
Valda's return
In 2007, Valda Sheergold returned to Ramsay Street, and she and Lou have been fighting with each other ever since, including when they both started up websites with Retail Dreams, but they went bust.
Harold's Departure
With Harold leaving Lou didn't know how to say goodbye to his best friend setting himself to have panic attacks. When Harold offered Lou the chance to join him on his trip around Australia Lou jumped at the chance, but he later realised that he would have to leave poor Mickey behind and everyone else in Ramsay Street. So after much discussion Lou stayed in Ramsay Street, living in a caravan outside the Parker's residence. When Riley Parker moved out, Lou moved in to Riley's old bedroom.
Selling the General Store
Since Harold has left Lou has decided to sell the general store to Marco Silvani and Frazer Yeats, they will be opening it up as a restaurant. However, so that he is not kept in the dark or unemployed he has added to the contract that they keep him as a full paid employee. As well as everyone else who has a business in the area Lou protested their liquor licence and won. Frazer Yeats has since left for Italy and Marco Silvani has since been killed in a bushfire, leaving Lou as the only employee left at the General store, now renamed Harold's Store after Harold Bishop, by Carmella Cammeniti an employee who has also left.
Harold's Cancer & Departure
In late November, Lou found out that his long time friend Harold has been diagnosed with cancer. After going through chemotheraphy, Harold suffered a heart attack and found no will to live. With help from Lou and his neighbours, he pulled through it. In late February, he went with Harold to Queensland to make sure he got there alright.
Buisnesses
- Carpenter's Cars Owner and Used Car Salesman (1970s to 1991)
- Chez Chez Owner (1996)
- Little Tommy's Truck Owner (Unknown Dates)
- Lou's Place Owner ( to 2004)
- Carpenter's Mechanics Owner (1997 to 2007)
- The General Store Co-Owner/Manager (2005 to 2006 and 2006 to 2008)
- Old 997 Vodka Distributor (2006)
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