Rick Alessi
Encyclopedia
Riccardo "Rick" Alessi is a fictional character
from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
, played by Dan Falzon
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 8 June 1992 and he remained until his departure on 9 March 1995.
who played his on-screen brother, Marco.
In 1994, Falzon decided to quit his role of Rick after three years and his final scenes aired the following year. Falzon told Richard Arnold in an interview with Inside “I had a phenomenal run on the show and leaving was a big decision to make but there comes a time when you know that it’s finally right.”
(George Spartels
) and Cathy Alessi
(Elspeth Ballantyne
) in 1976 as the younger of two sons. Rick's older brother Marco
(Felice Arena
) had not lived up to their parent's expectations so Benito enrolled Rick in a private boarding school in order for him to excel academically. Rick hated the board school environment and did everything he could to get expelled, which he eventually did.
(Maggie Dence
) is more than a match for him. Rick and Marco soon lodge with Cameron Hudson (Benjamin Grant Mitchell
) in Ramsay Street. When Debbie Martin
(Marnie Reece-Wilmore
) moves back to the area with her family, Rick is attracted to her and they begin dating.
When Benito and Cathy move into 22 Ramsay Street, Rick and Marco join them
Rick wins a radio contest where the prize is to win tickets to see Michael Jackson
, who is touring in support of his album Dangerous in concert in London and invites Debbie with him. Rick knows Benito would not allow him to go away alone with Debbie, so Marco and Helen Daniels
(Anne Haddy
)' Debbie's step-great-grandmother hatch a scheme to get the couple to London without Benito or Julie (Julie Mullins), Debbie's stepmother finding out. The plan is for Marco to chaperon Rick and Helen and Debbie to invent an outback paiting holiday. The plan works until news of the couple giving away their concert tickets to terminally ill Leukemia patient Terry Carter (Lee Cheesewright) ends up on The Casey Butler show, a british talk show, which goes to air in Australia which is seen by Benito and Julie who
try to keep the couple apart on their return to Australia.
When Debbie catches Rick allegedly in a steamy clinch with Annalise Hartman
(Kimberly Davies) at Number 22, She promptly storms out. Rick then explains that he invented an affair with Annalise in order to get out going Italy with his parents for the holidays. Debbie is quick to apologize. A spanner is thrown into the works when Rick's aunt Margaret (Bev Gardiner) arrives to stay with him during the holidays. Rick schemes to get rid of her by writing a letter that is allegedly her from her husband, Rick's uncle Frank (Bob Ruggiero) wanting her to return home.
When Benito lands a job in Sydney, he plans for the whole family to leave Erinsborough but Rick does not want to leave Debbie. Worried that they will be separate Rick and Debbie decide to have sex while babysitting Hope Gottlieb one night. This phase in their relationship led to Rick resolving to stay in Erinsborough so that he can be with Debbie, and he arranges for an AusStudy grant to support himself and a part-time job at Lassiter's Hotel as a kitchen hand in exchange for lodgings in the staff quarters. Rick's parents are unhappy with his decision but realize their son is old enough to make his own decisions. Cathy leaves Rick a secret bank account only they know about.
Rick and Debbie later have problems in their relationship when Debbie becomes infatuated with Harvey Johnson and she and Rick later split but remain friends.
Rick tries to learn to drive but doesn't have an instructor and uses a dummy he names 'Roy' to ride in the front passenger seat. It soon backfires when people realise what Rick is doing and Rick gets rid of Roy and throws the dummy over the cliff but accidentally totals Lou Carpenter
's (Tom Oliver
) car. Rick then explains to an irate Lou who makes him pay off his debt by working unpaid at his car yard. Cathy returns and sees Rick is tired from the various jobs he is working and wants him to return with her to Sydney. Rick wants to stay in Erinsborough, so Lou agrees to let him move in and the two build up a bond.
When Debbie falls for ex-con Darren Stark
(Scott Major
), Rick knows Darren is just stringing Debbie along but she accuses Rick of being jealous when he tells her so. Rick's suspicions are Darren were confirmed when he catches him kissing Debbie's arch-enemy Louise Barker (Katrina McEwan) Rick visits Debbie's brother, Michael (Troy Beckwith) in the detention centre where Darren had also been incarcerated, and Michael reveals to Rick that Darren has a grudge against him and was plans to involve Debbie in a petrol station robbery. Rick helps Michael to escape the detention centre and the two rush to rescue Debbie from being an accessory to Darren's crime. In the confusion, Michael is shot by the cashier and Darren makes a run for it but Rick catches and restrains him until the police arrives. Debbie realizes Rick was right about Darren and apologizes for her treatment of Rick.
Rick drops out of school to run the Coffee Shop for Cathy after Phoebe and Stephen Gottlieb moved away. But Rick manages to upset the established the staff within days of his arrival at the shop
He sacks Annalise, and halves Kristy's (Jodie Haigh) hours. Debbie agrees to help Rick out during the holidays and hit on a winning formula using Helen's recipe for shepherd's pie. Things backfire when Rick and Debbie oversalt the pie leaving it inedible. Rick's management skills worsen when he buys a large amount of food extender which turns out to be a waste of money.
After adding food dye to liven up the menu and make the food look more attractive, the plan goes awry when Nicholas Greenway suffers an seizure. Rick then resigns as manager and returns to school.
Year 9 student Ally Slater (Bryony Price) falls for Rick which he dismisses as a crush but Ally tells her friends that she is dating Rick and they want proof so Ally conspires with her brother Sean to get the necklace by putting herbal tonic in Rick's drink. It soon emerges that Ally is seeking attention during the wake of her her parents' messy separation, and Rick lends a sympathetic ear.
When Cody Willis
(Peta Brady
) returns to Ramsay Street after two years in America, Rick is instantly smitten. Although Cody was is attracted Rick, she is going through a separation. When Rick returns from spending Christmas in Hong Kong, he is unhappy to find that Cody is dating Michael. However, Cody is still attracted to Rick and they kiss which Michael witnesses. Rick and Cody agree to spare Michael any more upset by cooling off for a while.
After receiving a car for his 18th birthday, Rick boasts about its speed and is challenged to a drag race by schoolmates Lenny Hooper (Jamie Churchill
) and Gary Briggs (Jamie McGrath). Rick reluctantly accepts and Cody joins him. In the ensuing race, Briggs dies when the car carrying him, Lenny and Danni Stark
(Eliza Szonert
) crashes. Rick is then charged with reckless driving, leaving him feeling guilty. A memorial service is held at school for Briggs
and his father, Alan (Eric Donnison) menaces Rick over his son's death. Lou and Cody are on hand to help Rick get over the events.
Rick later moves out of Number 24 when Lou's partner Cheryl Stark
(Caroline Gillmer
) and her children Danni and Brett
(Brett Blewitt
) move in causing the house to become overcrowded. Rick moves in with Mark Gottlieb (Bruce Samazan
) and Annalise. Rick's relationship with Cody is tested when Rick's language teacher Sally Pritchard (Brenda Webb) and Cassandra Rushmore (Radha Mitchell
) enter the equation.
After scoring a job working for Cody's sister Gaby
(Rachel Blakely
) at Lassiter's Darwin Branch, Rick bids Erinsborough an emotional goodbye. He and Cody then end things after a long distance relationship fails. A Year later when Cody is killed in a siege with drug dealers, Rick sends a message to the memorial service which is read by Hannah Martin
(Rebecca Ritters
), detailing how he never stopped loving Cody even though they were parted by distance.
said Rick's most notable moment was "Winning a trip to London to see Michael Jackson with Debbie Martin."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, played by Dan Falzon
Dan Falzon
Dan Falzon is an Australian actor of Maltese descent, best known for his role as Rick Alessi on the television soap opera Neighbours. He also appeared in the Channel Nine drama The Alice, as a park ranger. He also formed the short lived pop group Milk with his brother, releasing the single...
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 8 June 1992 and he remained until his departure on 9 March 1995.
Casting
After winning the role of Rick Alessi, Falzon spoke to Inside Soap Magazine his stint on Neighbours “This is the biggest thing I’ve ever done,” he says excitedly. “Neighbours is such a big show and Rick is such a great character.” Falzon also spoke of his closeness with Felice ArenaFelice Arena
Felice Arena is an Australian children's author and illustrator, and occasional actor. He is best known for the bestselling and award-winning Specky Magee series, and his hilarious Farticus Maximus books...
who played his on-screen brother, Marco.
In 1994, Falzon decided to quit his role of Rick after three years and his final scenes aired the following year. Falzon told Richard Arnold in an interview with Inside “I had a phenomenal run on the show and leaving was a big decision to make but there comes a time when you know that it’s finally right.”
Backstory
Rick was born to BenitoBenito Alessi
Benito Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by George Spartels. He made his first on-screen appearance on 28 July 1992 and remained until 28 May 1993.-Storylines:...
(George Spartels
George Spartels
George Spartels is an Australian actor of Greek descent, who is best known for his role on the television soap opera Neighbours, playing Benito Alessi. He was married to actress Elizabeth Alexander....
) and Cathy Alessi
Cathy Alessi
Catherine "Cathy" Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Elspeth Ballantyne. She made her first on-screen appearance on 29 July 1992 and remained until her departure on 4 August 1993.-Storylines:...
(Elspeth Ballantyne
Elspeth Ballantyne
Elspeth Ballantyne is an Australian actress, born in Adelaide. Having started her career as a laboratory Technician, she then attended the prestigious drama school, the National Institute for Dramatic Arts...
) in 1976 as the younger of two sons. Rick's older brother Marco
Marco Alessi
Marco Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Felice Arena. He made his first on-screen appearance on 5 May 1992 and departed the series on 18 November 1992.-Casting:...
(Felice Arena
Felice Arena
Felice Arena is an Australian children's author and illustrator, and occasional actor. He is best known for the bestselling and award-winning Specky Magee series, and his hilarious Farticus Maximus books...
) had not lived up to their parent's expectations so Benito enrolled Rick in a private boarding school in order for him to excel academically. Rick hated the board school environment and did everything he could to get expelled, which he eventually did.
1992–95
Rick arrives at Daphne's Coffee Shop where Marco is working and asks him for a job after he is expelled from boarding school. Rick then starts at Erinsborough High where the principal, Dorothy BurkeDorothy Burke
Dorothy Miriam Burke is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Maggie Dence. She made her first on-screen appearance on 7 March 1990...
(Maggie Dence
Maggie Dence
Maggie Dence is an Australian actress who after high profile television comedy work became better known for several soap opera roles....
) is more than a match for him. Rick and Marco soon lodge with Cameron Hudson (Benjamin Grant Mitchell
Benjamin Grant Mitchell
Benjamin Grant Mitchell is a writer, singer and actor now living in Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of The Last Great Day, an 'autobiographical' novel released in 2011....
) in Ramsay Street. When Debbie Martin
Debbie Martin
Deborah "Debbie" Martin is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Marnie Reece-Wilmore. She made her first on-screen appearance on 27 July 1985. Debbie was initially played by Mandy Storvik and later Katrina McEwan. Reece-Wilmore was cast in the role in 1992...
(Marnie Reece-Wilmore
Marnie Reece-Wilmore
Marnie Reece-Wilmore is an Australian actor from Sydney. She is best known for her role in Neighbours during the 1990s.-Early work:...
) moves back to the area with her family, Rick is attracted to her and they begin dating.
When Benito and Cathy move into 22 Ramsay Street, Rick and Marco join them
Rick wins a radio contest where the prize is to win tickets to see Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, who is touring in support of his album Dangerous in concert in London and invites Debbie with him. Rick knows Benito would not allow him to go away alone with Debbie, so Marco and Helen Daniels
Helen Daniels
Helen Daniels is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, portrayed by Anne Haddy. Following the death of Jim Robinson in 1993, she remained the only original character left in the series until her own death in 1997, making her the second longest-serving original character...
(Anne Haddy
Anne Haddy
Anne Haddy was an Australian film and television actress, best known for her role in the long-running soap opera, Neighbours.-Early and personal life:...
)' Debbie's step-great-grandmother hatch a scheme to get the couple to London without Benito or Julie (Julie Mullins), Debbie's stepmother finding out. The plan is for Marco to chaperon Rick and Helen and Debbie to invent an outback paiting holiday. The plan works until news of the couple giving away their concert tickets to terminally ill Leukemia patient Terry Carter (Lee Cheesewright) ends up on The Casey Butler show, a british talk show, which goes to air in Australia which is seen by Benito and Julie who
try to keep the couple apart on their return to Australia.
When Debbie catches Rick allegedly in a steamy clinch with Annalise Hartman
Annalise Hartman
Annalise Kratz is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Kimberley Davies. She debuted on-screen in the episode airing on 15 January 1993 and departed in 1996, and a brief return in 2005. Annalise has often been portrayed as having a conniving persona...
(Kimberly Davies) at Number 22, She promptly storms out. Rick then explains that he invented an affair with Annalise in order to get out going Italy with his parents for the holidays. Debbie is quick to apologize. A spanner is thrown into the works when Rick's aunt Margaret (Bev Gardiner) arrives to stay with him during the holidays. Rick schemes to get rid of her by writing a letter that is allegedly her from her husband, Rick's uncle Frank (Bob Ruggiero) wanting her to return home.
When Benito lands a job in Sydney, he plans for the whole family to leave Erinsborough but Rick does not want to leave Debbie. Worried that they will be separate Rick and Debbie decide to have sex while babysitting Hope Gottlieb one night. This phase in their relationship led to Rick resolving to stay in Erinsborough so that he can be with Debbie, and he arranges for an AusStudy grant to support himself and a part-time job at Lassiter's Hotel as a kitchen hand in exchange for lodgings in the staff quarters. Rick's parents are unhappy with his decision but realize their son is old enough to make his own decisions. Cathy leaves Rick a secret bank account only they know about.
Rick and Debbie later have problems in their relationship when Debbie becomes infatuated with Harvey Johnson and she and Rick later split but remain friends.
Rick tries to learn to drive but doesn't have an instructor and uses a dummy he names 'Roy' to ride in the front passenger seat. It soon backfires when people realise what Rick is doing and Rick gets rid of Roy and throws the dummy over the cliff but accidentally totals Lou Carpenter
Lou Carpenter
Louis "Lou" Carpenter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Tom Oliver. He made his first on-screen appearance on 30 March 1988. Lou appeared for a brief time, before leaving and later returning in January 1992 as a regular cast member. He is the longest...
's (Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver is an English television, film and theatre actor best known today for playing the role of Lou Carpenter in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Career:...
) car. Rick then explains to an irate Lou who makes him pay off his debt by working unpaid at his car yard. Cathy returns and sees Rick is tired from the various jobs he is working and wants him to return with her to Sydney. Rick wants to stay in Erinsborough, so Lou agrees to let him move in and the two build up a bond.
When Debbie falls for ex-con Darren Stark
Darren Stark
Darren Stark is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Todd MacDonald. He made his first on-screen appearance on 20 July 1993 and was originally played by Scott Major. When the character was released from prison in 1996, MacDonald took over the role and remained...
(Scott Major
Scott Major
Scott Major is an Australian actor. Major's acting début was playing Murray on Home and Away in the 1990s. He joined the Neighbours cast for a brief period in 1993 as the original Darren Stark. and then was a part of the Heartbreak High cast as "Rivers" from 1994–1995...
), Rick knows Darren is just stringing Debbie along but she accuses Rick of being jealous when he tells her so. Rick's suspicions are Darren were confirmed when he catches him kissing Debbie's arch-enemy Louise Barker (Katrina McEwan) Rick visits Debbie's brother, Michael (Troy Beckwith) in the detention centre where Darren had also been incarcerated, and Michael reveals to Rick that Darren has a grudge against him and was plans to involve Debbie in a petrol station robbery. Rick helps Michael to escape the detention centre and the two rush to rescue Debbie from being an accessory to Darren's crime. In the confusion, Michael is shot by the cashier and Darren makes a run for it but Rick catches and restrains him until the police arrives. Debbie realizes Rick was right about Darren and apologizes for her treatment of Rick.
Rick drops out of school to run the Coffee Shop for Cathy after Phoebe and Stephen Gottlieb moved away. But Rick manages to upset the established the staff within days of his arrival at the shop
He sacks Annalise, and halves Kristy's (Jodie Haigh) hours. Debbie agrees to help Rick out during the holidays and hit on a winning formula using Helen's recipe for shepherd's pie. Things backfire when Rick and Debbie oversalt the pie leaving it inedible. Rick's management skills worsen when he buys a large amount of food extender which turns out to be a waste of money.
After adding food dye to liven up the menu and make the food look more attractive, the plan goes awry when Nicholas Greenway suffers an seizure. Rick then resigns as manager and returns to school.
Year 9 student Ally Slater (Bryony Price) falls for Rick which he dismisses as a crush but Ally tells her friends that she is dating Rick and they want proof so Ally conspires with her brother Sean to get the necklace by putting herbal tonic in Rick's drink. It soon emerges that Ally is seeking attention during the wake of her her parents' messy separation, and Rick lends a sympathetic ear.
When Cody Willis
Cody Willis
Cody Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, originally played by Amelia Frid. She made her first on-screen appearance on 24 November 1989. The character departed in 1991, but returned in 1993 with Peta Brady in the role...
(Peta Brady
Peta Brady
Peta Brady is an Australian actress. She is best known for playing Cody Willis in the TV soap opera Neighbours. Since she left the show, Brady has appeared in the film Mullet, the TV sitcom Kath & Kim and the SBS series RAN ...
) returns to Ramsay Street after two years in America, Rick is instantly smitten. Although Cody was is attracted Rick, she is going through a separation. When Rick returns from spending Christmas in Hong Kong, he is unhappy to find that Cody is dating Michael. However, Cody is still attracted to Rick and they kiss which Michael witnesses. Rick and Cody agree to spare Michael any more upset by cooling off for a while.
After receiving a car for his 18th birthday, Rick boasts about its speed and is challenged to a drag race by schoolmates Lenny Hooper (Jamie Churchill
Jamie Churchill
Jamie Churchill is an Australian television personality. Born in Canberra, he was raised in Hobart, Tasmania. Jamie is most well known for his stint in Network 10's Young Talent Time in 1988...
) and Gary Briggs (Jamie McGrath). Rick reluctantly accepts and Cody joins him. In the ensuing race, Briggs dies when the car carrying him, Lenny and Danni Stark
Danni Stark
Danielle "Danni" Stark is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Eliza Szonert. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 30 November 1993 and remained in the show until 13 November 1996, with a brief cameo in 2005 in Annalise Hartman's...
(Eliza Szonert
Eliza Szonert
Eliza Szonert is an Australian actress.Szonert is best known for playing Danni Stark in Australia's long-running soap opera, Neighbours, from 1993 to 1996. Szonert reprised the role in 2005 for the show's 20th anniversary....
) crashes. Rick is then charged with reckless driving, leaving him feeling guilty. A memorial service is held at school for Briggs
and his father, Alan (Eric Donnison) menaces Rick over his son's death. Lou and Cody are on hand to help Rick get over the events.
Rick later moves out of Number 24 when Lou's partner Cheryl Stark
Cheryl Stark
Cheryl Stark is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Caroline Gillmer. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 26 July 1993. Colette Mann took over the role for eight weeks from late 1995 to early 1996 whilst Gillmer was ill...
(Caroline Gillmer
Caroline Gillmer
Caroline Gillmer is an Australian actress, best known for her roles in various television series, such as Prisoner as Helen Smart and Neighbours as Cheryl Stark....
) and her children Danni and Brett
Brett Stark
Brett Stark is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Brett Blewitt. He debuted in the episode airing on 30 November 1993, along with his sister, Danni Stark and remained as a regular in the show until 8 March 1996. Blewitt returned as Brett for five...
(Brett Blewitt
Brett Blewitt
Brett Blewitt, is an Australian actor who played Brett Stark on the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 1993 to 1996...
) move in causing the house to become overcrowded. Rick moves in with Mark Gottlieb (Bruce Samazan
Bruce Samazan
Bruce Samazan is an Australian actor who appeared in several soap operas and drama series on Australian television, the only actor to have played regular roles in Australia's "Big Three" soap operas of the 1990s .-E Street:Samazan was a brickie's labourer, until 1989 when he accompanied his...
) and Annalise. Rick's relationship with Cody is tested when Rick's language teacher Sally Pritchard (Brenda Webb) and Cassandra Rushmore (Radha Mitchell
Radha Mitchell
Radha Rani Amber Indigo Anunda Mitchell is an Australian actress. Her film roles include Finding Neverland, Phone Booth, Man on Fire, Silent Hill, and the The Crazies-Early life:...
) enter the equation.
After scoring a job working for Cody's sister Gaby
Gaby Willis
Gabrielle "Gaby" Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Rachel Blakely. She made her first on-screen appearance 12 August 1991. The character departed in 1994. Blakely reprised her role in 2005 for the show's 20th anniversary.-Casting:Blakely was...
(Rachel Blakely
Rachel Blakely
Rachel Blakely is an Australian actress. Her works include films such as Love Until, Young Hercules and Counterstrike, as well as guest appearances on television shows such as Xena: Warrior Princess, State Coroner and Flipper; from 2006 to 2007 she starred as Glenda Fry in the Australian...
) at Lassiter's Darwin Branch, Rick bids Erinsborough an emotional goodbye. He and Cody then end things after a long distance relationship fails. A Year later when Cody is killed in a siege with drug dealers, Rick sends a message to the memorial service which is read by Hannah Martin
Hannah Martin
Hannah Martin is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Rebecca Ritters. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 July 1992. Hannah is the only child of Philip and Julie Martin and the younger sister to Michael and Debbie. The Martin family were written out...
(Rebecca Ritters
Rebecca Ritters
Rebecca Ritters is an Australian actress, mostly known for her role as Hannah Martin in the soap opera Neighbours. She first appeared in the show in 1992 when she was eight years old and remained in the show for a further seven years...
), detailing how he never stopped loving Cody even though they were parted by distance.
Reception
The BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
said Rick's most notable moment was "Winning a trip to London to see Michael Jackson with Debbie Martin."