This Australian soap opera revolved around twins Angela Hamilton (Ally Fowler) and John Palmer (Peter Phelps), separated at birth and meeting twenty years later after growing up in different cities and circumstances.
The series had so many relationship twists and turns that it’s impossible to explain the plotline in a few paragraphs. Suffice it to say that just about everybody ends up with just about everybody else at some stage.
The Hamiltons (from Sydney) are worth mega-bucks but torn apart by family conflict, while the Palmers (from Melbourne) are a typical family of Aussie battlers, doing it hard in the cheaper part of town.
Viewers could hiss happily at spoiled rich boy Wayne Hamilton (Ian Rawlings), who almost ruined his father Gordon (Brian Blain, pictured at right), mistreated women, was remorseless in his business dealings, and was openly hostile to his younger sister, Angela.
Along with the regular cast (which was large enough anyway), a large transient population shared the trials and tribulations.
More than 2,000 actors appeared during the series’ six years, many well known from other Aussie soaps, such as Division 4‘s Terence Donovan, Judy Nunn from The Box and Abigail (fully clothed this time) from Number 96.
Anne Haddy (later to play Helen in super-soap Neighbours) was immensely popular as the Hamiltons’ lovable housekeeper, Rosie.
But the rock in this sea of changing faces was Aunt Fiona, the guest-house owner who raised baby John for his father, knew all about all and was the shoulder for every main character to cry on.
When poison Pat schemed and deceived, Fiona alone knew the truth. For actress Pat McDonald – much loved as scatty Dorrie Evans, caretaker of the flats in Number 96– this sophisticated lady with a shady past (she once ran a brothel) was a contrast.
Where Dorrie could keep a secret for about two seconds. Fiona had to be worldly, wise, and silent for years on matters like who was parent to whom.
The undoubted queen of Sons and Daughters, though, was the wife and mother no one deserved – bitchy Pat Hamilton.
British-born Rowena Wallace established the character as the iron-fisted roost ruler, ranting and raving one minute, breaking down the next, and scooped awards for her as the woman viewers loved to hate, both at home in Australia and abroad.
When Rowena left the show after three years and was replaced by Belinda Giblin, the producers even added a Pat look-alike – another character who had been in the Rio de Janeiro clinic with Pat and who’d lost her memory and innocently taken on Pat’s identity.
Truck driver David Palmer (former Matlock Police star Tom Richards) even married this impostor before spotting the new, real (second) Pat, who was calling herself Alison Carr. As with the rebirth of dead Bobby Ewing in Dallas, viewers happily went along with the story. But the soap never bubbled so well again.
1985 added Abigail, the sizzling sex symbol of Australian television in the 1970s, to the cast of Sons and Daughters as Caroline Morrell – a woman scorned and after revenge, and about to make Pat the Rat look timid.
Caroline was the first wife of Pat’s former husband, womaniser Stephen Morrell (Michael Long).
Despite her husband’s promiscuity, the couple had two children – Amanda (Alyce Platt) and Samantha (Sally Tayler). But deeply hurt by Stephen’s philandering, Caroline had turned into a vindictive bitch.
And so a whole new generation of soapie fans saw Abigail doing what she did best – playing the glamorous sex siren.
Patricia Hamilton
Rowena Wallace
Gordon Hamilton
Brian Blain
Wayne Hamilton
Ian Rawlings
Alison Carr
Belinda Giblin
Angela Hamilton/Palmer
Ally Fowler
Beryl Palmer
Leila Hayes
David Palmer
Tom Richards
John Palmer
Peter Phelps
Susan Palmer
Ann Henderson-Stires
Kevin Palmer
Stephen Comey
Fiona Thompson
Pat McDonald Barbara Hamilton/Armstrong
Cornelia Frances Charlie Bartlett
Sarah Kemp
Pru Armstrong
Gaynor Martin Irene Fisher
Judy Nunn Caroline Morell
Abigail
Jill Taylor
Kim Lewis Stephen Morrell Michael Long Lyn Hardy/Palmer
Antonia Murphy
Rosie Andrews
Anne Haddy Amanda Morrell
Alyce Platt Samantha Morrell
Sally Tayler
The Hamiltons (from Sydney) are worth mega-bucks but torn apart by family conflict, while the Palmers (from Melbourne) are a typical family of Aussie battlers, doing it hard in the cheaper part of town.
