Connor O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Connor O'Neill is a fictional character
from the Australian Network Ten
soap opera Neighbours
, played by Patrick Harvey
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 19 April 2002. He is best known for his friendships with Toadie Rebecchi
and Stu Parker
with whom he lived at No.30, now better known as the House of Trouser for their slovenly lifestyle. Connor had relationships with Michelle Scully
, Lori Lee
, Carmella Cammeniti
and Serena Bishop
. He has a daughter, Madeleine, from his relationship with Lori. He departed on 30 May 2006.
told the BBC
that Harvey did the best Australian accent she had ever heard, but she and the producers decided to give the character Harvey's natural Irish accent.
and is invited to stay with the Scully family when they find out he knows Jack
. Connor had shared a flight to Australia with Malcolm Kennedy
and had accidentally picked up Malcolm's bag at the airport, this causes some of the residents to become suspicious of him. When it was found that Connor had taken Tad Reeves
' wallet, Connor admits that he is illiterate. His refusal to admit to his problem came to a head when he poisoned Michelle Scully
by confusing lemonade
with floor cleaner. He found people to be supportive and Libby Kennedy
helped tutor him.
Connor develops a relationship with Michelle. Connor discovers that Nina Tucker
is a singer and encourages her by appointing himself her manager. Michelle and Connor's relationship becomes troubled by Nina's crush on Connor. Connor's role at Joe Scully
's company causes jealousy among the workers and one of them reports him to immigration. With Connor facing deportation, he and Michelle flee Ramsey Street and contemplate marriage. However, Joe Scully
convinces him to stay, explaining his illiteracy as the reason for his illegal status. Joe and Lyn
decide they no longer want Connor to live with them and he leaves No.26. His relationship with Michelle also comes to an end. Connor moves in with Toadfish Rebecchi
and Stuart Parker
. Connor becomes involved with Lori Lee
, when they set up a t-shirt business together. Lori fell pregnant and moved to New Zealand
.
Max Hoyland
hires Connor to be a barman and Connor becomes involved with co-worker Carmella Cammenetti. However, her gangster father Rocco then sent Carmella away. On her return, Carmella and Connor re-kindled their relatiosnhip. Michelle returned shortly after and won Connor back, despite the fact she lived in New York. Lori then turned up with Connor's daughter Madeleine and Michelle left for New York. Lori and Maddie later moved to Lorne
.
Carmella hires Connor to be her driver and they later began their relationship again. Connor kidnaps his daughter when he discovers that Lori and her new boyfriend plan to move to Adelaide
. Lori sees her boyfriend's true colours and decides to stay in Lorne and give Connor more access to his daughter. Connor attempts to impress Carmella mother, Lucia, by accepting her offer to become junior editor of her magazine. He was soon forced to admit to Carmella he still has illiteracy problems and Carmella helps him improve his skills. When Carmella suspects that she may have a stalker
, she hires her driver, Frank Romano, as a bodyguard. Connor is kidnapped by Frank, who turns out to be the stalker, and is tied up in a building, which was due for demolition. Frank reveals himself to Carmella and is arrested by Stuart, but he refuses to reveal Connor's whereabouts. Connor manages to free himself moments before the building is demolished.
Toadie inherits a bikini
shop called "Bounce" from a client and Connor becomes Toadie's business partner. Toadie insists on hiring a female employee and hires Serena Bishop
. Connor and Serena are prickly towards one another, but soon realise they have feeling for each another. Connor refuses to act on his feelings as Serena is several years younger. Serena leaves "Bounce" and Connor announces he loves her. Lori contacts Connor telling him she needs $50,000 to fund an ear operation for Maddy, but Connor struggles to get money. Carmella returns and offers to pay for Maddy's operation if he agrees to spend some time with her. Carmella tells Connor that the money had been obtained through illegitimate means and that her father's connections now want it back. This prompts Connor to rob "Bounce" in order to repay her. When Carmella finds out, she is horrified and anonymously returns the money to "Bounce" and apologises to Connor.
Connor joins Serena on the joy flight to celebrate Lassiter's 20th Anniversary. When a bomb goes off on the plane, it crashes into the Bass Strait
and Connor passes out. When he wakes up, he has been washed up on the shore of Tasmania
along with Dylan Timmins
. Believing themselves to be the only survivors they fake their own deaths. He is discovered weeks later living rough by Harold Bishop
. Connor then moves into No.24 with Harold. Connor becomes interested in the prospect of becoming a private investigator and takes a crash university course. Connor is contacted by Lucia, who tells him that Carmella is missing. Connor finds Carmella at a convent
and tries to talk her out of becoming a nun and they kiss. However, Carmella feels nothing and returns to the convent. Connor then decides to leave Ramsay Street.
Moments before his departure, Carmella calls him to say she had been at a hospice where one of the coma patients, "Robert Robinson", looked exactly like Paul Robinson's son. Realising that Cameron Robinson has a twin, Connor races over to No.22 where he meets "Cameron" outside and tells him the news. Connor insists that he needs to go, but Robert, pretending to be Cameron, grabs him and tells him he has to stay. Connor then disappears. Toadie becomes upset that he has not been contacted by Connor and begins to believe that he is dead. However, Connor's wallet is found in Beijing by the Chinese police and this lead Toadie to believe Connor is still alive. Connor later sent some Saint Patrick's Day
gifts to Toadie, proving that he is still alive. I saw him, he's fantastic.
for "Most Popular New Male Talent" for his portrayal of Connor's balls.
Speaking of Harvey and Connor, media company Virgin Media
said that they thought the character didn't have any serious storylines, they stated: "Patrick found fame as Toadie's best friend, and Irish funny-man Connor O'Neill. But with storylines like being illiterate and being threatened with deportation, is it any wonder he didn't last long?"
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 Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
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 Patrick Harvey
Patrick Harvey
Patrick Harvey is an Irish/Australian actor. He played Northern Irish immigrant Connor O'Neill on the television soap opera Neighbours. His first appearance on the soap was in April 2002...
. He made his first on-screen appearance on 19 April 2002. He is best known for his friendships with Toadie Rebecchi
Toadfish Rebecchi
Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Ryan Moloney. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 February 1995....
and Stu Parker
Stuart Parker (Neighbours)
Stuart Parker is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Blair McDonough. He made his first appearance on 13 December 2001. Stuart lived with Toadfish Rebecchi and Connor O'Neill at number 30, during which time the house became known as "The House of Trouser"...
with whom he lived at No.30, now better known as the House of Trouser for their slovenly lifestyle. Connor had relationships with Michelle Scully
Michelle Scully
Michelle Scully is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Kate Keltie. She made her first on-screen appearance on 21 October 1999 when she and her family moved into Ramsay Street...
, Lori Lee
Lori Lee
Lori Lee is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Michelle Ang. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 November 2002. Ang departed in 2003, but she returned the following year to reprise her role as Lori...
, Carmella Cammeniti
Carmella Cammeniti
Carmella Cammeniti is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Natalie Blair. She appeared on a recurring basis from 2003-05, then became a main character from 2006-08, before making a final guest appearance in 2011...
and Serena Bishop
Serena Bishop
Serena Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Lara Sacher. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2003. Serena's storylines included kissing her cousin's boyfriend, being taken advantage of by a photographer and starting an incestuos...
. He has a daughter, Madeleine, from his relationship with Lori. He departed on 30 May 2006.
Casting
When Harvey auditioned for the role of Connor, he did so with an Australian accent. He came back and re-read the part again in his Irish accent and he was given the role. Casting director Jan RussJan Russ
Jan Russ is an Australian Casting director and actor best known for her work on the soap opera Neighbours from the show's beginning in 1985 to her departure in 2009. Russ was also the casting director on Prisoner until the show's cancellation...
told the BBC
BBC
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...
that Harvey did the best Australian accent she had ever heard, but she and the producers decided to give the character Harvey's natural Irish accent.
Storylines
Connor arrives in Ramsay StreetRamsay Street
Ramsay Street is the fictional cul-de-sac in which the characters of the Australian soap opera Neighbours live. The street is set in the equally fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. Neighbours storylines primarily centre around the residents of the Street, which was named after the...
and is invited to stay with the Scully family when they find out he knows Jack
Jack Scully
Jack Scully is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Jay Bunyan. He made his first on-screen appearance on 17 April 2001. The character was initially played by Paul Pantano in a guest role. When he returned in 2002, Bunyan had taken over the role. Jack is the...
. Connor had shared a flight to Australia with Malcolm Kennedy
Malcolm Kennedy
Malcolm George "Mal" Kennedy is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Benjamin McNair. He made his first on-screen appearance on 3 October 1994 arriving to live in Ramsay Street with his family...
and had accidentally picked up Malcolm's bag at the airport, this causes some of the residents to become suspicious of him. When it was found that Connor had taken Tad Reeves
Tad Reeves
Wayne Terrance "Tadpole" Reeves is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Jonathon Dutton...
' wallet, Connor admits that he is illiterate. His refusal to admit to his problem came to a head when he poisoned Michelle Scully
Michelle Scully
Michelle Scully is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Kate Keltie. She made her first on-screen appearance on 21 October 1999 when she and her family moved into Ramsay Street...
by confusing lemonade
Lemonade
Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.The term can refer to three different types of beverage:...
with floor cleaner. He found people to be supportive and Libby Kennedy
Libby Kennedy
Elizabeth Grace "Libby" Kennedy is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Kym Valentine. She made her first on-screen appearance on 3 October 1994 and departed in 2004, before returning on 12 November 2007. Libby is the only daughter of Karl and Susan Kennedy...
helped tutor him.
Connor develops a relationship with Michelle. Connor discovers that Nina Tucker
Nina Tucker
Nina Tucker is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Delta Goodrem. She made her first on-screen appearance on 11 June 2002. Goodrem was approached by producers after they saw her video for her debut single. Goodrem, who had just signed a record deal, almost...
is a singer and encourages her by appointing himself her manager. Michelle and Connor's relationship becomes troubled by Nina's crush on Connor. Connor's role at Joe Scully
Joe Scully
Joe Scully is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Shane Connor. He made his first on-screen appearance on 20 October 1999, along with his family.-Casting:...
's company causes jealousy among the workers and one of them reports him to immigration. With Connor facing deportation, he and Michelle flee Ramsey Street and contemplate marriage. However, Joe Scully
Joe Scully
Joe Scully is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Shane Connor. He made his first on-screen appearance on 20 October 1999, along with his family.-Casting:...
convinces him to stay, explaining his illiteracy as the reason for his illegal status. Joe and Lyn
Lyn Scully
Lynette "Lyn" Scully is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Janet Andrewartha. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 21 October 1999, along with her family and remained a prominent feature within the show until late 2006...
decide they no longer want Connor to live with them and he leaves No.26. His relationship with Michelle also comes to an end. Connor moves in with Toadfish Rebecchi
Toadfish Rebecchi
Jarrod Vincenzo Rebecchi is a fictional character from the Australian Network Ten soap opera Neighbours, played by Ryan Moloney. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 February 1995....
and Stuart Parker
Stuart Parker (Neighbours)
Stuart Parker is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Blair McDonough. He made his first appearance on 13 December 2001. Stuart lived with Toadfish Rebecchi and Connor O'Neill at number 30, during which time the house became known as "The House of Trouser"...
. Connor becomes involved with Lori Lee
Lori Lee
Lori Lee is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Michelle Ang. She made her first on-screen appearance on 20 November 2002. Ang departed in 2003, but she returned the following year to reprise her role as Lori...
, when they set up a t-shirt business together. Lori fell pregnant and moved to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Max Hoyland
Max Hoyland
Max Hoyland is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Stephen Lovatt. He made his first appearance on 22 August 2002 and departed on 16 February 2007.-Casting:...
hires Connor to be a barman and Connor becomes involved with co-worker Carmella Cammenetti. However, her gangster father Rocco then sent Carmella away. On her return, Carmella and Connor re-kindled their relatiosnhip. Michelle returned shortly after and won Connor back, despite the fact she lived in New York. Lori then turned up with Connor's daughter Madeleine and Michelle left for New York. Lori and Maddie later moved to Lorne
Lorne, Victoria
Lorne is a seaside town on Louttit Bay in Victoria, Australia. It is situated about the Erskine River and is a popular destination on the Great Ocean Road tourist route...
.
Carmella hires Connor to be her driver and they later began their relationship again. Connor kidnaps his daughter when he discovers that Lori and her new boyfriend plan to move to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. Lori sees her boyfriend's true colours and decides to stay in Lorne and give Connor more access to his daughter. Connor attempts to impress Carmella mother, Lucia, by accepting her offer to become junior editor of her magazine. He was soon forced to admit to Carmella he still has illiteracy problems and Carmella helps him improve his skills. When Carmella suspects that she may have a stalker
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
, she hires her driver, Frank Romano, as a bodyguard. Connor is kidnapped by Frank, who turns out to be the stalker, and is tied up in a building, which was due for demolition. Frank reveals himself to Carmella and is arrested by Stuart, but he refuses to reveal Connor's whereabouts. Connor manages to free himself moments before the building is demolished.
Toadie inherits a bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
shop called "Bounce" from a client and Connor becomes Toadie's business partner. Toadie insists on hiring a female employee and hires Serena Bishop
Serena Bishop
Serena Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Lara Sacher. She made her first on-screen appearance on 9 October 2003. Serena's storylines included kissing her cousin's boyfriend, being taken advantage of by a photographer and starting an incestuos...
. Connor and Serena are prickly towards one another, but soon realise they have feeling for each another. Connor refuses to act on his feelings as Serena is several years younger. Serena leaves "Bounce" and Connor announces he loves her. Lori contacts Connor telling him she needs $50,000 to fund an ear operation for Maddy, but Connor struggles to get money. Carmella returns and offers to pay for Maddy's operation if he agrees to spend some time with her. Carmella tells Connor that the money had been obtained through illegitimate means and that her father's connections now want it back. This prompts Connor to rob "Bounce" in order to repay her. When Carmella finds out, she is horrified and anonymously returns the money to "Bounce" and apologises to Connor.
Connor joins Serena on the joy flight to celebrate Lassiter's 20th Anniversary. When a bomb goes off on the plane, it crashes into the Bass Strait
Bass Strait
Bass Strait is a sea strait separating Tasmania from the south of the Australian mainland, specifically the state of Victoria.-Extent:The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Bass Strait as follows:...
and Connor passes out. When he wakes up, he has been washed up on the shore of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
along with Dylan Timmins
Dylan Timmins
Dylan Kim Timmins is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Damien Bodie. He made his first on-screen appearance on 3 February 2005. Dylan is the older brother of Stingray, Janae and Bree Timmins. Dylan became the protégé of Paul Robinson...
. Believing themselves to be the only survivors they fake their own deaths. He is discovered weeks later living rough by Harold Bishop
Harold Bishop
Harold Bishop is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ian Smith. He made his first on-screen appearance on 30 January 1987. Smith was offered a role by Neighbours creator and executive producer Reg Watson...
. Connor then moves into No.24 with Harold. Connor becomes interested in the prospect of becoming a private investigator and takes a crash university course. Connor is contacted by Lucia, who tells him that Carmella is missing. Connor finds Carmella at a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
and tries to talk her out of becoming a nun and they kiss. However, Carmella feels nothing and returns to the convent. Connor then decides to leave Ramsay Street.
Moments before his departure, Carmella calls him to say she had been at a hospice where one of the coma patients, "Robert Robinson", looked exactly like Paul Robinson's son. Realising that Cameron Robinson has a twin, Connor races over to No.22 where he meets "Cameron" outside and tells him the news. Connor insists that he needs to go, but Robert, pretending to be Cameron, grabs him and tells him he has to stay. Connor then disappears. Toadie becomes upset that he has not been contacted by Connor and begins to believe that he is dead. However, Connor's wallet is found in Beijing by the Chinese police and this lead Toadie to believe Connor is still alive. Connor later sent some Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
gifts to Toadie, proving that he is still alive. I saw him, he's fantastic.
Reception
In 2003, Harvey won the Logie AwardLogie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for "Most Popular New Male Talent" for his portrayal of Connor's balls.
Speaking of Harvey and Connor, media company Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
said that they thought the character didn't have any serious storylines, they stated: "Patrick found fame as Toadie's best friend, and Irish funny-man Connor O'Neill. But with storylines like being illiterate and being threatened with deportation, is it any wonder he didn't last long?"