Martin Dibble: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=JulyJanuary 20132024}}

| brothers = [[List of Home and Away characters (1989)#Errol Dibble|Erroll Dibble]]<br>[[List of Home and Away characters (1989)#Scott Dibble|Scott Dibble]]<br>Marcus Dibble

'''Martin Dibble''' is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''[[Home and Away]]'', played by Craig Thomson. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 January 1988, during the show's pilot episode. Martin is characterised as aan idle and concoctor of schemes that are always unsuccessful. Thomson has described him numerous times as a "yobbo" or a "yob". Writers often used Martin for comic relief in between the show's more serious stories. They also created an on-screen partnership between him and [[Lance Smart]] ([[Peter Vroom]]). Together they were the show's "larrikins" with over-the-top personalities.

The character was written out of the series by executive producer Andrew Howie. He decided to focus on new characters and change the show's stories. Thomson was delighted to leave and claimed the decision was mutual. Thomson departed during the episode broadcast on 3 April 1990. Thomson enjoyed his first year in the role but grew to dislike the experience during his second. He has since stated that the show changed until he grew to dislike it. He also believed that writers had run out of stories for Martin. Thomson played the role of Martin in the 1991 stage show, ''[[Home and Away: The Musical]]''. Thomson returned to film a guest appearance, in which Martin attends his friend [[Sally Fletcher]]'s ([[Kate Ritchie]]) wedding. In 2002, he returned once again to celebrate Summer Bay's fictional "150 year anniversary". Television critics have ridiculed the character for his lack of intelligence.

Thomson's only acting role prior to joining the cast was in a television commercial for soft drinks.<ref name=tvt394>{{cite magazine |first=Nick |last=Fisher |title=Martin's a bit of a yob! |magazine=TV Guide |date=19–25 May 1990 |issue=60 |pages=4, 5 |publisher=(Murdoch Magazines)}}</ref> In 1987, ''Home and Away'' producers asked Thomson to audition for a role, after they watched him in the commercial.<ref>{{cite web|last=Moir|first=Jan|title=Next door Neighbours|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_-FAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z6YMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2641,3853669&dq=amanda+newman-phillips&hl=en|work=[[Evening Times]]|publisher=([[Newsquest]])|date=13 December 1989|access-date=7 December 2011}}</ref> Thomson auditioned alongside [[Adam Willits]], while Thomson secured the role of Martin, Willits went on to play [[Steven Matheson]]. Of his casting Thomson said they "went along to the auditions and got the parts, there's not much to tell really". ''Home and Away'' was Thomson's first television role.<ref name=fifty>[[#refKesta|Kesta 1990]], p.50.</ref>

{{cquote|"Lance and Martin provide the comic relief in Summer Bay, and are always coming up with madcap -– and usually totally disastrous -– schemes. Martin may be a lifelong contender for 'Nerd of the Year', and who can blame him with a family like his."|4=''Clive Hopwood on Martin''.<ref>[[#refHopwood|Hopwood 1990]], p.8.</ref><ref name=craig/>}}

In his book ''Home and Away Annual'', Kesta Desmond describes Martin as a "beach bum" and who a big ego because he sees himself as one of the most attractive men in Summer Bay. When Martin faces rejection from females who do appreciate his "charm", his "confidence remains undented".<ref>[[#refKesta|Kesta 1990]], p.10.</ref> As Martin is also characterised as a "yob", Thomson said that members of the public assume he is going to behave like Martin.<ref name=fifty/> Thomson described Martin as being "completely over the top, and very different from the rest of the cast. I really like playing comedy."<ref>[[#refKesta|Kesta 1990]], p.55.</ref> Thomson later said that "Martin's like every other bully, he fancies himself as a boxer and thinks he's tough. In fact, he's a coward".<ref>{{cite news|last=Clifford|first=Murray|title=Soap stars describe the terror of stardom -– The price of fame|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VtdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e6YMAAAAIBAJ&pg=7206,2525747&dq=adam+willits&hl=en|access-date=6 December 2011|newspaper=[[Evening Times]]|date=11 June 1990|agency=([[Newsquest]] }}</ref> In 1990, Thomson said that Martin has a "heart of gold" but is let down by his brain.<ref name=craig>[[#refHopwood|Hopwood 1990]], p.12.</ref>

{{Quote box |width=20% |align=right |bgcolor=#cccfff |quote="I did two and a half years of Home and Away. It was hard work and the first year was great, but things started to change and I'd taken my character as far as I could. I'm not really like him. I'm loveable but not a rogue."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kinghorn |first1=Peter |title=Craig Thomson: |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000726/19901201/339/0028 |website=[[Newcastle Evening Chronicle]] |access-date=13 January 2024 |pages=28 |date=1 December 1990|url-access=subscription|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref>|source=—Thomson discussing his departure from the show. (1990)}}In September 1989, it was announced that Thomson would be leaving ''Home and Away'' the following year. Thomson's contract was due to expire in February 1990. The show's producer, Andrew Howie decided not to renew either Thomson or Vroom's contracts to focus on new characters. Howie told David Brown from ''[[TV Week]]'' that "We feel we've exhausted their characters and their stories. With the new members of the cast, we have greater potential with other characters for 1990. It's sad to lose original cast members, but it's a developing program. We think viewers will like the direction ''Home and Away'' will take."<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Brown|first1=David|title=Off to the altar ...then out of the show!|magazine=[[TV Week]]|date=16 September 1989|pages=29|publisher=[[Southdown Press]]}}</ref> Thomson told a reporter from ''TV Life'' that he had previously thought about leaving to launch a music career.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Craig Thomson -– Martin Dibble|magazine=TV Life|year=1990|issue=1|pages=19|publisher=Star Magazine Group}}</ref> He told ''TV Guide''{{'}}s Fisher that playing the same role for two years had been exhausting and became "a drag".<ref name=tvt394/> He told a reporter from ''Birmingham Weekly Mercury'' that Martin he had become an annoying character.<ref name=spend>{{cite web |title=Spend, spend, spend, home and away! |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001816/19901104/019/0019 |website=Birmingham Weekly Mercury |access-date=13 January 2024 |pages=19 |date=4 November 1990|url-access=subscription|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref>

Thomson later told Neil Bonner from ''[[Bristol Evening Post]]'' that Martin being written out was a mutual decision between him and Howie.<ref name=leaving209>{{cite web |last1=Bonner |first1=Neil |title=The Home and Away highlife |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004769/19901204/035/0035 |website=[[Bristol Evening Post]] |access-date=13 January 2024 |pages=35 |date=4 December 1990|url-access=subscription|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> Thomson was "delighted" when they reached an agreement. He explained that "I just got really sick of the character, it got to the stage I couldn't bear playing him any longer."<ref name=leaving209/> He told a reporter from ''Look-in'' magazine that he would not return to ''Home and Away'' again. He reasoned that there was no scope left to further develop the character in future storylines. Thomson assessed that Martin "had his day really, throughout the whole show he's done so many things, there's not much else left for him to try."<ref name=lookincraig>{{cite magazine|title=Martin? "He's a lovable yob"|magazine=[[Look-in]]|date=18 August 1990|issue=33|pages=6–7|publisher=[[IPC Media]]}}</ref>

Thomson was also unhappy with the show itself because of changes that production made. He believed that it became too different from the "really Aussie show" he had joined. Thomspn explained that "in the early days I think it represented Australia better. It's gone on a different track now."<ref name=tvt394/> He further lambasted his experience to Nicky Brown from ''Frome Journal'', adding: "I just had to get out", "it's awful" and "I hate it".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Nicky |title=Craig's pop flop, both at home and away! |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004005/19901201/006/0006 |website=Frome Journal |access-date=13 January 2024 |pages=6 |date=1 December 1990|url-access=subscription|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> Martin made departed the show in an episode broadcast in April 1990.<ref name=spend/> Thomson moved to United Kingdom following his departure. ''Home and Away'' was broadcast on British television one year behind Australian viewings. Thomson used the opportunity to watch his performances back, which he described as "bad".<ref name=leaving209/>

However, Thomson played the character in the 1991 theatre production, ''[[Home and Away: The Musical]]''. The musical theatre show was a £1.6 million stage production which featured Thomson and four other cast members reprising their roles. It toured UK theatre venues during 1991.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Atkinson |first1=Steve |title=A song and dance about Home and Away |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19910608/119/0020 |website=[[Daily Mirror]] |access-date=14 January 2024 |pages=20 |date=8 June 1991|url-access=subscription|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> Thomson and Vroom returned to filming in 2000 when Martin and Lance arrive to attend [[Sally Fletcher|Sally Fletcher's]] ([[Kate Ritchie]]) wedding.<ref name=wedding/> Thomson returned again in 2002, alongside various past cast members. Their returns coincided with a storyline to celebrate Summer Bay's fictional "150 year anniversary". When he returns, Martin pretends he has become a millionaire.<ref name=secondreturn/>

Ahead of the pilot's airing, Lucy Clark of ''[[The Sun-Herald]]'' described Martin and Lance as "Two surfie blokes who are thick as two short planks".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?multiview=true&sy=age&page=1&kw=Roger+Oakley&pb=all_ffx&dt=enterRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=article&rc=200&rm=200&sp=adv&clsPage=1&hids=&sids=news890625_0199_6622&sids=news880110_0149_3442|page=55|date= 10 January 1988|access-date=16 June 2012|first=Lucy|last=Clark|title=Big News -– If You Don't like the news|work=[[The Sun-Herald]]|publisher=[[Fairfax Media]]}}</ref> Martin and Lance were branded the "thickest characters ever to grace soapland" by a columnist from the ''[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]''.<ref name=wedding>{{cite web|title=Soap gossip...|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Soap+gossip...-a076526496|work=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]|publisher=([[Trinity Mirror]])|access-date=5 December 2011|date=14 July 2001}}</ref> Robyn Harvey from ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'' opined that Martin was just "a big dag".<ref>{{cite web|last=Cockington|first=James|title=Today's people|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&kw=Amanda+Newman-Phillips&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=news900209_0280_5539|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|publisher=([[Fairfax Media]])|access-date=6 December 2011|date=9 February 1990}}</ref> A columnist from ''[[Inside Soap]]'' said that when Martin spent time with [[Vinnie Patterson]] ([[Ryan Kwanten]]) they were "a match made in dodgy business hell".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Home and Away|magazine=[[Inside Soap]]|date=21 July – 3 August 2001|issue=29|pages=60|publisher=Attic Futura (UK) Ltd}}</ref> Another writer from the publication branded Martin "the bay's original wheeler dealer".<ref name=secondreturn>{{cite magazine |title=Many unhappy returns |magazine=[[Inside Soap]] |date=15-2815–28 March 2003 |issue=227 |pages=28–29 }}</ref> [[Jason Herbison]] from ''[[All About Soap]]'' described Martin stating "in the late eighties, Martin was pulling the kind of scams that Vinnie would be in awe of these days!"<ref>{{cite magazine |publisherlast1=Herbison |first1=Jason |author1-link=Jason Herbison |title=Crying at the chapel |magazine=([[HachetteAll FilipacchiAbout UKSoap]] |date=28 July - 25 August 2001 |issue=24 |pages=16 |publisher=(Attic Futura UK Ltd)}}</ref>

A writer from ''TV Guide'' believed that Martin was an unlucky-in-love character. They profiled him stating "oh, the path of true love! It's never smooth at the best of times and, in the experience of the small and imperfectly formed Martin Dibble, all too likely to run smack into the side of a mountain."<ref name=tvguide1>{{cite magazine |title=BBC . ITV & C4 highlights |magazine=TV Guide |date=8-148–14 December 1990 |issue=89 |pages=47 |publisher=(Murdoch Magazines)}}</ref> They described Martin and Greta's romance as a "fairy-tale" because she is the "ugly duckling" who was transformed by Martin's attention. They also sympathised with him when she abruptly left, adding "now even a Dibble doesn't deserve that."<ref name=tvguide1/> A writer from ''[[The Stage]]'' branded Martin a "loveable yob" type of character.<ref>{{cite web |title=Home and Away in the Big Blue World |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001180/19901101/044/0006 |website=[[The Stage]] |access-date=14 January 2024 |pages=6 |date=1 November 1990|url-access=subscription|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> A ''[[Stockport Express|Stockport Express Advertiser]]'' journalist described the character as "Lance's mate with less brain cells than Nobby."<ref>{{cite web |title=Super scoop: Kids queue for Home and Away |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003636/19910612/012/0012 |website=[[Stockport Express|Stockport Express Advertiser]] |access-date=27 January 2024 |pages=12 |date=12 June 1991|url-access=subscription|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref>