List of Shortland Street characters (1992)
The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street in 1992, by order of first appearance.
Marj Neilson
Marj Neilson (previously brash) was the clinics first receptionist and was portrayed by Elizabeth McRae. A religious busy body and gossip, Marj became a staple and iconic of the show, being the shows original matriarch and leader of the Neilson family unit. She stayed on the show until 1996 and still remains one of the most iconic characters, returning for several guest stints.
Tom Neilson
Tom Leslie Neilson was the husband of Marj and the show's original paramedic. Tom stayed on the show for a year and his story lines covered illness and the hugely famous missing person scenario where Tom left his family and went into hiding, then later died of a heartattack
Sam Aleni
Sam Aleni was the Samoan paramedic who appeared on the show for 4 years. The casting of Sam proved groundbreaking, placing a Polynesian in the occupation of paramedic, with there being only one real life case in New Zealand. Rene Naufahu portrayed Sam, with his younger brother Joe Naufahu playing Sam's brother Nat.
