Sons and Daughters

Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired on Monday, 18 January 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period in Sydney and Melbourne, and the official broadcast date of the final episode was 19 August 1987. There are 972 half-hour episodes but during the series' original run in Australia, later episodes were shown in an hour-long format and the first pilot episode as shown in Australia (and some UK ITV regions) was actually a 90-minute special; subsequent screenings have seen that episode split into three half-hours.

Season 1
The initial premise for the show was a Romeo and Juliet style storyline which revolved around working-class John Palmer from Melbourne and spoilt rich girl Angela Hamilton from Sydney. They met by chance when John was on the run from the police for a murder he did not commit and they fell in love not realising that they were actually long lost twins, separated at birth 20 years earlier. Early episodes saw the pair discover the truth about their relationship and showed the problems and strains this put on their own relationships and those of their immediate families, the Hamiltons and the Palmers. Whilst on the run John was protected in Sydney by Fiona Thompson, an ex prostitute and now boarding house owner who had raised John when he was a young boy. With a new identity and now going by the name of Scott Edwards, John attempted to rebuild a new life along with Fiona's help and that of neighbour Jill Taylor.

For the Palmers life was going from bad to worse, newly wed Susan received the shock revelation that husband Bill was responsible for the murder her brother had been arrested for and young lovers Kevin and Lynn found their life turned upside down when she became pregnant despite their families best efforts to keep them apart. David and John's relationship continued to deteriorate and when David and Patricia met up again after 20 years old passions were reignited leaving Beryl fighting for her marriage.

For the Hamiltons financial issues were the least of their worries, Wayne Hamilton was involved in a near fatal car crash after his father, Gordon, kicked him out of the Dural home upon discovering he planned to buy and demolish the family's country residence at Woombai and Patricia announced to Gordon that their marriage was over and they would leave separate lives. Patricia developed into the main focus of the show with many storylines revolving around her, hence the introduction of her best friend and confident Charlie Bartlett and Patricia's mighty rise to power as a major shareholder in Ramburg Industries following the death of her ex lover James Shephard. Gordon finds he has a fight on his hands to save Woombai even going up against old friend Fiona and Jill ends her relationship with Wayne as he becomes more and more aggressive and evil following his accident.

The Hamiltons and Palmers lives become further tangled as Angela became romantically linked to Beryl's brother Rob Keegan. Patricia becomes a wealthy women following the death or ex lover James Shepherd and uses her power as a major shareholder in Ramburg Industries to toy with the lives of those around her.

End of season cliffhanger (Episode 174): At John & Angela's 21st Birthday party at the Palmer house David tries to stop Patricia from gate crashing only to be met with an unexpected admission, she has been lying all the time and David isn't the twins' father after all.

Season 2
As season 2 kicks off Patricia is sinking further into depression after she overdoses on sleeping pills and Susan steps in to help take care of her as a live in nurse whilst scheming Wayne tricks Patricia into signing her power of attorney over to him to give him power over his father, Gordon. Shortly after Susan becomes the first of the main cast to depart the series as she leaves to be nearer to the prison her husband Bill is in. John tracks down his real father Martin Healy and also manages to find Patricia's sister Margaret. Martin has relationship issues with his children and following the accidental death of a neighbours child in his swimming pool he blames his son Peter and violently attacks him. Kevin and Lynn hit a rocky patch as Lynn gets involved in a new modelling career and as arguments spiral out of control Lynn packs her bags and leaves with baby Davey. Barbara and Gordon's relationship suffers a set back after she suffers a brain clot following a fall from her horse and life saving brain surgery follows. Angela starts having an affair with Paul and then falls pregnant, unsure if Rob or Paul is the father but later reconciles with Rob and the pair depart the series together.Jill becomes involved with Brian O'Donnel after a chance meeting at Woombai and soon agrees to marry him so that he can get a visa to stay in the country but when Brian is believed to be dead Jill agrees to marry Wayne. Jill is raped by Terry Hansen and ends up pregnant with his child and in a twist it is later revealed that Terry is Fiona's long lost son who was presumed dead. Fiona is shattered when her boarding house at Manley terrace burns down almost killing Jill in the inferno. Patricia marries Stephen Morrell and has to deal with his spoilt daughter Amanda and finds a new enemy in his scheming mother Dee.

Andy Green makes his first appearance in the series believing that Stephen Morrell is his father.

End of season cliffhanger (Episode 352): David and Beryl are held at gunpoint at Woombai by escaped criminal Joe Parker. The episode ends with 5 shots ringing out and a scream with no indication of who has been shot. Patricia and Margaret come face to face for the first time since Margaret was released from prison and Patricia tells Barbara that her best Friend Helen Green is Andy's mother. Fiona rushes to a clinic to stop Jill having an abortion.

Season 3
As season 3 starts Patricia's marriage to Stephen comes to an end and she seeks comfort in the arms of Matt Kennedy whilst continuing her bitter feud with sister Margaret which climaxes in the siblings being trapped in a bush fire at Woombai and when Patricia is injured after falling from her horse she finds her life in Margaret's hands.

Whilst John, Tony, Stephen, Doug and Rosie depart the series early on the O'Brien family, Roger Carlyle, Luke Carlyle, Irene Fisher, Todd Fisher and Karen Fox arrive and Charlie Bartlett becomes more of a series regular and both Angela Keegan and Paul Shepherd make cameo appearances during this series.

Jill gives birth to her daughter, Fee and finally makes peace with Terry before getting involved with Luke Carlyle. Andy becomes entangled in a religious cult and Barbara resorts to kidnapping him to save him. Brian O'Donnel's father Sean turns up following his son's death at the hands of the IRA. Having learnt that Jill was pregnant, he assumes that Brian is the child's father and he asks Jill to go and live in Ireland and raise her baby there. Tragedy strikes at the Hamilton house as Andy Green's mother drowns in the swimming pool as the revelation around Andy's parentage is about to be exposed.

Robin Elliot is hired by Stephen to control PR for Woombai and Margaret discovers that his wife, Kathleen, is in prison, having taken the blame for a crime he committed. When Kathleen is released, Patricia tells her where Robin is, and she tracks him down. Robin has become involved with Jill but Kathleen wants him back and becomes obsessive. When Kathleen tries to run Jill over she ends up hitting Robin who ends up in a coma with his life hanging in the balance. The Palmer family have further problems as David becomes involved with Margaret Dunne as she nurses him following the shooting and this finally ends his marriage to Beryl once and for all but David's happiness with Margaret is short lived when a plane crash leaves Margaret fighting for her life. Lynne becomes involved with Andy Green when Kevin is working away and the two fall in love leaving Lynne confused and contemplating suicide on the edge of a cliff and ends up torn between the two men. But later Lynne stays with Kevin and moves overseas with Kevin and their son Davey.

When Patricia offers Luke a job in her new company he uses ruthless business methods and starts embezzling the company's entire funds. At the same time, he tries to help Jeff recover from alcoholism, but his efforts backfire when Jeff turns up at Luke's apartment one night, he and Luke fight and Jeff ends up accidentally killing Luke. A distraught Roger believes Patricia is the killer and vows to get revenge. Jeff accidentally sets fire to the family home and perishes in the inferno leaving nobody to tell the truth about Luke's death.

After Wayne splits from Amanda, he hires Liz Smith from an escort agency to pretend to be his girlfriend so that Gordon will think he's happy and won't worry about him. Liz finds herself falling in love with Gordon who later tells her that he loves her. However, he also tells her that he still loves Barbara, and that they therefore have to make a clean break but Barbara has already moved out of the house and becomes involved with Ross Newman.

As the series draws to a close Fiona is romantically involved with Barney Adams, a desperate Mitch kidnaps Amanda and Roger Carlyle ups his efforts in seeking revenge on Patricia.

End of season cliffhanger(Episode 528): A sedated, helpless Patricia lies on a hospital operating table, about to be operated on by murderous surgeon Dr. Ross Newman. Fiona decides what to do about Barney Adam's marriage proposal and Mitch lies on the floor apparently dead following a confrontation with both Karen and Wayne.

Season 4
Rosie Palmer and Liz Smith makes cameo appearances during this series and Stephen Morrell returns. Newcomers include Leigh Palmer, Tim Palmer, Chris Bainbridge, Brett Keegan, Adam Tate, Jenny Turner, Julie Webb, Spider Webb, Samantha Morrell and Caroline Morrell. Departing characters include Alan Brandon, Karen Fox, Jill O'Donnell, Heather O'Brien, Mike O'Brien and Amanda Morrell. Although Heather O'Brien makes a brief return to the series later on.

As season 4 kicks off Irene foils Ross Newman's plan to kill Patricia during her operation leading Roger Carlyle to take more drastic action. When a party is arranged at David's country property the party goers are left devastated as a bomb planted by Roger's men explodes claiming Barney Adams as a fatality and leaves Alan Brandon with life changing injuries. Patricia makes her exit from the show just a few episodes in to the series as she gives the polie the slip and flees Roger Carlyle and Australia on a fake passport destined to start a new life in Rio, leaving new husband David behind to slip into a life of alcohol and depression whilst Ross Newman turns his attentions to both Barbara Hamilton and Katy O'Brien

Beryl goes in to premature labour after falling down an old mine shaft and shortly after she gives birth to Robert he is kidnapped by Ross Newman and Gloria Dutton. When Robert is eventually returned and left on the porch of the Palmer house it's Leigh Palmer who discovers him and promptly decides it would be beneficial for her if Robert stayed missing and she takes him to the children's home and leaves him there.

Fiona becomes involved in a bitter battle to have deceased fiance Barny's secret wartime diaries published and runs into opposition from Colonel Bainbridge and his son Chris.

Devious Karen Fox tricks Wayne into marriage after convincing him that he has killed Mitch. Wayne goes missing shortly after worried that he will face jail for murder and whilst he is away a look a like imposter arrives and fools everyone in to believing he is Wayne (In actual fact Ian Rawlings was playing Dual roles as Wayne Hamilton and Gary Evans).

One of the bigger storylines for the season see's a planned redevelopment threaten to destroy Woombai under the direction of the scheming Bill Ashley who will stop at nothing to ensure he gets what he wants and when Amanda Morrell overhears a conversation that could jeopardise the entire scheme he ensures she promptly goes missing leaving the Morrell family distraught and Caroline desperate to find her. Caroline begins to get closer to ex-husband Stephen and warns his new love interest Jenny Turner to stay away from him and the two become rivals.

Richard Crampton arrives as the father of Leigh Palmer's baby deciding he wants custody and hires Neil Duffy to try to buy his son from Leigh. When this fails, Crampton starts terrorising her and hires a hitman, Nick Stafford, to go after Leigh. Crampton ends up dying at Stafford's hands after David has already fired a shot at him.

David and Fiona go to Rio in search of Patricia when David receives a mysterious amount of money which he believes to have come from Patricia. Following plastic surgery to hide injuries sustained at the hands of a thug who beat her up in Rio de Janeiro, Patricia Palmer returns to Australia under a new identity: Alison Carr and she begins to start trying to clear Patricia's name of the murder of Luke Carlyle.

Mary Reynolds turns up at Woombai, lost and confused and claiming that Patricia is her mother. Once she's calmed down, she explains that her grandmother told her that her mother is Patricia Hamilton - only her grandmother and grandfather are now both dead, having been murdered. Mary claims that she witnessed the murders while hiding underneath her bed. The murderer turns up at Woombai and starts gunning for Mary.

An old will belonging to Gordon's father is discovered declaring his brother James the rightful owner of woombai and it's not long before James arrives to claim what is his.

End of season cliffhanger (Episode 696): David and Beryl look on in horror when the emotionally unbalanced Doris Hudson locks Beryl out of the Palmer house and advances menacingly towards her baby son Robert with a pillow to smother him. Alison and James are involved in a plane crash as they rush to stop Wayne from getting (incestuously) married to Mary. Caroline is locked in the cupboard by Duncan Phipps after a bungled robbery at Dural and Irene tells Fiona that she has cancer.

Season 5
For many fans this was seen as the start of a sad demise for the series as the focus changed and popular characters such as Barbara Hamilton and Irene Fisher where hastily written out of the series. (In Cornelia Frances 2003 autobiography she states that it was not her decision to leave the series but she had got on the wrong side of a producer and was suddenly axed). Other characters that failed to make it to the end of the season included Leigh Palmer, Tim Palmer, Donna Palmer, Spider Webb, Brett Keegan, Adam Tate, Samantha Morrell, James Hamilton and Mary Reynolds. Whilst there was an influx of replacement characters such as Janice Reid, May Walters, Craig Maxwell, Doug Fletcher, Glenn Young, Debbie Halliday, Ginny Doyle and the return of Susan Palmer.

Samantha Morrell is shocked after running in to Bill Ashley and discovering new information regarding her missing sister Amanda but the search that follows ends with devastating news as they discover Amanda died a few months earlier after being forced in to prostitution by Bill.

Leigh Palmer departs the series early on after committing suicide outside of the courts where she is facing sentencing for kidnapping baby Robert.

Fiona is reunited with her bossy niece Janice who arrives just as Fiona is undergoing an operation to remove her kidney and together they launch a campaign to save an old mansion house that Fiona once lived in with her old friend May Walters.

When Caroline and Alison start arguing as Alison is driving a car crash with Barbara and Gordon follows leaving Barbara with serious facial scars and Gordon with amnesia and believing he is still married to Patricia. Alison uses the situation to her advantage to get Barbara out of Gordon's life for good and Caroline finds herself serving time in prison.

Craig Maxwell turns up in Sydney, looking for his mother, Ruby Hawkins, who gave him up when he was a baby - and who is the exact double of Beryl Palmer. Initial misunderstandings are resolved and Craig accepts that Beryl isn't Ruby. Beryl subsequently helps Craig track Ruby down (At this point Leila Hayes is playing dual roles as Beryl and Ruby).

Ned Parker and Micky Pratt holds Janice, May, Gordon and Neville hostage at the mansion, following Ned's escape from jail. Micky is killed when she walks out into the road and doesn't spot a car heading towards her. As the siege comes to an end Patricia Palmer's fingerprints are discovered on a gun that was used and Alison's secret identity is finally revealed.

Alison finds a little boy named Tick McCarthy at Fiona's boarding house, and is passing him off as Wayne's son. Wayne was told that he was his son from a fling with Moya Brinkley, a girl that he had known as a teenager. Wayne takes to Tick and Tick takes to Wayne, and is angered when Alison tries to stop him from enjoying his son, due to the fact that she had said that he had driven Caroline insane because of Doug Fletcher. A birth certificate showed that Wayne was indeed the father. Susan gets upset about Tick being around, but Wayne made certain that his son was included.

End of season cliffhanger(Episode 868): Alison is locked in the study at Dural with a venomous snake when she breaks into the safe. A sailing trip on a yacht ends in danger when both Glen and Tick are wounded, and Wayne, swimming for help, is pursued by a shark. Craig is knocked out by a horse and Caroline finds out that Doug is already married.

Season 6
Departing characters included David Palmer, Ginny Doyle, Tick McCarthy and Glen Young. New additions to the cast included Nick Benson, Pamela Hudson, Greg Hudson and Sarah Hudson.

Caroline is shocked to discover that Susan is alive and well despite being presumed dead and she is in hiding from Wayne. When an upset Wayne gets drunk and then jumps in his car and drives off, Glen and Ginny go after him and a high-speed chase follows which leads to both Glen's and Ginny's tragic deaths. Wayne manages to turn everyone against him and when he is mysteriously shot there are no shortage of suspects but it is Beryl who finds herself behind bars for the shooting. Whilst in Prison Beryl meets Pamela, a lady who is the spitting image of Patricia. It is soon discovered that Pamela and Patricia were twins, separated at birth; while Patricia lived the good life Pamela had a tougher upbringing.

Andy learns that he has a baby daughter, Madonna, the result of a fling with teenager Jodie Frazer a few months earlier, he begins to get to know his daughter and when Jodie decides that she can't cope with bringing up a baby on her own and dumps Madonna on Janice, Andy steps in and decides to be a proper father to the girl.

Gordon goes into business with Bill Sanders, Doug and Alison at Sanders' Air Charter. Just when everything seems to be going well, a plane is sabotaged. The company appears to be falling apart until a mystery company puts up some money to keep it going. Gordon discovers to his surprise that it was Wayne who was behind the rescue. Although the father and son have been on opposing sides for some time, Gordon remarks that it appears that Wayne might have changed for the better. As he settles into his new home with Beryl and her son, Robert, in what was the Palmer house in Melbourne, Gordon finds himself content with life.

Nick Benson is a psychiatrist who arrives to help Wayne remember who shot him. Nick has a fraught relationship with his brother, Michael.Very much a ladies' man, Nick is attracted to Alison but he finds himself attracted equally to her twin sister, Pamela Hudson and he becomes involved in a furious struggle between Alison and Pamela as they fight for supremacy - including using powerful mindgames to try to kill each other. Nick eventually chooses Pamela over Alison and drives off with her to begin a new life.

Doug and Caroline marry him and Caroline is revealed as the author of a book entitled My Sister My Love, which is based very obviously on the lives of the Hamiltons and the Palmers, despite the changes of character names. Doug tries to stop Caroline promoting the book, warning her that they're going to lose all their friends - but Caroline ignores him. She even makes plans for a sequel. Caroline discovers that she's pregnant; but she also learns that the baby could be born with Down's Syndrome and she opts to have an abortion - but then decides that she can't go through with it. She doesn't tell Doug that she's pregnant, but instead decides to leave him and start life afresh elsewhere. Doug learns about the pregnancy, though, and he chases after Caroline and tells her that he loves her, and that he wants her to have the baby and that he doesn't care if it's handicapped: he wants them all to be together as a family. Caroline agrees to give the marriage another go and Doug buys a fish shop in Melbourne!

Charlie meets Todd Buckley, a fitness instructor who works at her gym and there is an instant attraction. The couple quickly announce their engagement, despite attempts by Alison to break them up. Charlie becomes appalled at Alison's behaviour and schemes that she throws her out leaving Alison staying in a cheap, run-down motel while Charlie enjoys a fairytale wedding to Todd and prepares to live happily ever after.

Sarah Hudson grabs Wayne's interest, and they begin to spend time together. Sarah tries to throw herself at Wayne, but he's wary after all his bad experiences with women. Meanwhile, he puts his plan into action to take everything and everyone away from Alison, leaving her with no money and no friends. With Wayne believing his wife Susan is dead Alison decides to use Susan to get at Wayne but the plan backfires when Susan is left lying dead on the lounge room floor at Dural, having apparently been strangled by Wayne. Realising that he's finally gone too far, he turns to the 'phone and makes a call. He asks for the police...

The show ends as it had begun, at the mansion boardinghouse, a young couple comes to the door, and asks for a room because the young woman was pregnant. Fiona takes them in, just as she had with David and Patricia all those years ago; the woman gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl.

Broadcast History
For full details, please see Sons and Daughters Broadcast guide

Theme Tune
The theme tune was written by Peter Pinne & Don Battye and performed by Mick Leyton and Kerri Biddell.

Two main versions of the theme were used in the closing credits, one in three-four time and one in four-four time: the first version was used as the main closing theme for most episodes shown in 1982 and 1983, while the second version was used from 1984 to 1987. In addition. The full theme tune was released on a 7" single in the UK in 1984 and reached number 68 in the charts and stayed in the charts for three weeks. It was released on the A1 record label with catalogue number 'A1 286'.

Opening titles sequence
The opening and end credits sequences of the series were distinctive and remained constant throughout the run of the series. The credits at start of each episode featured sepia-toned portraits of the main characters


 * Version 1 (Episodes 1 - 174) consisted of: John, Angela, Patricia, David, Fiona, Gordon, Beryl, Jill, Wayne, Susan and Kevin
 * Version 2 (Episodes 175 - 292) As above with Wayne and Jill switching places and Rob Keegan replacing the shot of Susan
 * Version 3 (Episodes 293 - 352) consisted of John, Jill (new shot), Patricia, David, Fiona, Gordon, Beryl, Wayne, Barbara, Lynn and Kevin
 * Version 4 (Episodes 353 - 424) As above but Andy Green replaces the shot of Kevin
 * Version 5 (Episodes 425 - 500) consisted of Patricia, David, Fiona, Jill, Beryl, Wayne, Amanda, Gordon, Barbara, Lynn, Andy (new shot)
 * Version 6 (Episodes 501 - 545) consisted of Fiona (new shot), David, Beryl, Wayne, Barbara, Gordon, Charlie, Andy, Amanda, Katie, Jill
 * Version 7 (Episodes 585 - 596) As above with Caroline replacing the shot of Jill
 * Version 8 (Episodes 597 - 600) As above with Leigh replacing the shot of Amanda and Katie being removed but not replaced meaning this was the only block of episodes to only feature 10 characters instead of the usual 11 in the opening
 * Version 9 (Episodes 601 - 612) Although only one character was added the shots were reordered. Consisted of Fiona, David, Beryl, Gordon, Barbara, Wayne, Charlie, Stephen, Caroline, Andy and Leigh.
 * Version 10 (Episodes 612 - 652) As above with the only exception being Caroline's shot is flipped so she is now facing right instead of left
 * Version 11 (Episodes 653 -696) For the first time since the show began the titles were completely revamped so all characters got new shots. Consisted of David, Fiona, Beryl, Gordon, Barbara, Wayne, Charlie, Irene, Caroline, Andy and Leigh.
 * Version 12 (Episodes 697 - 736) As above but Alison now replaces the end shot of Leigh
 * Version 13 (Episodes 737 - 860) Consisted of Fiona, Gordon, Beryl, David, Caroline, Wayne, Alison, Andy, Charlie, Glen and Craig
 * Version 14 (Episodes 861 - 892) Once again it was a complete revamp with all characters (Randomly Except for Glen) getting new updated shots. Consisted of Fiona, Gordon, Beryl, Doug, Caroline, Wayne, Alison, Andy, Charlie, Glen and Craig
 * Version 15 (Episodes 893 - 972) The final set of opening titles were as above with a shot of Susan replacing Glen.

Closing credits sequence
Episodes 1-3 were initially screened as one feature length episode, more commonly referred to as the pilot, however for subsequent broadcasts it has been broken down into standard 30 minute episodes, this means that episodes 1 and 2 seem to end abruptly and do not feature the standard sepia end credits. Episode 3 was the first episode to have credits rolling over a static sepia image of the final shot of the episode which would then become the standard. Due to episodes 1-3 originally being joined as one episode when episode 4 starts it has an extended recap sequence covering what has happened in episodes 1-3.

Generally for the end credits the main cast were listed by family groups (I.e The Palmers, The Hamiltons, The Morrells, The O'Briens) and the guest artists were listed after the main cast.

There were some strange goings on in the end credit sequences from time to time as Doug and Rosie Palmer, Jeff O'Brien and Tony Parker all remained listed as main characters long after they had departed whilst Irene Fisher spent the duration of her stay in the soap appearing as a guest artist and Jill's name sometimes appeared as Jill O'Donnell and sometimes Jill Taylor. Randomly Patricia was listed as being part of the Hamilton family long after her divorce from Gordon Hamilton and It took the producers over 100 episodes to finally change Angela's name from Hamilton to Keegan.

Examples of end credit errors:


 * Episodes 501 - 503 - John Palmer is listed in the credits 77 episodes after he left.
 * Episodes 554 & 555 - Andrew Green gets his usual place in the credits and again appears as a guest artist as Andy Green.
 * Episode 569 - Patricia suddenly gets listed again in the closing credits although she has been out of the series for months.
 * Episodes 577 & 578 and 580 mistakenly list a Carolyn rather than Caroline Morrell.
 * Episodes 590 & 591 Jill O'Donell is listed despite having left the series whilst Andy Green isn't credited at all.
 * Episode 596 despite having now left the series Amanda Morrell is credited twice in the credits and Jill O'Donell is also listed despite having left the series.
 * Episode 615 sees the entire Morrell family get double credited during the titles.
 * Episode 690 - Leigh Palmer is double credited.
 * Episode 940 - Both Caroline and Beryl revert to their previous surnames of Morrell and Palmer rather than Fletcher and Hamlton for this one episode.
 * Episodes 945 - 947 - Caroline is again listed as Morrell instead of Fletcher.
 * Episodes 948 - 952, 957 - 960 & 965 - 968 - Craig Maxwell is credited as Graig Maxwell.
 * Episode 950 - Todd Buckley is double credited.

From episode 737 onwards, the end credits changed and the cast were no longer grouped by family name, instead the main cast were now listed in alphabetical order in groups of 3 or 4 followed by listings for guest actors. From episode 805 onwards, the credits changed once more and the cast credits scrolled from bottom to top rather than flashing up in groups. This format remained through to the end of the series.

Main Cast
The Hamiltons
 * Gordon Hamilton (Brian Blain) First appeared episode 3 1982-1987
 * Patricia Hamilton / Morrell / Palmer (Rowena Wallace) First appeared episode 2 1982-1985
 * Angela Hamilton / Keegan (Ally Fowler) First appeared episode 2 1984-1983 1984
 * Wayne Hamilton (Ian Rawlings) First appeared episode 3 1982-1987
 * James Hamilton (Nick Tate) First appeared episode 671 1985-1986
 * Karen Fox / Hamilton (Lyndel Rowe) First appeared episode 461 1984-1985

The Palmers
 * Beryl Palmer Hamilton (Leila Hayes) First appeared episode 1 1982-1987
 * David Palmer (Tom Richards) First appeared episode 1 1982-1986 1987
 * Susan Palmer / Todd / Hamilton (Ann Henderson Stires / Oriana Panozzo) First appeared episode 1 1982-1983
 * Kevin Palmer (Stephen Comey) First appeared episode 1 1982-1984
 * John Palmer (Peter Phelps) First appeared episode 1 1982-1984
 * Lynn Hardy / Palmer (Antonia Murphy) First appeared episode 5 1982 -1984
 * Doug Palmer (Sid Conabere) First appeared episode 10 1982 1983-1984
 * Rosie Andrews / Palmer (Anne Haddy) First appeared episode 30 1982 1983-1984 1985
 * Margaret Dunne / Palmer (Ilona Rodgers) First appeared episode 181 1983 1983
 * Leigh Palmer (Lisa Crittenden) First appeared episode 534 1984-1985
 * Tim Palmer (Robert Mammone) First appeared episode 563
 * Shane Palmer (Andrew Downie) First appeared episode 563
 * Donna Jackson / Palmer (Simone Buchanan) First appeared episode 646

The Morrells
 * Caroline Morrell / Fletcher (Abigail) First appeared episode 554
 * Amanda Morrell (Alyce Platt) First appeared episode 286
 * Samantha Morrell (Sally Taylor) First appeared episode 587
 * Stephen Morrell (Michael Long) First appeared episode 267 1983-1984 1985
 * Dee Morrell (Mary Ward) First appeared episode 305
 * Jenny Turner / Morrell (Joanna Lockwood) First appeared episode 572

The Armstrongs
 * Barbara Armstrong / Hamilton (Cornelia Frances) First appeared episode 13 1982 1983-1986
 * Prue Armstrong (Gaynor Martin) First appeared episode 62
 * Roland Armstrong (Tony Ward) First appeared episode 588
 * Wendy Armstrong (Kathleen Brinson) First appeared episode 183
 * Mrs Armstrong Snr. (Jeanne Smith) First appeared episode 271
 * Simon Armstrong (Paul Wade / Paul Goddard) First appeared episode 13 1982 - 1985

The O'Briens
 * Mike O'Brien (Ken James) First appeared episode 385 1984-1985
 * Heather O'Brien (Rona Coleman) First appeared episode 385 1985
 * Katie O'Brien (Jane Seaborn) First appeared episode 385 1984-1985
 * Jeff O'Brien (Craig Morrison) First appeared episode 385 1984
 * Jim O'Brien (Sean Scully) First appeared episode 401 1984

The Keegans
 * Bob Keegan (Carl Bleazby) First appeared episode 25
 * Aileen Keegan (Moya O'Sullivan) First appeared episode 25
 * Rob Keegan (Noel Hodda) First appeared episode 76
 * Brett Keegan (Brett Partridge) First appeared episode 619

The Healys
 * Martin Healy (Paul Sonkkila) First appeared episode 186
 * Peter Healy (Brett Climo) First appeared episode 201
 * Jennifer Healy (Jodie Yemm) First appeared episode 219

Other characters
 * Fiona Thompson (Pat McDonald) First appeared episode 1
 * Scott Thompson (David Nettheim) First appeared episode 34
 * Charlie Bartlett (Sarah Kemp) First appeared episode 43
 * Jill Taylor / O'Donnel (Kim Lewis) First appeared episode 3
 * Bill Todd (Andrew McKaige) First appeared episode 1
 * Noel Devlin (Richard Gillespie) First appeared episode 85
 * James Sheppard (Ken Fraser) First appeared episode 89
 * Paul Sheppard (Mark Ferguson) First appeared episode 112
 * Hal Mason (John Bonney) First appeared episode 95
 * Di Miller (Luz Yeomans) First appeared episode 109
 * Gayle Andrews (Maureen O'Shaunessy) First appeared episode 141
 * Kerri Mitchell (Saskia Post) First appeared episode 163
 * Brian O'Donnel (Lee James) First appeared episode 218
 * Sean O'Donnel (James Condon) First appeared episode 415
 * Beth Newman (Julie Hamilton) First appeared episode 247
 * Tony Parker (Grant Piro) First appeared episode 255
 * Alice Parker (Katy Wild) First appeared episode 260
 * Joe Parker (Danny Adcock) First appeared episode 330
 * Matt Kennedy (Vince Martin) First appeared episode 263
 * Terry Hansen (Andrew Clarke) First appeared episode 281
 * Phillipe Souchon (Steve Du-Casse) First appeared episode 283
 * Christine Matthews (Monette Lee) First appeared episode 299
 * Lisa Cook (Debra Lawrence) First appeared episode 323
 * Andy Green (Danny Roberts) First appeared episode 342
 * Helen Green (Eileen Colocott) First appeared episode 350
 * Robin Elliott (Scott McGregor) First appeared episode 365
 * Kathleen Elliott (Kate Sheil) First appeared episode 403
 * Irene Fisher (Judy Nunn) First appeared episode 422
 * Todd Fisher (Michael Winchester) First appeared episode 448
 * Nat Fisher (Tim Eliot) First appeared episode 481
 * Roger Carlyle (Les Dayman) First appeared episode 424
 * Luke Carlyle (Peter Cousens) First appeared episode 425
 * Shirley Ryan (Sonja Tallis) First appeared episode 432
 * Liz Smith (Julia Moody) First appeared episode 447
 * Leanne Watson (Melissa Bikerton) First appeared episode 470
 * Bob Mitchell (Philip Quast) First appeared episode 482
 * Alan Brandon (Richard Morgan) First appeared episode 506
 * Ross Newman (Robin Stewart) First appeared episode 506
 * Barney Adams (Leslie Wright) First appeared episode 511
 * Colonel Bainbridge (Barry Donnelly / Richard Meikle) First appeared episode 544
 * Chris Bainbridge (Tim Bacon) First appeared episode 552
 * Mrs Bainbridge (Anne Brisk) First appeared episode 550
 * Gloria Dutton (Julie McGregor) First appeared episode 545
 * Cheri Nolan (Regina Galgalas) First appeared episode 546
 * Dan Weller (Paul Gittins) First appeared episode 565
 * Helena Matsoukis (Elli Hart) First appeared episode 572
 * Julie Webb (Julie Nihill) First appeared episode 582
 * Spider Webb (Willy Fennel) First appeared episode 588
 * Bill Ashley (Peter Dahlson) First appeared episode 589
 * Desmond Bourke (David Slingsbury) First appeared episode 598
 * Richard Crampton (Sean De Ruyter) First appeared episode 601
 * Neil Duffy (Geoffrey Rhoe) First appeared episode 601
 * Colin Turner(Nicholas Ryan) First appeared episode 608
 * Denise Turner (Tushka Hose) First appeared episode 619
 * Adam Tate (Adam Briscombe) First appeared episode 612
 * Sally Tate (Ruth Hessey) First appeared episode 617
 * Eric Tate (Paul Mason) First appeared episode 621
 * Alison Carr (Belinda Giblin) First appeared episode 630
 * Diane Ball (Pegggy Thompson) First appeared episode 634
 * Mary Reynolds (Tessa Humphries) First appeared episode 637
 * Leo Walsh (Bob Baines) First appeared episode 655
 * Rod Campbell (David Bradshaw) First appeared episode 659
 * Jess Campbell (Annie Jones) First appeared episode 670
 * Doris Hudson (Carole Skinner) First appeared episode 670
 * Tom Chaplin (Terence Donovan) First appeared episode 680
 * Kelly Burns (Cassandra Webb) First appeared episode 687
 * Sarah Hunt (Christine Jones) First appeared episode 691
 * Janice Reid (Rima Te Wiata) First appeared episode 714
 * George Reid (Frank Macnamara) First appeared episode 714
 * Trent Harris (Jay Hackett) First appeared episode 717
 * May Walters (Georgie Sterling) First appeared episode 719
 * Craig Maxwell (Jared Robinson) First appeared episode 731
 * Doug Fletcher (Normie Rowe) First appeared episode 734
 * Glenn Young (Mark Conroy) First appeared episode 735
 * Jean Hopkins(Colleen Fitzpatrick) First appeared episode 741
 * Colin Hopkins(Rob Steel) First appeared episode 839
 * Neville Curtis (Keith Robinson) First appeared episode 742
 * Debbie Halliday (Shannon Kenny) First appeared episode 750
 * Micky Pratt (Jennifer Ludlam) First appeared episode 750
 * Bjorn Nilsson (Marian Dworakowski) First appeared episode 764
 * Maggie Hunt(Antoinette Blaxland) First appeared episode 781
 * Ginny Doyle (Angela Kennedy) First appeared episode 789
 * Laura Banning (Marina Finlay) First appeared episode 794
 * Michael Benson (Phillip Spencer-Harris) First appeared episode 857
 * Nick Benson (John Hannon) First appeared episode 903
 * Tick McCarthy (Haydon Samuals) First appeared episode 863
 * Moya Brinkley (Sandra Toovey) First appeared episode 864
 * Billie Fletcher (Deni Gordon) First appeared episode 868
 * Pamela Hudson (Rowena Wallace) First appeared episode 905
 * Phyllis Hudson (Ann Brisk) First appeared episode 942
 * Sarah Hudson (Melissa Docker) First appeared episode 942
 * Greg Hudson (Tom Jennings) First appeared episode 942
 * Barry Hudson (John Paramor) First appeared episode 942
 * Todd Buckley (Paul Dawber) First appeared episode 945

Sons and Daughters: Cast album
In the early 1980s when Australia's Seven Network was broadcasting both Sons and Daughters and A Country Practice, it decided to cash in on the shows' success - and provide the shows with some publicity - by producing and releasing a cast album.

The album was called All My Friends, and featured the cast of Sons and Daughters on the A-side and the cast of A Country Practice on the B-side.

A-Side:
 * 1) "Sons and Daughters Theme"
 * 2) "Some Kind of Friend" (Ian Rawlings)
 * 3) "Bosom Buddies" (Pat McDonald and Rowena Wallace)
 * 4) "The More I See You" (Peter Phelps and Kim Lewis)
 * 5) "Behind Closed Doors" (Tom Richards and Leila Hayes)
 * 6) "Sometimes When We Touch" (Stephen Comey)
 * 7) "Help Me Make It Through the Night" (Leila Hayes)
 * 8) "Friends" (Rowena Wallace)

DVD
Sons and Daughters - The Best of Pat The Rat - 2 Disc Set - Released: 9 October 2006.
 * Episode 1: 20 years ago, Patricia gives birth to twins John and Angela!
 * Episode 2: Now the twins are celebrating their 20th birthday, but they don't know each other.
 * Episode 3: John and Angela meet for the first time!
 * Episode 18: Patricia finds out that John is her son.
 * Episode 27: Patricia tells Angela that John is her twin brother!
 * Episode 55: Patricia and David make love.
 * Episode 124: At Angela's wedding, Patricia doesn't tell David that Beryl is in hospital.
 * Episode 501: Patricia attacks Luke Carlyle - and afterwards, he's found dead.
 * Episode 536: Patricia escapes to Rio de Janeiro.
 * Episode 545: Patricia undergoes plastic surgery.
 * Episode 631: Patricia returns to Sydney with a new identity - Alison Carr.
 * Episode 663: Alison attacks Roger Carlyle - and afterwards, he's found dead.
 * Episode 693: David figures out that Alison is Patricia.
 * Episode 905: In jail, Beryl meets Pamela - who is the spitting image of Alison.
 * Episode 912: Pamela and Alison discover they are sisters.
 * Episode 944: Pamela tries to kill Alison.

Sons and Daughters - The Classic Cliffhangers Collection - 2 Disc Set - Released: 4 February 2008.
 * Episode 174: Patricia makes a revelation.
 * Episode 352: Gunshots are fired at Woombai with the Palmers held hostage.
 * Episode 353: Who has been shot at Woombai?
 * Episode 528: Patricia's operation with the dodgy doctor.
 * Episode 529: Will Pat the Rat survive the operation?
 * Episode 540: Beryl falls down a mine shaft.
 * Episode 696: The plane crash.
 * Episode 697: Has Alison survived the plane crash?
 * Episode 868: Wayne chased by shark, Tic injured.
 * Episode 869: Can Wayne escape the shark?
 * Episode 971: The penultimate episode.
 * Episode 972: The final episode - Happy endings?

Long standing cast member Tom Richards, who played David Palmer, also released a DVD with interviews of fellow cast members in August 2007.

Success & Awards
Sons and Daughters won the 1983 Logie Award for Most Popular Australian Drama. Rowena Wallace was the most nominated actress of the soap and was nominated for a Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television at the 26th Annual TV Week Logie Awards in 1984, and went on to win the award the following year in 1985. She was the first woman to win the award since it was opened up to Most Popular Australian Personality.

Wallace also received Silver Logies for:
 * Most Popular Lead Actress (1983)
 * Most Popular Actress (1984)
 * Best Actress in a Series (1984)
 * Best Lead Actress in a Series (1985)

Other awards won by Sons and Daughters cast members include: Most Popular New Talent - Stephen Comey (1982)

Remakes
The series has inspired five remakes produced under license from the original producers and based, initially, on original story and character outlines. These are Verbotene Liebe (Germany, 1995-); Skilda världar (Sweden, 1996–2002); Apagorevmeni agapi (Greece, 1998); Cuori Rubati (Italy, 2002–2003) Zabranjena ljubav (Croatia, 2004–2008), Zabranena lubov (Bulgaria, 2008-)