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The Kim Howard story
Kim Howard is originally from Erinsborough and his parents
still live there. Kim now lives in Wangaratta, a Victorian country
town renowned for its yearly jazz festival, where he is the PE
teacher at Wangaratta High School.
When he was first transferred to Wangaratta from a Melbourne
high school, he faxed a request to Wangaratta High asking if
any of the teachers there needed a house mate. Susan Kennedy
had just recently arrived at Wangaratta High and was used to
having a family around her and also assuming that Kim Howard
was a female agreed to share her house with Kim. |
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When Kim makes his entrance (Episode 3013) a very surprised
Susan discovers that her new house mate is actually a man. Kim
is an expert cook and a fun guy to be around and soon he and
Susan are best of friends which causes a little jealousy with
Dr. Karl. Kim and Susan regularly travel back to Erinsborough
to visit their families and Kim often calls around the Kennedy
household.
Once while at the Kennedy's to get a ride back to Wangaratta
with Susan, Kim meets the beautiful Sarah Beaumont and becomes
immediately smitten. Susan noticing this decides to become a
match maker and schemes to get Kim and Sarah together, much to
Karl's annoyance. |
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Susan invites Kim and Sarah around for dinner and they hit
it off famously. Kim discovers that he had actually seen Sarah
before on a billboard when he lived in London for a year a couple
of years ago. Susan's plan works and Kim and Sarah start dating
but Sarah warns him that she's not interested in anything serious
and Kim notices that often her mind is on something or someone
else.
Kim confesses to Sarah that the last woman he fell in love
with turned out to be married and he was devastated by this.
Sarah seeing Kim's honesty, vulnerability and similarity to her
own circumstances begins to think that maybe Kim is the right
man for her and maybe she can get over Karl. |
Unfortunately for Kim, Sarah cannot get her mind off Karl
and their relationship is doomed. Kim knows there's another man
in her thoughts and begins to suspect that it maybe his friend's
husband, Karl. A position becomes available at Erinsborough High
School and Susan decides to take it and move back home with her
family. Susan and Kim remain great friends and see each other
often as Kim is in Erinsborough every weekend visiting Sarah.
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Not only was Karl jealous of Kim, because he was living with
his wife and they developed a fantastic relationship, but also
because of his interest in Sarah. Kim however, is not about to
hang around and be made a fool of so he confronts Sarah and tells
her "Good-bye - don't bother trying to explain - it's been
an interesting experience" and that is the last time he
sees Sarah. Kim's suspicions of Karl are confirmed while he is
at the Kennedy's telling of his break up with Sarah and notices
Karl's strange behavior.
Before returning to Wangaratta, the following day, Kim challenges
Karl to tell the truth and although he's upset about Sarah he
is more concerned for his friend Susan. |
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Kim advises Karl to tell the truth to Susan because "Doesn't
your wife at least deserve that!", but Karl is too gutless
to admit anything so Kim returns to Wangaratta and is not seen
in Erinsborough for a few weeks.
Eventually Susan discovers Karl's secret and rightly kicks
him out. When Kim does return to Erinsborough to see his friend
Susan, he realizes something has happened because of the removal
van out front and Susan's bizarre behavior.
Being the good friend he is Kim gets the story out of Susan
and he consoles her then takes her out to lunch.
Kim's company is distracting Susan from her grief and his
wise words are thought provoking to her. Libby notices Kim's
effect on her mother and begs him to take away on a short holiday
to help her recover and reluctantly, at first, Kim agrees and
takes Susan to his sister's holiday house in the country. Susan
takes out her frustrations by chopping wood and faces her demons,
laughs and cries while Kim dodges flying fire wood, listens,
supports, cooks and helps Susan to move on.(Episode 3117)
After the holiday Susan returns to Erinsborough and Kim, the
good, compassionate friend and teacher who is unlucky in love,
returns to Wangaratta.
The Paul Dawber Story ( in brief )
Paul Dawber is an accomplished actor who not only played Kim
Howard in Neighbours but also had the role of Todd Buckley in
the last year of the 80's soap Sons & Daughters and is best
remembered for marrying Charlie in the very final episode.
Paul Dawber is a theatre trained actor (The National Theatre,
Melbourne) and his stage work has ranged from The Royal Queensland
Theatre Co. to The Los Angeles Shakespeare Co.
Click here
to visit his website
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