Stephen Gottlieb

"Stephen sees marriage as a very important institution, he was engaged to a girl two years ago who died. When he met Phoebe, he discovered she was the right person for him. She was a challenge because she kept turning him away, as she was still grieving for Todd. Stephen found something about this girl which he hadn't found before in someone else. It was instant attraction. He wants to spend the rest of his life with her."[2]

— Lochie Daddo on Stephen and Phoebe's romance. (1992)

While he was at the graveyard visiting his dead fiancée, Stephen noticed a pregnant Phoebe Bright (Simone Robertson) by the graveside of her ex-boyfriend, Todd (Kristian Schmid).[1] They confided in each other and Stephen made Phoebe realise that Todd's spirit would be with her where ever she goes, after learning that she wanted to have her baby by his grave.[3] Daddo commented that their meeting "sort of turns into a little bit of a romance."[1] Stephen later visits Phoebe and she tries to put him off by showing him her pet snake, Oscar, but he states that he has one of his own.[1] Couch revealed that Daddo did his own research for the snake scenes by visiting an animal farm outside Melbourne.[1] Of Phoebe's reaction to meeting Stephen, Robertson explained "It's a really weird way to meet the man of your dreams, but at least something is about to go right for Phoebe. The main thing for me is that I really get on well with Lochie. As for Stephen, he works in a record shop and is so different from Todd. He's older – 23 – and calmer."[3]

After five weeks of dating, Stephen proposed to Phoebe.[4] Robertson thought the proposal was too fast, especially as Phoebe was not interested in Stephen at first and was still hung up on Todd.[4] Daddo found Stephen's eagerness to settle down with Phoebe strange. He told McGowan (TV Week) that Stephen views marriage as an "important institution" and Phoebe is "the right person" for him.[2] Stephen also views Phoebe's reluctance to date him as a "challenge". Daddo believed Stephen had old-fashioned views about marriage and explained that Stephen was instantly attracted to her.[2] A BBC Online writer explained that "Stephen's hippy upbringing made him yearn for a traditional life and he saw in Phoebe, pregnant as she was, a ready-made family."[5]

While Phoebe accepted the proposal, Robertson believed that she was not in love with Stephen.[4] She told an Inside Soap writer "She was definitely falling for him, but I don't think she really ever loved. Phoebe had a lot of respect for him because he persevered with her for so long! And I think because he was older she saw him as a bit of a father figure, and as her father had died I guess that was quite appealing."[4] After succumbing to Stephen's "easy charm", Phoebe planned an early wedding. While Stephen was out on his stag night, Phoebe went into labour two months early.[4] Stephen rushed back to their house and helped deliver Phoebe's daughter, Hope (Laura Pearson).[6] Hope developed breathing problems and it was left to Stephen to break the news to Phoebe that she might die.[6] Stephen became worried that if Hope died, Phoebe would not want to marry him and his feelings of unease grew when everyone began talking about Todd.[6] Stephen and Phoebe marry eleven days after their cancelled ceremony. Benito (George Spartels) and Cathy Alessi (Elspeth Ballantyne) offer the pair their back garden as they lost the original venue.[7] Writers created tense scenes for the nuptials with nurse Pam Willis (Sue Jones) interrupting their vows. Phoebe rushes into the Alessi house believing Hope is in peril. She is relieved when she learns Pam has discharged Hope home from hospital and the wedding resumes.[7]

When Phoebe and Stephen suffered financial difficulties, they decided to take in lodger Russell Butler (Steven Whittaker).[8] Daddo claimed that Stephen was initially "really cool" with Russell living with him, but then he started to get under his skin and "a whole new side" of Stephen emerged.[8] Phoebe had a similar reaction and she was also nervous around Russell. Daddo said "he just seems to be able to do anything and the guy just doesn't add up."[8] Phoebe became suspicious of Russell and decided to look around his room, but when Russell caught her he freaked out. At that point, Stephen wanted Russell to leave, but he was difficult to get rid of and the Gottliebs lived in fear of what he would do next.[8] It eventually emerged that Russell had been released from an institution after he lost his wife and daughter. Daddo explained that Russell saw Phoebe and Hope as substitutions for his own family.[8] Stephen formed a plan to get rid of Russell with Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver). They paid a gang of bikers to attack Russell, but their plan went wrong when Wayne Duncan (Jonathan Sammy-Lee) was attacked and left for dead by mistake.[9]

Stephen was paralysed when The Waterhole exploded due to a gas leak in the basement.[10] During filming of the explosion, Daddo revealed that he was made up to look as if his forehead had caved in.[11] Stephen lost all movement down one side of his body and was told that he would need to use a wheelchair.[10] Daddo told Women's Own writer Mary Fletcher that the storyline made him relive his own brother's accident, which left him requiring a wheelchair.[12] Of Stephen's reaction to his condition, Daddo stated "When Stephen discovers he'll be in a wheelchair, he tries to spare Phoebe by ending it with her, saying he doesn't love her. But what he means is he loves her too much to burden her with a lifetime of looking after him."[12]

Stephen's recovery is made difficult by his reluctance to accept any help. Robertson told a TVTimes reporter that Stephen is trying to be "selfless" but in the process he behaves "cruel" and "selfish".[13] She explained that Stephen does not consider community nursing support as an option. He thinks that admitting himself into a rehabilitation centre is the best option for his wife.[13] She added that "in rejecting Phoebe, he's cutting out one of the most important people in his life. The truth is, they both need each other."[13]

Phoebe managed to convince Stephen that they belonged together and he because he loved her, they stayed together.[11][12] Following rehabilitation, Stephen managed to regain the use of his legs.[5] He eventually managed to walk without his wheelchair and made a full recovery. When the insurance money from the accident came through, Stephen decided that he wanted to use it open his own record store.[11] Daddo revealed that Stephen being blown up in The Waterhole was his favourite storyline from his time on Neighbours.[11]

In July 1993, Chrissie Camp from TV Week reported that Daddo had decided to quit Neighbours, after twelve months of playing Stephen.[14] Camp revealed that Daddo would film his final scenes on 6 August, while his character would remain on-screen until October.[14] Daddo stated that the decision was mutual between himself and producers, saying "They didn't know what to do with Stephen next and I thought a year in Neighbours was long enough for me."[12] The actor told Camp that he had not expected to be given a character who, after only six weeks, was married with a child.[14] He believed the development did not allow him any time to establish Stephen as a character on his own and he became frustrated.[12][14] Daddo said "His whole thing revolved around Phoebe and the baby. Everything he did - even now, its like that. They never gave him a chance to be on his own."[14] Stephen's exit storyline saw him and Phoebe leave Erinsborough to run a record shop in Anson's Corner.[5]

Twenty-seven years after Stephen's departure from the series, his brother Mark Gottlieb (Bruce Samazan) was reintroduced into Neighbours. Writers used the character to update viewers on Stephen. Mark reveals that Stephen is still married to Phoebe and that they now live in Nambucca Heads with their five children.[15]