Lance Smart is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Peter Vroom. Vroom appeared from the pilot episode as one of the serial's original characters. Lance is Vroom's first television role and he auditioned to play him after he completed an acting course. In his audition, Vroom had to improvise a scene and make Lance appear like a "dumb character". He vas not very vocal and laughed during the improvisation, which casting directors liked. Lance is characterised a "slow witted" larrikin and those around him see him as a "joke". Lance forms an on-screen partnership with Martin Dibble (Craig Thomson) and their characters were subsequently used as the serial's comedy characters. Both Vroom and Thomson said that their characters did not provide a realistic representation of young people as the production team often censored their dialogue. Lance also has an over-protective mother Colleen Smart (Lyn Collingwood) with whom he had to contend with. His main romantic relationship is with Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons) and the pair became engaged. Their romance was short-lived as Lance decided against marrying her. Lance and Martin were named as the "thickest characters ever to grace soapland" in the Daily Record.
Vroom was axed from the series alongside Thomson after producer Andrew Howie wanted to focus on new characters. Vroom finished filming in March 1990 and departed during the episode aired on 11 April. Vroom later returned to the soap in 2000 on a guest contract. He subsequently made short returns during the five years that followed and his final appearance aired on 1 December 2006.
Casting Peter Vroom secured the role of Lance after he completed a course at the Australian Theatre for Young People, making it his first television role.Kesta 1990, p.56. Vroom learned about the upcoming auditions for the newly created Home and Away whilst he was still studying there. Vroom attended the auditions and was not given a script to work off and had to improvise a scene. Vroom recalled that "I had to play a dumb character, pretending to chat up a beautiful chick. I think what won them over was the fact that I didn't really say anything, I just kind of giggled." He was then cast as Lance.
Development Characterisation and relationships Lance is characterised as having little intelligence and is "slow witted".Kesta 1990, p.10. Vroom told Inside Soap that "Lance was a caricature, he was never very successful at anything, and people generally thought he was a joke. That was his role, to provide a few laughs." Lance forms an on-screen duo as the "partner in crime" of Martin Dibble (Craig Thomson). Thomson said that the characters are Home and Away's answer to Laurel and Hardy. Like Martin, Lance is unpopular with females and even "their closest friends" see them as not being "heart-throbs". They are portrayed as a pair of "yobbos and larrikins" who work at a local oyster farm. Lance and Martin share common enemies, their biggest feud is with Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn) who throws them out of cadet corps. They also have a general dislike for the local "surfie" males, who later become their "great nemesis" due to them receiving all the attention from the local females. Lance holds an opinion that Martin is "irresistible" to the opposite sex and is impressed by his persona.Oram 1989, p.100.
Thomson has stated that the duo "stand out a lot" because of their over-the-top nature. While Vroom felt they rarely got "serious" scenes because they were mostly involved in comedic storylines. Vroom criticised the writing Martin and Lance received because he did not think it represented how young people behave. Home and Away's critics also scrutinised the writing "for a lack of realism". Thomson said the serial's early evening time slot often caused dialogue to be censored. The actor stated that "Lance and Martin are definitely drinkers and if it wasn't for the timeslot they would be into marijuana too." Though he defended the characters because they had to be responsible and cater for young viewers.Oram 1989, p.101. Vroom told a writer from Look-in that Lance always appeared "abnormally tall" on-screen because no other cast members were over six foot in height like himself. He also said that he was the "worst out of the whole cast" for laughing during filming. Fergus Sheil from Enniscorthy Guardian asked Vroom if he ever feared being typecast as a "dingbat" like Lance is. Vroom replied "not at all. I love him. I have to, because he is part of me."
Lance is the "beloved" son of Colleen Smart (Lyn Collingwood), she "dotes on" Lance and often intimidates him into doing things she wants. Lance also had a relationship with Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons) which does not work out. Colleen is so protective of Lance that twenty years later she still does not "like or trust" Marilyn for breaking "her Lancey's' heart". Lance and Marilyn get engaged and even go shopping for a wedding dress. Their engagement follows a series of arguments but Lance plans a surprise meal and proposes. Symons explained to David Brown from TV Week "that's what she's always wanted, then she goes full swing. She buys a wedding dress and starts to refurbish Lance's home!" Symons later recalled "I've got a old photo of me [Marilyn] in a wedding dress, but he dumped Marilyn before they got to the altar, so the wedding never happened."
Departure and returns The actor's contract was due to expire in February 1990 but was informed in 1989 that he would lose his job. Producer Andrew Howie decided not to renew either Thomson or Vrooms's contracts as he wanted to concentrate on developing new characters. Howie told Brown (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." Vroom filmed his final scenes in March 1990. After leaving Summer Bay, Lance becomes an army sergeant and resides in Townsville. Lance and Martin were characters featured in the 1991 stage musical, Home and Away: The Musical. Thomson reprised his role as Martin, whereas actor Andrew Lawden took on the role of Lance.
Vroom returned to filming in 2000, for a storyline which sees Lance back in Summer Bay to attend the wedding of Sally Fletcher (Kate Ritchie) and Kieran Fletcher (Spencer McLaren). Vroom said that Lance had grown up and "matured" in his absence and "won the respect of his peers" in his army career. Though Lance's love life does not fare as well and he does not talk about it much upon his return. Vroom said "he admits he's been seeing a girl who upset him quite a bit, but that's all". Vroom found it challenging to reprise the role because Lance had changed. He felt that he did not have to portray him like he used to, adding it was like "editing an old character". Home and Away decided to sign Vroom up to make additional appearances later that year. Vroom said he would have liked to return on a more permanent basis. In an interview published on the show's official website, Vroom described his return as a "great opportunity and added he was "excited" to reprise the role and reconnect with old friends. Lance had also been working as a soldier and eventually progressed to become an army sergeant. He was stationed in Townsville and the city's climate is hot, to reflect this the show's production required Vroom to wear make-up to make Lance appear tanned. Vroom described the additional make-up as "the worst part" of his return, but acknowledged that "I am a little older as well", and therefore needed extra make-up. In his return story, Lance's arrival shocks Colleen but he claims to be in town to visit her. Lance is vague about his army career and avoids detailing how his job is faring. Writers made it clear that Lance is hiding a secret, but despite wanting to tell Colleen he does not want to disappoint her.
He returned in 2002 as part of the serial's fourteenth anniversary celebrations. During his time off-screen Lance became a father to baby Maggie. He returned once again in 2005 as part of the 4000th episode of Home and Away. In the storyline Lance arrives to celebrate Alf Stewart's (Ray Meagher) birthday.
Storylines Lance and Martin save Carly Morris (Sharyn Hodgson) from drowning, though she then causes them to crash their van. Donald's brother, Clive fires them from the local oyster farm and they take revenge by planting a jellyfish in Donald's car. They then bully Nico Pappas (Nicholas Papademetriou), who is handicapped, into spraying manure over Donald's lawn. He forces Lance to clean it up by hand and Alf bans them from buying alcohol. Martin convinces Lance to help brew their own. When Tom Fletcher (Roger Oakley) is fired from his job, Lance and Martin arrange a strike. Lance then gets Donald's cat drunk on the home brew and hides it until it sobers up. Lance then drills a hole in the shower block at the caravan park so he can spy on Dawn (Jenny Cook), a resident. Her boyfriend, Russell (Grant Bennett) discovers the hole and another woman hits Lance with a broom. Lance and Martin start a rumour that Carly is sleeping with the science teacher Andrew Foley (Peter Bensley), which results in his career being ruined and he leaves Summer Bay.
Carly buys Lance a lottery ticket which wins him half a million dollars. Lance then purchases a mobile home in the caravan park. His father, Les (Kevin Golsby) takes $50,000 from Lance and runs off with another woman, leaving Colleen heart-broken. She decides to move in with Lance, who does not want her to stay with him. Lance buys a new car with some of his money. Martin then acts irresponsibly which results in the vehicle being stolen, Lance nearly tells him he wants nothing to do with him. When Colleen decides she wants to date Donald, Lance spikes his drink. However, Celia Stewart (Fiona Spence) drinks it. He continues to try to keep the two apart. Gary Samuels (Darius Perkins) convinces Lance to invest money in a nightclub. Lance does not realise that Gary is conning him and the nightclub does not exist. Alison Patterson (Kathryn Ridley) then pretends she is attracted to Lance so he will buy her a new dress and hire a limousine for her. She then attempts to persuade him to buy a new car for her and he does so, only it is a toy. Lance then decides to give his money away.
When Martin gets a girlfriend, Lance feels alone and runs away. No one notices Lance has even gone and he later returns claiming to have a girlfriend named Marilyn. He then feels sorry for Dodge (Kelly Dingwall) who is in trouble with the police and lets him hide in his house. He fears he will be charged for aiding Dodge and no one believes that Marilyn exists. When Marilyn arrives in Summer Bay everyone cannot believe that she would want to be with Lance. He takes her on a date via a boat, but during an accident they become lost at sea. After the event Marilyn decides to move to the town. Lance thinks they are getting too serious, so she decides to go on a date with Martin. They split up and Lance throws Martin out of his home. He pays Bobby Simpson (Nicolle Dickson) to give Marilyn a job at the Diner to win her back. Bobby soon fires Marilyn so Morag Bellingham (Cornelia Frances) decides to give her a job. However Marilyn decides to dump Lance after being influenced by Morag. After they reunite, he tries to force her out of her job, but Morag remains one step ahead. After Marilyn gets on well with Colleen, Lance dumps her.