Cast and Characters
"Road to Avonlea" could not have existed without the spirited presence of one Sara Stanley (Sara Polley). An imaginative little girl, Sara is sent to live with her aunts Hetty and Olivia
in Avonlea when her father runs into financial trouble. At first it seems that Sara doesn't fit in. She dislikes Hetty's domineering nature and Sara's troublesome cousins: Felix, Felicity and Andrew. However, as time passes,
Sara warms to her Aunt Hetty and becomes friends with her cousins, who name her "The Story Girl." Sara 
is amiable, kind and always willing to help someone in need. In more than a couple of instances this gets her into trouble. She gets into all sorts of adventures and mishaps with her cousins, and 'grows up' in Avonlea.
Unfortunately, as the series progresses into its last two seasons, we see much less of Sara. She leaves Avonlea to attend college in Europe and pursue a career as a writer. It is only in the series' finale that she returns to attend Felicity's wedding.
Filmography:
Hetty King (Jacki Burroughs), the eldest of the King family, symbolizes everything Avonlea stands for: fiercely loyal to traditional values and her community. Whenver the town is threatened by progress or change, it's Hetty King who leads the community in resistance. Although Hetty can be rather headstrong and domineering at times, she also has a soft spot in her heart for the people she cares about. This is particularly true when she becomes a mother figure for her niece Sara, and when she helps tutor and be a role model for uneducated itinerant Gus Pike. For most of the series, Hetty is the schoolmistress at Avonlea School. It is only when she takes time off to write her memoirs, and help raise her sister Olivia's son Montgomery, that she isn't teaching school.
Filmography:
Sister to Hetty, and youngest of the King family adults, Olivia King (Mag Ruffman) is a mild mannered, sweet natured
individual. She is a journalist for the "Avonlea Chronicle" and works alongside Jasper Dale from time
to time. Olivia is the perfect image of a turn-of-the-century sophisticate; she is intelligent,
polite, well mannered, and a career woman. Over the years she tackles problems with a cheerful
attitude and fierce determination.
For most of her life, Olivia lives with her overbearing sister Hetty. It isn't until Olivia decides to marry Jasper, and move out of Rose Cottage, that she experiences the freedom to make her own decisions without being constantly criticized. More often than not, it is Olivia who tries to smooth things over when Hetty and others begin to argue. Olivia is particularly protective of her nieces and nephews, and her husband, whom she loves dearly and has absolute faith in his accomplishments. Over the years, Olivia and Jasper have a son they name Montgomery, run a cannery, and eventually leave Avonlea to live in England.
Filmography:
Felicity King (Gema Zamprogna) is the oldest of the King children. Like most older sisters,
she bosses around anyone younger than her, especially her younger brother Felix, and her cousin
Sara who refuses to submit to Felicity's demands. Forever trying to impress her parents and other
adults, Felicity goes to great lengths to prove that she is a capable and mature young woman
who can "take care of things." Her brother and cousins get their revenge one day, and Felicity
comes to realize she doesn't know everything. Eventually she becomes close friends with Sara and teases her
brother less (though not by much).
Surprisingly, one person has an astonishing effect on Felicity, the wayward sailor Gus Pike. An unexpected kiss by the
roguish boy seems to instantly capture Felicity's heart. She becomes good friends with Gus and,
over the years, their friendship grows into love for one another. However, their courtship is
plagued with plenty of problems. In one instance, the two are discovered alone together and
Felicity's parents nearly end any chance they may have being together. Another problem ensues
when Felicity wants to attend medical school and Gus wants to return to working on a ship. Fortunately,
after several proposals, a believed drowning at sea, and Gus going blind, the couple are eventually
happily wed and agree to run the Avonlea foundling home together.
Filmography:
The phrase, "oh brother," takes on a whole new meaning when refering to Felix King (Zachary Bennet). Felix
seems to have an insatiable appetite and he tries to consume any food he can find. Brother to
sisters Felicity and Cecily, Felix takes great pride in annoying his older sister, Felicity.
One of Felix' faults though is he tends to say things before he thinks about the consequences. This has
gotten him into trouble more than once. However, for the most part, Felix is friendly and
well-meaning and is good friends with his cousin Sara, Gus, and Izzy.
As a result of Felix' love for food it seems only appropriate that he gets a job at the White Sands Hotel as owner Simon Tremayne's personal assistant. Felix is a natural at the hospitality business. He is also an incorrigible businessman and can't resist money-making opportunities. Some of his schemes include: a local delivery service, fox farm, tea house, and the King farm guesthouse. Felix continues working at the hotel until the series' finale when he announces to everyone
he has joined the Candian navy.
Filmography:
Cecily King (Harmony Cramp) is the youngest sister of of Felicity and Felix. She is a sweet,
little girl who seems to always be bossed around by her older brother and sister. Cecily rarely
gets into trouble, except when she is dragged into it by the older kids. For much of the series
Cecily is always in the background, but that changes dramatically in the end of season five.
In the episode titled, "Thursday's Child," Cecily King contracts tuberculosis. Cecily
is then submitted to a sanitorium for treatment, and a new actress, Molly Atkinson, steps in to
fill the role of Cecily King. In time, Cecily recovers from her illness and returns home to rejoin
her family. By season seven she has 'grown up' and become one of the series' more prominent characters. Most of the town's residents now consider her more seriously. Cecily also becomes good friends with Izzy Pettibone.
Films/TV:
Father of Felicity, Felix, and Cecily, and married to Janet, Alec King (Cedric Smith) is an easy going man generally liked by everyone. Alec rarely gets into arguments, but whenever one breaks out between Janet and his sister Hetty, he is usually the person who mediates the peace. Although Alec trusts his children, like all parents, there are times when he must use a strict tone when he is trying to protect them from harm. In a few instances, Alec shows great talent for various roles; he is offered an influential political position, performs one of the lead roles in a stage production, and surprises everyone with his ability to sing.
Filmography:
Although Janet King (Lally Cadeau) may be one of Avonlea's typical homemakers, she is quite a remarkable woman nonetheless. Married to Alec King, and mother of Felicity, Felix, and Cecily, Janet is the glue that holds the King family together. At the end of season two, Janet gives birth to her four child, Daniel. Most of the time she is rather soft-spoken, but on occasion, Janet can get into some serious arguments, particularly with her sister-in-law Hetty. Janet is always ready to support her children, but she is just as protective of them too. However, Janet's life doesn't consist solely of baking and homemaking; on occasion, she strives to accomplish other goals. In one episode Janet joins a suffragette movement, and in another episode she performs the lead role in a play.
Filmography:
One of Avonlea's more intriguing characters is Gus Pike (Michael Mahonen). A boy who has spent
much of his life at sea, Gus is introduced to the series, and King family, at the beginning of season
two. He soon becomes good friends with Sara and her cousins, and, with Hetty's help, enrolls in school so he may learn to read and write. He shows so much promise that Hetty even gets Gus a job at the White Sands Hotel. There are times when Gus' character is questioned though, particularly since his father is a criminal and murderer, and Gus has always been apart of the working class for many years. However, he is honest, hard working, and has a heart of gold that shines even in the worst of times.
It's not long after Gus meets Felicity that they become good friends, and it's only a matter
of time before the romance between them grows. By season four, Gus gets
Alec and Janet's permission to court Felicity. Their relationship has its ups and downs, Felicity
wants to attend medical school, Gus' ship goes down at sea, but everything turns out well in
the end. Their wedding is commemorated in the series' finale.
Filmography:
Jasper Dale (R.H. Thomson) is a character who, over the seasons, comes a long way in intellectual as well as social growth. When we are first introduced to him he appears as quite an awkward figure, hindered by a severe stutter and clumsy nature. However, the community begins to notice that he is very clever and good natured. Olivia King in particular finds Jasper to be charming since he makes her laugh. A relationship grows between them and they eventually marry. Over the following years the couple have and raise a child named Montgomery and start a business together. It's at this time that Jasper's potential begins to truly shine when, with Olivia's help, he opens a cannery, and accepts a teaching position at the Royal Society in England. As the series draws to a close, the cannery is destroyed and the Dale family plans to move to England so Jasper can continue his teaching position.
Filmography:
Back to 
page