Marlene Kratz - Storylines

Storylines

Marlene arrives in Ramsay Street after purchasing Number 24 from Madge Bishop (Anne Charleston) and she is joined by her grandson, Sam. It soon becomes apparent Marlene had purchased the house to be nearer to her estranged daughter, Cheryl, who she had walked out on in her childhood. Cheryl refuses to have anything to do with Marlene at first, but she softens after Marlene knits booties for the baby Cheryl is expecting.

Marlene settles into the area and befriends fellow pensioner Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy) and later runs her own bric-a-brac shop and plays surrogate mother to teenage runaway Bianca Zanotti (Anna Gagliardi). After Bianca's departure Marlene later takes in lodgers Annalise Hartman (Kimberley Davies and Cody Willis (Peta Brady). After Cheryl's relationship with Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver) breaks down, Cheryl, her daughter Louise (Jiordan Anna Tolli) and son Darren (Todd MacDonald) move into Number 24 with her. Cheryl is later killed in a car accident, leaving the family devastated and Marlene is left to keep the peace between Lou and Darren. When Madge returns to Erinsborough to reconcile with her husband, Harold (Ian Smith), Marlene moves in next door with Lou and rents the house to the Bishops.

Marlene takes a job working for Karl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher) and finds herself competing with Sarah Beaumont (Nicola Charles) for the title of Receptionist of the Year. She later leaves for a three month cruise, but is not seen for eight years until she appears in Annalise's documentary about Ramsay Street, where she reveals she is still sailing the seas.