AustLit

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'MARGARET BATESON: 30. Attractive looking without being strikingly so. Public Servant. A naturally shy person, her manner is polite, even reserved, though later on in the 8 M.M. film clips, a relaxed friendliness begins to emerge. Drives.

'MICHAEL JAMES Late 30's, early 40's. A solicitor, married. English, though not 'public school' background, prefer trace of regional accent. Neither suave lawyer, nor 'ladies man', rather a working solicitor, sincere, competent, with the usual hassles of any family man, but with the added load of an invalid wife.

'MRS. JAMES 36, though looks 56. Twelve months previously suffered a stroke from which she has never really recovered. Premature aging, loss of right arm and side, impairment of certain memory and speech functions. Speaks with a slow, deliberate manner. Occasionally a glimpse of the warm, vibrant personality that existed before. Still an intelligent woman. James' wife. Also English.

'JOHN SMITH: 20, good looking, easy manner. Student teacher, theatre and film making, over from New Zealand on a working holiday. Certain idealism, and also confidence, born of his youth, that becomes tested through the course of his encounter with the police.

'MANAGER (HOTEL): 40's. Bluff, chatty type, with a certain air of insincerity. A student of blending and tax evasion.

'SUPERVISOR (PUBLIC SERVICE): Margaret Bateson's immediate superior. Also 40's. Brusque, efficient type, who displays a certain perception towards Margaret's personal situation, but little sensitivity.

'AGENT (FLAT): Woman, 50. Possibly her husband ran the Estate Agency, and subsequently died. Treats D's almost as if they were prospective tenants.

'GARAGE PROPRIETOR: Small, gnarled, well into his 70's. Old fashioned type, who still gets concerned at young women driving around the country alone and who doesn't mind saying so.

'COUNTRY POLICE SERGEANT: Heavy, balding 40ish. Knows the Hotel Manager fairly well, and probably would share a drink if not for the Homicide D's presence. However, shrewd and knows his job, and handles the Manager with experienced understanding when the time comes.

'JANE CURTIS: Early 20's. Secondary teacher, based in the country. Drives a sports car. Attractive, sense of humour, takes life as she sees it.

'MOTORCYCLE OFFICER: No lines. Not necessary to ride a motorcycle. Discovers the body, during routine exercise.

'POSTMAN : Delivers letters. Rides a bicycle.

'RADIO ANNOUNCER: V.O.

'V.K.C: V.O.'

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'ERNIE PICKETT: 30's, 40's. You can usually find Ernie around five, five-thirty on Friday evenings in the bar of the local, raffling ducks and drakes for charity, like his father before him. (Only in those days the proceeds went to a private charity...The Pickett family). Ern has taken over where his father left off except that now the raffles are just a front for a flourishing black-market in stolden [sic] goods. In fact Ernie is a successful, small-time travelling fence, and has even been known to set up the actual heist himself when supplies are running short. Despite these questionable elements in his character he's a likeable sort of bloke, a bantam battler in fact with a good spiel and a healthy outlook on life as long as a man's free to make a quid for himself in his own time and in his own way. Able to drive.

'MAX PICKETT: 30's, 40's. Physically unprepossessing. Max is Ernie's overbearing elder brother. Not nearly as sharp and self-sufficient as Ernie, Max is married with a family, (we never see them) and drives an all-purpose furniture removal van. (Part of the Pickett family enterprises). There's a hard edge to Max and more than an underlying hint of jealousy in his zealous regard for his younger brother's welfare. Able to drive.

'MA PICKETT: Fifties, sixties. (Ernie still live [sic] with his widowed mother). Ma gives the impression of being a rather vague old soul, but she doesn't miss all that much. She knows for instance the Ernie's [sic] commission from the raffles and the little fiddle he works on the purchase of the poultry isn't enough to cover the electric fruit juicer, her own personal portable telly, and the bone china flying ducks that Ern has lavished upon her. Deep down she also knows that when Ernie disappeared for a period of six months about two years ago, he wasn't really vacationing in Cowes like he told her. But then she's rather proud of her boy, and if Ernie wants to spare his mother the heartbreak of knowing that he's done a stint in Pentridge then that's alright with her. After all, she's been through it all with Ernie's father, God rest his soul, and a finer man never pulled on a pair of ripple soles.

'BUBBLES AND LENNIE: Late forties. Max's off-siders on the furniture van. Heavyweight ex-ruckman from the fifties in faded dungarees and sweating, bulging football jumpers. Big bruisers.

'RUDI FISCHER: Twenties. German immigrant. Masseur at the South Pacific Health Studios. Murdered in the teaser.

'TRINA FISCHER: Thirties. Rudi's elder sister. Murdered in teaser.

'WALLY CARSON: Sixties. Proprietor and manager of South Pacific Health Studios.

'GEORGE McKENNA: Late thirties. Professional crim. Baggy overcoat, hat, and usually wears horn-rimmed glasses for the fine print.

'ERIC HOBBS: Thirties. McKenna's off-sider. Stylishly dressed, ladies man. Able to drive.

'JOHNNO: Barman. About Ernie's age.

'IRIS: The Fischers' next-door neighbour. A lady of tarnished former glories.

'SLATER: Thirties. Lounge-bar drinker.

'EXTRAS: For bar scenes.

'MASSEUR: Actual.

'WATKINS: Established.'

'Ryan arranges a meeting between an ex-drug addict and a crusading cop. When the addict is found dead, shot with the policeman's gun, Ryan vows to find the man responsible. He had promised the addict protection - the pathetic little man died, and now someone is going to pay for it.

'Ryan moves into the Melbourne underworld, meets the pimps and thugs and junkies on their own ground - sleazy nightclubs and back alleys. He's on the move - hammering his way through to find the killer.

'When the policeman's son dies from a drug overdose, Ryan's sympathy is mixed with cold suspicion - the cop had a motive for the killing. And the fact that the policeman was once Ryan's best friend counts for nothing.'

Source: Synopsis held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection (RMIT).

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'JACK NELSON: Until recently he was an average cop, a good friend to have. His fairly normal middle-age blues and career frustrations were offset by a satisfying family life. Now his son is a dying drug addict and his wife is leaving him. He's a strong man eroding fast. (45).

'JAN TAYLOR: On the surface she's a brassy stripper; cynical, not too bright. Beneath the stage make-up she's a vulnerable, sensitive girl .... and a frightened one, out of her depth. She's a semi-reformed drug addict and though we'd like to believe otherwise, she will never be fully cured. (27).

'BILLY MAXWELL: Fat, slimy, physically repulsive, fringe crim, morally depraved - you name it, if it's nasty - he's it. He likes being around the big crims, and blusters a lot to kid himself he's one of them; but inside he's scared. The audience has to squirm when he fondles Jan and cheer when Ryan king-hits him. (30).

'ERIC FRASER: Another reformed addict, but again he'll never overcome the damage done by drug abuse ... he'll be physically and psychologically frail for the rest of his life (which proves to be short anyway). Had he lived, he and Jan Taylor may have been able to lean on each other enough to make a go of it. We only meet him once but we're sorry when he dies. (30).

'PAUL THOMPSON: On the surface he's a well educated man, a concerned, responsible citizen who has devoted his life to helping addicts. In fact he gained his university degrees which combine to qualify him as a "sociologist" because his wealthy grandmother virtually paid him to be a "professional student". When he got too old for that, and his grandmother died, he had to get a job - but was ill-equipped for most business positions. His family connections got him into the privately endowed Drug Action Group organisation. His work brought him into contact with hundreds of addicts, and dozens of suppliers. He picked the "best" of them to form his own organisation. He is totally amoral. (40).

'FLIP MITCHELL: A thug, though fractionally more intelligent than most. He is one of Thompson's key pushers. (35).

'NOBBY WALKER: Hangs around with Flip Mitchell, dresses a bit better. He has a greater sense of cause and effect than Mitchell, and lacks his friend's stupid courage. He is therefore a less successful "fringe crim". Some people claim there is a homosexual relationship between them, and it might be true. (35).

'MARGARET NELSON: Rather plain, not very bright, suburban housewife. She is a tense, nervous person, who for the first twenty years of their married life relied on the strength of her husband. Not that's going, and so is she. (42).

'DAVID NELSON: Sensitive boy, scared of life. Has one line only, but we should care when he dies. (20).

'VICKIE ANDERSON: She's a drug addict. She'll probably be dead within five years. She used to be a stripper, but as she says, "Nobody would pay to see it now" - the drugs have had their effect. (One scene.) (25).

'ADDICT: As with all the other addicts in this episode there is about him an air of sadness, of pathos - an inevitability of death - such that some young people watching the show might be discouraged from experimenting with hard drugs. (One scene.) 25.

'CABBIE: Not much education but lots of native cunning. Enjoys life, loves his job, an old mate of Ryan's (Two scenes.) (30).

'BOB CLARK: A very good policeman, but also a bit conservative and authoritarian - his way is the right way. He's Jack Nelson's boss, and used to be his friend. (50).

'GREG WILLIAMS: Jack's partner. A vestige of friendship remains, but it's strained. (40)

'BARTENDER:

'UNIFORMED POLICEMAN 1: One line.

'UNIFORMED POLICEMAN 2:

'DOCTOR: (Maybe an extra)

'UNIFORMED POLICEMAN: (Maybe an extra)

'NEWSBOY: Extra.

'GREEK: Extra.

'DRINKER IN BAR: Extra.'

'Signor Jaconelli arrives from Italy to be reunited with his daughter-in-law Melina, and his tiny grandson. Inexplicably they are not there to meet the ship. Where are they ...?

'They are currently the subject of a state-wide police hunt, and Melina is suspected of murder.

'Ryan is called in, and in an atmosphere complicated by Mediterranean emotionalism, eventually solves the murder, uncovers an elaborate call-girl racket, and most importantly, reunites Signor Jaconelli with his loved ones.'

Source: Synopsis held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection (RMIT).

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'MELINA JACONELLI: She is a young Italian widow who lost her husband in a car smash before the birth of their son, Pietro. She works for the Pegasus Messenger Service and lives with her son in a small, single-fronted weatherboard house in an inner suburb. She is about 25, dark, long hair, good looking and shapely. Speaks English with Italian accent. Does not smoke. Must be able to drive.

'PIETRO JACONELLI: Melina's son. About 4 months old. A very good-looking Italian type babe.

'ENZO JACONELLI: Early fifties. Average height, broad build, dark hair now turning to grey. He speaks English with a pronounced Italian accent. He has come from Italy to meet his grandson for the first time. He is a smart but old-fashioned dresser, likes cigars. His one big interest is his grandson who will carry on the family name. He likes Melina but Pietro is more important to him.

'ELSA HARVEY: Late twenties. Prostitute. One scene.

'JOHN HILLIER: Australian, about 45. A mean man, possessing sufficient business acumen to run a prostitution racket under the cover of legitimate business.

'FATHER DALTON: About 35. Good-looking priest, not afraid to use his fists. A very capable down-to-earth man.

'MRS. MURPHY: Father Dalton's Irish housekeeper. Mid fifties. Inclined to fret and mother her charge, and so comes in for a certain amount of ribbing from Father Dalton.

'CARL HOFFMAN: A big blonde mountain of a man. About 30. Lower class Australian of German extraction. He is Hillier's standover man. He is particularly brutal with women but enjoys bashing anyone. Smokes. Must be able to drive.

'CHRIS TURNER: A hard-faced prostitute known to Ryan from his Police days. She smokes. She is in her late thirties. Once good looking, now worn, but holds her shape well. She speaks with a middle-class accent but uses crim parlance at times. Must be able to drive. Has blonde hair.

'MOTOR CYCLE POLICEMAN:

'DETECTIVE CULLEN: Stock character.

'CAB DRIVER: Australian of Italian descent. One scene, few speeches.'

Ryan focused on the titular Michael Ryan, a private detective with a stringent code of ethics and a background as a soldier, police officer, and social worker. Ryan's work doesn't focus on divorce and domestic problems, but on serious crimes that, for some reason, the victims are unwilling to take to the police. He is supported by his secretary Julie King (who often becomes involved in fieldwork), cab driver and later assistant Tony Angelini, and police liaison Detective Sergeant Dan Cullen.

According to Don Storey in Classic Australian Television,

'The production standards of Ryan are very high -- good writing, solid acting performances, smooth direction and excellent camera and editing work combined to form a polished and professional product. And Ryan was very successful overseas -- proportional to the number of episodes made, Ryan has probably done better overseas than most other Crawford shows. Yet it was the first Crawford show not to do well locally'.

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'MICHAEL WILLIAMS. 45, the first murderer. A teacher, he is a clever, dried-up academic, a keen chess player, interested in target shooting. He is involved in an affair with Claudia Jones, a young student teacher, with whom he is deeply in love. Through her, he sees the chance to gain the happiness which his marriage has denied him and he turns to murder as the only practical way to solve the problem of his wife. To protect himself, he is later forced to murder again.

'HELEN WILLIAMS. 39, the first victim, is Michael's wife. She is afaded [sic] homebody, whose whole life revolves around the house and the antique silver she collects. Her marriage has probably turned her into what she is .. a rather pathetic drab.

'EDDIE JACKSON. 50, has a long record for crimes of various kinds. His intelligence is extremely limited .. his straightened circumstances and environment probably made his life in crime inevitable, but he is clumsy and unsuccessful even in that. He is big, shambling, with a violent temper. He is characterised by his great love for his wife, Rose.

'ROGER GREEN. 25, is a young criminal who began his career in Juvenile Courts. He becomes the second victim after he is used by Williams in the set-up to murder his wife and starts to blackmail him. There is very little Green wouldn't do for money. He's essentially a loner.

'CLAUDIA JONES. 24, a kinky spirited young teacher is involved with Williams. She considers herself a "free spirit", and thus takes neither her affair with Williams, nor the ramifications of it too seriously. In fact, she is really experimenting with life trying to find out what she ultimately wants.

'DAISY ROBERTS. 50-ish, is an ex-prostitute now running a boarding house where Green has a room. She is a little flamboyant, a gossip ..... Her long relationship with the police makes her only too anxious to be helpful. Some of her physical attraction has remained with her.

'GEORGE BRENT. 40-50, an ex-crim, is Eddie's cousin. He now runs a Disposal Store. He is neither intelligent nor particularly clean. He helps Eddie, until he departs with his takings.

'JOY. Mac's girlfriend.

'MARY RICE. About 26, is a teacher at Williams' school. Mac learns of Williams' mistress through her. She is rather conservative, not particularly attractive, sympathetic.

'JAMIE REDFORD. 20, is a university student, who, living next to the Williams [sic], is able to help the police in their inquiries. He is slightly impertinent, flamboyantly but not EFFEMINATELY dressed, with good powers of observation. A good kid on the whole.

'THE WARDER. 30-40, in whose care Eddie is released to attend his wife's funeral. He is basically a simple man, but a kind one.

'DOCTOR BROWN. Is called by Williams to examine his wife.

'THE PARSON. Officiates at the funeral of Eddie's wife.

'TWO MOURNERS. At the funeral, a man and a wife.

'CONSTABLE. Who finds the Falcon used in Green's killing.

'DICK TAYLOR. 30-40. A newspaper reporter, arrives at the scene of Green's killing, helps the police.

'AMBULANCE MEN.

'EXTRAS AS BYSTANDERS. At Mac's place when Joy has been injured. (As many as can be afforded).'

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'DAVID ANDERSON Late teens. Quiet, sensitive and intelligent. After the murder he suspects that Moore's taunts and jibes may have been accurate. Drives a car.

'MIKE MOORE Early 20's. The victim. Has a number of unpleasant ways, but can charm the birds. Likes having David Anderson around as a foil.

'JACK LEWIS Aboriginal. Mid 20's. Has discovered that racial intolerance is not confined to one area. After years of turning the other cheek, he tends to over-react eventually. Drives a car.

'JIMMY TAYLOR Around thirty. Ex-con. He knows of his wife's affair whilst he was inside - but feels it's more expedient to keep it to himself. Drives a car. He's tough and resourceful.

'TONY HUNT Perhaps 30 - 50. Smallish build. His main concern is his bar.

'THELMA TAYLOR Early 20's. Attractive. Loves her husband, despite her affair. Just wants a normal life with him.

'MRS. ANDERSON David's mother. About 50. She almost swamps her son at times and is very indulgent. She would be the last person to suspect David's interest in Mike.

'HAIRDRESSER Any age over 35. Melbourne's Oldest Teenager. Wears mod gear.

'SENIOR DAVIES 50's. Feels out of place in his shorts when meeting Russell Street "brass".

'SIMMONDS 60's. Caretaker. Affable.

'FORECOURT ATTENDANT Any age.

'EXTRAS (2) Drinkers in the hotel.'

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'HERB DOHERTY About thirty. A cheeky little crim who turns fizz because he has fallen for Policewoman Margaret Stewart. He claims he is a reformed character and needs Marg to keep him on the straight and narrow. He is Irish, has a quick inventive mind, can usually talk his way in and out of situations. Although he seems inoffensive and harmless, he causes more than his share of trouble. And despite a string of minor convictions in his past, he is likeable - with a charm all his own.

'PATRICK BENEDICT ANDERSON Forties. A hardened crim, (previous convictions for burglary, assault and robbery, armed hold-up, assault with a weapon) who has organised a smash-and-grab with two of his old cronies. The job they pull is well-planned and executed. The only flaw is Herb.

'ROBBINS Thirty-forty. He is the gunman in the team, employed to cover the others in a raid or take care of any unnecessary violence. Lives by the criminal code, sets out to avenge Anderson when he is taken by the police. Tough and without compassion. Blasts a man down with a shotgun in a second robbery.

'SMITH Forty-fifty. His trade is stealing and driving getaway cars. He does his job well, but is not over-bright. He joins Robbins in tracking down the man who betrayed Anderson - although he is not as involved or as vicious as Robbins.

'JUNIE MULLINS Late twenties, early thirties. She is a former prostitute who is living with Anderson. Attractive, well-groomed, but tough underneath. She likes the best of everything, which Anderson is able to supply - until he's caught. The crims use her place as a base.

'SAMMY JUDD Roy Lyons.

'DAWSON Sixties. Wears an old suit and tie, but this is a front. Has a shrewd mind and is an able fence.

'GOLDBERG Forty-fifty. (Possibly younger) A jeweller whose shop is raided by the smash-and-grab gang. Excited when we see him and aggressive with the police.

'JOSEPHS A butcher who sees the smash-and-grab from his shop and gives information to the police.

'DRIVE-IN BAR ATTENDANT Twenties. Held up by Smith and Robbins, gunned down by a shotgun blast.

'GIRL An attractive girl - around twenty - who ministers to Herb in the final scene.

'FINGERPRINT MAN Robert Schroeder.

'FIRST CONSTABLE SHEPHERD George Cunningham.

'EXTRAS Several pedestrians.

'EXTRAS A few drinkers.'

'Tony Brown is a likeable, somewhat unstable 29 year old. He works at an art suppliers. He paints a bit, but not very well, and in the absence of any other great talent, has taken this job where at least his knowledge is of some use. He is very shy, very introverted.

'One of his customers is Liz Chandler, a bright attractive 19 year old who buys oils and canvas etc. and gradually gets to know Tony. She senses that behind his shy reserve there are very worthwhile qualities, and she has the sort of bright confidence to draw them out.

'Tony falls heavily for her and she becomes the most important thing in his life.

'He is shattered when she announces her intention to enter a convent, become a nun. He pleads with her, but she has reached this decision after long and somewhat painful, consideration.

'She comes from a rather strict, extremely devout family who have never approved of Tony.

'After Tony hears the news about the convent he becomes extremely emotional, not helped by a drinking binge. In this state he visits Liz's parents, rails at her father who throws him out. Still disturbed, bitter and frustrated, he enters a church and vents his fury in a violent orgy of descration.

'Banner and Vickers inspect the damage and discuss the matter with the priest. They at first assume it to be the work of vandals who have recently been busy in the area.

'Tony, at work the next day, is approached by a woman who wants a couple of paintings framed. One of them is a religious painting. Tony hurls it away, raves briefly at the woman and rushes from the store. He is subsequently dismissed.

'The Mother Superior at the convent which Liz has entered, receives a phone call from Tony who wants to speak to Liz. He is refused permission. He becomes abusive, insists that Liz be released and threatens dire consequences to the convent if this does not occur.

'The Mother Superior reports the phone call to Vickers, who, in discussion with Banner, relates this event to the earlier desecration.

'They are granted permission to interview Liz, who reluctantly tells them about Tony.'

Source: Synopsis held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection (RMIT).

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'TONY LANE 29, sensitibe [sic], unstable. A variety of reasons have conspired to make him bitterly anti-Catholic. He is asthmatic, complex, alternates between being sullen, belligerent, hysterical. Lead part. Drives car.

'FATHER CONRAD 40-50. A man's man. About as un-Priestly [sic] as you could get. Warm, compassionate, realistic, - endless care for his fellow man with affection and a sense of humour. After 2 minutes, you feel you've known him always. Not a huge part, but he dominates the final segment and the whole episode depends on this character being convincing.

'LIZ CHANDLER 19. Tony's girl friend who decides to become a nun. A healthy, warm creature, extremely out-going.

'MRS. LANE 50ish. Tony's mother. She wears Tony like a cross. Caring about him and fussing over him in all the wrong-ways., [sic] and then complaining because she is obliged to do so. A domineering type who has never tried to understand her son. When we see her, we understand Tony' s instability much better. Medium part.

'MOTHER AGNES 45-50. A strong "professional" nun. In charge of a convent and likeable, well-repsected, but very much used to being boss. Medium small part.

'MAX 25ish. Young man who works with Tony in the Art Supplies section of a store. Likeable, with a sense of humour.

'MR. CHANDLER 45-50. Liz's father. Rather dull, unimaginative person. Dislikes Tony and has little warmth.

'FATHER STEVENS 50-60. Priest whose church is desecrated by Tony. Pleasant, undistinguished, conventional.

'KAY Dwyer's girlfriend.'

This episode involves the severe beating of an Indigenous Australian man because of the attentions he has been paying to a white Australian girl.

The character notes (reproduced below) focus heavily on the racism of small towns, which carries over into the dialogue: for example, when the victim tells his brother 'Go down to the butcher's and get some meat for Mum. A roast of beef and a couple of chickens. She's sick of mutton. And make sure he serves you in turn' (page 3) or when the storekeeper says to the victim, 'What'll it be - two pints of flour and a stick of baccy? (LAUGHS)' (page 4).

Ultimately, the script reveals that the beating the victim sustains is not the direct cause of his death: he is accidentally drowned by his uncle.

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'JOHNNY KAMADJI. Victim. Successful Aboriginal shearing contractor. Tall, good-looking, assured, Johnny has succeeded because he is better at his job than the white man. He refuses to accept the imposed limitations of his colour, but is in turn intolerant of those among his own people who have not succeeded under the white man's terms. Must be a driver. Aged about 25.

'SAM NUGGET. Johnny's uncle. A detribalised, alcoholic derelict. A fringe-dweller, but still with a shred of pride clinging to his racked frame. Possesses a sly sense of humour and an unexpected knowledge of people and the world. Aged 50-65.

'RICKY KAMADJI. Johnny's young brother. Educated, self-confident. Ricky hero-worshipped Johnny and is the only Aboriginal prepared to assist the police. Aged 15.

'BEN FOSTER. Storekeeper. Typical of the racists to be found in any Australian country town. Bland, smug, self-satisfied. His narrow-minded bigotry is hidden beneath a bluff, unsophisticated sense of humour. Aged about 45.

'SALLY FOSTER Ben's daughter. Works in her father's store. Pretty, flirtatious, unsophisticated. Not over-endowed with intelligence, but not a fool. Accepts people for what they are. Demonstrates courage and a sense of humanity when the time comes. Aged about 18.

'BRUCE FOSTER. Ben's son. Mechanic in local garage. Blessed with his father's prejudices, though rather more open about them. A small town upbringing has equipped him with the usual loyalties and limitations. Aged about 20.

'NEIL THOMAS. Sally's boyfriend. Bruce's best mate. Neil works as an assistant in Ben's store. Something of a small-time rural tearaway, without Bruce's courage or determination. Bruce leads Neil in most things. Neil and Sally's relationship is one of habitual affection. Must be a driver. Aged about 20.

'SENIOR CONSTABLE BOB FINLAY. Competent district policeman. Genuinely tries to do his best within the confines of a difficult local situation. Must be a driver. Aged about 40.

'MRS KAMADJI. Johnny's mother. An Aborginial woman, with a deep sense of pride and humility. Instinctively suspicious and afraid of policemen. Aged about 45.

'MOLLY. Local character. An old hard-bitten hard-doer. Aged 60 plus.

'ABORIGINAL CHILDREN. (EXTRAS) Johnny's brothers and sisters.

'MILKMAN (ACTUALITY).'

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'JANIE MITCHELL. 25-30 years. An emotional, intelligent and highly sensitive girl of more than average intelligence. An ex-University Student, now writing a novel. The break-up between her and Dave leads to a schitzophrenic mental state, a happy, romantic and highly imaginative girl and a potential phychopathic [sic] killer.

'DAVE GIBBS. 25-35 years. A failure at University, a man with good intentions, but, through character weakness, bad results. Has served a jail sentence in Western Australia, after a weak attempt at a hold-up. Has lived with Janie, is now engaged to Pam Harper.

'PAM HARPER. 25-30 years. Attractive-looking, rather empty-headed, but determined in a feminine way.

'MERLE. 40-50 years. A kind, simple soul. Lets rooms in down-at-heel boarding house, "Aloha". Used to living in semi-squalor.

'MRS COLLINS. 25-30 years. Normally a quiet woman, proud of her baby. But because of her loss, she is only just able to retain control of herself.

'DR. BIRRELL (Or actor to emulate him.)

'EXTRAS. Two women in Police Station required to weep. One man in street. No speech.'

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'CHRIS GARDNER Youngish businessman - quite prosperous with a seemingly assured future. A pleasant personality, but nothing at all extraordinary about him. Just an average bloke of his particular type. His whole world is changed in the instant when he's involved in a fatal accident.

'KAY GARDNER The ideal wife for Chris Gardner (see above). Prior to the accident, she was a happy woman - living in complete security.

'JOHN DAVIS A solicitor with a lucrative practice - mainly concentrates on handling of real estate transactions and investments. In outlook, he is a conventional adherent of the establishment, but he is not fusty in manner. Can be unrestrained and volatile in arguments with his wife. A strong personality. Drives car.

'THERESA DAVIS Wife of John. Loves him, but is often angered by aspects of his conservatism. An activist - living in comfort, but drawn to people at the other end of the social scale. Most of the time, she is humourless - direct, saying whatever comes into her mind.

'CHARLES HAMMOND (50) A businessman - very moderate education. Has acquired a degree of "smoothness", but lapses sometimes. A competent hypocrite. Persecuted his wife until she left him. He has no conscience about this.

'RUTH HAMMOND (50) Charles Hammond's wife. A pathetic derelict. One scene.

'STELLA JOHNSON (In forties) A woman who has been brow-beaten and physically battered until she has no initiative whatever. Completely crushed.

[Note: The notes '(2 scenes)' has been struck out after this character note, and a note made in the margin that the character will appear in film scenes, and not just, as originally planned, in live scenes.]

'CLIFF JOHNSON (45 or so) A factory foreman. Strong. He is another of those characters who make a point of being pleasant to everyone but their wives. When he torments Stella, there is no gloating sadism. It is straight-out brutality.'

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'NARELLE A fluffy blonde in her early 20's, somewhat childish and none too bright. She works as a prostitute and there is more than a hint of a lesbian relationship with her "Friend", Patsy.

'PATSY One or two years older than Narelle - tall and dark with a dominant personality. She favours clothes with a masculine flavour - although not too overtly so. For example, slack suits but never collars or ties. A fairly tough spirit, she is the driving force in her criminal ventures with Narelle.

'BRUCE CLARKE Mid 40's. Prize-winning door-to-door salesman of encyclopedias. Bespectacled, fast-talking would-be man-about-town. He picks up Narelle and Patsy, is robbed by them, and is in terror of what his wife will say.

'ERNIE JACOBS Late 40's - a big man, moody, with an explosive temper. A fellow-salesman with Bruce. He has lost his wife to another man, visits her while in Melbourne and unsuccessfully tries to argue her back.

'DENNIS MASON Age 23-28. The youngest of the three salesmen who have a night out. Good-humoured, eager to please, sensible.

'BRENDA JACOBS Late 30's. Ernie's run away wife. Attractive in a domestic sort of way, she is six months pregnant at the time this story takes place. She has left Ernie because he could not give her the child she wanted. A sympathetic character.

'TOM BAKER The man with whom Brenda is living. Late 30's or early 40's, must be smaller than Ernie, must be able to drive a truck. He is in league with some tough criminals, and helps them to organize robberies from trucks. His eyesight is failing because of optic nerve trouble. Occasionally, especially in moments of stress, he presses his fingers to his eyes, suffering a headache.

'MIKE BURNS / STEVE BURNS Two professional criminals - late 20's, or early 30's. Steve must be driver [sic], both should look good in a fight.

'EDDY GRIGG Mid-50's - respectable-looking, bespectacled, business-suited customer who is robbed by Narelle and Patsy. Appears in Teaser only. Car-driver. Losing his hair.

'BILL FRANKLIN Mid 30's, Tom Baker's mate on the truck. Two scenes only. A little dialogue.

'TRUCKY Any age, able to drive a truck, two scenes in which he befriends Narelle and Patsy when they are hitching a lift. Good, friendly type.

'TAXI DRIVER Any age. Two lines in one scene only.

'POLICE DRIVER (CONSTABLE HALL) Drives the divvy van with Dwyer. 20-30. Two or three lines of dialogue only.

'KAUFMANN Any age. Slight German accent. Manager of strip club. Appears in several scenes. Eager to get on the right side of the law, while keeping his customers happy. Money is his life.

'ROSIE BURNS Mid-20's, the wife of Mike Burns - she runs the roadhouse which they own. A criminal's wife - tough but with a certain homely quality. Not brassy or flashy.

'BARLADY: A motherly figure to whom the three salesmen tell their troubles.

'MACGREGOR A drunk, around 50, with a Scottish accent. Fairly rough, a regular customer at the police station. Likeable withall.

'"BENNO" BENEK MacGregor's companion. New Australian drunk, with little English or dialogue. The straight man in MacGregor's knock-about turn. Likeable and comic.

'WAITRESS Works in Kaufmann's club, young, sexily built, sexless personality. One scene only.

'HOTEL WAITER About 40, serves Bruce Clarke with champagne in his room. Calls the police when Bruce is robbed and is contemptuous of Bruce's association with Narelle and Patsy.

'THE POLICE

'YOUNG CONSTABLE Early 20's, works at charge counter with Scotty MacLeod. Straight out of police cadet school and learning the job the hard way.'

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'WILLIAM HARRIS A widower who has never recovered from the death of his wife. Became neurotic after she died. Gave up work - declaring it was too much of a strain. Is probably trying to keep the past alive. Insists on retaining all the ageing furniture that he and his wife owned..even [sic] though there is not sufficient space in the smaller house he now occupies. He has become completely self-centred.. e.g. [sic] wants his daughter, Sheila, to devote her entire lift [sic] to his needs.

'He has a persecution complex - arising from his self-absorption. Hates Fred Jenkins - the man who tried to take his daughter away. When he tries to burn Jenkins' house down, he sees it as a right and proper act of punishment.

'SHEILA HARRIS Has a full sense of responsibility towards her father; but finds him too demanding, too much of a strain. When she is living with him, she has practically no life of her own. She is perpetually harrassed..worn..sees every day as a burden. [sic]

'Fred Jenkins is not really her type; but - understandably - she accepted his invitation to live with him. He was easy-going, amusing - a man without grievances... However, her father made such a fuss that she left Jenkins.. on [sic] the understanding that she would return after persuading her father to go into a home...

'FRED JENKINS Was not very serious about Sheila. To him it was just one more affair. Obtained a replacement almost as soon as she had gone.

'He is a natural con man. An Australian with not a great deal of education, but a flare for words and phrases. He is good-natured and humorous..likes [sic] the sound of his own quips, but doesn't laugh at them and rarely looks for applause.

'He is a man without malice - even when provoked. On the other hand, he has no depth of sympathy for anyone. The opening scene - where he makes fun of Harris - is an example of his indifference to people's feelings. Later he refuses to 'put Harris in' as the man who tried to burn his home; but even this reflects a somewhat irresponsible attitude; because, at this point, Harris must be classed as a danger to the public.

'RHONDA Takes over from Sheila - and is more typical of the type of woman Jenkins installs as 'temporary de facto'. She has a bright personality, sex appeal, but is not over-intelligent. Feels malice towards her predecessor - Sheila.

'JACK BEAUMONT A laconic type. Doesn't talk much. A natural foil for Jenkins. There is an easy affinity between them.

'GREG STOVER & BERT WALES Two tough young laborer types. They are bad youths; but good mates. Team well together. Wales is the brighter of the two and tends to be the leader.

'YOUTH An average young man. Normally quite unaggressive; but is exasperated when Harris accuses him of behaving like a lout.'

The script held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes (excluding regular characters):

'JEROME VALENTINE A proud, self-made man. Paternalistic, consciously "plain and ordinary", has carefully built a reputation for being the nicest man in Melbourne. On the other side of the coin, he has a mistress, controls several rackets and wouldn't hesitate to have someone killed. Drives a car.

'COLIN SWEENEY Attractive, intelligent man. Has done a prison term, but is not a standard criminal type in as much as he is educated, and witty - in a cynical type of way.

'ADRIENNE Extremely attractive. Has been around and has no illusions left. She performs as Valentine's mistress purely because of the money and the comfort. But her heart belongs to Sweeney.

'MARIA STEINER German extraction. Valentine's housekeeper. A rather downtrodden but determined woman with problems. Dour - life is a struggle to survive.

'MIKE WARDEN Hard, tough, professional crim. Valentine's front man who runs his nightclub, does his dirty work.

'ARTHUR VALENTINE Valentine's son. Normal, balanced, nice person. Has no idea regarding the darker side of his father's nature. Drives a car.

'HELEN VALENTINE Valentine's wife. Nothing is ever right. A rather bitter, unsatisfied person, given to self-pity and fault-finding.

'RALPH O'CONNOR A crim. Efficient in his way but not bright and has no sense of humour. He has an earnest quality which is because he has to concentrate very hard to understand things.

'DR. CLIVE MORRISON Personable young doctor who is out at a nightclub with a girl other than his wife.

'CATHY SCOTT Attractive. The girl who is out with Dr. Morrison.

'REVEREND McINNES Vigorous, appealing Cleric.

'JOAN Any age. Valentine's secretary.

'CAB DRIVER

'NURSE

'ELIZABETH Attractive girl, Arthur's wife.

'BERYL MITCHELL Maria's friend. Pleasant.'

The script for this episode held in the Crawford Collection includes neither episode synopsis nor character notes.

'Misadventure' was Tony Ward's final episode as the titular Hunter. Ostensibly on holiday but actually on loan to British Intelligence, Hunter is paired with a British spy and sent to an unspecified country behind the Iron Curtain. But the British spy has been hiding a worrying heart condition, which began after his last physical examination: when he drops dead in the street of a heart attack, police find a code book strapped to his chest, and arrest Hunter as a spy. Hunter is given a strict script to follow for his show trial, which should end in deportation or a short prison term. But when Hunter not only refuses to read the plea that has been written for him but also reveals to the audience that this is a show trial, he is sentenced to death. His country disavows him in order to preserve the sanctity of COSMIC generally, and Hunter is executed by firing squad.

The stage directions for Hunter's execution are detailed. On page 52, they read:

'A FEELING OF EARLY MORNING FRESHNESS ABOUT THIS SCENE.

'FIRST SHOT IS OF SOME BIRDS PERCHED ON THE BRANCHES OF A TREE. THERE ARE DEWDROPS AT THEIR FEET.

'PULL BACK TO SEE HUNTER, HEAD ERECT, WALKING WITH TWO GUARDS ALONG THE COBBLED COURTYARD TOWARDS AN EXECUTION POST WHICH HAS BEEN SET UP IN FRONT ON [sic] A BLANK BRICK WALL AT THE END OF THE COURTYARD.

'HUNTER SEES NESTRI OUT OF THE CORNER OF HIS EYE, STANDING TO ONE SIDE OF THE YARD AS HUNTER WALKS PAST.

'THE WHOLE THING SEEMS UNREAL TO HUNTER.

'THERE IS A DREAMLIKE QUALITY ABOUT THE SCENE.'

On page 53, the stage directions read:

'HUNTER'S HANDS HAVE BEEN SECURED TO THE POST. ONE OF THE SOLDIERS WITH HIM PRODUCES A BLINDFOLD AND HOLDS IT UP. BUT HUNTER SHAKES HIS HEAD.

'THE SOLDIER HESITATES, THEN POCKETS THE BLINDFOLD.

'HE GIVES HUNTER A GLANCE OF RESPECT, AS HE WITHDRAWS TO THE SIDE, OUT OF FRAME, WITH HIS COMPANION.

'HUNTER LOOKS UP AT THE SKY FOR THE LAST TIME.

'CLOUDS DRIFT ACROSS THE SKY.

'CUT TO A MEDIUM LONG SHOT OF HUNTER AS HE LOWERS HIS HEAD AND LOOKS DIRECTLY AT THE CAMERA, WHICH IS IN THE POSITION WHERE THE FIRING SQUAD WOULD BE.

'WE HEAR THE FIRST ORDER SHOUTED, STILL ODDLY MUTED AND FLAT, AS WE BEGIN A SLOW ZOOM IN ON HUNTER'S FACE.'

The script held in the Crawford Collection has neither synopsis nor character notes.

This episode is the last in the arc that began with episode 29 ('The Jan Lestrovic File'/'Doves in the East'), though it had been signalled in earlier episodes: Hunter's nemesis Kragg, disillusioned with the Council, especially after they order the murder of his mentor (and Council founder) Lestrovic, ultimately defects to COSMIC. He is aided by Council spy Georgie Savage. In this episode, Georgie is brutally murdered for assisting Kragg. Stapleton went to great lengths to ensure a specific mood and tone to the scene in which Hunter finds the dying Georgie, adding the following detailed stage directions:

'SPECIAL NOTE:

'THE OBJECT OF THIS SEQUENCE HAS CERTAINLY NOTHING TO DO WITH EITHER SEX OR SENSATIONALISM.

'IT SHOULD SHOCK, AND IT SHOULD HAVE GREAT IMPACT. BUT THE INTENDED EFFECT IS ONE OF TRAGEDY.

'THE IMAGE WE RETAIN OF GEORGIE'S DEATH MUST BE POWERFUL BECAUSE, WHEN HUNTER DESCRIBES IT TO KRAGG, IN A LATER SCENE, WE MUST BELIEVE THIS MAKES SUCH AN IMPACT AS TO GIVE KRAGG ONCE MORE A REASON FOR LIVING, I.E., REVENGE.

ALSO, IN ONE OR TWO LATER EPISODES, THIS IMAGE WILL SUSTAIN HUNTER AND KRAGG IN THEIR SEARCH FOR GEORGIE'S KILLER.

'FILM DIRECTOR:

IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO MAKE SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING THE SIMULATION OF CUTS AND BRUISES ON GEORGIE'S FACE AND BODY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THESE BE UTTERLY CONVINCING AND TRAGIC.

'ALSO, WE SHOULD BELIEVE THAT GEORGIE IS NAKED. WE SEE HER BARE BACK, THEN GO TO HEAD AND SHOULDERS WHEN HUNTER TURNS HER OVER.

'WHEN FIRST SEEN, SHE SHOULD BE COVERED BY AN OLD, STAINED, RAGGED TARPAULIN OR CANVAS. THE WHOLE EFFECT SHOULD BE SQUALID, PATHETICALLY TRAGIC.'

The script held in the Crawford Collection has neither synopsis nor character notes.

Australia's first spy show, made at a time when overseas television networks were investing heavily in counter-espionage programs.

The titular character was John Hunter, a secret agent with SCU3 (Special Clandestine Unit 3), a division of COSMIC (Commonwealth Offices for Security and Military Intelligence Co-ordination). Operating under the front of Independent Surveys, COSMIC was headed by Charles Blake. Hunter was assisted by female agent Eve Halliday.

The enemy organisation, CUCW (Council for Unification of the Communist World) was headed in Australia by Mr Smith, whose chief agent was the complicated idealist Kragg. Kragg ultimately defected to the West (and to COSMIC) after a period of disillusionment with CUCW.

Late in the show's run, John Hunter met an untimely death in front of a firing squad in an Iron Curtain country. He was replaced by a new agent, Gil Martin, but the show only continued for another eight episodes, as Ian Jones preferred to concentrate on his new vehicle for Gerard Kennedy, Division 4.

According to Moran, in his Guide to Australian TV Series, 'Coming as it did towards the end of the Cold War and indeed the whole breakdown of the hegemony of Australian society, Hunter was an uneasy combination of boys'-own spy adventures, owing something to the popularity of James Bond novels, and the more cynical and seedy variation of the genre associated with writers such as Len Deighton and John Le Carre'. Don Storey, however, writes on Classic Australian Television that it was 'a bold, sophisticated and ambitious venture into slick, professional local drama', the sophistication no doubt aided by the per-episode budget of $20,000 (compared to Homicide's per-episode budget of $7000).