AustLit

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

'JAMES COCHRANE ALIAS WHEELER ALIAS FINLAYSON Adept fighter, about 35. He is English - a man with wit and determination - who is basically ruthless and a megalomaniac. If he had been willing to work, he could have been a successful actor, writer, salesman or diplomat. But he has disdain for ordinary drudgery - so he has become a super-con man, prowling the world for easy money. He has a neat but very distinctive beard.

'JANE COCHRANE Age 55 - 60. James Cochrane's mother. A quiet, well spoken, well-to-do Englishwoman - of the genteel middle-class. A likeable, warm personality.

'SYBIL COCHRANE 30 - 35. James Cochrane's wife. She is a young woman of character and strong feeling - which she controls. She is English, and in appearance more distinctive than actually pretty. Like Jane, she is well spoken.

'PAM GIBSON Age about 20. Australian. She is pretty, dresses well, basically a very nice girl, and in spite of her affair with Cochrane quite naive and inexperienced. Above all she is genuine, and her reactions are intelligent - though not sophisticated.

'NIGEL HARCOURT Age 30-50. He is English. A lean, saturnine, 'interesting' looking man - piercing gaze, suitable to a spiritualist - which is what Harcourt is.

'INSPECTOR RICHARD BRYCE Age 40-50. Scotland Yard. English or Scottish. He should look and act best English police type - quiet, efficient, etc.

'KEVIN POITIER Age 30-45. Australian. A private investigator. At a glance - tough - but under it he is fairly human and understanding.

'GORDY WEBB Age 30-45. A Scotsman with an asthmatic wheeze. Pathetic rather than menacing.

'LENICE CHARLWOOD Age 25-35. Career woman. Bright out-going personality.

'PETER WESTON Age 30-50. Australian, who has become anglicised in dress only.

'DOUG MARSHALL

'ELAINE COX Age 19-25. Australian. Attractive likeable girl - who is an amateur actress, but not way out.

'RECEPTIONIST Smooth; English accent.

'ASIAN COUPLE (EXTRAS)'.