AustLit

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

'EDDIE PARRISH: Age 45-50. A former policeman who was sacked from the force. Since then he has used his knowledge of crime and criminals to make himself rich by standing over half the criminals in Melbourne. A big, ruthless, [sic] brute of a man. When he was younger, he had quite a reputation as a footballer and this, plus his wealth, has given him some friends in high places. Banner is determined to crush him. He is equally determined to ruin Banner. Main part.

'DAVE PARRISH Age about 20. Eddie's son but nothing like his father. Eddie is irritated with him for seeming "sissy like" and having no real stomach for the brutality that is an essential feature of Eddie's life and business.

'KAREN CORMACK Age 30. Eddie's girl. Always expensively, if vulgarly dressed. Average intelligence, devoted to Eddie. The greatest worry in her life is that she will grow older, less attractive, and so lose him.

'BURNS Age 40's. Eddie's leading thug. Some dialogue.

'TWO THUGS Any age. Little or no dialogue in two or three scenes.

'ARTHUR JONES Age about 60. Together with Eddie Parrish, he has biggest vote in the play. Arthur is a former Welsh miner, with a lung disease caused by the coal dust. He is an eyewitness of a brute fight between Parrish and Aldo Frascatti, and gives evidence against Parrish in court. Subsequent developments lead to his attempted murder at Parrish's hands. A sympathetic character.

'MADELEINE WREN Age 25-30. Arthur's daughter and his reason for being in Australia. A very attractive woman but with exorbitantly expensive tastes. This aspect of her character causes trouble for her husband John Wren. About 10 scenes.

'JOHN WREN Aged about 30. He is the manager of a car park which is robbed of its takings. Late in the play we discover he was involved in the robbery. A handsome but weak minded man. A main supporting role.

'ALDO FRASCATTI Age 25-30. A crim, of Italian descent but without a strong accent. Rather fly, slick young man who is terrified of Eddie Parrish. Substantial role.

'CARMELO FRASCATTI Age 40-45. Aldo's older brother. Strong accent, more belligerent than Aldo. Smaller part.

'GEORGE MANSELL Age 55-65. Eddie Parrish's solicitor. Professional looking. A little dialogue in the one scene in which he appears.

'TERRY SLATER Any age. Petty criminal who keeps a boarding house. Three or four scenes.

'EMILY GREEN Any age. Working class mother. Appears in one scene only. Has dialogue.

'BILL GREEN Appropriate as Emily's husband. One scene. No dialogue.

'PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER One scene only. Some dialogue.

'POLICEMAN Stands on guard outside supreme court [sic]. One scene only. No dialogue.

'THREE OR FOUR BYSTANDERS Extras in one night scene. (Possibly actual)

'CONSTABLE GRICE As previously cast.

'SUPREME COURT JUDGE Five scenes. Dialogue.

'JUDGE'S ASSOCIATE Five scenes. Dialogue in one.

'PROSECUTING COUNSEL Five scenes. Dialogue.

'6 JURY 6 SPECTATORS Same extras. Doubling as Jury and spectators in five scenes.

'REV. CLAUDE PITT-SMITH 65 or older. A retired clergyman who appears as a witness for the defence in one scene. Oxford accent for his dialogue.

'RAY Constable at Yarra Central police station. A little dialogue.

'PHIL Another constable - extra.

'BARMAN (GEORGE) Age 30-40. Barman at smart hotel and confident [sic] of Eddie Parrish. Medium sized part with substantial areas of dialogue.

'TWO OR THREE DRINKERS Extras, well dressed, in the smart pub.

'INSPECTOR HOGAN Police inspector who investigates allegations of perjury. A hard, tough, inquisitor.'