AustLit

'Detective Sergeant Bluey Hills has been transferred in and out of every branch of the Police Force. He is as rough-as-guts, master of every trick in the book and a few that aren't even in there yet. Is it any wonder he is called in when David McIntyre, a second generation policeman, is blasted to death as he turned the key in the ignition of his car.

'It is Bluey's first job since transfers have left him with no alternative but to form his own department - Department B - "B" for BLUEY, hidden away in the basement of Russell Street Police Headquarters.

'Bluey's task is seemingly complicated by his new assistant, Detective Gary Dawson. Gary, in spite of the fact that he is a top graduate of the Police Academy, arrives late for work the first day and, much to Bluey's disgust, quickly displays a fetish to dot every "I" and cross every "T".

'In spite of this handicap, Bluey launches himself headlong into the investigation. He turns up a bikie who was heard threatening the dead McIntyre. He uncovers a possible case of mistaken identity. He clashes with a belligerent club-owner named Petrakis and discovers an associate of Petrakis, Martin Gruman, has something to hide.

'A savage assault on Gruman's girlfriend, Karen Wallace, further compounds the urgency to find the killer before other people die violently.

'Frustrated by Bluey's failure to immediately bring the assassin to justice, McIntyre's father, now retired from the Force, takes matters into his own hands and starts a private investigation. And McIntyre Senior's experience is vast enough to keep him uncomfortably close to Bluey all the way through the inquiry. In fact, it develops into a neck and neck struggle to see who will unmask the killer first - or, if indeed either of them will before the murderer makes good his escape from the country.'

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

One of the scripts for this episode (the copy modified to reflect a Melbourne setting) held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes:

'TRUSCOTT: Forties, forgettable, a highly talented undercover cop who has become an accepted part of the crim scene. One passion in life. Fishing. DRIVES.

'PETRAKIS: Forties, Greek, a successful businessman who has made his pile out of gaming and girls. No "Mr. Big". A seasoned professional who does what has to be done.

'GEORGE FOWLER: Thirtyish, tough, a thoroughly nasty, personal assistant and standover man for Petrakis. He may have some good points, but we don't get around to seeing them. DRIVES.

'MARTIN GRUMAN: Forties, a prosperous Jewish clothing manufacturer with two weaknesses - gambling and Karen Wallace.

'KAREN WALLACE: Twenties, attractive, an emotional derelict who has been a gambling club hostess for Petrakis and, on occasions, a fringe benefit for his bigger-spending patrons. That's how she met Martin Gruman.

'"MAC" McINTYRE: About 60, a former policeman-mate of Bluey, retired through ill-health, embittered to the point of obsession by the death of his only son and by the precious few comforts a lifetime of honest police work has won him.

'WAYNE HUMPHRIES: Early twenties, a former bikie builders labourer. Trying to go straight, but you'd never know. RIDES A MOTOR CYCLE.

'MR GOLDMAN: Jo's father. In the rag trade. Does not approve of Jo's taste in the choice of gear in her Jeans Boutique. A pleasant straight concerned father. DRIVES.

'TIM: An effeminate helper in Jo's shop.

'ANNIE: Was to have been old Mac's daughter-in-law, which will now never happen. In total sympathy with Mac, and a strength for him.

'MRS. GRUMAN: A traditional Jewish wife. Has possibly known of Gruman's association with Karen Wallace, but only now has it confirmed.

'CONSTABLE DAVID McINTYRE: Pleasant young constable.'

'No crim has to issue the challenge, "Fight!", more than once to Bluey. One such invitation and Bluey is in there - boots and all. A fist fair in the mouth is his usual R.S.V.P. card!

'One felon, Tony Benson, threw down the gauntlet, not once, not twice, but three times ... and he got away with it - with the outcome of the confrontation exactly as he planned it should be. He succeeded because he is a smart operator ... you have to be to survive on the seedier side of the racing game. You must understand people, play upon their weakness, know every angle and work it to death.

'Benson found a weakness where Bluey never believed it could exist. He exploited the kink in Bluey's armour so skilfully Bluey's initiatives were thwarted before he had them launched. He manipulated the police so successfully he had them negating one another's efforts.

'A man who wields such power should find no great difficulty in controlling the skills of Mike Jenkins, a frightened little jockey ... particularly since Mike appreciated Benson's capabilities ... particularly since the little man was so terrified he would share his problem with no-one - least of all Bluey.

'But even the most crafty of us don't known everything. There is always something new to be learnt. Benson already knew favourites don't always win ... but he never quite realised the only two things certain in life are taxes and death!'

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

The script for this episode held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes:

'JOCK REYNOLDS: A uniformed Sergeant. He's about Bluey's age but in fact looks quite a bit older - and much more frail. He was shot several years ago, and never fully recovered his health - or his nerve. He's basically an honest man who has, almost accidentally, allowed himself to get involved in a corrupt situation. He has a strong, and genuine concern and liking for Bluey. He's telling the truth when he says he's "glad it's all over". Must be a sympathetic character.

'TONY BENSON: Mid-thirties, a sharp dresser, physically a match for Bluey. He's a lot smarter than the average thug, although he has a similar criminal background - assault, robbery, breaking - but mainly extortion. There's an infuriating smugness about him (Drives).

'ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER: Mid-fifties, conservative - rather stern. He may have been a bit of a lad in his day, but now he lives up to the responsibility of his position.

'MIKE JENKINS: Size is the main restriction. We must be able to believe him as a jockey. He's under a lot of pressure, and should be a sympathetic character. (RIDES)

'DAVE BUTLER: About fifty; a racehorse trainer. Maybe even an ex-jockey.

'SQUIB: Should be a nice cameo. Has a whole string of convictions for non-violent crimes. Mostly he's a con-man. Wry sense of humour. Mid-fifties.

'BOMB DISPOSAL MAN: Late twenties, very clean-cut. Does a fair job of disguising his nervousness.'

'Bluey, the man who usually has to dig through both his pockets to find enough to buy his round of drinks, is suddenly head-longed into an investigation where the unsuspecting have been ripped-off to the tune of two million dollars and a value of $250,000 is placed upon the life of a kidnapped young girl.

'Eric Holloway, a developer whose deceit won him the rip-off of millions - but very few friends amongst investors - has served his time and is released from prison. On the day of the release Holloway's 19-year-old daughter, Karen, is snatched before the terrified eyes of her parents. A demand of $250,000 is made for her safe return.

'At first sight, it is an obvious case of revenge in an effort to secure retribution. Ron Nelson is one of several who lost about that amount in the Holloway swindle. He has good and valid reasons to square the account.

'It becomes evident to the criminals who are holding Karen that she is a far more valuable property than their remuneration promised for the job would suggest. They decide to move into the stand-over business on their own behalf. But they lack the nous of the master-mind who originally planned the snatch.

'Things quickly get out of control and end in a disastrous show-down.'

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

The script for this episode held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes:

'ERIC HOLLOWAY: 50 years old. Business man, land developer, a smooth type. He plays the concerns father with seeming genuineness, but the man of steel emerges when required. Must drive.

'MARGARET HOLLOWAY: 48 years old. Well born, went to the best schools, has slightly more class than her husband, who probably married her for her money. She is aware of this, and of his philanderings, but she still loves him and would do anything to keep him, except give him more money. She has strength of character and knows how to handle hired hands and this is exactly what the police represent to her.

'ALAN BREWSTER: 40 years old. A soft man, but he manages to hide this behind a brusque front until he thinks Karen has been murdered. Then he is lost. Must drive.

'KAREN HOLLOWAY: 19 years old. A soft, pretty girl but with a brain. She can play things coolly if she thinks she has a chance of achieving a positive result.

'SAM CARRUTHERS: 35 years old. An Englishman. A smooth type, would never think of himself as a common criminal. It's just an easy way to make money. Very cool, always controlled. Must drive.

'FRANK REYNOLDS: 35 years old. An Englishman. Similar type to Carruthers, but quieter. He's quite happy to let Carruthers do the talking. Very cool, always controlled.

'SUSIE BILLINGS: Late 30's. An attractive woman, good at business but has the same hidden softness as her brother, Alan Brewster.

'DINGO FERRIS: 30's. A hardened criminal, can commit murder when required, but only for money. Rides a motorbike.

'REGGIE BISHOP: 40's. An overworked businessman.

'TAXI DRIVER: 40's Typical loud mouth.'

'MAN: )

'WOMAN: ) Both elderly.'

'Wally Curran, a crim struggling to reform under Bluey's tutorship, stumbles into more trouble - only this time he drags his wife, May, and eldest son, Kevin, down with him.

'To Bluey, Wally has become a challenge in which he hopes to prove his philosophy - a well placed boot applied at the appropriate moment to the seat of the pants of a miscreant gets far better results than the airy-fairy ideas and theories of all the sociologists and psychiatrists.

'There are some who do not agree. Monica, for one, sees Wally as nothing but a no-hoper. She considers May as the battler, the one worthy of understanding, encouragement and help. The difference of opinion sets sparks flying between her and Bluey.

'To his son, Kevin, Wally is everything. He'd follow Dad through hell. Indeed, that's just where Wally leads him - only to abandon him there. But Kevin has inherited all his father's guile and quickly extricates himself from his dilemma.

'The problem is all far too academic for May. A simple soul, she sees Wally only as her husband, the man she promised to love, honour and obey. She applies herself totally to that task and the upbringing of their kids ... until it all becomes impossible.'

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):

'WALLY CURRAN: About 45, a born loser. He's spent most of his life in and out of prisons in six months or year stretches. There is absolutely no violence in Wally. There doesn't have to be. He manages to get by without it because deep down Wally is a cheap little con man. His wheeling-dealing has made life difficult for ...

(Truck Driving Required)

'MAY CURRAN: His wife. May is almost 40. She struggles to be independent and her aim in life is to keep her five kids together and give them a bit of a chance ... something she never had. Her herculean effort looks as though it might be beginning to bear fruit in their eldest ...

'KEVIN CURRAN: A big boy, 19 or 20. He's apprenticed to an engineering company and, although it's heavy going, there's a chance he might make it. On the top there seems to be a lot of May in Kevin, but deep down lurk some of those genes that made Wally the sly con man that he is.

(Motorbike Riding Required)

'IDA STACEY: A prostitute friend of May. She is a little older than May but a pretty tough existence and too much alcohol make her look old for her years.

'TERRY LOWE: A crim who has moved into the prostitution racket. Probably about 30.

'ROY JACKSON: A crim mate of Lowes'. A thump man.

[Note: The apostrophe has been added in black ink.]

'PIGGOT & BAKER: Two break and enter types. The parts call for stuntment [sic] and are non-speaking.

'MAN: A witness to a drunk being rolled. One word of dialogue.

'SERVICE STATION ATTENDANT: Young. Two lines of dialogue.

'NON-SPEAKING:-

'DRUNK: Old.

'BARMAN:

'WARDER:

'EXTRA: A drinker.'

'Bluey gets wind of an attempted gaol break. After weighing the pros and cons, and sleeping on it, he decides to let it go ahead.

'His decision could spell the beginning of the end for Department B. According to Bluey, this is probably their one and only chance to recover the $200,000 stashed away by Eric Frances Yates before he went into Pentridge. Gary disagrees. It's all too risky. He argues that they should inform the Assistant Commissioner. And is tempted to, whether Bluey likes it or not. But he knows if he goes over Bluey's head, it will spell finis to their relationship.

'The Assistant Commissioner finds out anyway and gives Bluey one option: get Yates and the $200,000 back. Or else.

'For once, it looks as if Bluey's bitten off more than he can chew.'

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

The script for this episode held in the Crawford Collection in the AFI Research Collection contains the following character notes:

'YATES: About 30. A recognised tactician in the well-planned, well-executed robbery. Never makes a move until he's examined all the angles. Serving a 15 year sentence for a robbery that netted $200,000. Although by a freak accident the police caught up with Yates, he still has the loot stashed away somewhere.

'LAUREL YATES: 25 - 30. Yates' wife. Ostracised by his middle-class family -- they believe she led him into crime -- she has taken up with a heavy called Drummond. Unnerved, it seems, about what Yates will do to her when he finds out about Drummond.

'DRUMMOND: Early thirties. Standard heavy with an eye to the main chance. Not all that bright. Appears more interested in Yates' $200,000 than Yates' wife.

'DOYLE: Thirtyish. A heavy who aspires to be like Drummond -- which'll give you some idea.

'MOODY: Twenties. A skilled high-speed driver. (NO LINES. MUST BE ABLE TO DRIVE WELL.)

'MATHESON: A specialist in his trade -- thieving cars -- who operates with style and panache.

'ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER: As previously cast.

'PLAINCLOTHES MAN #3: Keeps surveillance on Yates' house.

'EXTRAS: Drinkers (4). Mourners (4).

'WORKMEN: (2)

'PLAINCLOTHES MEN #1, #2: At funeral.

'V.K.C.:

'CAB DRIVER #1:

'CAB DRIVERS #2, #3: Actuals.'

'Bluey hounded "Mack" McKenna until, in desperation, he moved his criminal operations across the Victorian border where N.S.W. police quickly shot him into Long Bay Gaol for five years - nearly two thousand days to allow Mack's hatred of Bluey to fester; two thousand days in which to plan his revenge. And now, Mack's back!

'With time to think, Mack has matured. Whereas once he would have enjoyed putting a bullet in Bluey's back in some quiet alley on a dark night, now he wants his adversary to suffer first. He wants Bluey to endure the ignominy of watching him expand his operations into a criminal empire ... wants Bluey to suffer the torments of seeing his associates tortured and done away with - while all the time Mack remains outside the reaches of the law, safe from detection.

'And Mack's scheme has all the hallmarks of success about it. Bluey's assistant, Detective Gary Dawson, is marked down for death and falls hopelessly into McKenna's clutches.

'Terry Carter, a reformed crim who finds within himself the courage to defy McKenna and "talk" to Bluey, meets a similar fate.

'Bluey is forced to realise you can't win 'em all - but having to lose one to McKenna is more than he can come to terms with. The situation quickly simplifies itself into a matter of "him or me" - Mack or Bluey!'

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):

'TERRY CARTER: About 40, Carter is a hard worker who made one mistake in his life: he received stolen property. Since then he has mended his ways, worked hard and tried to forget it. He owns a nice little business - a motor repairs works. Car driving required.

'JEAN CARTER: Terry's wife, about the same age. She, too, has struggled to forget Terry's mistake. She tries a little too hard to keep Terry up to scratch and eventually learns it's not all as simple as it looks. A highly nervous soul who falls to pieces once things really start to go wrong.

'"MACK" McKENNA: About 50, a somewhat different crook. He has a happy, open face and a smile is his trade mark. He has the slightest trace of an accent, Irish. Mack was chased by Bluey many years ago and had to leave Victoria rather hurriedly for N.S.W. where, because of his lack of knowledge of local conditions, he quickly got himself five years in Long Bay. Car driving required.

'KENNETH JOHN PALMER: A crook, late 30's, a great Lieutenant who knows his limitations and, realising he'll never make General, he is happy to work for Mack.

'DESMOND ARTHUR REED: A crook, early 30's. Palmer's "Sergeant". Happy in his service.

'DETECTIVE RAY NOBLE: Mid-30's, a member of the Homicide Squad who likes Bluey and works well with him - but with his happy disposition, Noble works in well with everyone.

'BARMAN: An efficient Barman who enjoys an association with the criminal element. One gets the impression he'll be a member of them one day.

'SERGEANT ROLLEY: A member of the Electronics Squad of the police force. Young, keen, efficient.

'BOY: A young kid who can ride a skateboard.

'ARSON SQUAD DETECTIVE: Been in the force a long time. Easy-going. Knows you can't win 'em all and is happy with those wins he does have.

'NON-SPEAKING DRIVER: A uniformed policeman who drives the Mobile Detection unit attached to the Electronics Department. Car driving required.

'MAXIE CHAMBERS: A crook heavily involved in the stolen car racket. We never see his face. Car driving required.

'PLAINCLOTHES POLICEMAN: Young. Must look like a policeman.

'VOICE OVER:

'RADIO ANNOUNCER:

'CONTROL: Attached to the Electronics Department of the police.'

'Grapevines riddle the underworld. Some of the stories spread are rumour, some are authentic. When word on the vine spreads as far as Bluey's superior, Superintendent Willis, there can be no doubting its authenticity. He races Bluey into action to prevent an underworld contract killing.

'The word is out - Vic Nelson, a Melbourne crime boss, has been fingered for death.

'In Bluey's book, if the contract was fulfilled, it couldn't happen to a better bloke. Bluey hates Nelson and all he stands for. And in Nelson's assessment of Bluey, that feeling is reciprocated.

'But Bluey isn't the only one who would be cheering on the killers if Nelson were to die feloniously. Helen, a delicate, willowy girl of 18, has the strongest motive in the world to want Nelson dead.

'Walter Kite is a mumbling, insipid enough type, but he is Helen's protector and it only takes a gun to turn a weakling into a superman.

'Even the hippie-style preacher, expounding the virtues of love and peace would see it as a service to mankind if Nelson were no longer with us to corrupt.

'In fact, few people in Melbourne would not regard the world a better place without Nelson. And Bluey has to find ... and find out quickly ... who it is who has set Nelson up for death!'

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):

'VIC NELSON: Early/middle forties. A man of immense personal charm. He's good-humoured, good-looking and an easy knack of making people like him instantly. He dresses exceptionally well in expensive, modern clothes. All in all you couldn't wish to meet a nicer guy — except that he's a Melbourne Crime boss with a very nasty and quite sadistic history that goes back many years. He's clever, cunning and ruthless, but somehow manages to remain pleasant for all that. He's been arrested and charged many times, but never been convicted or done time. Bluey and Nelson have a bitter personal enmity that goes back two decades.

'SUPERINTENDENT WILLIS: A well-groomed man in his early fifties. A public servant type of cop. A back-room boy who exists in the rarified atmosphere at the top of Russell Street where crime is dealt with in the abstract and "future directions" are considered. Some political pressure or passing whim will sometimes occasion him to descend four floors and instigate an investigation, but for the most part his hands (and fingernails) remain clean, his well-cut clothes unsullied and his contact with everyday crims minimal. Which is not to underestimate the man. His public service facade is no more than a pose to disguise a mind which is quick and agile. He is, after all, a natural-born survivor perched on top of the tree.

'HELEN: 18 years old. A delicate, willowy girl with sad eyes and a troubled life who says no more than a dozen words in the entire script and should thus be capable of making a visual impression which is both haunting and sympathetic. She's been brought up in an orphanage, has considerable personality hang-ups and now lives on hippie-starvation level in cheap attics or damp cellars. Cheap, worn-out, hippie-style clothing. Has begged on the streets when times have been bad.

'WALTER ARTHUR KITE: Aged 23. Looks after Helen in a protective sort of way since any true relationship with her would be impossible. Kite's no picture of health himself - he's a mumbling, stumbling sort and they live rough together. Long, straggly, untidy hair and clothes. This couple should be sympathetic in an "Orphans in the Storm" sense.

'MAD SAL': Early 50's. Eccentric in shape, manner, speech and habits. Sal' is completely off her head. Don't look for any hint of sense in her because she's as mad as a coot. She's under the impression that she's been dead for twenty years and that her body is an electrical machine. Don't try and tell her otherwise.

'TINY: Early twenties and a thug. So-called because of his size which is as big as possible. A heavy under the employ of Vic Nelson who would do absolutely anything his boss would tell him without a second thought. Dangerous, nasty and mean, but put him in a suit and tie for tidiness sake.

'GRANT: Thirties. Nelson's second heavy. Not such a brute of a man but just as nasty. Nelson's given him a good living for a dozen years or more and that's bought total loyalty. If anything, Grant is the brains of the duo. The two of them have a running back-chat consisting entirely of sexual innuendo.

'SANDY: Aged 19 or so. With her friend, Liz - these two girls are a couple of fun characters who live in a strange living space above a shop. Sandy is the boss out of the two and gives the impression of being fun, bubbly, good-humoured, scatty and mildly eccentric. Not to say sexy.

'LIZ: Sandy's friend. Same age and similar. Not freaks, just fun.

'PREACHER: Any age. Hippie-style street corner preacher given to expounding the virtues of love and peace to anybody that will listen. Not too much of a maniac.

'UNIFORMED POLICEMAN: As young as possible. Just out of the academy and not up to facing Bluey at full volume. So young that his policeman's hat should look slightly ridiculous over his young face.

'EXTRAS (4): The preachers' congregation.

'VKC:

'STUNT DRIVER:

'STUNT MAN'.

'No-one pulls rank and rides rough-shod over Bluey! But when a Commonwealth narcotics agent who has expended nine months of blood, sweat and tears on the trail of "Mr. Big", [sic] finally gets his sights set on 400 lbs. of dope about to be delivered to its purchaser, Bluey finds such a man takes a lot of handling.

'Because of pressure from "upstairs" and much against his better judgement, Bluey throws the resources of Department B into the investigation. He quickly finds he and the narcotics agent have very different ideas about how the inquiry should be approached and very differing senses of priorities.

'Bluey's ideas on the drug scene are brought into further question by the clash of his moral assessment of dope with the more liberal evaluation of the problem by his young assistant, Gary. In fact, it is through the efforts of the young - Gary and his girlfriend, Jo - that the police get some kind of a lead on the real identity of the agent's "Mr. Big".

'When the final destination of the dope is uncovered, the police realise the drugs are going to a very big organization indeed ... but the hope of "an early arrest" is somewhat forestalled by problems associated with apprehending the wrong-doers.'

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):

'DET. LEE HACKER (25) Serpico-type undercover agent for Commonwealth Narcotic Bureau.

'"THE GO-BETWEEN"' (45) respected member of uni. faculty.

'WILSON (20) leader of uni. drug co-op.

'TRAVIS (25) freak-type.

'PAGE (20) freak-type. Little dialogue.

'POLICE CAR DRIVER No dialogue

'UNIFORMED COP No dialogue

'BIKE COP No dialogue

'CO-ED No dialogue

'STUDENT EXTRAS'.

'The Assistant Commissioner treats Bluey to a movie ... but it's no comedy. It is news footage, a series of quick shots show a beautiful girl, a left-wing rebel in the new state of Ketua. Shots of James Conder, a mercenary, and adviser to the Government, who captures and interrogates the girl. Shots of her tortured body found an hour later. And now this hired killer, Conder, is here, somewhere in Melbourne!

'It is most probably [sic] Conder is on the run and the last thing Foreign Affairs, Immigration, ASIO, and State authorities want is Conder to be executed in reprisal while he is in Australia.

'Bluey, as usual, gets the dirty job. He has to find Conder and keep him alive long enough to get him out of the country.

'When two further illegal visitors, Henri and Jules, appear hot on the trail of Conder, Bluey realises he is running out of time fast. He calls on his undercover man, Truscott, but even with Truscott's help Bluey cannot prevent Henri and Jules getting the upper hand in the race to Conder.

'Gary, Bluey's assistant, has a far more personal and urgent reason to find this "wild goose" (as mercenaries are known), for Gary's girlfriend, Jo, is missing and it's possible the disappearance is somehow connected with the chase.

'Bluey finds himself fighting a foreign Government, a multi-national and other forces he can't even identify. The odds look just too great - even for Bluey and Department B.'

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):

'JAMES CONDER: 30's, English-born, tall, formidable, charismatic. He's been a mercenary for fifteen years and is now the storm-centre of an international outcry over atrocities in a Melanesian civil war. Outwardly, he enjoys the role.

'HENRI: 30's, French colonial, deeply tanned, soldier-like. A lot of charm, but underneath it all, a fairly cold fish.

'JULES: Very much the same mould as Henri. Drives.

'SKATEBOARD KID: About 15, lanky, long-haired, smart as paint and a regular skateboard wiz.

'SOUTH MELBOURNE SGT: A solid, competent policeman.

'NEWSMAN: American, professional, incisive, unemotional.

'ANDREE DELONGES: An attractive 20-year-old French colonial guerilla. We see her only briefly, never hear her speak, but her presence dominates the story.

'TWO DRINKERS: A couple of the local lads who can handle themselves in a fight -- usually.

'POLICE CONSTABLE #1: Young, straight, competent. Clobbered by Conder.

'1ST BARMAN: Normal country barman.

'2ND BARMAN: " " ".

'3RD BARMAN: " " ".

'IDENTIKIT BLOKE: Good-natured, professional.

'FARM BOY: About 10, smart, clean-cut, country kid.

'FARM WOMAN: About 30. His mother. Attractive, believeable as a widow running a farm.

'COUNTRY BAR PATRONS: Three.

'FRENCH COLONIAL TROOPS: Two.

'DIVVY VAN POLICE: Two.

'THE VOICE OF VKC'.

'Bluey recognises a sweet set-up when he sees one. Bust into a man's home, hold his family under threat of death while the victim is forced to open and empty his safe at the office, promise death to the family if the victim gives any descriptions or assistance to the police. That is a sweet set-up!

'There is one thing that even threats of violence cannot conceal or disguise. All the hold-ups have been from branches of the one organization - Federal Housing Services.

'If victims will not give information, there has to be some other way and in every game Bluey always has one ace up his sleeve - Truscott!

'But the search for the felons takes the men of Department B far from suburbia and the quiet, carpeted office of the world of commerce, through the raw, real, bustling life of the markets, through sleazy nightclubs, through areas only really safe for criminals - and Bluey.'

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):

'JANOS (PRONOUNCED YANOS): A likeable Yugoslav in his late 20's - early 30's. He craves acceptance and friendship. His English is not brilliant and was mostly learned in the markets and sleazy night clubs. In spite of his criminal activities, it's hard not to feel sorry for Janos. He's the original loser. Drives a motorbike.

'GINGER MORGAN: Early 30's. A tough hard case. He'd rather fight than make love and he'd rather make love than work. Basically he's a heavy and that's the way he likes it. Australian. Drives.

'BERT TOMKINS: He'd be a good used car salesman if he wasn't a crim. In his early 40's, Bert Tomkins can look back on a career of violence and mayhem. He's smarter than most of his type, but only just. Australian. Drives.

'JENKINS: Early 50's. A humourless business man - and a white-collar crim who treats people like animals. He is confident and has a superior manner towards the less fortunate. He is the Branch Manager of a Housing Society, thus giving him access to a small fortune.

'JANEY (Judy McBurney): Already established ("The First Bloody Day"). She's a lithesome young call girl who fancies Bluey.

'DAVIES: About 40. A working class battler who's come up the hard way only to find the trip wasn't worth it. He is one of those poor unfortunate victims of the inflationary trend and the capitalistic class system.

'JOHN GRANGER: Late 40's. A respectable business man with little backbone. Drives.

'MRS. GRANGER: Mid-40's. An average housewife who prefers not to get involved and can't handle it when she is.

'SALLY GRANGER: About 17. Very pretty - has a good figure. She could almost be sexy, but Sally has the same dull mind as her mother has.

'MRS. JENKINS: Mid-40's and doing nothing to hide it. Very respectable and not aware of her husband's criminal activities.

'UNIFORMED CONSTABLE: No lines.

'DETECTIVE: Few lines.

'TRUCK DRIVER: Aggressive type - few lines. Drives.'

'Fear! Terror, stark and real - and it's always there! There when you lie sleepless at two in the morning. There when day finally breaks. There when you try to force down lunch. There when you are alone at sunset, waiting. Fear! The legitimate fear that the man you love could die - ripped apart by a felon's bullet. And he could die today!

'Jo, Detective Gary Dawson's girlfriend, lives with such a horror. She loves Gary. She wants him. To be a complete person, she needs him. But Bluey wants him as a cop ... and cops die - ripped apart by felons' bullets. Bluey and Jo are on a collision course - and something's got to give.

'If Jo could only find some reason to hate him! Anything! Something she could use to break the bond ... any excuse to get out from under this fear ...

'And then Gary arrives home late ... he's been drinking ... there's lipstick. Is this the chance she has been waiting for? Is this what she really wants?

'Bluey is the only one she can turn to for help. But what help will he be? He wants Gary to remain a cop. And if Bluey wants something he does not fight fair.

'Maybe if she gave Gary just one more chance ... if she overlooked this one lapse ... perhaps Gary's explanation was true - maybe there was nothing in it ...

'And as she worries, Gary cannot help her. He is being held by criminals. He is facing that felon's bullet.'

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):

'GREG HOLT: 18-19 Apprentice mechanic for an interstate trucking company. Working class background with a giant sized chip on his shoulder -- though he probably couldn't say why.

'SHARON HOLT: Late teens, early twenties. Greg's older sister. Works as a radio operator with the trucking company.

'GEORGIE DANIELS: Early twenties. The only law worth worrying about as far as Georgie's concerned is the law of the jungle.

'JACK MACMILLAN: Fifties. Owner/Manager of Ajax Hauliers. Good boss and a nice bloke into the bargain.

'ARTHUR FERRIS: Fifties. Homicide Inspector. Old acquaintance of Bluey's and Monica's.

'LENNIE: Late teens. Member of the gang. Completely dominated by Georgie.

'SEMI DRIVER (JIMMY): Killed in teaser. (SHOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE ARTICULATED VEHICLE.)

'EXTRAS: Bar 3

'CAB DRIVER: (Actual)

'POLICE CAR DRIVER:

'V.O. # 1 - BERNIE: V.O. Only

'V.O. # 2 - HARRY: V.O. Only.'

'The mystery death of a journalist and a telephone call from a higher power than the Assistant Commissioner for Crime, throws Bluey into an area of high-powered corruption which, to all eyes, would appear highly legal and above board.

'Bluey not only has the difficult job of keeping Monica and Gary working on the case without telling them what it is all about, but also has to avoid an open confrontation with the Assistant Commissioner, who is pressurizing Bluey into cleaning up the statistics on unsolved crimes.

'Monica does undercover work and delves into the world of the street-walker. This, in turn, leads Bluey to an old enemy, a man who has escaped from being an underworld figure to a man of affluence and respectability. It would appear that ill-gotten gains have been poured into a legitimate construction firm, which also has Government contracts. Proving this is another thing.

'Bluey seeks aid from a surprising quarter - a Sir Dennis O'Brien - but in doing so places the life of the old gentleman in jeopardy.

'Then the round-up starts, with some harrowing chases and unexpected climaxes.'

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):

'SIR DENNIS O'BRIEN: Late sixties, tall, near white hair, slim and distinguished-looking. He's a battler who's made it by his own efforts. He has a pleasant speaking voice and uses good English without being affected. Despite his title he is no snob. He's an old-world gentleman with simple tastes. Must drive.

'CHARLES PARKER: About 35. Tall, good-looking. Efficient young executive type with a flair for management. Has become known as the new wonder-boy of the finance world. He appears outgoing and charming until the veneer crumbles and his scheming mind shows. He's TOTALLY self-centred and really believes he's got everything under control except for Victor Cunningham. Drives.

'VICTOR CUNNINGHAM: Around 50, still in good shape. A trace of north country in his English accent. He's the modern vampire who rakes in the bread from the misery of the little people. Now he's rich he wants to be respectable. Parker is his key.

'MICK: Cunningham's human watch-dog. He's a big, shambling oaf but would be dangerous in a fight where not too much brain power is needed.

'CHAUFFEUR (JOHN): John is middle-aged, Australian. Sir Dennis treats him well and he's both loyal and concerned about the old man.

'CORAL: A well-worn prostitute fast approaching forty. She has been a beauty but time and her profession have eaten into her. She feels scorned by Cunningham. She fears him but can't help talking about him.

'PETER STARK: About 35, sharp dresser, honest, intelligent. The type of person who gets to work for a politician rather than be one.

'MAX JOHNSON: Around forty, physically small, polished English accent. He's greedy and conniving with a vicious streak. A thorough [deleted] Drives.

'HARRY FRENCH: Big, overweight, outgoing personality. Typical journo, just living for the big story that'll make him.

'EXTRAS (3): Ladies of the night.

'POLICE DRIVER (1): Drives.'

'Not many crims hold out against Bluey's style of interrogation. Muley has. For three endless days. Bluey, and everybody else at Russell Street, counts it as one of his rare failures.

'Now there's a robbery planned in the district where Bluey was born and raised - his patch. And Bluey, needing very little provocation, gets his second chance to crack Muley. This time he's determined to succeed, no matter how many rules he has to break.

'Gary feels that Bluey's obsession with Muley may be affecting his judgement. He follows a different course to Bluey and comes up with a different conclusion. Who is right?'

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):

'"MULEY" (THOMAS JOHN PRICE): Drives. Late forties. Tough crim, came up the hard way. Some brains. Has a hidden weak streak.

'PORGY BEAUMONT: Early thirties. Smart, hard, handsome, ambitious crim.

'ALSIE THOMAS: Early twenties. Smart, hard, cheap-pretty, ambitious crim's girl.

'SAMMY PARSONS: Early fifties. Cunning little card dealer type, courteous and cowardly.

'BARBRA PRICE [sic]: Thirtyish. Nice looking, not real bright, needs loving.

'NIPPER REED: Fortyish. One of Muley's boys. Ex-jockey.

'REX HARRIS: Fortyish. Another of Muley's boys. Tall, tough, but not such a bad bloke for a crim.

'DAVE BROWN: Mid-thirties. Stolid. Inspires faith. The man closest to Muley.

'YOUNG BARMAN (ALBERT): Late twenties. Dark, silent type. Interesting to women.

'UNIFORMED SENIOR: Fortyish. Friendly natured, fatherly sort of bloke.

'NIGHT SISTER: Mid-twenties. Friendly. (Couple of lines.)

'MATRON: Fifty. Unfriendly. No lines.

'OLD WOMAN: No lines.

'OLD MAN DRINKING: No lines.

'MYSTERY GUNMAN: Stunt driver.

'MAN PEDESTRIAN: No lines.

'WOMAN PEDESTRIAN: No lines.

'UNIFORMED CONSTABLE:

'UNIFORMED CONSTABLE EXTRAS (4)

'BAR EXTRAS.'

'Truscott is Bluey's undercover man. The spectre that haunts every moment of an undercover agent's life is the dread that one day his cover will be blown. Once that nightmare becomes reality there is no alternative but to run ... to run in terror.

'In the apprehension of criminals, overkill - being too successful - can be fraught with as many dangers as being unsuccessful and the Bluey/Truscott team has been too successful. Some of those incarcerated as a result of Bluey's efforts are beginning to wonder why. Why are they here? Where did they go wrong?

'With time to think, one felon, Evan Dillon, has found a common denominator. He allocates the thorough investigation of his theory to "The Professor", probing, meticulous, with the tenacity of a terrier.

'On the very day of Dillon's release, both Bluey and Monica sense trouble. Monica fears for the well-being of Dillon's one-time girlfriend, Alice, who has found an alternate romantic interest during the latter part of Dillon's prison term.

'Bluey learns Dillon and friends are conducting an inquisition of some kind. He realises success in their endeavours would lead them unerringly to Truscott.

'In spite of Bluey's frantic efforts to forestall them, Dillon's investigations are fruitful to a degree far beyond the wildest dreams of the instigators.

'For Truscott, disaster is heaped upon disaster ... but Truscott has found a cause he considers worthy of the terrible risk to his own life. He has to make the decision when Bluey, realising the game is up, begs him - "Run, Truscott, Run!".'

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):

'ALICE: Close to 30, Alice looks older. A difficult life with Dillon before he went inside two and a half years ago has aged her prematurely. Alice's personality took a beating from which it never recovered. As therapy she chose solitude and A.P.C. powders - with little success. Then, six months ago she met Truscott and, ever so slowly, recovery commenced. Strip Alice of her worry-lines and the tension and you uncover beauty.

'EVAN DILLON: About the same age as Alice, he was genuinely attracted to her even though the attachment all but destroyed her. He has reached that stage where he is striving to achieve by brain power what he once sought by muscle. He realises it's a whole new ball game for him which is why he searched for a new mentor. This he found in -

'THE PROFESSOR: An aging crim in his 50's. His prison steel-rimmed glasses give him something of the appearance of an ancient scholar approaching dotage - but there are still many crooked schemes lurking in his brain. His attention to details is something of a fetish. He writes everything down and throws nothing away.

'Car driving required.

'CLARENCE RONALD BENNETT: About 40, Bennett's a crim who just cannot win. He worries a lot about his work - with just cause - suffers first night nerves on every job, but it all does him no good. He always ends up getting pinched.

'BILL OWENS: A cell mate of Dillon's. A ready follower.

'A DRUNK:

'PARTY-GOER: (STUNT DRIVER)

'A DRINKER: Extra.'

'64-year-old Emma Evans claims her son is innocent of murder. Nobody, including Bluey, believes her - until Emma becomes the victim of a hit and run.

'After seeing and talking to Emma in the hospital, Bluey promises that he will at least review the evidence.

'Against the advice of everyone around him, including the Assistant Commissioner, Bluey starts to dig, coming up with some very interesting new facts, that involve the arresting officer and the chief witness for the prosecution.

'The more digging Bluey does, the more twists he finds, causing upheavals at Russell Street - to the point where Bluey is threatened with suspension by the Assistant Commissioner.

'Bluey won't give in, firmly believing there's a case to answer, but even Bluey finds that things are not always what they seem.'

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):

'EMMA EVANS: 64 years old. Homely, hardworking, old before her time, brought on by the lone fight to prove her son Tom innocent of murder. Emma has a helping hand for everyone, young or old. With Emma it's all or nothing, very rarely is it nothing.

'LESLIE STEVENS: 35 years old. Emma's married daughter. Leslie's a lot like her mother, except Leslie's a lot harder and unlike her mother she believes her brother Tom to be guilty. She has no illusions about him.

'TOM EVANS: 30 years old. Emma's son. Tom's been in trouble all his life. No reason for it, he could just never keep his hands off other people's property. He has two faces - one for his mother and the other for the rest of the world.

'SENIOR DETECTIVE BILL HOLDEN: 34 years old. A handsome well-built man. Good at his job, but he has a tendency to lose his cool if crossed. Like all of us, he's human and makes a mistake.

'HELEN TRENT: 30 years old, married to a dull business man. Helen was the witness who saw Tom Evans running out of the garage after the murder. Intelligent, pretty, but emotionally incapable of being able to cope with the simultaneous break-up of a love affair and the threat of blackmail.

'MOGGY MOON: 29 years old. A creep in every sense. Has an ocker accent with a peculiar whine brought on by nerves.

'TERRY BAXTER: 34 year's old. Terry's a house-breaker. No real harm in him. He's just a loser.

'JENNY DAVIS: 28 years old. Hard and brittle. She blames Tom Evans for being the reason that she's turned to stripping for a living.

'SNOOP BENSON: 40 years old. Ferret-like. A petty crim.

'DOCTOR WICKS: 30 years old. Very efficient.

'CUSTOMER (A): Old age pensioner. A real granny type.

'CUSTOMER (B): A father type.

'POLICEMAN: 20's.'

'The Assistant Commissioner assigns Bluey to investigate a possible homicide. Bluey is used to being landed with old cases - but this is ridiculous. The victim seems to have been dead for at least 500,000 years.

'Bluey is deeply suspicious of the A.C.'s motives in sending him to a remote town in the north-west of Victoria. His first problem is getting there. His second is getting there in one piece. His third is the expenses he keeps running up - but that really is the A.C.'s problem. He brought it on himself.

'The small town of Mooball is kept alive and therefore dominated by the Atlas Mining Company - which has tended to become a law unto itself. The lone police constable doesn't stand much of a chance of maintaining law and order by himself. Hence a cry for help. And the eventual arrival of a dusty, tired, thirsty Bluey - which changes everything.'

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

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

'DOC HASLER: (50'S) RETIRED GEOLOGIST, GENERALLY REGARDED AROUND MOOBALL AS A BIT OF AN ECCENTRIC.

'MIKE (MICHELLE): REAL NAME MICHELLE. RUNS THE MOOBALL HOTEL, AND TAKES A SPECIAL INTEREST IN BLUEY. LIKEABLE ATTRACTIVE, DOWN TO EARTH. (VICKI HAMMOND TYPE)

'KNUCKLES MCBRIDE: THE AC'S SYDNEY COUNTERPART, VISITING RUSSELL STREET ON SOME EXCHANGE PROGRAMME. LOOKS MORE LIKE A WRESTLER THAN A COP.

'DELLIT: MANAGER OF AMC. BIG, TOUGH, IMPOSING.

'REEGAN: MOOBALL'S GREENHORN COP. BIT OF A BARNEY FIFE CHARACTER.

'PALIARTI: ITALIAN LABOUER [sic] AT MINE.

'JANITOR (BEN): WORKS FOR MINE.

'LOCKWOOD: WORKS FOR MINE.

'BARMAN: AT MOOBALL HOTEL.

'POSTIE: MOOBALL POSTMAN. (ONE SCENE - NO DIALOGUE)

'HSV7 FILM CREW: 2 ACTORS.

'INTERVIEWER: FOR TV NEWS CREW.

'UNIDENTIFED DRIVER: STUNT.

'KID: RIDES SKATEBOARD. ONE SCENE.

'UNIFORMED COP: FEW LINES.

'WORKERS: A TOTAL OF 6 EXTRAS. BUT GENERALLY ONLY 4 USED.

'WORKER #1:

'CAR DRIVER #1:

'CAR DRIVER #2:

'TRACTOR DRIVER'.

'Brad Dexter, after twenty years in Hollywood, returns to Australia to make a film. Much to his disgust - and Monica's delight - Bluey is assigned to protect him.

'It soon becomes apparent that Dexter needs protection. Not from his fans, who've grown sparser with the years, but from himself. A long time battle with the bottle has turned into capitulation. The few friends and associates who have remained loyal to him are beginning to realise their star is on the wane.

'But Dexter continues on his erratic path of self-destruction, oblivious to every warning signal.'

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):

'BRAD McGRAW: An Australian actor around 45 with boyish good looks. He's spent the past twenty years in the U.S. Speaks with an American accent. He's been all the way to the top and is more than halfway in the other direction now. He refuses to accept he's no longer a super-star. Deadens the truth with bourbon. (He drives.)

'NORA: McGraw's long-suffering private secretary. She's good-looking and shapely enough to have been a star herself but has been able to get a good living in the administration end of the business. She knows McGraw's just about washed up but hopes he can make a fresh start in his old home town. West coast U.S. accent.

'BELINDA DEMPSEY: Around 30. Pushy female journo from "The Star". About on a par scruple-wise with McGraw.

'BULL MASON: An ex-prize fighter around 50 and still fit. He's devoted to McGraw in the belief that McGraw still cares about him. He speaks with an East coast U.S. accent, The Bronx or Bowery maybe, certainly not Brooklyn.

'BERT STUBBS: Reporter. Australian. About 45. Small, shabby dresser. One scene. (Important dialogue.)

'ARTHUR FERRIS: Homicide detective well known to Bluey and his crew. Typical type. (Quite a bit of dialogue. As previously cast in "End of the Line" - if possible.)

'NEIGHBOUR: Working-class man around 60. He remembers McGraw well, without sympathy.

'POLICE MECHANIC: Two scenes. (Some dialogue.)

'TURNER: Late 50's. Average small businessman type. He shows he's worn badly since his daughter's death.

'BETTS: Middle-aged working man. Two scenes, some dialogue.

'BELLHOP:

'AIR HOSTESS: V.O. Only.

'ANNOUNCER: American. V.O. Only.

'GIRL (HEATHER): Australian. V.O. Only.'

'Bluey is called to the assistance of Commonwealth authorities to help stem a flood of counterfeit notes - a flood that started years ago as a trickle but has recently developed into a torrent.

'Although Bluey's real environment is the bang and bash of the average law-breaker, tangling with counterfeiters - traditionally people of non-violence - means he is working a little out of his element.

'His task is somewhat complicated by the activities of an enthusiastic young reporter, Debbie Morley, who finds herself a victim of the counterfeit swindle. Debbie has two aims in life - to make it to the top of her profession by becoming a feature writer and to enjoy life to the full while achieving her objective. She sees an in-depth expose [sic] of counterfeiting as the means of fulfilling her prime objective.

'With the help of Madge, a two hundred pound epitome of all that touches the heart-strings of the reading public, Debbie gains her entree into the world of the spurious. She and Madge soon find, to their horror, that, while counterfeiters may be men of non-violence, those who mastermind these illegal activities can be extremely nasty people indeed.

'But even counterfeit romance can sometimes pay a legitimate dividend. Madge finds herself a participant in a December romance while Debbie does not escape Cupid's arrow completely unscathed.

'In the final showdown, Bluey and his assistant, Gary, find themselves grasping the wrong end of the stick in a stand-off situation. At the right moment they discover an ally from a most unexpected quarter.'

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):

'RICK DAVEY: About 40, Davey is a psychopath, a knuckle-man, and looks it. Finding old Cyril should have been as good as discovering gold as far as he was concerned but he couldn't handle it. He's the type who has never realised there is a time to fight and a time to run. With Davey, it's knuckle all the time – it's his undoing. Car Driving Required.

'DENO ROSSI: Late 20's. He's a con man who, with just a little better grooming, could have been a matinee idol. There's no violence in Deno. He met Rick in the criminal circle he frequents and probably became friendly because ... well you never know in this business. You find yourselves in scraps sometimes and maybe Rick would do the scrapping for him. Car Driving Required.

'CYRIL KAVANAGH: A little man in his 60's. In common with almost all counterfeiters he has no violence in him. He's a nice little old bloke who was happy going his own way, making just enough to cover expenses until Davey and Rossi dangled the carrot of wealth before him. Cyril has a reasonable education in his youth but many years amongst crims have made him a little coarse. In the presence of Madge he recaptures a little of his youthful polish.

'MADGE: Madge is a battler – and it's been a long, hard battle. She's about 220 lbs. stripped. She's about 50 but the hard life has probably made her look older. She loves a beer and her life is directed at getting her hand around a cold, foaming pot as frequently as possible. A heart of gold – but she has little else of earthly value.

'CHIEF OF STAFF: A man in his early 40's, the Chief is beset by the constant pressures of the newspaper business. He thinks Debbie is just great – as he does all his staff. But he's never going to spoil any of them by giving it to them too easy. He has plenty of wrinkles and his hair is probably thinning a bit but his spirit is wearing well. He draws strength from the young, vital people about him.

'SNR. DECT. DAVIDSON [sic]: About 30, Davidson has been too long in Canberra to make a good detective. He's been too close to all that bureaucracy. He tends to keep his eye on the clock more than he keeps his mind on the job. It's more important for him to arrive on time than to arrive at a conclusion. Car Driving Required.

'MRS. BONNICI: She is never heard speak [sic] in English. She sobs and sighs as only middle-aged Italian women can when under pressure.

'TERESA: Italian. About 19. A young, romantic scatter-brain who lives in a largely imaginery [sic] world of pop bands and romantic young men – all Italian.

'BARMAN (RONNIE): An efficient barman, mid thirties.

'CASHIER: A bored supermarket cashier who can put up with a bit of a fight (with words) when she has to.

'EXTRAS:

'REPORTER:

'DRINKER.'

'Stowaways come in all shapes and sizes. The one that ends up with Bluey is 12 years old, dark-skinned and can't speak a word of English.

'Nevertheless, Bluey agrees to help Rapata find his father - despite a profound lack of interest in the kid. Or so he claims to Monica. But Monica is not fooled. And neither, once he gets to [sic] his over-weight and loud friend, is Rapata.

'Gary has problems of his own. In trying to get a lead on the illegal immigrant trade, he strikes up an acquaintance with a character called Seaboots. Seaboots turns out to be even more than Gary bargained for.'

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):

'RAPATA: A 12 year old Rarotongan boy, coffee coloured skin, and huge brown eyes. Tough, resourceful. At home in the islands, with his own people, Rapata would be a cheerful little larrikan. The moment he mixes with white people he becomes very shy. Bluey is one of the few people to break through this shyness.

'SEABOOTS: A big girl who's been hanging round the docks - or rather the sailors - all her life. Knows it all, seen it all, done it all. And she's only about 23. Been in court more times than you've had hot dinners. Love her.

'PETERSON: First mate on the "Manu Wai". Probably Scandinavian. A reasonably efficient ship's officer who knows that he'll never be more than reasonably efficient. More formal than nasty. 30-ish.

'CANNIBAL: A hulking able seaman on the "Manu Wai". The original dumb ox. Any age, but best if he's mid-20's.

'DAVID ANDREWS: The religious equivalent of Peterson. As a young missionary he had all the zeal you could wish, but has turned into a rather sour and greasy failure.

'TED JACKSON: Ordinary lad, late teens or early 20's. Probably lives in North Fitzroy or South Melbourne. Salt of the (Australian) earth.

'CAPTAIN: Of the "Manu Wai". Middle-aged, cheerful, weather beaten man. Been sailing round the islands all his life. Should be played by Trevor Howard in a good mood.

'CONNOR: If he'd only been in the police force, he'd have been Bluey's rival. Mid-40's, doesn't stand on any kind of ceremony. As anxious to do his job (in Immigration) as Bluey is to do his.

'RAYMOND: Known to his (?) intimates as "Rosie". Just this side of being a drag queen. Knows nearly as much about the docks (and the sailors) as Seaboots.

'SEAMAN #1: Just that. Handy with his fists. Regards the waterfront as his territory and doesn't like intruders.

'SEAMAN #2: Like Seaman #1.

'WHARF PC #1: An older copper. Good bloke.

'WHARF PC #1: Early 20's, a good copper. In a few years time he'll be the same man as PC #1.

'MAVIS: The original heart-of-gold barmaid. An old intimate of Bluey's, and close to his age.

'WIREMU: Rapata's father. Rarotongan, 35. Should be a biggish man.

'WORKMAN: A forestry worker with Wiremu. Angle-Saxon.

'DOCKS GATEMAN: Just that.'

'When Detective Sergeant Ralph Blakely returns to Russell Street, he finds the red carpet is laid out by everyone except his old adversary, Bluey Hills. Monica and Gary are not alone in believing Bluey's condemnation of the man totally unfounded and bordering on petty, professional jealousy. Bluey finds himself without support in his vendetta against Blakely.

'Blakely is assigned to the Vice Squad at his own request and starts an incredible clean-up campaign on the massage parlours until Bluey interferes - preventing an arrest and getting into serious trouble with the Assistant Commissioner.

'In order to win Bluey's respect, Blakely helps Department B catch an escapee. Bluey returns the favour by transferring Gary to Blakely's department as it seems that Gary is much more interested in the Vice Squad's activities than those of Department B.

'Bluey continues his investigations into Blakely and discovers there is an organization which has Blakely in a stranglehold. In his attempts to foil the organization's plans, Bluey's own life is at risk.'

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):

'DETECTIVE SERGEANT RALPH WINSTON BLAKELY: 35 years old. Handsome, charming. Should have been a film star, not a policeman. But he can turn this charm on and off like a tap. If you looked a little deeper behind this facade, you would find the sparkling overbright personality of a junkie. He should be a love/hate personality with us feeling genuinely sorry for him in the end. Must drive.

'JAMES R. RANKIN: 45 years old. Looks a respectable businessman, perhaps a little hard but that's business. He is a user of people and will go to any length to achieve the power he wants.

'ALICE COLLINS: 40. A friendly "Madam", been through the mill but it hasn't hardened her heart. She likes Bluey a lot and realises that police have their job to do.

'LESLEY ARNOLD GREEN: 30. An escaped convict, perhaps ten cents short in the dollar. A born loser.

'SANDY, JENNY, PAMELA: Young, sexy, massage parlour girls.

'TRUCKIE: Typical rough diamond.

'ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER'S DRIVER: Stiff upper lip type.

'THREE POLICEMAN EXTRAS:'.

'Bluey nearly collapses whilst in pursuit of a crim. It looks as though, should Bluey continue at his usual pace, he is in danger of suffering something more serious. Getting Bluey to take a holiday, however, is practically impossible as the Department B team discover.

'For once, the Assistant Commissioner shows that he actually cares about Bluey's well-being and with the aid of a Union Officer intends to cajole or, if necessary, force Bluey to take leave which has been accruing for six years.

'Gary, completely engrossed in using the computer to narrow down a cat burglar, cannot control his enthusiasm and, going against Monica's advice, unintentionally works up Bluey's interest in the case.

'It isn't until Gary's figures come up with a strong lead that the Assistant Commissioner finds himself faced with an important decision - solving hundreds of cases of house-breaking or Bluey's health. His "cases" win out and by a devious method, he entices Bluey into helping Gary.

'Constant stake-outs do little to improve Bluey's state of health, but a surprising thing happens when he comes face to face with "The Cat". Because of his health problems, Bluey has to let "The Cat" escape, but he has a new lease of life in his determination to outwit a man who has outwitted the police force for many years.'

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):

'BLAIR THOMPSON: 35. Intelligent. Cynical. Very fit. His own man. Sees life as a complicated joke. Meets people face on. Assessing them. Considers most of them below his mental capacity although he would not make this obvious. Quick to smile. Charming.

'TED POWERS: Late 40's. Aware of himself. Well groomed. Aware of the power structure and appreciating his place in it. Sees himself as being more handsome and intelligent than is the reality. Has an aggression about him common to many union officers.

'MRS. THOMPSON: 33. Intense. Concerned. Anxious to do the right thing. A decent type who badly wants to fit into a catholic [sic] way of life and not make waves. Good looking. Well groomed.

'SIR GREGORY DILLON: Late 50's. Ruling class type. Pompous. Limited appreciation of the realities of the lower classes. (PLAYS GOLF)

'HELENA: Past her prime and has seen it all, but attractive and a warm involved person. A sense of humour. And pride. A loser but making the most of it.

'MASON: 40. A con man. Slim and likeable.

'DR. ARMSTRONG: Sir Gregory's golf mate. A heart specialist. In the same ruling-class vein.

'MRS. O'BRIEN: 50's. Suburban.

'FATHER O'BRIEN: 30. An average priest.

'WORKER: Employee at cleaning contractors.

'3 POLICE CONSTABLES: #1. #2 Traffic. #3 Internal.'

'Monica tangles with an eleven-year-old shoplifter called Cricket, and in so doing ends up as a witness to a car theft. Bluey warns Monica to stay away from the girl as it may hamper his investigations into a car stealing racket. It's Monica's turn to do a "Bluey" by going off on her own as, to her, the girl's future is just as important as stolen cars.

'Monica seeks Gary's aid in finding out Cricket's whereabouts through her father's record, which Bluey has secreted out of Monica's reach. They both visit Cricket's parents, much to the anger of Bluey, who is afraid the father will go into hiding at the sight of police on his doorstep.

'Bluey's fears are well founded as the father intends to do one more job before taking his daughter away from trouble and an uncaring mother.

'Truscott is furious when Bluey and Gary let the father slip through their fingers on his last job and is equally angry for Monica turning up on the suspect's doorstep.

'Cricket's home life erupts around her when Monica's threats to her parents of her being put in a home reach her eyes by way of an argument between her mother and father. She disappears and the father accuses Monica of causing her to run away. Monica sets about tracing the girl. But, by then, Cricket's own life is in danger and it is a question of whether Monica can find the girl in time.'

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):

'CRICKET: An 11 year old girl. She's the product of a rough environment and has learned to fend for herself to a large degree. Through practice she's learned to stifle her emotions and is pretty tough. The fact remains that she's vulnerable due to her tender years. The one person she really loves and who loves her is her father, Fred. She clings to him and can't take it when she mistakenly thinks he, too, has rejected her. Despite her toughness, she has a likeable personality.

'FRED BARNETT: Cricket's father, about 35. Fred is a born loser. He's a car thief by trade and plays the game the way it is. He wins some and when he loses he cops it sweet and does a stretch. He's totally devoted to Cricket and immune to the ways of his prostitute wife. He's a likeable rogue who decides to put Cricket above all else but not until it's nearly too late.

'PEARL BARNETT: Around 35, once good-looking, now worn and seedy. She's lazy and completely selfish. She plies her trade of prostitution because she can't break the habit and the money's good. She must've had feelings for Fred and Cricket once but now she finds all the love she needs at the bottom of a wine flagon.

'KANGA: 40-ish. Tall and tough-looking. He runs the dirty end of the business for his employers. He's capable and has an air of authority.

'SKINNY: Quite the opposite to his name, he's short and fat. He's paid to work for Kanga and that's all he wants to know.

'BARMAN: Typical type. One scene.

'BUSINESSMAN: Average type. Middle-aged. One scene.

'CLIENT: An off-duty ocker seen with Pearl in one scene.

'UNIFORMED POLICEMEN A & B: Typical types. 'A' should be younger.

'DERELICTS #1 & #2: Again - typical of the breed, plenty of chin stubble, hand-out clothes, bloodshot eyes and shaking hands.

'CAB DRIVERS #1 & #2: Actuals.'

'Against Bluey's advice, Gary takes on an undercover assignment with the drug squad.

'Gary's one-time modelling career brought him into contact with a model named Sandra Gibson. Now she appears to be very much involved in a shipment of heroin.

'It's Gary's job to make use of their previous friendship to find out how and when the shipment is to be made. He poses as a buyer from Sydney, after a good supply of drugs. But his job becomes increasingly difficult when he realises the girl has fallen in love with him.'

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):

'SANDRA GIBSON: About 25. Beautiful and intelligent, a one time model - now hooked on drugs. All her money is tied up an a [sic] drug shipment. If it falls through, she fears she'll end up on the streets hussling [sic] for drug money.

'LARRY DAVIS: Mid 30's. One of Sandra's partners in the drug shipment. Davis is a tall, and good looking. Dresses well. But underneath the suave exterior he is venomous. (DRIVES)

'GEORGE PALMER: Around 40. The main money man in the drug shipment. Seems an average type of business man, but Palmer sees drugs as an easy way to make money. Leaves the final decisions to Davis.

'INSPECTOR FRANK LORD: 50's. O.I.C. of the Drug Squad. Lord is a tough, honest, hard-working cop. He and Bluey are on a first name basis only when it suits him. Plays the game straight down the line and leaves the deviations to his underlings.

'JOHN CLANCY: Mid 30's. Only a small time crim, but very handy to have around. His thinking is all done for him. If he's told to keep his mouth shut, there's no way in the world you'll get it open.

'UNIFORM COP #1: Seen one you've seen 'em all.

'UNIFORM COP #2: No lines (DRIVES)

'HEAVY #1: No lines. (DRIVES TRUCK)

'HEAVY #2: No lines.

'HEAVY #3: No lines. (DRIVES LAUNCH)

'HEAVY #4: No lines.

'INFORMER: Small time junkie, no great importance. (NO LINES)'.

'Detective Gary Lawson's excitement at working undercover on a difficult case is quickly dampened when he finds his co-undercover man is a woman - and a rather domineering one at that. Bluey discovers even the best made plans can go wrong and that, for once, it looks like the crims have more cards up their sleeves than Department B.

'Three armoured trucks have been hijacked in various parts of the country. The only lead Bluey comes up with is the possibility that the men involved may be in need of an "oxy" man.

'So Tracey, the female undercover cop, is set up as bait. In settling down together as part of their cover, Gary is surprised to find Tracey has many facets to her character that are most appealing.

'But Gary is in danger of letting his personal feelings interfere with police work.'

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):

'TRACEY ALEXANDER: 26 years old. Tracey's an undercover policewoman. Very attractive, except when she's in uniform, even that is a cover for Tracey. She is a Chameleon type [sic] character, slipping easily in and out of each character she is asked, or forced, to play. At all times she is on top of the given situation.

'MIKE SCOTT: 26 years old. A handsome well built man. There's still a touch of the soldier about his bearing. Mike was in Vietnam, but he was under investigation, along with four others, for possible graft involving selling arms to the enemy. Mike and the other four devise a way of disappearing from the army. They're successful. Mike has nerves of steel. He relies a lot on his own intuition, usually he's right. Then he meets Tracey, Truscott and Gary. Mike must drive well.

'ED BAIN: 26 years old. Attractive well built man. Nervous eyes, looking everywhere, but at the person he's talking to. Ed doesn't really trust anyone. He has a nasty temper when irritated. He enjoys killing. He is one of the four men who were with Mike in 'Nam.

'PETE ESSEX: 25 years old. Short and stocky, but well muscled. Cold eyes. More easily led than Ed. Pete was in the army from the age of 16, so he is used to responding without question to orders, especially from Mike. He also has a lot of courage, if needs be he could stand up to Ed, but rarely ever does. He also was with Mike in 'Nam.

'MARCIA FRANKS: 25 years old. Very pretty with a touch of the wanton about her. A happy go lucky girl who very early on in her life realised that all she'd got to offer to the world was her body. So she used it, first at school then in the big outside world. She is a very successful massage parlour and home girl. Marcia's big trouble is, she's nosey and just a little too greedy, but there's no real harm in her.

'SERGEANT JACK HALL: 35 years old. Stolid family-type man.

'MACK: 25 years old. Works in the maintenance department - police headquarters, Sydney.

'P.C. DRIVER: 30 years old. He's got as far as he'll ever go.

'WAITER:

'CUSTOMERS (4):

'POLICEMEN (2)'.

'Bluey's soft spot for women causes him great unhappiness when his attraction to a single mother starts him on an investigation he cannot stop even though he would like to.

'In the course of helping Monica sort out a juvenile's problems, Bluey meets an attractive woman whom he senses is in some sort of trouble. It is apparent that the woman has not reported a crime and is afraid of the police.

'Bluey sets out to help her, but his investigations unfold an 8-year old [sic] crime that cannot be forgotten. Or can it?

'A decision has to be reached on Bluey's part. Can he destroy the happiness of mother and daughter by turning his investigations into an official enquiry, or can he turn a blind eye?'

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):

'SHIRLEY WATSON: LATE TWENTIES AND APPEALING RATHER THAN BEAUTIFUL. GIVEN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES SHE WOULD HAVE MARRIED IN HER EARLY TWENTIES AND SETTLED DOWN TO HAVE CHILDREN AND LOOK AFTER A HUSBAND. HER KIDNAPPING OF RHONDA ALMOST EIGHT YEARS AGO WAS BROUGHT ON BY THE BREAK UP IN HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER LOVER WHICH RESULTED FROM A MEDICALLY ADVISED ABORTION. IT WAS A TEMPORARY LAPSE BUT SHE HAS FOUND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REVERSE THE CONSEQUENCES.

'RHONDA: EIGHT YEARS OLD AND THE CHANGELING SUBSTITUTED FOR SHIRLEY'S LOST BABY. (WHEN CASTING, WOULD BE IDEAL IF SHE HAD A BROTHER AND SISTER A BIT OLDER FOR A STILL REQUIRED IN THE SCRIPT).

'HOWARD ANDERSON: LATE THIRTIES. A SELF EMPLOYED BUSINESS MAN LIVING SLIGHTLY ABOVE HIS ADEQUATE NEEDS.

'JEAN ANDERSON: RHONDA'S REAL MOTHER. SHE SUFFERED SEVERE MENTAL ANGUISH WHEN HER DAUGHTER WAS KIDNAPPED AND HAS BEEN FAIRLY MOUSEY UNDER HER HUSBAND'S THUMB EVER SINCE. THE THOUGHT OF LOSING HER DAUGHTER FOR A SECOND TIME RESTORES SOME OF HER ORIGINAL PERSONALITY.

'PEGGY BROWNING: FORTIES AND MARRIED TO A PETTY CRIM SHE HARDLY EVER SEES. SHE'S TRIED TO BRING UP HER SON TO BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE EXPECTED CRIM BUT SHE HAS NEITHER THE EXPERIENCE, THE PERSONALITY NOR THE INTELLIGENCE TO EXERT MUCH INFLUENCE.

'ROBBIE: HER 16 YEAR OLD DELINQUENT SON.

'SERGEANT HENNESSY: A LOCAL PLAIN CLOTHES COP SENT TO ARREST ROBBIE.

'FLOSSIE: THIRTIES. REASONABLY JOLLY. RUNS THE "FLOSSIE'S" CLUB AND KNEW BLUEY IN THE PAST.

'PETE: ANOTHER 16 YEAR OLD DELINQUENT.

'FRED: AND ANOTHER.

'UNIFORMED COPS 1, 2 & 3

'TAXI DRIVER (ACTUAL) 1 & 2

'V.K.C. (V.O.)

'EXTRAS IN THE CLUB'.

'In Bluey's book, Wally Avery is not a bird of prey. Bluey has known him for years and it just doesn't add up when "Birds" becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. Not only suspected. There are witnesses who swear "Birds" is as guilty as hell.

'Bluey's first job is to get to "Birds" before the Homicide squad and find out what really happened. But "Birds" does nothing to help himself. He's scared and takes flight.

'And when he finally comes home to roost, there is more trouble awaiting him.'

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):

'BRENDAN CUSACK: Detective Sergeant in the Homicide Squad. The antithesis of Bluey. Playing it straight up and down the line he has little time for Bluey's style. He and Bluey actively dislike one another. Humourless and faintly pompous he is the epitome of honesty and a good police officer.

'WALLY AVERY ("BIRDS"): Known as "Birds". He is a weedy, scrawny sparrow - a description which has no relation to his physical size - very much out of his element in the big world of the birds of prey. His career in crime has been spectacularly unsuccessful and he goes to gaol quite happily when caught, which is often. He keeps body and soul together working as a gardener, lawn mower driver, occasional squizzing, a bit of stealing; but only from the rich; he does have his principles. Neither brave nor brainy he's one of life's losers.

'SUE REEVES (NEE AVERY): Bird's younger sister and only relative. She's the one member of the aviary with all the pretty feathers and brains. She's one of Bluey's many one, two or three nightstands, and would be quite happy to join the queue again were it not for her husband, whom we never see.

'KEVIN READ & ALAN PALMER: Two heavies, who don't look like heavies but like senior junior executives. Their menace is in the coldly efficient way they attempt to carry out their orders. They have criminal records and are two of Sir Moray's charges who are beyond redemption, as he wishes them to be.

'SIR MORAY RUISLIP: Late 40's. Industrialist. Philanthropist which brought him his knighthood. He offers employment in his many industrial complexes to ex-criminals and he's had a great deal of success rehabilitating many. But Sir Moray, ex-fighter pilot and subdued robber baron, has his black side which goes well with the dark side of capitalism.

'DETECTIVE JACK FROST: A contemporary of Gary's working on the Homicide Squad with Cusack. Frost is frankly pompous. A straight up and down detective.

'ARTHUR FERRIS: An Inspector.

'GAIL: Private secretary to Sir Moray.

'JOURNALIST:

'POLICEWOMAN JACKSON:

'DETECTIVE #1 & UNIFORM POLICE: At murder scene.

'EXTRAS IN BAR (3):

'DETECTIVE #2: With A.C. in scene 52.

'DESMOND TAYLOR: Body.

'DRIVER FOR A.C.'S CAR'.

'A strange mixture of characters leads Bluey and Department B on the puzzling mystery of tracing "The Hydra". Who or what is The Hydra?

'The young, defenceless sister of a stripper, who is a good friend of Bluey's, is in great danger. Someone or something is lurking in the mire of sleazy night clubs, waiting, watching, ready to pounce.

'Bluey and his team enter the bizarre world of would-be religious fanaticism, blackmail, female impersonators and the lost world of the soup kitchen. The clues have been given by The Hydra - but are they real clues or ones to throw the police off the track?

'Which ever is the case Bluey is working against time to reveal the true identity or identities of the Hydra - a beast with seven heads.'

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

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

'RANDY KNIGHT: Also known as Angela; Randy Knight is a stage name. In her early twenties, Randy is a stripper in a sleazy nightclub in Fitzroy Street. But don't judge the book by its cover. She's a battler, loved by everyone, raising and looking after a handicapped sister. She takes her job very seriously, and her audience of winos and local derelicts never fail to go away a little richer for the experience of seeing her on-stage. She should be blonde. She should be a dancer, and she should behave with a lovable, Marilyn Monroe style innocence.

'FELICITY: Randy's younger (16) sister. She is deaf and dumb. She goes to a special school by day, and is babysat in the evenings while Randy is working. A bewitching, sloe-eyed creature, who seems the essence of childlike purity ... a fawn. She communicates with Randy through a simple sign language, and seems to have great admiration for her big sister. Felicity often seems to behave at the mental age of about eight years, and we are never to know if she is 'backward'. On special occasions, however, we feel that she is way ahead of us. No spoken dialogue.

'GAY GORDO: A very convincing female impersonator who works with Randy at the strip joint. A junkie. A seamstress. Camps it up even when off-stage. Bit of a creep. Personally, I don't like him very much.

'BENNY ALLMAN (Allen Easter): Stand-up comic at same strip joint. Delivers with a vaguely Dave Allen style, but never seems to get many laughs from the audience of pervs. A very short, very fat, very depressing man, who might best be described as the 'beast' in this beauty and the beast story.

'STELLA HEDLEY: Stella manages this same strip joint. The Ethel Merman type. Loud. Showbiz. Gets on well with Bluey. Will bear a resemblance to one description of "The Hydra".

'MRS. McCORMACK: Felicity's babysitter. Ocker. Smokes always. Bluey will say to her "Mrs. McCormack, I wouldn't let you babysit my dog." She also could be "The Hydra".

'HARRY SILVERMAN: Although it defies genetic believability, Silverman is the father of Angela and Felicity. Brain addled with turps, Harry hasn't quite been himself since about five or six years ago when he walked out on his two lovely daughters. He has been a merchant marine, but mainly he's into drinking. Such a bloody mug we should feel sorry for him. He looks a lot like the men who make up Randy's audience.

'JUD: Jud is a man who brings a little sunshine into your life just by walking into the room. He's a Salvo, knows the skid row scene, gets along with Bluey.

'CLERIC: Runs small city chapel. Long hairs, bearded. Could actually be Jesus.

'DRUNK:

'DERELICT EXTRAS: Club audience.'

'Department B is to work closely with Detective Sergeant Stoner on a difficult case of child abduction. This would appear to be difficult enough, but there is also another problem.

'Stoner is suspected of fixing convictions, shopping innocent people, etc., and it is Bluey's job to not only keep an eye on the case in hand, but to also keep an eye on Stoner.

'This is no mean feat as for once Bluey has met his match. Here is a man who is not only a solo operator like Bluey, but is also a darn good cop. Being such men of strength, Bluey and Stoner build up a close relationship making Bluey's job more difficult and placing doubts in Bluey's mind as to Stoner's guilt. However, bending the rules a little to capture a guilty party is one thing, breaking the rules and coming up with the wrong bloke, is another.

'Bluey's quick thinking saves Stoner from making a mistake in charging the wrong man for the crimes, but when Stoner seems so intent on capturing the animal responsible for the disappearances of the young girls, it looks as though he is about to make a similar mistake.'

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):

'NICK STONER: MID FORTIES. BLUEY'S AGE. A SHREWD FACE. HARD TO PICK WHAT HE MIGHT BE THINKING. AN AGGRESSION THAT FINDS ITS MOTIVATION IN HIS FIERCE PRIDE FOR HIS POLICE ACHIEVEMENTS AND THE ONE VULNERABLE SPOT - THE LOSS OF HIS WIFE - A SUPPORT THAT IS GONE FOREVER - A TENDER SPOT THAT WON'T HEAL - A NEED THAT FOCUSES MORE OF HIS ATTENTION ON HIS JOB AS A POLICEMAN THAN A MEANS OF INCOME. HE FORCES A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ON HIMSELF. WELL GROOMED. WEARS WELL CUT CLOTHES. AN EXPENSIVE WATCH. THICK WEDDING BAND THAT HE WILL TOY WITH WHEN UPSET OR EXCITED. HE KEEPS PEOPLE AT ARMS LENGTH. GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT HE COPES VERY WELL. WHEN HE COPES. AND AS A POLICEMAN, HE CARES. HE IS INVOLVED WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HURT AND HE WANTS TO FELON BADLY. [sic]

'MACKAY: LATE TWENTIES. LEAN FACE. LONG GINGERISH HAIR (ADJUST - DISTINGUISHABLE HAIR) INNATE MEANESS. [sic] LIMITED INTELLIGENCE. DEFIANT.

'DAVIDSON: LATE TWENTIES. LEAN FACE. LONG GINGERISH HAIR. (ADJUST TO SUIT MACKAY) VERY SIMILAR TO MACKAY. BUT SENSITIVE. NERVOUS. LOW SELF-PROFILE. NEGATIVE.

'BRADLEY: EARLY FIFTIES. CORNER SHOP KEEPER. FERRET FACED AND A BUSY-BODY. LIKES TO DRAW ATTENTION TO HIMSELF.

'MRS. GILLIS: HOUSEWIFE. LATE THIRTIES. HARASSED. DOING HER BEST BUT LIMITED.

'MRS. NEILSEN: SIXTY FIVE. BLUE RINSE. SELF OPINIONATED. HAS A PET PRIZE CORGI. NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE 1970'S.

'MRS. OWEN: EARLY THIRTIES. BIRD LIKE. STRONG IN NATURE. QUIET BUT SELF CONTROLLED.

'ALLSOP: FORTY. SHORT. BUS DRIVER. BORN LOSER WHO IS FRIGHTENED OF LOSING EVEN MORE.

'KATE GILLIS: TEN YEAR OLD GIRL.

'RAYLENE OWENS: EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRL.

'GIRLS ONE AND TWO: EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD.

'MRS. GREEN: MIDDLE AGED WORKING WIFE. NON SPEAKING.

'MRS. ROSE: WOMAN OF 50

'PRIZE CORGI'.

'The difficulty of keeping a man in Australia until extradition to another country comes through, and in the same breath trying to protect that man's life whilst he remains in Australia, is a battle that Bluey is about to lose.

'Bluey sinks to the lowest depths when he pressurizes a prominent citizen into offering the police a bribe. Or is there some justification for that?

'Exploring the grey area between the legal and illegal in multi-million dollar business places Bluey a little out of his line. And who can you trust if you can't trust the Assistanct [sic] Commissioner for Crime.'

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):

'KENNETH GRANGER Early forties. An ex-Canadian BUT he is tarred with the brush of the British Commonwealth and not an American flavoured accent. An understated upper class, born-to-rule air. Fit. Very definite in his features and movement. Well educated and cultured. And very well off, but not that "new money" air .... and this too is understated. Easily approachable. A most likeable man with the sort of aura that dazzles most people he makes contact with. You're not a stranger long if he decides to charm you. But he's the full political animal. A well concealed cold calculating mind, the cold edge of which will surface on the odd occasions through his witticisms. Cutting. Hard. But he's quickly in control, quick to guard his true feelings ... has a tacticians [sic] flair .... enjoys double guessing his opponents. A determined opportunist who likes to travel first class and is well used to doing so.

'SYLVIA GRANGER Mid-thirties. Jewish but does not look it. Enigmatic. Educated. Disciplined. More well groomed than beautiful. But the same definite line to her features and her movements. Assured but the impression of a vulnerability .... the impression of weakness and strength. But it's only an impression .... A ploy to confuse potential enemies. To underestimate her. She is coldly efficient. And hostile. An elitist who resent people below her standing ... all very cleverly concealed .... and controlled. And it doesn't surface as Granger's inner man does .... until BLUEY unsettles her.

'ADRIAN TUCKER Fifty. The chairman of one of Australia's largest mult-corporations. Impatient. Supercilious. Arrogant. But always aware of his image and he tempers his true nature with the quiet and precise politeness of a figure of his standing. He eats and sleeps big business. And the dollar is more important than anything else in his world.

'SERGEANT JIM MORRISON Late forties. Company squad. An organized man with an organized mind. He likes his job. Doesn't take it too seriously. Enjoys the company of people he suspects might like him. A touch waggish.

'BERT WILKENS Late thirties. A chain smoking, slightly flustered looking A grade journalist who dresses well but always looks untidy .... and suffering the wrath of the grape. A calculating man. Always weighing advantages and disadvantages.

'TUCKER'S RECEPTIONIST Late twenties. Attractive. Well dressed. The super-secretary. Competent. Aggressive. Completely lacking in humour.

'JENNINGS Forty five. Nervous. Thin. Working Class. [sic]

'PRESSMAN #1 A television journalist.

'PRESSMAN #2 Newspaper journalist.

'PRESSMAN #3 Newspaper journalist.

'PRESSMAN #4 Newspaper journalist.

'TWO MAN POLICE LAUNCH CREW.'

'Monica inadvertently becomes witness to a homicide and sees the face of one of the killers. He also sees Monica.

'There seems no way the killers can be tracked down and they closer they get to tracing Monica's identity and whereabouts, the more people are hurt, and the more Bluey becomes concerned for her safety.

'Debbie, Gary's reporter girlfriend, makes an error in judgement which places her life in danger and leaves Bluey with a feeling of guilt.

'Monica and Bluey's great respect and affection for each other comes to the fore when Bluey tries everything to protect Monica and Monica insists that there is only one thing to be done - to use herself as bait.'

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):

'GEOFF EASTMAN: About 27, tall, good looking and a killer. He doesn't care that he gets other people in trouble as long as he gets what he wants.

'FRED RANDALL: Around the same age as Eastman. He's weak, and goes along with the one who's holding the upper hand.

'TRACY CARTER: Late 20's. Attractive Street Girl. Heart of gold.

'INSPECTOR ARTHUR FERRIS: Established.

'SERGEANT WILLIAMS: Homicide cop. Like any other.

'EDITOR: In his late 40's. Knows his job.

'FORENSIC: Happy in his work.

'COP *2: (DRIVES. NO LINES) Seen once.

'COP *1: Seen once.

'POLICE ARTIST: Good with a pencil.

'EXTRA: Body in Supermarket.'

'Anyone would think she was a potty, old, cockney woman. But Gary and Monica don't think so and they talk Bluey into taking on the case of a supposed Homicide - several months old.

'A night in the cemetery, a night in a funeral parlour, an Angel of Death; all add up to a strange and intriguing jigsaw of extortion and murder.

'Bluey is given little help by the woman who sees herself a little like Agatha Christie and intends to do her own investigation. Bluey is hard pressed to save her from the Angel of Death.'

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):

'ELSIE HUNTER: A cheerful, fat and garrulous cockney woman of perhaps 65 summers. Although suffering from a "heart condition", Elsie is loud-mouthed and vulgar, and believes in the old adage "If you've got it, show it". The rubies and diamonds that cluster round her neck, ears and fingers are all real, and she is hardly ever seen without her mink stole.

'CHRIS: 24/25. All the open cockney charm and baby blue eyes you could wish for - hiding a mean, vicious and calculating soul. He has adopted the role of "angel of death" and spends his life conning the aged rich into surrendering to his charms. It is essential that he is of the earth, earthy, and that Else could recognise in him a brother under the skin.

'SPENCER: Tall, dark haired and angular, about 40 or 45. Has three distinct aspects to his personality - the urbane, fawning funeral director, the "ordinary" Spencer, not nearly so well spoken as the first, but still with a certain amount of style, and the real Spencer - a small time cockney con-man.

'FRANCIS: The tubby, meticulous, well-mannered and well-manicured mortician. And age, I guess, but 35 to 45 might be best. Trim, neat, dapper, and a nervous nelly at heart. Almost certainly he has no sex life, and subjugates any desires in this area to his dedication to his profession.

'MRS. TANNER: Else's next door neighbour. Nouveau riche, early 30's. Her husband might be a newly successful bank manager or the like. Friendly enough, but likes the display of money. Middle class trendy, if you like.

'HARRY: An aged crim widower, now living at an old folk's home. As angular as Elsie is rotund. A mournful soul these days, the spark of life having been knocked out of him. Elsie re-awakens it!

'ARCHIE: The grave-digger. About 45-50. A cheerful and talkative man whose personality is completely at variance with the popular conception of his occupation. Likes a laugh and a beer, and takes great pride in his work.

'APPRENTICE: A gormless youth whom Archie is teaching the trade of grave digging. Big and muscular with an IQ of 2, but a happy smile withall.

'BODY: A pleasant looking lad.

'MRS. MITCHELL: About 195. Is almost totally deaf, and wears pebble lenses so thick that any step she takes becomes, for her, the equivalent of Hilary conquering Everest.

'CAT: A mangy beast that keeps the mortuary free of rats.'

'A person dies, but the memory lingers on. Unfortunately, in some cases, the memory does more harm than good. This is the case of Steven Berry.

'A father's reputation in crime 15 years ago is brought to light at his death and the son must learn to cope with the malicious and doubting attitudes of a world quick to judge a man, not for himself alone, but for the stigma attached to his father.

'Rejected by the parents of the girl he is to marry, Steven goes through an emotional upheaval which leads him to the brink of suicide. However, outside influences take a hand and he finds himself embroiled in a one-way situation - a seige [sic] with hostages.

'Bluey finds it difficult to deal with such an explosive problem especially with other members of the police force hindering his every move. His unorthodox approach places him at the other end of a gun - as a hostage.

'An enforced wedding ceremony, and events take a turn for the worst; a long day ending in tragedy.'

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):

'STEVE BERRY 23. A good looking young man. Totally sympathetic. He is completely in love with Sue and his world is shattered when their wedding is called off. A set of circumstances gradually wear him down from a frightened man to one who sees his only salvation being at the right end of a gun.

'SUE GOLDING 20. Attractive. A slightly weak person because she is torn between two loves. That of Steve's and that of her parents. As Steve's character weakens, hers gets stronger. She does love and care for Steve.

'BERT GOLDING 45. The ruler of the family. His word goes. He and his wife, Tina, have over the years, lost a certain amount of closeness. To Bert, position in a community is very important. He refuses to believe Sue knows what she is doing. A protector.

'TINA GOLDING 40. She cares for Sue much more than she cares for Bert. A woman prone to hysteria - but nothing like this has ever happened to her before and her safe world is threatened.

'IDA BERRY 45. A woman who has seen a lot of life. Has no trouble with reality. She loved her husband and equally loves her son. Kind and warm.

'INSPECTOR BILL DERMOT 40 ish. Duty Officer. Operates by the book. Generalises his cases. His whole experience in siege situations is aimed at protecting the innocent - the man with the gun is the enemy - a person not to know.

'PRIEST Catholic.

'MOURNERS (3) Men of about 45/50.

'P/C #1

'P/C #2 Young and efficient cops.

'P/C #3

'P/C #4 Dermot's sharpshooters.'

'Susan Martin is very fortunate to have Sergeant Monica Rourke answer her cry of rape. However, even with the support of Monica, she has a lonely ordeal ahead of her.

'Bluey and Gary do not share Monica's belief that Susan is an innocent victim as there is a great deal of lying on the girl's part. This, coupled with a dubious past, gives them every reason to doubt her story. It will take much more than Monica's "gut feeling" to make Bluey believe Susan is justified in her complaint.

'The age old conflict of who is guilty in such a situation rears its head and accusations and lies from several quarters do nothing to help Department B in its search for the truth.

'And there is always the thought that the rapist will strike again - perhaps at the same woman.'

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):

'SUSAN MARTIN: 30 years old. A very pretty woman. Married, but separated from her husband. Susan's a sweet-kind-vulnerable woman, caught up in her own emotional needs, not really knowing what they are. In no way is she helped by her husband or boyfriend.

'HENRY MARTIN: 32 years old. Susan's husband. Goodlooking [sic] in a weak way - no real backbone - He loves his wife, but his work becomes his life, thus throwing Susan into the arms of another, more alive man. Henry hasn't the strength of character to really try to win her back.

'JACK STEVENS: 28 years old. Handsome with a rough, back to nature, look. The sort of man most women in Susan's position, fall for, only to live to regret it. Jack's cruel, selfish, without any real feelings for anyone but himself.

'ROGER STEVENS: 25 years old. Jack's brother. Like Jack, he's handsome and still has the look of an innocent about him. Roger hasn't the way with women that Jack has. He has more feelings, but is unable to show them in the usual way.

'KATIE COOPER: 17 years old. Very pretty. A little vague. She's scared stiff of Bluey, fancy's [sic] Gary. The sort of girl you'd invite to a party, because of her attractiveness and sense of fun.

'MR. TIMMS: 55 years old. A weasel type character. Nosy, loves peeking into other people's windows. A little creepy, but no real harm in him.

'P.C. BEECHER: 21 years old. Young and attractive. Quite new to the force. He's heard a lot about Bluey, but never really believed it until he meets him. He's likeable and eager to learn.

'DRUNK: 40 years old. Ordinary looking, business type man. Still quite athletic looking. (NOT YOUR USUAL DRUNK) Just a man who's been on a magnificent celebrating spree after hearing some wonderful news. Unfortunately it lands him in trouble.

'PHOTOGRAPHER: 30 years old. Knows and likes his job. He's photographed a hundred women like Susan and tends to get easily irritated with them.

'EXTRAS IN GYM (2) Athletic types (No lines)

'VKC (V.O.)

'TWO POLICEMEN (UNIFORMED) Young. Middle twenties (No lines)'.

Note 1: Between the writing of these character notes and production, the character of the photographer was changed from male to female.

Note 2: The character notes show signs of minor annotation in blue ink (for example, closing the brackets in 'VKC (V.O.)' and correcting 'TWO POLICEMAN' to 'TWO POLICEMEN'.

'At first there is nothing untoward about a hit-run but Gary, feeling pangs of guilt in letting the driver of the vehicle slip through his fingers, starts to probe and comes up with much more than he bargained for.

'There is one puzzling feature to this case. Why would the victim, of such relatively poor means, take out such a large insurance policy on his life? It would seem that the beneficiary is equally bemused.

'Gary digs into the world of insurance and finds that there is no such thing as a perfect system and, in turn, has to try and prove there is no such thing as a perfect crime.

'A closely guarded secret comes to the fore and in solving one death, Bluey and Gary uncover a story of two other "accidental" deaths.'

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):

'JUDY BROWNING: She's in her late twenties and is showing slight signs of wear from the professional life she has led. She's quite attractive without being stunning and has a good figure.

'DAVID COLSON: Late thirties and a mousy little man. Short sighted, short hair, insignificant. His clothes still belong to ten years ago when his mother still bought them for him. (SIMILAR BUILD AND COLOURING TO JOE PATTERSON)

'MRS MOLLY BARBOUR: She runs a comfortable South Melbourne boarding house where the guests are members of the family as Truscott soon finds out. Her husband vanished years ago much to her relief. She's about forty five and has a sort of matronly sensuality.

'HOWARD CORCORAN: An insurance investigator of about fifty who must have been in the army. His clothes and his moustache reek of the old left right, left right.

'CHARLEY WATSON: 60+ and a longstanding border [sic] at the Barbour establishment. He's on the pension which keeps him from sleeping under bridges.

'JOE PATTERSON: Same age and size as Colson. If he lived a bit longer the alcohol would have killed him anyway.

'OLD MAN AND WOMAN: Aged and infirm arguing couple.

'UNIFORMED POLICEMAN: A week ago he was a cadet.

'STUNT DRIVER.'

Note: A character whose note simply reads 'Waitress' has been crossed off the character list in black ink. The character's name has been crossed out so thoroughly that it is indistinguishable.

'When Bluey cannot get the co-operation he wants from the Assistant Commissioner, he sets up an elaborate ruse using Truscott, and nearly loses him a close friend. [sic]

'Department B has been given the job of investigating Lonely Hearts Clubs which are somehow involved in burglary of houses whilst women are out on dates set up through the clubs.

'Things start to go wrong when Truscott, in the process of investigating an office, is caught red handed and it appears that he will have to serve time for breaking and entering unless Bluey can come up with a plan to get him off. Bluey's plan, however, gets Truscott into more trouble.'

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):

'BERNIE FIELD Around 35, fair looks, but nothing special. He runs a small chain of lonely hearts clubs which he uses to his criminal advantage.

'GEORGE BURROUGHS 40, a grotty little man, who runs a grotty little club. He works for Field, but runs a prostitution racket on the side.

'ARTHUR RICE 30. works [sic] for Burroughs, knows the ins and outs of the business but is more interested in the prostitution side of the job.

'WALLY WATERS 35/6, a good thief who has the respect of the police as a square shooter. It is only by accident that anyone gets hurts when he works, but that's no excuse.

'JUNE PETERS 40 odd, a lonely woman, looking for companionship. Victim of the racket.

'JOHN LEACH Not at all good looking, inthe [sic] same age group as June. He isa [sic] male equivalent of her.

'FAT SALLY Wow. Around 35. Very large but a delightful person. Sense of humour and happy.

'FORENSIC MAN Happy in his work.

'DETECTIVE Knows how to tap a phone.

'UNIFORM P/c [sic] Seen once.

'GIRL Bash victim.

'BEAUTY Young, ravishing -'.

'Bluey faces one of the most difficult decisions in his life on the force when a close friend and colleague is kidnapped and held hostage in exchange for a crim in Bluey's custody.

'The Assistant Commissioner will not yield to these terrorist actions and Bluey has to come up with a darn good plan in order to get his friend back - alive.

'Bluey tries to buy time in order to find the kidnappers, little realizing that he is on the wrong track. By the time he realizes the error it looks as if Bluey will lose, not only the crim in his custody, but also his friend.

'It is then that Bluey plays his hand just as dirtily and nastily as the people he has to deal with.'

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):

'JOE FULCHER Late forties. A rugged, hard bitten violent man with a working class background. Reared in atmosphere of violence and acceptance of law breaking, the oldest off-spring of the Fulcher family. A hostile anti-social group who drew strength from their collective stand against an establishment they were convinced thought itself better than they. An engrained belief that the establishment deserved an insult or loss by their hand. And success against the establishment was a family celebration. Congratulations. A family sense of pride. A strengthening of family loyalty. A concentration of their collective hatred against society and especially the symbol of the society and its repressions directed against them .... the police force. JOE carries this family heritage as a series of automatic emotional responses that will at time [sic] of stress and insecurity, over-ride his common sense and self control. He's an ambitious man. Has taken responsibility of his two younger brothers to widen their prospects .... to move from the small-time mentality of the family, to ambitious works and in this regard he has shown a considerable skill. And success. Feels an over-powering need to protect his young sister. This is motivated two-fold. By his concept of the family versus establishment's hostility. And by his continuing guilt over the oldest sister's suicide.

'PAUL HENDY Mid-thirties. Educated but draws little comfort or reassurance from it. Sensitive and ashamed of it. An upward achiever who finds himself introverted ...... and suffers an edge of tension because of it. Insecure and a seeker of approval from others. Something of a physical coward ... but intelligent. Coldly calculating. Ruthless with deep feelin [sic] of others, and perceptive enough to see some of his own shortcomings, and be both vaguely amused and frustrated with them.

'SWANSON Early thirties. Tall. Thick set. A straight forward aggressive approach to life. Doesn't let anything complicate his life for too long. He shapes people to fit his needs and if that fails or frustrates him his solution is aggressively simple .... thump or kill. He likes to eat. Likes to be physical in the way he moves. His bulk, his fitness, reassures him. He moves on a person with his physical presence. Domineering them physically. And he likes to dominate.

'ESMA FULCHER: Late twenties. Quiet. Sweet natured. Intelligent and ashamed of her family. But retaining at the same time a sense of family loyalty. An unhappy person.

'AL FULCHER: Late thirties. Cocky but easily thrown. He draws support from herd conformity and hints at anything less than total family support fill him with an uneasiness that projects itself .... together with all other emotions .... straight onto his face. Violent.

'PETE FULCHER Late twenties. Good looking in a working class, slightly overweight, obvious manner. He thinks himself more cunning and clever than is the reality. Tends to look to Joe ... or Al for his lead. Untrustworthy. Unreliable. Violent.

'STRIPPER: Late twenties. A stripper.'

'It seems that Department B is to be closed down and Bluey forced into retirement. Their last case is to investigate and close the operations of a faith healer and in doing so, Bluey ends up with a touch of stardust settling on him.

'Bluey's will to survive is taken from him when there seems little he can do to stop the closing of the department and his enforced retirement. But Monica, Gary and Truscott have other plans and do not intend to see Bluey give up without a fight.

'Everyone needs faith in someone or something and this is what Bluey learns when he comes face to face with a man whose purpose in life is to give faith to others.'

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):

'RONALD BENFIELD HAMLIN 33 years old. An extremely handsome man with eyes that seem to bore right through you, exposing your inner most [sic] thoughts. His hands are quite beautiful and since a child has had a certain talent for easing pain and mental anguish with them. Over the years, Ronald's belief in himself as a healer has grown, but to many, he's nothing but a Con-Man. To his followers he's a "Prince", "Mr. Stardust", because he seems to sprinkle a little here, a little there. At heart, Ronald's a simple man who's [sic] ego, matured by others, blinds him to his own limitations.

'LILLY MORRIS 26 years old. Pretty as a picture on the surface, but underneath? Well that's another story. She knows how limited Ronald's powers are, but she also sees the money they can make from it. Deep inside she loves Ronald, but money has a stronger hold. When things go wrong, Lilly decides it's time to quit, leave, taking what she can with her, but then you can never tell what a woman will do when faced with a crisis, or the law.

'JAKE HOBBS 68 years old. A retired copper. One of the old school of policemen who saw good in even the hardest crim. And old friend of Bluey's. In the last six months, Jake's become desperately ill, against the wishes of his doctors and his daughter he turns to Ronald for help and receives it. When the power fails, Jake sticks by Ronald.

'JANEY HOBBS 38 years old. Jake's daughter. A pleasantly plump, motherly type. She doesn't agree with Jake about Ronald, but is powerless to stop her father going to him and giving him all his money. The one thing she has to agree with her father on, Ronald does seem to stop a lot of her father's pain. In the beginning that is.

'PEGGY MOSS 25 years old. Peggy is pregnant and has been warned by the doctors that she could lose her baby if she doesn't have special care. Peggy ignores them and goes to see Ronald. Ronald gives her great comfort and belief in herself. Like Jake, she's warned and ignores it.

'TED MOSS 25 years old. He loves his wife and like her, wants his baby. He distrusts Ronald and calls him a Con-Man. When Peggy won't listen to him, Ted calls the police, complaining about Ronald. When he thinks the police aren't doing their job well enough, he takes the law into his own hands. Not a bad man, just an emotionally upset one.

'BETTE TAYLOR 46 years old. Still a very attractive woman. Widowed and rich. She gos to Ronald for one reason only. He gives her belief in herself. If she is attracted to his looks, you'd never get her to admit it. She's not a silly woman, just lonely. (BETTE IS PRONOUNCED BET)

'MOU MOIR 47 years old. A happy face, but underneath needing the help that Ronald can give her far more than Bette Taylor. She's married and doesn't mind admitting to a sort of sexual attraction to Ronald. Like Bette Taylor, she's not a silly woman.

'DOCTOR (HOSPITAL) 35 years old. Compassionate. Efficient.

'POLICE DOCTOR 34 years old. Nobody's fool. Dislikes people like Hamlin.

'MARY FELLOWS 18 years old. A deaf mute.'

A crossover episode between Bluey and Homicide: in the wake of Bluey's (ultimately non-fatal) shooting, the Russell Street homicide department get involved, in the form of Don Barker (Det. Sgt. Harry White).

'Tip-offs are usually welcomed by police, but Bluey is far from happy when an anonymous note tells the authorities who killed Noel Allan Cornish. However, even Bluey couldn't possibly foresee the disaster that would follow in the wake of such information. Department B is rocked to its very foundation.

'Much against his better judgement, Bluey becomes involved in checking out the tip .. and he pays the absolute penalty.

'With Bluey out of the way, Monica finds running the Department, keeping Gary in check and handling the Assistant Commissioner is more than she can cope with. Not even Truscott's help is assistance enough to forestall the day of reckoning looming for Department B.

'Gary, with no restraining hand over him, all but runs amok. In the best Bluey traditions, he tosses away the book and goes in boots and all. His rough, tough approach to the investigation stamps him a worthy "Son of Bluey".'

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):

'JENNY: IN HER EARLY TWENTIES, JENNY LIVES UP TO TRUSCOTT'S ASSESSMENT OF HER - "A SEXY YOUNG BIT". BUT IN REGARDS SEX, SHE'S MORE LANDROVER THAN ROLLS ROYCE - HANDLES THE GOING BEST WHEN THINGS ARE A BIT ROUGH. MORE YOUR R THAN RR. SHE'S A FUN KID WHEN SHE'S IN THE MOOD FOR FUN. SHE'S A WILDCAT WHEN IT COMES TO A FIGHT.

'JOEY RAVEN: ABOUT THE SAME AGE AS JENNY, JOEY HAS LIVED ON THE FRINGE OF THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT MOST OF HIS LIFE. BUT THAT'S THE STORY OF HIS LIFE ... ALWAYS ON THE FRINGE. HE'S NEVER COME TO TERMS WITH WOMEN - PARTICULARLY JENNY. HE'S USUALLY AS EMBARRASSED AS HELL IN HER PRESENCE BUT HE ENJOYS BEING THERE. HE HAS A SOFT SPOT FOR DOUG, TOO - A SILENT "FRINGE" MATESHIP OF A KIND BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS WITH JOEY VERY MUCH THE SECOND STRING.

CAR DRIVING REQUIRED.

'DOUG STEWART DOUG, IN HIS THIRTIES, IS A BIT OF A MYSTERY MAN. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHETHER HIS RETICENCE IS THE RESULT OF CAUTION (PERHAPS HE HAS SOMETHING TO HIDE) OR WHETHER IT IS SIMPLY PART OF HIS MAKE-UP. HE HAS A LONG CRIMINAL RECORD DUE MAINLY TO A LACK OF SELF-CONTROL IN A CRISIS. WHEN HE DOES HIS BLOCK HIS FISTS FLY BLINDLY - NO DIFFERENCE WHETHER IT'S A MAN OR A WOMAN ON THE RECEIVING END. BUT WHEN HE'S DOWN EMOTIONALLY, HE'S RIGHT DOWN. HE'S A VICTIM OF DEEP-SEATED INSECURITY AND DOUBTS.

'RHODA LEWIS: ABOUT THE SAME AGE AS DOUG, RHODA WAS HIS DE FACTO FOR MANY YEARS .. AND SHE'S MUCH MORE DOUG'S STYLE AND SPEED THAN JENNY IS. SHE WANTS TO RE-ESTABLISH THEIR EARLIER RELATIONSHIP AT ALL COSTS. WHETHER IT'S DOUG SHE WANTS OR WHETHER IT'S THE KEY DOUG MIGHT HOLD, WE DON'T KNOW.

'MATRON: A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN BLUEY ... BUT SHE'S A MATCH FOR HIM. WHAT SHE MAY LOSE TO HIM IN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE SHE MORE THAN COMPENSATES FOR THROUGH HER POSITION OF AUTHORITY AND THE SECURITY OF HER RELIGIOUS HABIT.

'SERGEANT TAYLOR: A SERGEANT IN THE HOMICIDE SQUAD - A SUBORDINATE IN ALL WAYS TO INSPECTOR FERRIS.

'NURSE: YOUNG AND PRETTY, WITH A BOTTOM JUST THE RIGHT SIZE FOR BLUEY TO GET HIS HANDS AROUND.

'SISTER: EFFICIENT, WITH THE AUTHORITY YOU WOULD EXPECT TO FIND IN ONE HOLDING SUCH A POSITION. SHE READILY CO-OPERATES WITH ALL HIGHER AUTHORITY - PARTICULARLY THE POLICE.

'DOCTOR: A YOUNG RESIDENT MEDICAL OFFICER OF SOME THREE OR FOUR YEARS STANDING.

'ORDERLY: A HOSPITAL ORDERLY.

'POLICE PHOTOGRAPHER.'