AustLit

'Tom Jessup, a hack journalist recently returned from the United States, is murdered in a sleazy hotel room. He is buried, apparently penniless and unmourned.

'But then, into Melbourne's International Airport, jets Ms. Terry Davis, a castrating American in the Germaine Greer mould, who presides over an international fashion empire. She summons Ryan and instructs him to find Jessup's murderer and the $250,000 she gave Jessup to set up an Australian branch of her organisation.

'Ryan - his masculinity bristling - does just that, but meantime there are two bizarre attempts on Terry's life and the exposure of a gigantic confidence trick. Ryan discovers elements in Ms. Davis' background and submits her to an emotional exorcism which leaves her older, sadder, - and infinitely more likeable.

'A feature of this episode is a quite unscheduled scene in which Ryan's Valiant Charger plunges into a lake at 70 m.p.h. The footage was so exciting (and, miraculously, no-one was hurt) that the script was hastily ammended [sic] to accommodate the event.'

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 DAVIS: American, early thirties, a Germaine Greer type. Extremely attractive, dynamic business woman who has built an empire. At the end of her association with Ryan, she softens considerably.

'ROBERT PRICE: 25-30. Practically everyone loathes him except his lover, Tom Jessup. He is a queer and there is some evidence of the fascination he holds for Jessup. He is given to hysterics, and forced to commit a murder. Drives a car.

'JOE MARTIN: 50's, a hardened, cynical but rather likeable newspaper editor who helps Ryan. Two solid scenes.

'THE CARETAKER: 40's - a large, brutish thug who has co-operated with Robert Price. The caretaker tangles with Ryan, so should look capable of fighting. He also has a dry line in stock criminal dialogue.

'JOHNNY QUINN: 35-45. A reporter acquaintance who helps Ryan. One scene, smart patter.

'LINDSAY: 50ish. Poses successfully as a man servant and conspires to kill Terry Davis. Handful of lines.

'MRS. AMES: 40ish - poses as a cook. One scene, no lines.

'MRS. DEWEY: 40-50. Prim and proper secretarial type at an employment agency. One scene with Tony in which she airs her views with impatience and without humour.

'MR. HEDLEY: 40-50. Everyone's idea of the manager of a funeral parlour. Solemn, solicitous, professionally mournful. One longish scene with Julie.

'THE FAKE TOM JESSUP: 40ish. Should be the same height and general type as the real one. Is murdered in the first segment but has a few lines with the caretaker and Price, and should be well cast to get the show off to a good start.

'THE REAL TOM JESSUP: 40ish. His main contribution is an extended chase and fight with Ryan. We don't see much of his face, but the glimpses we do get should suggest a ruthless attractiveness.

'SGT. CULLEN: Established.

'8/9 EXTRAS: (check budget) for airport arrival scene.'