person or book cover
Script cover page (from the Crawford Collection at the AFI Research Collection)
form y separately published work icon The Messenger Birds single work   film/TV   crime   thriller  
Alternative title: The Pigeon Carriers
Issue Details: First known date: 1972... 1972 The Messenger Birds
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'MOTOR CYCLE POLICEMAN:

'DETECTIVE CULLEN: Stock character.

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

Notes

  • This entry has been compiled from archival research in the Crawford Collection (AFI Research Collection), undertaken by Dr Catriona Mills under the auspices of the 2012 AFI Research Collection (AFIRC) Research Fellowship: see The Writer in Australian Television History.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

      1972 .
      person or book cover
      Script cover page (from the Crawford Collection at the AFI Research Collection)
      Extent: 85p.
      (Manuscript) assertion
      Note/s:
      • The script is copied on white paper and labelled 'Code: CIP' on the cover page. A notation in the upper right-hand corner indicates that this is copy number 10 of the script, but there is no indication of to whom the script is designated. '7' has been written on the cover page in black felt pen, although it aired as episode nine.
      • There are no apparent annotations on this copy of the script, but some indication that this is a copy of an annotated script (see, for example, page 58).
      • The file also contains the following ancillary material, access to some of which is restricted:
        1. Casting call sheets.
        2. Brief synopsis accompanied by cast and crew details.
        3. Longer synopsis accompanied by biographies for the script-writer and one of the script editors.

      Holdings

      Held at: AFI Research Collection
      Local Id: SC RYA : 9
Note: According to the cast list that accompanies this episode, Crawford and Swanson were credited as directors and Trevor as associate director.
Last amended 30 May 2013 16:33:06
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