'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.'
