Ackerman, Robert
The Grocer's Son. A bashful lad with a slow
and careful mode of speech and an all-American boy grin, Robbie
is especially fond of knock-knock jokes and puns.
Ashford, Peter
The Forlorn Lover. An easy-going guy with an
engagingly homely face, he's still carrying a torch for Eleanor
Phelps, who married somebody else. Her husband's a jerk, and
now she's a loony. Peter is really upset.
Bartholomew, Stanley
The Gambler. Bartholomew is a well known man-about-town,
financier, and professional gambler. He prefers poker, but he
deals in other games as well. (This part requires some knowledge
of card games
i.e.
poker and blackjack.)
Bennett, Alfred
The Butler. Alfred's been working for that society
dame, Arlene Astor, for the last year or two. He puts on airs
like the Duke of Windsor and is stuffier than a Thanksgiving
turkey. He's always doing his fingertips with an emery board.
Burgiss, Winston
The Eccentric Banker. An elderly gentleman with
silver hair and refined manners whose only character flaw is
that he is an unabashed practical joker, Winston is a champion
of innocent prisoners and non-violent criminals. In spite of
his colleagues' constant predictions that if he doesn't stop
hiding crooks in his basement and playing tricks on the police
department he will ultimately find himself in jail, Mr. Burgiss
continues to find amusement in frequent dallyings with gentlemen
of the underworld.
Burke, Anthony
The Scotland Yard Detective. Burke is a tall,
dark-haired young fellow with a high degree of personal integrity.
He is cool, dedicated, and doggedly determined once he has set
his mind to a task. He is an unusually good judge of character.
Cabrini, Bruno
Jason Cardonna's Gorilla. A tough guy, sleazy
and mean as a junkyard dog; big and ugly and carries a rod. Ex-Prizefighter
and Extortionist. Ya don't mess with Cardonna's torpedo.
Cardonna, Jason
The Gangster. Head of the Kane County Mob in
Illinois, a small gang allied to Capone's. Cardonna handles a
lot of Capone's loan shark operations now that Scarface himself
is in da slammer.
Carpenter, Tom
The Stage Magician. Tom is a performer, prestidigitator,
and artiste, always on the lookout for a fast buck. ALIAS:
"The Great Zanzibar."
Cavendish, Damon
The Customs Officer. A dedicated Federal Officer,
Damon sometimes ships on the R.M.S. Forbidden Territory during
his off-duty time to see what shenanigans the crew and guests
might be up to. A gung-ho kid who really wants to catch the bad
guys.
Chambers, Nick
The Truck Driver. A square-jawed, good lookin'
guy. He walks with a limp, but he's a real square joe.
Constantine, Paul
The Levantine. Constantine is a small-boned
man of medium height. His hair is black and smooth and very glossy,
and he wears an expensive cologne. A square-cut diamond stickpin
gleams on his deep green ascot. He favors dark alleys and secluded
corners. He's a bit wimpy, but people who pick on him tend to
have bad accidents.
Crane, Nathanial
The Investment Banker. A tall, delicate man
of fine sensibilitiesa
well-known man-about-town and prominent businessman, the scion
of a wealthy Boston family.
Crocker, Bob
The Deputy Sheriff. An easy-going cop whose
motto is "Leave Prohibition to the Feds. After all, It's
a Federal Law, ain't it?"
Cutter, Morris B.
The Safecracker. A mild-mannered little man
with gentle eyes and sandpapered fingertips.
"Daddykins"
The Sugar Daddy. A charming elderly banker who
recently had to send his wife to a nursing home. His only interest
in life is stamp collecting. Or wastill
he met Bee-Bee La Fontaine.
Deutch, Ian
The Socialite. A tall, lean fellow, with a deceptively
wiry build. He has an aristocratic air and speaks with a vaguely
British accent.
Driscoll, Richard
The Private Investigator. A tall, thin, darkly-handsome
man, Richard is a brilliant detective who runs a high class private
consulting firm in partnership with his wife. The two are always
debating which of them is the brains of the operation.
Eaton, Lord Philip
The Amateur Investigator. Lord Philip is one of them
well-heeled English swells. He likes solving all kinds of puzzles
and has cracked cases too tough for Scotland Yard. Hard to believe
a skinny Limey like him won medals in the trenches fighting the
Jerries.
Elliot, Frank
Freddie Matthews' Torpedo. A mottled face with
a square jaw, his fists are hard as rocks, Frank's job protect
Freddie Matthews' hide. To protect his own hide if Capone ever
finds out who really skimmed the money.
Enrico, Edward "Eddie"
The Smuggler. Liquor Runner; a member of the
Buffalo mob. A slimy character if ever ya saw one. He came to
town from Miami. I hear he works for da Mob down there.
Feldman, Sidney
The Club Manager. A sleazy louse who manages
the Chez Robert nightclub. He says he loves Peaches La
Roux, but she won't have any of it. I don't blame her. Never
trust a man with such shifty eyes.
Fontaine, Ralph
The Gigolo. This man is as sleazy as they come.
He makes his living "escorting" old ladies around,
but couldn't get a real date to save his life. He loves Carmen
Andalusia, but she can't stand him
Guttman, Nigel
The Fat Man. An enormously fat man with bulbous
pink cheeks, thick lips, and multiple chins. He has a great soft
egg of a belly and flabby arms. His small eyes are dark and penetrating.
He favors a cutaway coat, expensive vest, satin ascot tie with
a pink pearl pin, worsted trousers, and patent leather shoes.
His voice is a throaty purr. He drinks Johnny Walker whiskey
and smokes Coronas del Ritz cigars.
Howe, Woodford
The Stockbroker. A two-bit stockbroker who makes
his office in a small cabin aboard the floating nightclub Forbidden
Territory, where he does a good business. I hear he's about
to come into a large sum of moneysomething
about the death of a rich uncle.
Howlett, Geoffry
The Handsome Stranger. He just got to town.
Talks like he come from out East-Boston or Big Apple or somewhere.
Seems okay. He buys drinks for his pals.
Keldane, Dr. William
The Dentist. Dr. Keldane is a high-class dentist;
greatly in debt to the underworld.
Krabbe, Hon. Howard
The Small-Town Mayor. A big fish in a small
pond who made it where he is today by collecting "dirt"
on everyone and having his finger in every pie.
Liebowitz, Victor Trueman
The Mad Scientist. A Czechoslovakian physicist,
Dr. Liebowitz is the brain behind the new Death Ray. He is meek
and mild in his mannerisms, and appears to be harmless.
MacPherson, Miles
The Wastrel. Miles is a silver-haired, ruddy-cheeked,
old gee who has lost more money than most of us ever make. He
is a gifted raconteur, sportsman, and bon vivant; his
escapades have been the talk of four continents. Every decade
or so he does something so totally outrageous that he has to
flee the country. He is currently working with Blanche Montgomery
to put the finishing touches on his autobiography, which will
(as Miles is fond of telling his agent) TELL ALL.
Malone, Torrance "Chauncey"
The Bouncer. The big lummox is strong as an
ox, they say. And nearly as smart. ALIAS: "Chauncey."
(He hates to be called Torrance).
Marlowe, Gregory
The Air Corps Officer. Captain Marlowe has the
cool, clear eyes of a patriot, unwavering loyalty, and dedication
to duty.
Matthews, Freddie
Chief of the Derby Gang. Freddie is a bookie
and manager of the Hotel Delphinium, a clever and tricky mokker
if ya ever saw one. Watch your back when he's around.
Montpelier, Simon
The Art Gallery Clerk. A thin, rather frail
young man who takes himself altogether too seriously.
Pettigew, Dick
The Buzzer. A cheerful, brash young man with
a friendly but earnest personality. Dick was probably born in
a tuxedo with a martini glass in his hand.
Phelps, Roger
The Husband. A well-dressed man in his early
thirties, with a pointy nose and close-set eyes.
Powell, Dr. Graham
The Psychiatrist. Dr. Powell is a well known
and respected psychoanalyst. He has his own private asylum on
Long Island Sound, and he is urging Eleanor Phelps to sign her
commitment papers. His mistress, Michelle, is a high-flyer and
big time spender.
Puccini, Antonio "Weasel"
The Shyster. Puccini handles all of Jason Cardonna's
legal and paralegal activities. It is his job to keep Cardonna
out of prison.
Rama Shadd
The Punjabi Manservant. Rama Shadd is an amazingly
tall man, with strong hands and inscrutable features. He wears
a turban and full-length housecoat. In his sleeve Rama Shadd
carries a silk handkerchief with a Chinese coin knotted in each
end; it is his only weapon. He uses it as a garrote.
Sotello, Luigi "Louie the Gyp"
The Gunsel. A rat-faced little twerp, "Louie
the Gyp" has the nervous habit of rattling a pair of dice
in his left hand whenever he's nervous. Which is most of the
time. A man with an odd little secret.
Shayne, Ted
The Shamus. A gaunt-faced guy with a shuffling
walk, Shayne lives in a cold water flat next to the switchyards.
If you want a low-budget gumshoe, Shayne's your man. He needs
the work so he can get his rod out of hock. So what if his coat's
patched? He's smart, and he don't take nothing from nobody.
