SAMUEL JONAS - a widower just past sixty-five, alert, spritely, attractive, a nice human being.
LAURA CURTIS - in her mid-sixites, a pleasant, neat, devoted widow, modestly dressed; pleasing to the eye.
MIKE CURTIS - son of Laura, a mid-thirites, hard-driving young businessman, with a nervous stomach.
CYNTHIA MORSE - daughter of Samuel, a suburban matron, neurotic, well-dressed, good-looking.
ELEANOR - Mike's wife, the face and smile of an angel, the soul and strength of a tyrant.
DR. ARTHUR MORSE - psychiatrist, husband of Cynthia, son-in-law of Samuel. Himself a bit of a neurotic.
BRUCE MORSE - grandson of Samuel, son of Cynthia and Arthur, sophomore at Columbia, a nice young man with active libido.
ANGELA - a Barnard sophomore, with an angelic look and a relationship with Bruce.