| Special Squad | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Starring | Alan Cassell Anthony Hawkins John Diedrich |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 43 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Hector Crawford Ian Crawford Terry Stapleton |
| Producers | Raymond Menmuir Ross Jennings |
| Production company | Crawford Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Network Ten |
| Release | 1984 |
Special Squad is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for Network Ten in 1984.
Overview
The series focused on an elite division of the Victoria Police, which handled crimes either too sensitive or specialist for regular squads. The Special Squad was headed by Det. Insp. Don Anderson (Alan Cassell), with his main operatives being Det. Snr. Sgt. Greg Smith (Anthony Hawkins), and Det. Sgt. Joel Davis (John Diedrich).
Special Squad was seen by some as an Australian answer to the British series The Professionals both for its focus on action and violence, and the fact that both programs were produced by Raymond Menmuir;[1] story consultant Gerry O'Hara also worked on both shows.[2] It was suggested in the press that the show was the most expensive yet made for Australian television; John Diedrich told writer/actor Barry Dickins that the show cost A$5 million.[3] The first series was sold to Paramount Pictures for international distribution.[4]
Special Squad lasted 43 episodes in total. In 2023, Crawfords produced a box set of all episodes on DVD.
Cast
Main
- Alan Cassell as Det. Insp. Don Anderson
- John Diedrich as Det. Sgt. Joel Davis
- Anthony Hawkins as Det. Snr. Sgt. Greg Smith
Guests
- Abigail as Mrs Quinn (1 episode)
- Daniel Abineri as Dillon (episode 41: "Mad Mountain Mumma")
- Elizabeth Alexander as Edith (episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link")
- Julianna Allan (episode 4: "Easy Street")
- Christine Amor as Robyn Symons (1 episode)
- David Argue as Bazza (1 episode)
- Ronne Arnold as Kwan (episode 23: "Big Bad World")
- Lesley Baker (episode 5: "Counterfeit Lady")
- Vincent Ball (2 episodes)
- Bruce Barry as Sloan (episode 6: "The Long Secret")
- Briony Behets as Rhonda Watson (1 episode)
- Francis Bell as Burnett (episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link")
- Pat Bishop as Barbara Prowse (1 episode)
- Steve Bisley as T-Bar (1 episode)
- Jon Blake as Pig (episode 13: "Jacko")
- Betty Bobbitt as Daisy (episode 32: "Until Death")
- Tony Bonner as Carver (1 episode)
- Nigel Bradshaw as Gant (episode 1: "Trojan Horses")
- Shane Briant as Ian Cummings (episode 14: "Slow Attack")
- Scott Burgess as Michael
- Antoinette Byron (1 episode)
- Simon Chilvers as Maguire (episode 12: "The Golden Run")
- Jane Clifton (1 episode)
- Norman Coburn as Griffin (episode 5: "Counterfeit Lady")
- Robert Coleby (1 episode)
- Diane Craig (1 episode)
- Peter Curtin as Thomas (episode 13: "Jacko")
- Leslie Dayman as Mr Fitzgerald
- Marina Finlay as Suzie (1 episode)
- Mercia Deane-Johns as Molly (1 episode)
- Myra De Groot as Grace Kiddell (1 episode)
- Gosia Dobrowolska (1 episode)
- Carmen Duncan as Lorraine (episode 9: "Same Time Friday")
- Tommy Dysart as Scottie / Bingo Caller (2 episodes)
- Nicholas Eadie as Driscoll (episode 18: "The Chen Legacy")
- Maureen Edwards (episode 4: "Easy Street")
- John Ewart as Mungo Lennox
- Michele Fawdon as Maggie
- Willie Fennell as Sol Greenberg (episode 32: "Until Death")
- Peter Fisher (1 episode)
- Deborra-Lee Furness as Liz Jenkins (episode 6: "The Long Secret")
- Frank Gallacher as Slater
- Roslyn Gentle as Judith Deans
- Vincent Gil as The Blindman (episode 16: "War")
- Terry Gill (1 episode)
- Tottie Goldsmith as Fiona (episode 9: "Same Time Friday")
- Vic Gordon as Dr. John Perry (episode 15: "Country Girl")
- Reg Gorman as Ryan (episode 1: "Trojan Horses")
- Lucky Grills as Earwig
- Robert Grubb as Sims (1 episode)
- Jennifer Hagan as Rachel (episode 21: "A Wild Oat")
- Billie Hammerberg (1 episode)
- Chris Haywood as Carter (episode 6: "The Long Secret")
- Frankie J. Holden (3 episodes)
- Liddy Holloway as Mrs. Tait (episode 1: "Trojan Horses")
- Brian James as Bert (episode 22: "Mates")
- John Jarratt as Michael Cohen (episode 39: "The Haunting")
- Bartholomew John as John Sutton (episode 14: "Slow Attack")
- Ivar Kants as Scalese / Denning
- Paul Karo as Scaffer / Skinny
- Norman Kaye (2 episodes)
- Gerard Kennedy as Harry Tait (1 episode)
- Trevor Kent as Doggy Barker (episode 4: "Easy Street")
- Maxine Klibingaitis as Chico (episode 37: "Pigs")
- Alwyn Kurts as Teddy
- Nina Landis as Lisa (episode 10: "Duel")
- Bruno Lawrence as Arthur Poole
- Serge Lazareff (1 episode)
- Alan David Lee as Jimmy Steele
- Lorna Lesley as Sharon (1 episode)
- Michael Long (1 episode)
- Gerard Maguire as Hansen (episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link")
- Dina Mann as Mandy (episode: "The Set-Up")
- Bryan Marshall as Calvin (episode 18: "The Chen Legacy")
- Monica Maughan as Mrs Trane (1 episode)
- Ricky May as Mandrake
- Rhys McConnochie as Mathieson (episode 21: "A Wild Oat")
- Terry McDermott (episode 13: "Jacko")
- Ian McFadyen as Evans
- Judith McGrath (episode 26: "Farewell to a Comrade")
- Sally McKenzie as Rosetta
- John McTernan as Ted (episode 22: "Mates")
- Ben Mendelsohn as Spud (episode 14: "Slow Attack")
- Jane Menelaus as Penny (1 episode)
- Gus Mercurio as Haliwell (episode 38: "Mombasa")
- Maggie Millar as Joyce (episode 30: "The Patchwork")
- Dennis Miller as Finch
- Brian Moll as Charlie Everett (episode 14: "Slow Attack")
- Gennie Nevinson as Kate (episode 32: "Until Death")
- Tom Oliver as Tobin
- John Orcsik as Ted Rafferty
- Anne Phelan as Ma Robinson (episode 33: "Ghosts")
- Max Phipps (2 episodes)
- Robin Ramsay as Massini (episode 30: "The Patchwork")
- Glenn Robbins (episode 21: "A Wild Oat")
- Wyn Roberts (3 episodes)
- Tim Robertson as Roberts (episode 2: "The Expert")
- Ilona Rodgers as Helen Anderson (episode 32: "Until Death")
- Sean Scully (2 episodes)
- Dinah Shearing
- Louise Siversen as Laura (episode 4: "Easy Street")
- Alister Smart as Haskell (episode 21: "A Wild Oat")
- James Smillie as Donaghue (episode 9: "Same Time Friday")
- Bruce Spence as Professor (1 episode)
- Peter Sumner as Nick Hardy (1 episode)
- Red Symons as Warton (episode 9: "Same Time Friday")
- Nick Tate as Harris
- Grigor Taylor as Bob Daley (episode 23: "Big Bad World")
- Gil Tucker as Hammond (episode 41: "Mad Mountain Mumma")
- Martin Vaughan as Ben Alexander
- Roger Ward as Bill Foster / Peaches (2 episodes)
- Ken Wayne as Ted Baker
- Frank Wilson as Dorahee
- John Wood (2 episodes)
- Jackie Woodburne as Sharon (episode 22: "Mates")
Episode list
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Trojan Horses" | TBD | TBD | |
| 2 | 2 | "The Expert" | Arch Nicholson | John Upton | |
| 3 | 3 | "Code of Silence" | TBD | Vince Moran | 1984 |
| 4 | 4 | "Easy Street" | TBD | TBD | |
| 5 | 5 | "Counterfeit Lady" | Patrick Edgeworth | Arch Nicholson | |
| 6 | 6 | "The Long Secret" | Unknown | Shane Brennan | 22 July 1984 |
| 7 | 7 | "The Second Mr Swift" | TBD | TBD | |
| 8 | 8 | "The Wurzburg Link" | TBD | TBD | |
| 9 | 9 | "Same Time Friday" | Chris Langman | David Wilks and Gerry O'Hara | |
| 10 | 10 | "Duel" | Arch Nicholson | Luis Bayonas | |
| 11 | 11 | "The Set Up" | Paul Moloney | John Upton | |
| 12 | 12 | "The Golden Run" | Ranald Graham | Catherine Millar | |
| 13 | 13 | "Jacko" | Arch Nicholson | Luis Bayonas | |
| 14 | 14 | "Slow Attack" | Paul Maloney | Philip Dalkin | |
| 15 | 15 | "Country Girl" | Arch Nicholson | Cliff Green | |
| 16 | 16 | "War" | Catherine Millar | Everett De Roche and Vince Moran | |
| 17 | 17 | "Wild Man" | Paul Moloney | Ranald Graham | |
| 18 | 18 | "The Chen Legacy" | Chris Langman | Shane Brennan | |
| 19 | 19 | "Child Of Fortune" | Tim Burstall | Ranald Graham | |
| 20 | 20 | "Business As Usual" | Mark Joffe | Shane Brennan and Kris Steele | |
| 21 | 21 | "A Wild Oat" | Brian Trenchard-Smith | Leon Saunders | |
| 22 | 22 | "Mates" | Rob Stewart | Luis Bayonas | |
| 23 | 23 | "Big Bad World" | Howard Rubie | Cliff Green | |
| 24 | 24 | "Early Birds" | Rob Stewart | Michael Harvey | |
| 25 | 25 | "The Bribe" | TBD | TBD | |
| 26 | 26 | "Farewell to a Comrade" | Michael Caulfield | Shane Brennan | |
| 27 | 27 | "In The Cause Of Justice" | TBD | TBD | |
| 28 | 28 | "Hot Streets" | TBD | Michael Aitkens | |
| 29 | 29 | "Killer" | TBD | TBD | |
| 30 | 30 | "The Patchwork" | TBD | David Phillips | |
| 31 | 31 | "Brothers" | TBD | TBD | |
| 32 | 32 | "Until Death" | Rod Hardy | Vince Moran | |
| 33 | 33 | "Ghosts" | TBD | Vince Gil | |
| 34 | 34 | "The Haley Inheritance" | Colin Budds | Shane Brennan | |
| 35 | 35 | "Suzie's War" | Dan Burstall | Luis Bayonas | |
| 36 | 36 | "Return Of The Cat" | John Power | John Upton | |
| 37 | 37 | "Pigs" | Ken Cameron | Shane Brennan | |
| 38 | 38 | "Mombasa" | TBD | TBD | |
| 39 | 39 | "The Haunting" | Tim Burstall | Luis Bayonas | |
| 40 | 40 | "Rotten Apple" | TBD | TBD | |
| 41 | 41 | "Mad Mountain Mumma" | TBD | TBD | |
| 42 | 42 | "Life After Teddy" | Collin Budds | Shane Brennan | |
| 43 | 43 | "Gone For The Doctor" | TBD | TBD |
Home media
In January 2023 Crawford Productions announced that the series would be released on DVD in March 2023.
On 31 May 2023 Crawford Productions released the complete series on DVD.
| Title | Format | Ep # | Discs | Region 4 (Australia) | Special Features | Distributors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Squad (Complete Series) | DVD | 43 | 09 | 31 May 2023 | None | Crawford Productions |
References
- ↑ Garrie Hutchison, "Special Squad: Gloss Can't Hide Faults" Melbourne Age 16 August 1984 p. 35
- ↑ Tim Cribb, 'Crawford's Cops Return' Sydney Morning Herald 'The Guide' section, 20 August 1984, p. 2
- ↑ Barry Dickins 'Take Ten - in the Pigeon Coop' Melbourne Age 'Green Guide' section, 31 January 1985 p. 9
- ↑ Tim Cribb, 'Crawford's Cops Return' Sydney Morning Herald 'The Guide' section, 20 August 1984, p. 2
External links
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