Special Squad (Australian TV series)
Special Squad is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for Network Ten in 1984.
| 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, C.B.E. Ian Crawford Terry Stapleton |
| Producers | Raymond Menmuir Ross Jennings |
| Production company | Crawford Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | Network Ten |
| Original release | 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 many as an Australian answer to the British series The Professionals both for its focus on action and violence, and the fact that both series were produced by Raymond Menmuir. However, in reality the characters and plotlines were less developed than the British series.
The series lasted for 43 episodes in total.
Cast
Main cast
- Alan Cassell as Det. Insp. Don Anderson
- Anthony Hawkins as Det. Snr. Sgt. Greg Smith
- John Diedrich as Det. Sgt. Joel Davis
Guest stars
- Abigail as Mrs Quinn (1 episode)
- Alan David Lee as Jimmy Steele
- Alfred Bell
- Anne Phelan
- Antoinette Byron (1 episode)
- Bartholomew John
- Ben Mendelsohn as Spud (episode 14: "Slow Attack")
- Ben Roberts
- Betty Bobbitt as Daisy (episode 32: "Until Death")
- Billie Hammerberg (1 episode)
- Briony Behets as Rhonda Watson (1 episode)
- Bruce Spence as Professor (1 episode)
- Bruno Lawrence as Arthur Poole
- Bryan Marshall
- Carmen Duncan as Lorraine (1 episode)
- Christine Amor as Robyn Symons (1 episode)
- Deborra-Lee Furness as Liz Jenkins (episode 6: "The Long Secret")
- Dennis Grosvenor
- Desiree Smith
- Diane Craig (1 episode)
- Elizabeth Alexander as Edith (episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link")
- Frankie J. Holden (1 episode)
- Gennie Nevinson as Kate (episode 32: "Until Death")
- Gerard Kennedy as Harry Tait (1 episode)
- Gerard Maguire as Hansen
- Glenn Robbins (episode 22: "A Wild Oat")
- Gosia Dobrowolska (1 episode)
- Grigor Taylor as Bob Dailey
- Ian McFadyen as Evans
- Ilona Rodgers as Helen Anderson (episode 32: "Until Death")
- Ivar Kants as Scalese (2 episodes)
- Jackie Woodburne as Sharon (episode 22: "Mates")
- Jane Clifton (1 episode)
- Jane Menelaus as Penny (1 episode)
- John Ewart as Mungo Lennox
- John Orcsik
- Jon Blake as Pig
- Judith McGrath (episode 26: "Farewell to a Comrade")
- Julianna Allan (episode 4:: "Easy Street")
- Lesley Baker (episode 5: "Counterfeit Lady")
- Leslie Dayman as Mr Fitzgerald
- Liddy Holloway as Mrs. Tait (episode 1: "Trojan Horses")
- Lorna Lesley as Sharon (1 episode)
- Louise Siversen as Laura (1 episode)
- Maggie Millar as Joyce (episode 30: "The Patchwork")
- Maureen Edwards
- Maxine Klibingaitis as Chico (episode 37: "Pigs")
- Mercia Deane-Johns
- Michael Long
- Monica Maughan as Mrs Trane (1 episode)
- Myra De Groot as Grace Kiddell (1 episode)
- Nick Tate
- Norman Coburn as Griffin (episode 5: "Counterfeit Lady")
- Paul Karo as Scaffer / Skinny
- Peter Fisher (1 episode)
- Peter Sumner as Nick Hardy (1 episode)
- Robert Coleby (1 episode)
- Robert Grubb as Sims (1 episode)
- Roger Ward
- Roslyn Gentle as Judith Deans
- Sally McKenzie as Rosetta
- Serge Lazareff
- Steve Bisley
- Suzy Gashler
- Terence Donovan
- Terry Gill (1 episode)
- Terry McDermott
- Tom Oliver as Tobin
- Tommy Dysart as Scottie / Bingo Caller (2 episodes)
- Tottie Goldsmith
- Trevor Kent as Doggy Barker (episode 4: "Easy Street")
- Vincent Ball (episode 5: "Counterfeit Lady")
- Vincent Gil
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 |
External links
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