Special Squad (Australian TV series)

*Special Squad*
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

Recurring

Paul Dawber as Special Operative Johnson

Guests

Actor	Role	Episode
Abigail	Mrs Quinn	Episode 18: "The Chen Legacy"
Alan David Lee	Jimmy Steele	Episode 36: "Return of the Cat"
Alex Menglet	Yuri	Episode 26: "Farewell to a Comrade"
Alister Smart	Haskell	Episode 21: "A Wild Cat"
Alwyn Kurts	Teddy	Episode 42: "Life After Teddy"
Anna Maria Monticelli	Teresa Parrissa	Episode 3: "Code of Silence"
Anne Phelan	Ma Robinson	Episode 33: "Ghosts"
Antoinette Byron	Jasmine	Episode 12: "The Golden Run"
Arna-Maria Winchester		Episode 17: "Wild Man"
Arthur Dignam	Grayson	Episode 19: "Child of Fortune"
Bartholomew John	John Sutton	Episode 14: "Slow Attack"
Ben Mendelsohn	Spud	Episode 14: "Slow Attack"
Betty Bobbitt	Daisy	Episode 32: "Until Death"
Billie Hammerberg	Alice	Episode 19: "Child of Fortune"
Brian James	Bert	Episode 22: "Mates"
Brian Moll	Charlie Everett	Episode 14: "Slow Attack"
Briony Behets	Rhonda Watson	Episode 7: "The Second Mr. Swift"
Bruce Barry	Sloan	Episode 6: "The Long Secret"
Bruce Spence	Professor	Episode 36: "Return of the Cat"
Bruno Lawrence	Arthur Poole	Episode 32: "Until Death"
Bryan Marshall	Calvin	Episode 18: "The Chen Legacy"
Carmen Duncan	Lorraine	Episode 9: "Same Time Friday"
Chris Haywood	Jeff Carter	Episode 6: "The Long Secret"
Christine Amor	Robyn Symons	Episode 34: "The Haley Inheritance"
Cliff Ellen	Priester / Technician	2 episodes
Daniel Abineri	Dillon	Episode 41: "Mad Mountain Mumma"
David Argue	Bazza	Episode 27: "In the Cause of Justice"
Deborra-Lee Furness	Liz Jenkins	Episode 6: "The Long Secret"
Dennis Miller	Finch	Episode 33: "Ghosts"
Diane Craig		1 episode
Dina Mann	Mandy	Episode 11: "The Set-Up"
Dinah Shearing	Minster	Episode 23: "Big Bad World"
Elizabeth Alexander	Edith	Episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link"
Francis Bell	Burnett	Episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link"
Frank Gallacher	Slater	Episode 24: "Early Birds"
Frank Wilson	Dorahee	Episode 27: "In the Cause of Justice"
Frankie J. Holden	Tony	3 episodes
Gennie Nevinson	Kate	Episode 32: "Until Death"
Geoff Cartwright	Dusan Narros	Episode 29: "Killer"
Gerard Kennedy	Harry Tait	Episode 1: "Trojan Horses"
Gerard Maguire	Hansen	Episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link"
Gil Tucker	Hammond	Episode 41: "Mad Mountain Mumma"
Glenn Robbins		Episode 21: "A Wild Cat"
Gosia Dobrowolska		1 episode
Grigor Taylor	Bob Daley	Episode 23: "Big Bad World"
Gus Mercurio	Haliwell	Episode 38: "Mombasa"
Ian McFadyen	Evans	Episode 5: "Counterfeit Lady"
Ilona Rodgers	Helen Anderson	Episode 32: "Until Death"
Ivar Kants	Scalese / Denning	2 episodes
Jackie Woodburne	Sharon	Episode 22: "Mates"
James Smillie	Donaghue	Episode 9: "Same Time Friday"
Jane Clifton	Karen	Episode 31: "Brothers"
Jane Menelaus	Penny Young	"Episode 39: "The Haunting
Jeff Truman	Bugs	Episode 24: "Early Birds"
Jennifer Hagan	Rachel	Episode 21: "A Wild Cat"
Jill Forster	Mrs. Watson	Episode 25: "The Bribe"
John Ewart	Mungo Lennox	Episode 38: "Mombassa"
John Gaden	Angel	Episode 25: "The Bribe"
John Gregg	Golodkin	Episode 26: "Farewell to a Comrade"
John Jarratt	Michael Cohen	Episode 39: "The Haunting"
John McTernan	Ted	Episode 22: "Mates"
John Orcsik	Ted Rafferty	Episode 15: "Country Girl"
John Wood	Barron / Cawley	2 episodes
Jon Blake	Pig	Episode 13: "Jacko"
Judith McGrath	June Holgate	Episode 26: "Farewell to a Comrade"
Julia Blake	Mrs Stevens	Episode 15: "Country Girl"
Julianna Allan		Episode 4: "Easy Street"
Julie Nihill	Tina	Episode 43: "Gone for the Doctor"
Kaarin Fairfax	Katie	Episode 17: "Wild Man"
Ken Wayne	Ted Baker	Episode 7: "The Second Mr. Swift"
Lesley Baker	Chambermaid	Episode 5: "Counterfeit Lady"
Leslie Dayman	Mr Fitzgerald	Episode 28: "Hot Streets"
Liddy Holloway	Mrs. Tait	Episode 1: "Trojan Horses"
Lorna Lesley	Sharon	Episode 9: "Same Time Friday"
Louise Siversen	Laura	Episode 4: "Easy Street"
Lucky Grills	Earwig	Episode 36: "Return of the Cat"
Maggie Millar	Joyce	Episode 30: "The Patchwork"
Maria Mercedes	Maria Baxter	Episode 28: "Hot Streets"
Marina Finlay	Suzie	Episode 35: "Suzie's War"
Mark Mitchell		1 episode
Martin Vaughan	Ben Alexander	Episode 36: "Return of the Cat"
Mary-Anne Fahey		1 episode
Maureen Edwards	Mrs Sharp	Episode 4: "Easy Street"
Max Phipps	Arthur Lambert	2 episodes
Mercia Deane-Johns	Molly	Episode 35: "Suzie's War"
Michael Long	Scarface	Michael Long
Michele Fawdon	Maggie	Episode 36: "Return of the Cat"
Monica Maughan	Mrs Trane	Episode 8: "The Würzburg Link"
Myra De Groot	Grace Kiddell	Episode 7: "The Second Mr. Swift"
Nicholas Eadie	Driscoll	Episode 18: "The Chen Legacy"
Nick Tate	Len Harris	Episode 7: "In the Cause of Justice"
Nico Lathouris	Tommo	Episode 6: "The Long Secret"
Nigel Bradshaw	Gant	Episode 1: "Trojan Horses"
Nina Landis	Lisa	Episode 10: "Duel"
Norman Coburn	Griffin	Episode 5: "Counterfeit Lady"
Norman Kaye	Lenny / Skittles	2 episodes
Pat Bishop	Barbara Prowse	Episode 16: "War"
Paul Karo	Shafer / Skinny	2 episodes
Peter Curtin	Thomas	Episode 13: "Jacko"
Peter Fisher	French	Episode 31: "Brothers"
Peter Moon	Eddie	Episode 11: "The Set-Up"
Peter O'Brien	Billy	Episode 16: "War"
Peter Sumner	Nick Hardy	Episode 1: "Trojan Horses"
Peter Whitford	Stan	Episode 28: "Hot Streets"
Ralph Cotterill	Ambrose	Episode 20: "Business as Usual"
Rebecca Gilling	Helen	Episode 11: "The Set-Up"
Red Symons	Warton	Episode 9: "Same Time Friday"
Reg Gorman	Ryan	Episode 1: "Trojan Horses"
Rhys McConnochie	Mathieson	Episode 21: "A Wild Cat"
Ricky May	Mandrake	Episode 27: "In the Cause of Justice"
Robert Coleby	Scott	Episode 22: "Mates"
Robert Grubb	Sims	Episode 19: "Child of Fortune"
Robin Ramsay	Massini	Episode 30: "The Patchwork"
Roger Oakley	Conlon	Episode 23: "Big Bad World"
Roger Ward	Bill Foster / Peaches	2 episodes
Ronne Arnold	Kwan	Episode 23: "Big Bad World"
Roslyn Gentle	Judith Deans	Episode 14: Slow Attack"
Sally McKenzie	Hannah	Episode 26: "Farewell to a Comrade"
Scott Burgess	Michael
Sean Scully	Leo Teller / Kevin O'Neill	2 episodes
Serge Lazareff	Kellet	Episode 31: "Brothers"
Shane Briant	Ian Cummings	Episode 14: "Slow Attack"
Simon Chilvers	Maguire	Episode 12: "The Golden Run"
Steve Bastoni		Episode 17: "Wild Man"
Steve Bisley	T-Bar	Episode 24: "Early Birds"
Terry Gill	Lambert	Episode 25: "The Bribe"
Terry McDermott	Inspector	Episode 13: "Jacko"
Tim Robertson	Roberts	Episode 2: "The Expert"
Tina Bursill	Meredith	Episode 25: "The Bribe"
Tom Oliver	Tobin	Episode 3: "Code of Silence"
Tommy Dysart	Scottie / Bingo Caller	2 episodes
Tony Bonner	Carver	Episode 35: "Suzie's War"
Tottie Goldsmith	Fiona	Episode 9: "Same Time Friday"
Trevor Kent	Doggy Barker	Episode 4: "Easy Street"
Vic Gordon	Dr. John Perry	Episode 15: "Country Girl"
Vincent Ball	Morgan / Senior Official	2 episodes
Vincent Gil	The Blindman	Episode 16: "War"
Wendy Playfair
Willie Fennell	Sol Greenberg	Episode 32: "Until Death"
Wyn Roberts	Superintendent Kerslake	3 episodes

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 (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 (1984-07-22)
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

[1] Garrie Hutchison, "Special Squad: Gloss Can't Hide Faults" Melbourne Age 16 August 1984 p. 35

[2] Tim Cribb, 'Crawford's Cops Return' Sydney Morning Herald 'The Guide' section, 20 August 1984, p. 2

[3] Barry Dickins 'Take Ten - in the Pigeon Coop' Melbourne Age 'Green Guide' section, 31 January 1985 p. 9

[4] Tim Cribb, 'Crawford's Cops Return' Sydney Morning Herald 'The Guide' section, 20 August 1984, p. 2

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