Special Squad
Encyclopedia
Special Squad was an Australian television
series made by Crawford Productions
for the Ten Network in 1984.
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. Notable guest actors on the show included: Gerard Kennedy
, Frankie J. Holden, Tom Oliver
, Louise Siversen
, Trevor Kent
, Vincent Ball
, Briony Behets
, Elizabeth Alexander, Gerard Maguire
, Monica Maughan
, Bartholomew John
, Robert Grubb
, Bryan Marshall
, Billie Hammerberg
, Terry Gill
, Jackie Woodburne
, Judith McGrath
, Nick Tate
, Leslie Dayman
, Maggie Millar
, Jane Clifton
, Betty Bobbitt
, Ilona Rodgers
, Anne Phelan
, Christine Amor
, Michael Long
and Tommy Dysart
.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series made by Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions is an Australian television production company founded by Hector Crawford; the present incarnation of the company, Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN television corporation.-History:...
for the Ten Network in 1984.
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
Alan Cassell
Alan Cassell is an Australian actor, born in the UK and best known for his roles in film and television.Cassell was one of the actors who worked in Bruce Beresford's early Australian films....
), with his main operatives being Det. Snr. Sgt. Greg Smith (Anthony Hawkins
Anthony Hawkins
Anthony Hawkins is an Australian television actor, perhaps best known for his role as Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Smith in the television series Special Squad...
), and Det. Sgt. Joel Davis (John Diedrich).
Special Squad was seen by many as an Australian answer to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
series The Professionals
The Professionals (TV series)
The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series produced by Avengers Mk1 Productions and London Weekend Television that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. In all, 57 episodes were produced, filmed between 1977 and 1981. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon...
both for its focus on action and violence, and the fact that both series were produced by Raymond Menmuir
Raymond Menmuir
Raymond Menmuir is a British director and producer. His career included producing 44 episodes of The Professionals and directing 12 episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs. He also produced an Australian version of The Professionals called Special Squad for the Ten Network in 1984.-External links:...
. However, in reality the characters and plotlines were less developed than the British series.
The series lasted for 43 episodes in total. Notable guest actors on the show included: Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Kennedy (actor)
Gerard Kennedy is an Australian actor and two-time Gold Logie winner. He played six different characters in guest appearances in Homicide, all in 1966...
, Frankie J. Holden, Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver is an English television, film and theatre actor best known today for playing the role of Lou Carpenter in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.-Career:...
, Louise Siversen
Louise Siversen
Louise Siversen is an actress.Siversen began acting as a child after her parents sent her to dance and drama classes to help her overcome her shyness. Siversen began to enjoy acting and went on to perform with St Martins Youth Theatre, appearing in many productions...
, Trevor Kent
Trevor Kent
Trevor Kent was an Australian theatre and television actor who achieved a level of public recognition in the 1980s....
, Vincent Ball
Vincent Ball
Vincent Ball is an Australian actor who has worked both in Australia and in the United Kingdom....
, Briony Behets
Briony Behets
Briony Behets is a British-born actress who found fame acting in Australian soap operas of the 1970s.-Early life:...
, Elizabeth Alexander, Gerard Maguire
Gerard Maguire
Gerard Maguire is an Australian stage, voice and television actor, best known for his role as Deputy Governor Jim Fletcher in Prisoner...
, Monica Maughan
Monica Maughan
Monica Maughan was an Australian actor with notable and well-known roles in film, theatre, radio and television.-Early life and education:...
, Bartholomew John
Bartholomew John
Bartholomew John is an actor best known for his roles on television.He played Dr. Chris Piper in the Australian soap opera The Young Doctors from 1977 to 1979 followed by appearances in Skyways and Waterloo Station. More recent credits include: Murder Call, All Saints and Always Greener...
, Robert Grubb
Robert Grubb
Robert Grubb is an Australian actor. He studied acting at National Institute of Dramatic Art , where he graduated in 1978.Grubb played the role of Dr. Geoffrey Standish in the popular series The Flying Doctors...
, Bryan Marshall
Bryan Marshall
Bryan Marshall is an English actor, with a number of major credits in film and television to his name.Marshall was born in Clapham, London...
, Billie Hammerberg
Billie Hammerberg
Billie Hammerberg was born Billie Lorraine Hammerberg. She was an Australian actress, best known for her role in the television series Prisoner as May Collins....
, Terry Gill
Terry Gill
Terry Gill is a British-born actor who carved a nichè in Australian television playing police officers.He was a recurring cast member in the women's prison drama Prisoner as Det. Insp. Jack Grace, a regular cast member as Sgt...
, Jackie Woodburne
Jackie Woodburne
Jackie Woodburne is a Northern Irish-born Australian actress.-Personal life:Woodburne was born in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Her father was a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. She has two older siblings: John and Stephen. At age three she emigrated with her family to...
, Judith McGrath
Judith McGrath
Judith McGrath is an Australian actress. She spent many of her formative years training at Brisbane Arts Theatre and was a company member of Twelfth Night Theatre under theatre director, Joan Whalley....
, Nick Tate
Nick Tate
Nicholas John "Nick" Tate is an Australian actor best known for his role as Eagle pilot Alan Carter in both seasons of the 1970s science fiction television series Space: 1999, as well as for playing the role of Gordon Hamilton's errant brother James in the 1980's soap opera "Sons and...
, Leslie Dayman
Leslie Dayman
Leslie "Les" Dayman is an Australian actor best known for being the fighter of the Nightman.He starred in the crime series Homicide as Senior Detective Bill Hudson during the late 1960s. In the 1980s, he was a major cast member in the soap operas Sons and Daughters and Prisoner...
, Maggie Millar
Maggie Millar
Maggie Millar is an Australian actress, best known for her TV appearances as Marie Winter in Prisoner, Elizabeth Bradley in The Sullivans and Rosie Hoyland in Neighbours.-External links:*...
, Jane Clifton
Jane Clifton
Jane Clifton is a Gibraltar-born actress and singer who lived as a child in Cardiff, Wales. In 1961 she emigrated to Perth, Australia. Her best known acting role is probably that of tough prison bookie Margo Gaffney in Prisoner...
, Betty Bobbitt
Betty Bobbitt
Betty Bobbitt, born 7 February 1939, in Philadelphia in the United States, is an Australian-based actor.Bobbitt's entertainment career in Australia began shortly after arrival in the country when she was hired to appear as a regular on a Melbourne television variety show, Daly At Night, in 1962...
, Ilona Rodgers
Ilona Rodgers
Ilona Rodgers is a British actress and television presenter who has lived and worked in several countries.In the United Kingdom in 1964 she played the role of Carol in The Sensorites, a six episode adventure of the BBC science-fiction series Doctor Who...
, Anne Phelan
Anne Phelan
Anne Mary Phelan, OAM , is a much awarded Australian actress, who has appeared prominently in Theatre, Australian television productions and soap operas, including Prisoner where she played the role of 'Top Dog' Myra Desmond and Monica Taylor in Something in the air...
, Christine Amor
Christine Amor
Christine Amor is an Australian actress mostly remembered for her television work.She has acted extensively in television guest roles and in Australian film starting in 1973. Film roles include Alvin Purple , Petersen , Snapshot...
, Michael Long
Michael Long (actor)
Michael Long was an Australian actor, best known for his television work.His credits include: Prisoner , Taurus Rising , Sons and Daughters and Richmond Hill ....
and Tommy Dysart
Tommy Dysart
Tommy Dysart is a Scottish-born actor, currently resident in Australia. Dysart has been a regular fixture on Australian television for several decades, frequently appearing in guest-starring roles in drama series and comedies, and in character roles in films and miniseries.High-profile early roles...
.