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;Garrie Hutchison, "Special Squad: Gloss Can't Hide Faults" Melbourne Age 16 August 1984 p. 35 story consultant Gerry O'Hara also worked on both shows.Tim Cribb, 'Crawford's Cops Return' Sydney Morning Herald 'The Guide' section, 20 August 1984, p. 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.Barry Dickins 'Take Ten - in the Pigeon Coop' Melbourne Age 'Green Guide' section, 31 January 1985 p. 9 The first series was sold to Paramount Pictures for international distribution.Tim Cribb, 'Crawford's Cops Return' Sydney Morning Herald 'The Guide' section, 20 August 1984, p. 2
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 Oat" 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 Cassie Summers 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" Bob Baines Episode 4: "Easy Street" Brenton Whittle Jeff Finnegan 1 episode 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" Christopher Milne Sanders 1 episode 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" Dina Mann Mandy Episode 11: "The Set-Up" Dina Panozzo Maria Episode 3: "Code of Silence" Dinah Shearing Minster Episode 23: "Big Bad World" Elizabeth Alexander Edith Episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link" Esben Storm Cox Episode 31: "Brothers" Francis Bell Burnett Episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link" Frank Gallacher Slater Episode 24: "Earlybird" Frank Wilson Dorahee Episode 27: "In the Cause of Justice" Frankie J. Holden Tony 3 episodes Genevieve Mooy Melissa Episode 42: "Life After Teddy" 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 Oat" 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" Jeff Truman Bugs Episode 24: "Earlybird" Jennifer Hagan Rachel Episode 21: "A Wild Oat" Jill Forster Mrs. Watson Episode 25: "The Bribe" John Ewart Mungo Lennox Episode 38: "Mombassa" John Frawley Whiteman Episode 34: "The Haley Inheritance" 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" Jon Finlayson Devonport Episode 11: "The Set-Up" Jonathan Sweet Del Episode 24: "Earlybird" 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 Fitzgerald Episode 28: "Hot Streets" Liddy Holloway Mrs. Tait Episode 1: "Trojan Horses" Lisa Aldenhoven Gina Grazini Episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link" 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" Maureen Edwards Mrs Sharp Episode 4: "Easy Street" Max Phipps Arthur Lambert 2 episodes Mercia Deane-Johns Molly Episode 35: "Suzie's War" Michael Duffield Fulcher Episode 41: "Mad Mountain Momma" Michael Long Scarface Episode 34: "Suzie's War" 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 Carrafa Camilleri Episode 3: "Code of Silence" Nick Tate Len Harris Episode 27: "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 Cummins Dixie Hanrahan 1 episode 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" Philip Quast Jaeger Episode 8: "The Wurzburg Link" 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 Oat" Richard Moir Errol Episode 43: "Gone for the Doctor" 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 Episode 31: "Brothers" 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 Serge Episode 17: "Wild Man" Steve Bisley T-Bar Episode 24: "Earlybird" Sue Jones Nancy 1 episode 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" Vince Martin Kelly Episode 40: "Rotten Apple" Vincent Ball Morgan / Senior Official 2 episodes Vincent Gil The Blindman Episode 16: "War" Willie Fennell Sol Greenberg Episode 32: "Until Death" Wyn Roberts Superintendent Kerslake 3 episodes
Episode list
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
External links Crawford Productions