|
Special Squad (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 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 * Alan Cassell as Det. Insp. Don Anderson * Anthony Hawkins as Det. Snr. Sgt. Greg Smith * John Diedrich John Edwin Diedrich (born 25 February 1953 in Melbourne, Victoria) is an Au ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crime Drama
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), drama or gangster film, but also include Comedy film, comedy, and, in turn, is divided into many sub-genres, such as Mystery film, mystery, suspense or Film noir, noir. Screenwriter and scholar Eric R. Williams identified crime film as one of eleven super-genres in his Screenwriters Taxonomy, claiming that all feature-length Narrative film, narrative films can be classified by these super-genres. The other ten super-genres are action, fantasy, horror, romance, science fiction, slice of life, sports, thriller, war and western. Williams identifies drama in a broader category called "film type", mystery and suspense as "macro-genres", and film noir as a "screenwriter's pathway" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tom Oliver
Tom Oliver (born 12 June 1938) is a British-born Australian retired actor who started his career in theatre in his native country, before emigrating to Australia. Oliver, a staple of the small screen since the early 1960s, is best known for his TV soap opera roles, most especially ''Neighbours'' as Lou Carpenter, a role he played for 25 years. The character was known for his constant sparring with Harold Bishop, and his trademark dirty laugh, which he previously utilised in an earlier role on ''Number 96''. Oliver has stated that it was inspired by the comic actor Sid James. He appeared in the early Crawford Productions police procedurals, before having the soap opera roles in '' Bellbird'', as Tom Grey and in ''Number 96'' as Jack Sellers. Short term soap roles included ''Prisoner'', '' Sons and Daughters'' and '' A Country Practice''. Biography Early life Oliver was born in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, England and started appearing in amateur theatricals as an adolescent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Billie Hammerberg
Billie Lorraine Hammerberg (24 March 1936 – 8 February 1995) was an Australian actress, best known for roles on television and film. Biography Hammerberg was an Australian actress best known for her role in the television series ''Prisoner'' in 1985 as May Collins. She had previously appeared in the series in a guest role in 1979, playing Valerie Richardson, a jewellery store owner, who is an ex-prisoner who shelters her escapee friend and former cellmate Bea Smith (played by Val Lehman) while she is on the run. Other TV credits include: '' Homicide'', '' Bluey'', ''Cop Shop'', ''Carson's Law'', '' Special Squad" and Round the Twist" She also acted opposite Meryl Streep during a brief appearance in the film ''A Cry in the Dark''. Hammerberg died of unspecified cancer in Melbourne on 8 February 1995 at the age of 58. She was cremated at Springvale Botanical Cemetery The Springvale Botanical Cemetery is the largest crematorium and memorial park in Victoria, Australia. It ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bryan Marshall
Bryan Marshall (19 May 1938 – 25 June 2019) was a British actor, with a number of major credits in film and television to his name, in both his native country and Australia. Early life Marshall was born in Battersea, south London. He was educated at the Salesian College, Battersea, and trained as an actor at RADA, before appearing at the Bristol Old Vic and in repertory theatre and in the 1986 first national tour of ''The Sound of Music'' as Captain von Trapp. Film Marshall's best-remembered film role is that of Councillor Harris in ''The Long Good Friday'' (1980). His other film credits include ''Rasputin the Mad Monk'' (1966), ''Alfie'' (1966), '' The Witches'' (1966), ''The Viking Queen'' (1967), ''Quatermass and the Pit'' (1967), ''Mosquito Squadron'' (1969), ''I Start Counting'' (1970), '' Man in the Wilderness'' (1971), ''Because of the Cats'' (1973), ''The Tamarind Seed'' (1974) and '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' (1977). His later film career included roles in Australian p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Grubb
Robert Grubb (born 31 January 1950) is an Australian actor. He studied acting at National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), where he graduated in 1978. There he was a fellow student of actor Mel Gibson. Grubb played the role of Dr. Geoffrey Standish in the popular series ''The Flying Doctors''. He won Australia's Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for his stage portrayal of ''Pop'' in the Australian production of the Queen musical, ''We Will Rock You''. In 1998, he played The Wolf/ Cinderella’s Prince in Sondheim’s ''Into the Woods'' He also narrated "Rainforest Beneath the Canopy" in 2004. Grubb was reprising his previous role of Detective Bill Graves on ''Neighbours''. Grubb features as Senior Sgt Bill Kirby in ''Savage River'' (TV series), on ABC TV (and iview), premiering September 2022 and set in country Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bartholomew John
Bartholomew John (born 24 August 1952 in Christchurch, New Zealand) is an actor best known for his roles on television in America and Australia. In 1974, his single "Someone" peaked at number 75 in Australia. Career He played Dr. Chris Piper in the Australian soap opera ''The Young Doctors'' from 1977 to 1979 followed by a lead role in '' Skyways'' from 1979 to 1981 as Captain Nick Granger, also appearing in ''Waterloo Station''. More recent credits include: ''Murder Call'', '' All Saints'' and ''Always Greener''. His best-known work is probably playing the clown, Ronald McDonald on Australian television. In 2005 John portrayed John Forsythe in '' Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure'', a fictionalized television movie based on the creation and behind the scenes production of the 1980s prime time soap opera ''Dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usua ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monica Maughan
Monica Cresswell Maughan (née Wood, 15 September 1933 – 8 January 2010) was an Australian actor with roles in theatre, radio, television, film and ballet over a career spanning 52 years. Early life and education She was born Monica Cresswell Wood in Tonga to Australian missionaries Rev. Dr A. Harold Wood and medical doctor Olive Wood (née O'Reilly). She had 5 brothers and sisters, including Dr Elizabeth Wood-Ellem and Rev. Dr H. D'Arcy Wood. The family moved to Sydney, Australia, in 1937 – Monica was three-and-a-half and spoke no English – and shortly afterwards to Melbourne, where her father became principal of Methodist Ladies' College (MLC) and her mother his unofficial deputy. Monica attended MLC, where she received her only formal drama training with speech teacher Dorothy Dwyer, and went on to study French at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 1959 with a BA. Monica was a member of the Melbourne University Dramatic Club, where she adopted the stage na ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gerard Maguire
Gerard Maguire (born 25 September 1945) also credited as Gerard McGuire, is an Australian actor, producer and screenwriter best known for his role in ''Prisoner'' as Deputy Governor, ''Jim Fletcher''. Often appearing on Australian television police dramas and soap operas throughout the 1970s and 80s, he is also one of Australia's top voice actors, voicing numerous commercials and narrations during the 1990s and early 2000s. Early life Maguire was born in 1945 and began acting during the late 1960s, shortly after graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art with a Diploma of Dramatic Art. Out of 3,000 applicants, he was one of 15 students to complete the program. Career Early career After minor one-time roles on the television series ''Riptide'' and '' The Link Men'', Maguire made his feature film debut in ''The Demonstrator'' with Joe James and Irene Inescort. In the film, he portrayed university student Steve Slater whose political differences with his father Joe S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elizabeth Alexander (actress)
Elizabeth Alexander (sometimes credited as Liz Alexander; born 21 August 1952) is an Australian actress, director and teacher. Personal life Alexander was born in Adelaide, South Australia, but now lives in Sydney. She attended All Hallows' School in Brisbane. She was married to actor George Spartels from 1984 to 2006 and has two daughters. She currently works at Queenwood School for Girls as a dramatic arts teacher. Career Alexanders' acting career began early with a part in the series '' Bellbird'' in 1967. However, it was straight from graduating at National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) that she got her big break with the part of Esther Wolcott in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) series ''Seven Little Australians''. Allegedly the producers had all but given up on the show, because they did not feel that they had found a suitable actress for the part, until they discovered Alexander. She was actually younger than actress Barbara Llewellyn, who played her ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bruno Lawrence
David Charles Lawrence (12 February 194110 June 1995) known as Bruno Lawrence was an English-born musician and actor, who was active in the industry in New Zealand and Australia. Initially notable as a musician and founder of 1970s ensemble Blerta, he went on to well-regarded roles in several major films. His television work included starring in 1990s era Australian satirical series ''Frontline''. Early life Born in Worthing, West Sussex, England in February 1941 he moved with his family to New Zealand in 1946. The family settled in New Plymouth before relocating to Wellington in 1948. Music career Lawrence spent most of his life in New Zealand, but also worked extensively in Australia. He was a jazz and rock drummer in many bands, including two years with Max Merritt & The Meteors in Sydney, Quincy Conserve, Blerta, and The Crocodiles. His last recording was with Bernie McGann, Larry Gales and Jonathan Crayford on "Jazz at the St. James" in 1989. A remarkable show, it w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grigor Taylor
Grigor Weston Taylor also known as Greg Taylor, is an Australian former actor, best known for his parts in several television series including ''Matlock Police'' and ''Glenview High''. Early life, education and teacher Taylor was born in Penrith, New South Wales and attended Penrith High School. After finishing school, he became an English teacher. Taylor taught at Penrith and then at Marist Brothers, Westmead, New South Wales and he taught at Randwick Girls' High School in 1969. Career Grigor became a professional actor in 1971 and starred in 99 episodes of TV series ''Matlock Police'' as Senior Detective Alan Curtis. Between 1974–75 he portrayed Steve Hamilton in '' Silent Number'' and 1977–78 Taylor portrayed an English high school teacher, Greg Walker, in ''Glenview High''. Taylor took many other parts in Australian television series such as ''A Country Practice'', ''Homicide'', '' Special Squad'', ''City West'', ''The Flying Doctors'', ''Butterfly Island'', ''Dea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Briony Behets
Briony Behets (born 1951, London, United Kingdom) is an English-Australian actress who found fame acting in Australian soap operas of the 1970s and 1980s Early life Behets' father worked as a civil engineer, which took him around the world and as a result much of Behets' childhood was spent in Germany, Africa and Sierra Leone before returning to England. At age 17 she was accepted into the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, studying there for two years. After completing the course she travelled to the United States as part of a student exchange project, working there as a nightclub dancer. Career At age 19, she travelled to Australia to take a regular role in comedy series ''Birds in the Bush'' (1972), and decided to stay in the country when production ceased on the series after 13 episodes. Behets subsequently enjoyed several high-profile television roles in Australia. She was an original cast member of soap opera ''Number 96'' playing Helen Eastwood in 1972 but h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
