ITC’s first one-hour filmed drama series featured undercover agents at work as the elite International Investigation Division of Scotland Yard infiltrates the British underworld.
The real-life ‘Ghost Squad’ – their official title was Special Duty Squad – became necessary because of the enormous crime wave which swept Britain immediately after World War Two. The squad was formed to work undercover, to mix with the thieves and extract information from them without their knowledge.
Ghost Squad was based on the memoirs of real-life undercover Scotland Yard detective John Gosling – the only founder member of the real ‘Ghost Squad’ who remained with the squad throughout its existence.
L to R: Tony Miller, Nick Craig and Geoffrey Stock.
Shakespearean actor Donald Wolfit starred as the boss, Sir Andrew Wilson, and American Michael Quinn (brought on board to help sell the series in the US) was Nick Craig. Australian Ray Barrett played the quietly lethal agent, Peter Clarke (pictured below right).
Other characters included strong-armed Tony Miller (Neil Hallett) and typist-turned-detective Jean Carter (Claire Nielson).
The show was produced on 35mm film for the first series, then switched to videotape in series two in order to cut costs. For the latter part of its run, the series was transmitted as GS5.
Nick Craig Michael Quinn Sir Andrew Wilson
Donald Wolfit Tony Miller
Neil Hallett Helen Winters
Angela Browne Geoffrey Stock
Anthony Marlowe Jean Carter
Claire Nielson Peter Clarke
Ray Barrett
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