Shannon’s Mob

1 9 7 4 (Australia)

‘The Mob’ was an undercover intelligence organisation headed up by Dave Shannon (who never appeared on screen). Headquartered in Canberra, its official name was the Federal Intelligence and Security Control Organisation (yep, FIASCO!).

The main function of the Mob was to deal with – or anticipate and prevent – any crime which could have international repercussions or could prove embarrassing to the Australian Government.

FIASCO was answerable only to the Prime Minister’s department. No files were kept, they never communicated anything in writing, and all briefings were verbal.

The undercover agents assigned to Sydney were two daring chaps, Andrew Blake (Robin Ramsay) and Mike Jamieson (Frank Gallacher).

Blake was a whimsical character – the son of a diplomat who was educated at one of Australia’s top private schools and at university in England. He wore expensive conservative clothes and liked Scotch whisky.

His colleague Jamieson was an earthier individual. Raised on a Queensland cattle property, he went to agricultural college before joining the Air Force. He dressed casually and drank beer.

Co-starring with Ramsay and Gallacher in the Channel 9 series was the city of Sydney – all the action was filmed on location, in colour.

Although the scripts were all works of fiction, the producers claimed they were all based on a certain amount of fact, dealing with such things as Mafia-style underground activities.

Andrew Blake
Robin Ramsay
Mike Jamieson
Frank Gallacher

Episodes

Without Incident | Nothing Else to Lose | Trip to Nowhere | There Was a Man | Stock in Trade | Hot Spot | When Collier Came | Mixed Doubles | Loser Takes All | The Playpen | Peace Lovers | You’ve Got to Have Credentials | Heart of Oak