Ghost Squad (ITV 1961-1964, Donald Wolfit, Michael Quinn)

Popular and likeable crime drama series Ghost Squad followed the cases of a group of undercover cops who specialised in infiltrating various nefarious gangs in order to bring them to justice. The title was later shortened to GS5.

Ghost Squad lasted three seasons and was an early version of the kind of series that ATV (when teamed with Lew Grade’s ITC) would make a staple of in the late 1960′s. It featured a typically barnstorming performance from the legendary stage actor Donald Wolfit who was then in the twilight of his career.

production details
UK | ITV Network – ATV – Rank

RUNNING TIME: 60 Minutes | NUMBER OF EPISODES: 52 | AIRDATES: 9 September 1961 – 16 May 1964 Made in black and white

PRODUCERS: Connery Chappell, Anthony Kearey, Dennis Vance

cast
MICHAEL QUINN as Nick Craig
DONALD WOLFIT as Sir Andrew Wilson
ANGELA BROWNE as Helen Winters
NEIL HALLETT as Tony Miller
CLAIRE NEILSON as Jean Carter
ANTHONY MARLOWE as Geoffrey Stock
RAY BARRETT as Peter Clarke Donald Wolfit as Sir Andrew Wilson

THE EPISODES
SEASON ONE 9 September – 11 November 1961
1. TICKET FOR BLACKMAIL (9 Sep 1961)
2. BULLET WITH MY NAME ON IT (16 Sep 1961)
3. HONK KONG STORY (23 Sep 1961)
4. HIGH WIRE (30 Sep 1961)
5. THE BROKEN DOLL (7 Oct 1961)
6. THE EYES OF THE BAT (14 Oct 1961)
7. STILL WATERS (21 Oct 1961)
8. ASSASSIN (28 Oct 1961)
9. DEATH FROM A DISTANCE (4 Nov 1961)
10. MILLION DOLLAR RANSOM (11 Nov 1961)

SEASON TWO 29 December 1962 – 13 July 1963
1. THE GREEN SHOES (29 Dec 1962)
2. CATSPAW (5 Jan 1963)
3. THE PRINCESS (12 Jan 1963)
4. THE BIG TIME (19 Jan 1963)
5. DEATH OF A SPORTSMAN (26 Jan 1963)
6. INTERRUPTED REQUIEM (2 Feb 1963)
7. EAST OF MANDALAY (9 Feb 1963)
8. ESCAPE ROUTE (16 Feb 1963)
9. THE LAST JUMP (23 Feb 1963)
10. POLSKY (2 Mar 1963)
11. THE HEIR APPARENT (9 Mar 1963)
12. THE MAGIC BULLET (16 Mar 1963)
13. THE MENACING MAZURKA (23 Mar 1963)
14. THE RETIREMENT OF THE GENTLE DOVE (30 Mar 1963)
15. MR FIVE PERCENT (6 Apr 1963)
16. GERTRUDE (13 Apr 1963)
17. SABOTAGE (20 Apr 1963)
18. THE THIRTEENTH GIRL (27 Apr 1963)
19. SENTENCES OF DEATH (4 May 1963)
20. THE GRAND DUCHESS (11 May 1963)
21. THE DESPERATE DIPLOMAT (18 May 1963)
22. HOT MONEY (25 May 1963)
23. QUARANTINE AT KAVAR (1 June 1963)
24. THE GOLDEN SILENCE (8 June 1963)
25. LOST IN TRANSIT (15 June 1963)
26. THE MAN WITH THE DELICATE HANDS (22 June 1963)
27. THE MISSING PEOPLE (29 June 1963)
28. PG7 (6 July 1963)
29. A FIRST CLASS WAY TO DIE (13 July 1963)

SEASON THREE 22 February – 16 May 1964
1. AN EYE FOR AN EYE (22 Feb 1964)
2. A CAST OF THOUSANDS (29 Feb 1964)
3. DEATH OF A COP (7 Mar 1964)
4. PARTY FOR MURDER (14 Mar 1964)
5. DEAD MEN DON’T DRIVE (21 Mar 1964)
6. PAY UP OR ELSE (28 Mar 1964)
7. DR AYRE (4 Apr 1964)
8. SCORPION ROCK (11 Apr 1964)
9. THE GOLDFISH BOWL (18 Apr 1964)
10. SEVEN SISTERS OF WONG (25 Apr 1964)
11. RICH RUBY WINE (2 May 1964)
12. HIDEOUT (9 May 1964)
13. IT WON’T BE A STYLISH MARRIAGE (16 May 1964)