| Genre: | Drama Military Action Espionage Serial |
| Creator: | Roger Mirams Ron McLean Brian Wright |
| Producer: | Roger Mirams |
| Executive Producer: | Bruce Gordon |
| Starring: | Jack Thompson Peter Sumner Redmond Phillips Katy Wild Stuart Finch Bill Hunter Arna-Maria Winchester Chips Rafferty Marty Morton |
| Country: | Australia |
| Num Seasons: | 2 |
| Num Episodes: | 42 |
| Runtime: | 60 minutes |
| Network: | Nine Network |
Spyforce is an Australian television series that aired from 1971 to 1973 on Nine Network. The series was based upon the adventures of Australian Military Intelligence operatives in the South West Pacific during World War II. It was produced by Nine Network in conjunction with Paramount Pictures.[1]
The series centres on the action and adventures of lead actor Jack Thompson's character Erskine, and his main support character, Peter Sumner's Gunthar Haber. It was the first lead role for Jack Thompson. The two are part of an elite unit of special operatives, the Special Intelligence Unit, and their adventures are loosely based upon those of the real Services Reconnaissance Department who often operated behind Japanese-held lines during the war.[2]
Unlike most previous war films, Spyforce deliberately steered away from the notion that the United States was solely responsible for Japan's defeat, and highlights the important role Australian forces played in the defeat of the Imperial Japanese Army. Producer Roger Mirams was also careful to avoid stereotypes of the genre, and tired formulas for the battle scenes.
Spyforce was designed by Roger Mirams to be a wartime espionage action adventure in the format of a weekly, hour-long television mini-film. It was very much intended to highlight the important role played by Australian forces in achieving victory in World War II, but also remain exciting and compelling. Despite being based upon a war setting, character development played a key role in Spyforce. The way the main characters interact and change over time was carefully scripted by Mirams.
Unlike many previous war films, particularly American ones, Spyforce does not portray the protagonists as invincible, who always win an easy victory. Indeed, their human failings are made clear, and their plans do not always come to fruition. It does not dwell on torture by Japanese soldiers, or portray Australians as perfect.
The protagonists are members of a secretive special elite unit known as the Special Intelligence Unit, headed by Colonel Cato, who is only responsible directly to the Prime Minister of Australia. Cato's unit is responsible for sabotage and covert operations, often behind enemy lines, against Japanese forces in the South West Pacific during World War II.
Colonel Cato recruits both Erskine and Gunther Haber into the Special Intelligence Unit as civilian operatives due to their intimate knowledge of the South West Pacific and New Guinea. Both are reluctant at first, so Cato fabricates false evidence against them to coerce them into co-operating.
Although some episodes were filmed on location in New Guinea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau and also in Changi Prison in Singapore, most of the filming was done in the Australian bushland surrounding Sydney. Several ideal Sydney locations, such as Middle Head Fortifications were also used.
The narration during the opening credit sequence stated:
Early in 1942 the Japanese Army swept through the South Pacific towards the Australian mainland. They overran the Malay Peninsula and reached deep into the jungles of New Guinea. As a result numbers of civilian planters and soldiers were formed into highly trained espionage teams by Allied Headquarters in Australia. These men were directed into sabotage operations deep behind enemy lines throughout the Pacific area. Much of their work must remain top secret. One of these groups may well have been called: Spyforce.
Roger Mirams was a newsreel cameraman and war correspondent during World War II. He had long harboured an ambition to make a TV series set during the war. In 1959 he made a pilot called The Coastwatchers but no series resulted.[3] [4]
Mirams went on to establish a strong reputation in the world of children's TV. On one of the shows, Woobinda, Animal Doctor, he established a good working relationship with writer Ron McLean. Mirams showed McLean a concept he had been working on called Sparrowforce and McLean were enthusiastic.[3] [5] [6]
The idea appealed to American producers Paramount Pictures, who backed Mirams to begin production without having seen a script. He made the pilot episode, "Spy Catcher", which was shot in November 1970.
The pilot impressed Paramount, who bought overseas distribution rights, and the Nine Network, who bought the local rights. The series was shot in colour even though Australian TV was broadcast in black and white at the time.
The first episode – retitled "The General" – aired in Sydney on 8 August 1971, and the rest of Australia on 26 August 1971. It was originally intended to produce 26 episodes, but following the success of the first series, Mirams held talks with both Nine Network and Paramount Pictures, who backed him for a second series. In all 42 episodes were produced. The series was last aired on Australian television in Adelaide on 21 September 1976, but has been re-run several times since.
Actor Russell Crowe appeared briefly in one episode as a child actor at the age of seven.
McLean wrote 35 of the episodes. The main directors were Howard Rubie and David Baker.
The series continued to air in reruns through 21 September 1976.
Spyforce was released on DVD by Umbrella Entertainment in April 2013. The DVD set is compatible with all region codes.[7] On 9 November 2022 Umbrella Entertainment included a full episode of Spyforce (The Raiders) as a bonus feature for the Blu-ray double-feature release of Australian films Night of Fear and Inn of the Dammed, this was in celebration of Terry Bourke who was director of both films and that episode of Spyforce. The episode included an introduction by Jack Thompson recalling Bourke's direction.[8]