Episode Guide
Regular Cast
Neil Burnside Roy Marsden
Willie Caine Ray Lonnen
Semi-regular Cast
Sir Geoffrey Wellingham Alan MacNaughtan
Matthew Peele Jerome Willis
Jeff Ross Bob Sherman
'C' (Sir James Greenley) Richard Vernon
Diane Lawler Elizabeth Bennett
Jake Landy David Glyder
Brian Milton Barkley Johnson
Ted [Prescott] Richard Shaw
Alan Denson Steven Grives
Stan [Barclay] Michael O'Hagan
Sam [Lawes] Brian Osborne
Laura Dickens Diane Keen
Bruce Paul Haley
Mike Wallace Michael Cashman
Karen Milner Jana Shelden
Edward Tyler Peter Laird
Lady Wellingham Edith Macarthur
Arthur Matthew Long
'C' (John Tower Gibbs) Dennis Burgess
Marianne Straker Sue Holderness
Len Shepherd John Alkin
Apso Terry Pearson
Paul Dalgetty David Robb
Series Created by Ian Mackintosh
Executive Producer: David Cunliffe
Theme Music: Roy Budd
SERIES 1
1. "FIRST PRINCIPLES"
18 Sep 1978
W: Ian Mackintosh
P & D: Michael Ferguson
Neil Burnside, the Director of Operations for
Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, objects
to sending his best agents, the Sandbaggers, on
a mission into Russia for Norway's Secret
Service.
Guest Cast:
Lars Torvik Olaf Pooley
Vice Chief of Air Staff Brian Haines
Asst. Chief of Air Staff (Ops) Roger Kemp
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Elizabeth Bennett, Jerome Willis, Bob Sherman,
David Glyder, Barkley Johnson, Richard Shaw
2. "A PROPER FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT"
25 Sep 1978
W: Ian Mackintosh
P & D: Michael Ferguson
The Sandbaggers may be sent to Vienna to keep
tabs on a possible defector, while Burnside
tries to get official approval to assassinate an
African dictator.
Guest Cast:
Sir Donald Hopkins Laurence Payne
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Elizabeth Bennett, Jerome Willis, Steven Grives,
Barkley Johnson, Michael O'Hagan, Brian Osborne
3. "IS YOUR JOURNEY REALLY NECESSARY?"
2 Oct 1978
W: Ian Mackintosh
P & D: Derek Bennett
Alan Denson threatens to quit the Sandbaggers
after a rough, unauthorized mission near the
Soviet border, so Burnside applies pressure to
Denson's fiancee.
Guest Cast:
Sally Graham Brenda Cavendish
Phil Fyffe Andrew Bradford
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Elizabeth Bennett, Steven Grives, David Glyder,
Michael O'Hagan, Brian Osborne
4. "THE MOST SUITABLE PERSON"
9 Oct 1978
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: David Reynolds
Sandbagger One Willie Caine goes to Gibraltar to
investigate the murder of an SIS agent, and
potential new Sandbagger Laura Dickens goes to
Morocco to get more clues in the case.
Guest Cast:
Detective Chief Inspector Gomez Stephen Greif
Stephen Jackson John F Landry
David Follett Christopher Benjamin
Gordon Forsyth Hubert Rees
Colin Grove Jonathan Coy
Peter Waterhouse David McAlister
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Elizabeth
Bennett, Jerome Willis, Diane Keen, Bob Sherman
5. "ALWAYS GLAD TO HELP"
16 Oct 1978
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: David Reynolds
Dickens is assigned to find out where an Arab
sheik's sympathies lie while Burnside clashes
with Deputy Chief Matthew Peele and the Ministry
of Defence over a covert scuba-diving operation.
Guest Cast:
Hamad Peter Miles
Director General of Intelligence Gerald James
Commodore (Intelligence) Terence Longden
Winfield Alan Thompson
Morris Malcolm Hebden
Wilson Peter Ivatts
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Elizabeth Bennett, Jerome Willis, Diane Keen,
Bob Sherman, Brian Osborne
6. "A FEASIBLE SOLUTION"
23 Oct 1978
W: Ian Mackintosh
P & D: Michael Ferguson
Caine and an agent fresh out of field school go
to Cyprus on the trail of some missing rocket
scientists while Neil lets his romantic guard
down at home.
Guest Cast:
Jill Ferris Sarah Bullen
Hugh Douglas Kenneth Watson
Philip Jeremiah Richard Cornish
Professor Colby Donald Churchill
Angelos Peter Cassell
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Elizabeth
Bennett, Jerome Willis, Diane Keen, Bob Sherman,
Barkley Johnson, Paul Haley
7. "SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP"
30 Oct 1978
W: Ian Mackintosh
P & D: Michael Ferguson
Dickens is the most qualified agent for a risky
mission in East Berlin and Burnside has to
double-deal to make sure her presence there
won't pose other security risks as well.
Guest Cast:
Baumel Alan Downer
Paul Cyril Varley
Mittag Brian Ashley
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Elizabeth Bennett, Jerome Willis, Diane Keen,
Bob Sherman, Barkley Johnson, Richard Shaw
SERIES 2
8. "AT ALL COSTS"
28 Jan 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P & D: Michael Ferguson
The head of the Bulgarian Secret Service asks to
meet with Sandbagger Tom Elliott in Sofia, but
Burnside doesn't like it and intends to give
Elliott backup whether his bosses approve or
not.
Guest Cast:
Tom Elliott David Beames
Lady Greenley Gwyn Gray
Embassy Guest Joan Peters
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Jerome Willis, Bob Sherman, Elizabeth Bennett,
Michael Cashman, Jana Shelden, Peter Laird,
Brian Osborne, Paul Haley
9. "ENOUGH OF GHOSTS"
4 Feb 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: Peter Cregeen
Permanent Under-Secretary of State Sir Geoffrey
Wellingham goes missing in Brussels and the
Sandbaggers are dispatched to find him, for
Burnside's sake as well as Wellingham's.
Guest Cast:
Dehousse Anthony Higgins
Lincke Wolf Kahler
Nigel Elliott Donald Pelmear
Martha Elliott Barbara Lott
Albrecht Jurgen Andersen
Wendicke Hugo Bower
Air Stewardess Allyson Rees
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Jerome Willis, Bob Sherman, Elizabeth Bennett,
Michael Cashman, Edith Macarthur, Jana Shelden,
Peter Laird, Matthew Long, Paul Haley
10. "DECISION BY COMMITTEE"
11 Feb 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P & D: Michael Ferguson
On an airline flight back from Sri Lanka, Caine
and CIA covert-action agent Karen Milner run
into trouble during their stop in Turkey, and
Burnside runs into bureaucratic opposition when
trying to help them.
Guest Cast:
Col. Gaines Andrew Lodge
C.G.S. David Beale
Aziz Yashar Adem
Kadhim David Freedman
Brigitte Stephanie Fayerman
Karl Timothy Stetson
Ahmed Kim Fortune
Stewardess Marta Gillot
English Lady Rosalie Williams
Belgian Man Edwin Brown
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Jerome Willis, Bob Sherman, Elizabeth Bennett,
Jana Shelden, Michael Cashman, Brian Osborne,
Paul Haley
11. "A QUESTION OF LOYALTY"
18 Feb 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P & D: Michael Ferguson
Sandbagger Mike Wallace runs afoul of the local
SIS station while on a risky mission in Warsaw,
and Burnside risks his own career to show him
support by sending him on a subsequent mission
to Stockholm.
Guest Cast:
Walter Wheatley Patrick Godfrey
Harry Maddison Charles Hodgson
Gary Shearburn Philip Blaine
Polish Police Officer Igor Gridneff
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Jerome Willis,
Bob Sherman, Michael Cashman, Brian Osborne,
Jana Shelden
12. "IT COULDN'T HAPPEN HERE"
25 Feb 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: Peter Cregeen
In the wake of the assassination of one U.S.
senator, the Sandbaggers are assigned to
bodyguard another, while Burnside gets wind of a
traitor in the British cabinet.
Guest Cast:
Mary Herron Daphne Anderson
Senator Herron Norman Ettlinger
Senator O'Shea Weston Gavin
Stratford-Baker Tony Church
Al Briscoe Don Fellows
Newscaster John Crosse
Semi-regulars: Richard Vernon, Alan MacNaughtan,
Jerome Willis, Bob Sherman, Elizabeth Bennett,
Michael Cashman, Jana Shelden
13. "OPERATION KINGMAKER"
3 Mar 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: Alan Grint
When there's talk of getting a new 'C', Burnside
decides to back Peele for the job, believing him
more malleable than the other most likely
candidate, whom Burnside once clashed with.
Semi-regulars: Alan MacNaughtan, Elizabeth
Bennett, Bob Sherman, Dennis Burgess, Jerome
Willis, Michael Cashman, Jana Shelden, Peter
Laird, Sue Holderness
SERIES 3
14. "ALL IN A GOOD CAUSE"
9 Jun 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: Peter Cregeen
CIA Head of London Station Jeff Ross asks for
Burnside's help when Ross' marriage is in
trouble, but then Burnside starts to suspect
that the KGB and MI-5 have an interest in that
marriage as well.
Guest Cast:
Jenny Ross Gale Gladstone
Trevor D'arcy John Steiner
Chinese Waiter Kristopher Kum
Semi-regulars: Alan MacNaughtan, Bob Sherman,
Dennis Burgess, Jerome Willis, Michael Cashman,
Peter Laird, Sue Holderness
15. "TO HELL WITH JUSTICE"
16 Jun 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: Peter Cregeen
SIS Director of Intelligence Edward Tyler meets
a suspicious woman while on holiday in Malta, so
Burnside secretly sends the Sandbaggers to keep
an eye on him.
Guest Cast:
Bernard Tindale Mark Eden
Margaret Mueller Glynis Barber
Semi-regulars: Alan MacNaughtan, Bob Sherman,
Dennis Burgess, Jerome Willis, Michael Cashman,
Sue Holderness, John Alkin, Peter Laird
16. "UNUSUAL APPROACH"
23 Jun 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: David Cunliffe
'C' orders Burnside to go on a working holiday
in Rhodes, and while he's gone, Ross asks Caine
for some risky backup in the USSR, but as Acting
D.Ops., Caine would have to send Wallace.
Guest Cast:
Bob Cheever Rio Fanning
Sir Roderick Hives Philip Bond
Philip Skinner David Horovitch
Christina Stratos Brigitte Kahn
Russian Policeman Paul Ridley
Russian Official Andy Graham
Air Stewardess Lindsay Blackwell
Semi-regulars: Alan MacNaughtan, Bob Sherman,
Dennis Burgess, Jerome Willis, Michael Cashman,
Sue Holderness, Matthew Long, Paul Haley, Terry
Pearson
17. "MY NAME IS ANNA WISEMAN"
30 Jun 1980
W: Gidley Wheeler
P & D: Michael Ferguson
Burnside tries to get approval to plant a woman
in the Soviet Union as a long-term double agent,
but he neglects to mention that her real mission
is short-term human rights propaganda.
Guest Cast:
Anna Wiseman Carol Gillies
Fyodor Solodovnikov Guy Deghy
Steve Rogerson Anthony Schaeffer
Training Officer Terry Walsh
Semi-regulars: Dennis Burgess, Jerome Willis,
Michael Cashman, Sue Holderness, Terry Pearson
18. "SOMETIMES WE PLAY DIRTY TOO"
7 Jul 1980
W: Arden Winch
P: Michael Ferguson
D: Peter Cregeen
When a British intelligence source is killed in
an accident in Prague, Caine is sent in to find
out what really happened while Wallace and
Burnside look for clues at home.
Guest Cast:
Maple John Line
Dr. Crabbe Michael Sheard
Irene Banks Jean Rimmer
Robert Banks Derek Godfrey
Penelope Aimee Delamain
Betty Galthorpe Sherrie Hewson
Vales Milos Kirek
Nadina Susan Kodicek
Restaurant Quartet John Fuest
Douglas Reid
Raymond Sidebottom
Ian Wright
Semi-regulars: Bob Sherman, Dennis Burgess,
Jerome Willis, Michael Cashman, Sue Holderness
19. "WHO NEEDS ENEMIES"
14 Jul 1980
W: Gidley Wheeler
P: Michael Ferguson
D: Peter Cregeen
When a rival for Burnside's job gets hold of a
CIA document that describes Burnside as a
divisive influence, SIS upper management
contrives to promote Burnside "sideways" to
Madrid.
Guest Cast:
Dr. O'Toole Harry Webster
Nick Pearson John Eastham
Ward Sister Lola Young
Judy Mary Cornford
Semi-regulars: Bob Sherman, Dennis Burgess,
Jerome Willis, Michael Cashman, David Robb, Sue
Holderness, Edith Macarthur
20. "OPPOSITE NUMBERS"
28 July 1980
W: Ian Mackintosh
P: Michael Ferguson
D: Peter Cregeen
Burnside is opposed to an East-West arms treaty
being negotiated in Malta, so he and the
Sandbaggers conspire to scuttle the talks by
encouraging a Soviet double agent to defect.
Guest Cast:
Yuri Filatov Frank Moorey
Nikolai Sarkisyan Larry Hoodekoff
Semi-regulars: Alan MacNaughtan, Bob Sherman,
Dennis Burgess, Jerome Willis, David Robb,
Michael Cashman, John Alkin, Sue Holderness
"The Sandbaggers," (c) 1978 and 1980 by
Yorkshire Television. Bracket [] supplements
from the novelization "The Sandbaggers," (c)
1978 by Ian Mackintosh, Transworld Publishers
Ltd., London. Guide format (c) 1994 by Micky
DuPree. Thanks to Margaret F. Riley for
editorial input, and I'm indebted to Jerry Kohl
for the original broadcast dates.