The Link Men
| Industry | Television production |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Television drama series |
The Link Men was an Australian TV series that aired briefly in 1970, ending after just 12 weeks on air.
Synopsis
As the first drama developed internally by the Nine Network, this series aimed to rival established police dramas from Crawford Productions, such as Homicide and Division 4. The storyline followed three detectives based in Sydney, portrayed by Kevin Miles, Bruce Montague, and Tristan Rogers.
Glyn Davies, recognized for his work on ITV's Associated-Rediffusion drama The Rat Catchers, created and produced the show. Australian director Jonathan Dawson was responsible for directing the pilot episode along with several others.
Main/recurring
- Bruce Montague as Detective Sergeant Harry Sutton
- Tristan Rogers as Detective Constable Ray Gamble
- Kevin Miles as Detective Sergeant John Randall
- Max Meldrum as Detective Russell
- John Meillon as Bert Whitman
- Frankie Davidson as Frank
Guest appearances
- Alastair Duncan
- Barbara Frawley as Carol Johnstone (1 episode)
- Carmen Duncan as Carol Crane (1 episode)
- Diana Perryman (2 episodes)
- Elke Neidhardt as Caroline Byrnes (1 episode)
- Enid Lorimer (1 episode)
- Gerard Maguire as Terry (1 episode)
- James Condon (1 episode)
- Jeanie Drynan as Marguerita Costello (1 episode)
- John Fegan as Max Hilden (1 episode)
- John Meillon as Bert Whitman (1 episode)
- Judi Farr as Anna Seberg (1 episode)
- June Salter as Judy Raymond (1 episode)
- Les Foxcroft as Wilson (1 episode)
- Lionel Long as Tony Amarato (1 episode)
- Lois Ramsey as Mother (1 episode)
- Lorraine Bayly (1 episode)
- Lyndall Barbour as Mrs Amarato (1 episode)
- Maggie Dence as Edie Whitman (1 episode)
- Max Cullen as Mario Costello (1 episode)
- Owen Weingott as Josef Vogelsang (1 episode)
- Pat Bishop (1 episode)
- Peter Sumner (1 episode)
- Peter Whitford as Seaman (1 episode)
- Reg Livermore (1 episode)
- Sandy Gore as Dale (1 episode)
Production
Under the production leadership of British producer George Spenton-Foster, the series comprised thirteen episodes. Its opening credits, which showcased a spinning car wheel, were closely modeled after the British series Rat Catchers, which served as an inspiration for Link Men.
Tristan Rogers, who took on the role of Detective Constable Ray Gamble, later achieved recognition in the United States for his recurring role since 1980 on the daytime soap opera General Hospital portraying Robert Scorpio.
Packer-Fegan altercation
A notable event during filming involved guest actor John Fegan and Nine Network proprietor Frank Packer. While rehearsing a fight scene, Packer—an ex-boxer in his sixties—stepped in to demonstrate a headlock on a younger cast member. Fegan, himself a former boxer and stuntman, challenged Packer to apply the move on him instead. The confrontation concluded with Packer on the floor and his hearing aid damaged by Fegan.
Following the incident, Packer insisted on Fegan’s immediate termination; however, it was clarified that Fegan was only contracted for a single guest role. Packer reportedly replied, "Well, sack him when he's finished." This event underscored underlying tensions between network executives and production personnel during the show's short lifespan.
External links
- The Link Men episode list on Memorable TV
- The Link Men featured at Classic Australian Television
- The Link Men entry in the National Film and Sound Archive