The Sandbaggers

1978 - 1980

First Principles

18th September 1978

Episode 1

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.

A Proper Function of Government

25th September 1978

Episode 2

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.

Is Your Journey Really Necessary?

2nd October 1978

Episode 3

Alan Denson threatens to quit the Sandbaggers after a rough, unauthorized mission near the Soviet border, so Burnside applies pressure to Denson's fiancee

The Most Suitable Person

9th October 1978

Episode 4

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.

Always Glad to Help

16th October 1978

Episode 5

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.

A Feasible Solution

23rd October 1978

Episode 6

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.

Special Relationship

30th October 1978

Episode 7

Laura 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.

Top Cast

Roy Marsden•Richard Vernon•Ray Lonnen

The Sandbaggers is a British television drama series about men and women on the front lines of the Cold War. Set contemporaneously with its original broadcast on ITV in 1978 and 1980, The Sandbaggers examines the effect of the espionage game on the personal and professional lives of British and American intelligence specialists.

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Production Companies

Full Cast

Roy Marsden Image

Roy Marsden

Richard Vernon Image

Richard Vernon

Ray Lonnen Image

Ray Lonnen

Jerome Willis Image

Jerome Willis

Alan MacNaughtan Image

Alan MacNaughtan

Diane Keen Image

Diane Keen

Elizabeth Bennett Image

Elizabeth Bennett

Michael Cashman Image

Michael Cashman

Robert B. Sherman Image

Robert B. Sherman

Sue Holderness Image

Sue Holderness

Bob Sherman

Dennis Burgess

Full Crew

Michael Ferguson

Producer

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