# Cop Shop

Cop Shop is a long-running Australian police drama television series produced by Crawford Productions that ran for seven seasons between 28 November 1977 and 23 July 1984. It comprised 582 one-hour episodes.

## Synopsis

The show revolved around the everyday operations of both the uniformed police officers and the plainclothes detectives of the fictional Riverside Police Station. It also took a significant interest in the private lives of the characters.
While many Crawford Productions police dramas combined videotaped interiors with location footage shot on 16mm film, Cop Shop was shot entirely on video, including external scenes.
Two one-hour episodes were broadcast each week and featured a specific police investigation and a guest cast whose stories formed a self-contained narrative block. Alongside this the ongoing narratives of the regular characters continued in longer, more open-ended soap opera-style story threads. This same soap opera-drama series hybrid format was also used in the series Skyways, A Country Practice and Carson's Law.
After a run of six years, the show completed taping its last episode on 22 December 1983 and the final episodes were screened in the first half of 1984.

## Awards

Cop Shop won many awards including Logie Awards for most popular series and most popular actors, with Peter Adams and Paula Duncan winning multiple times. The show also won a number of other industry awards.

## Cast

During its long run, many of Australia's new and established actors appeared in the show.

### Main / regular

* Peter Adams as Det Jeffrey 'JJ' Johnson
* Tony Bonner as Det Snr Const Don McKenna
* Liz Burch as Liz Cameron
* Andrew Clarke as Max Saunders / Mervyn Young
* Terence Donovan as Det Sgt Vic Cameron
* Paula Duncan as Det Const Danni Francis
* Nicholas Eadie as Const Sam Phillips
* Alan Fletcher as Const Frank Rossi
* Billie Hammerberg as Insp Joyce Stratton
* Alwyn Kurts as Sgt Reg Wallis
* John Lee as Insp Ian Timms
* Joanna Lockwood as Valerie Johnson
* John McTernan as Sgt Tom Shannon
* George Mallaby as Det Snr Sgt Glen Taylor
* Terry Norris as Sgt Eric O'Reilly
* John Orcsik as Det Mike Georgiou
* Louise Philip as Claire O'Reilly
* Gregory Ross as Const Tony Benjamin
* Bill Stalker as Det Sgt Peter Fanelli. Stalker had previously appeared as Fanelli in the Crawford series Skyways.
* Lynda Stoner as Const Amanda King
* Olga Tamara as Det Const Julie Mitchell
* Gil Tucker as Const Roy Baker
* Rowena Wallace as Pamela Taylor
* John Walton as Terry Linford Jones / Tom McNamara
* Patrick Ward as Const Peter Fleming
* Diane Craig as Alison Finlay / Eve Kadar (29 episodes)

### Guests / recurring

| Actor | Role | Eps. |
| Alan Hopgood | Doug Bramley / Horrie Gibbs / Ed Foley / Henry Goss | 8 |
| Alistair Duncan | George Bakos / John Corsini | 5 |
| Alister Smart | Phillip Cooper / Richard Sadler / Sharkey | 5 |
| Amanda Muggleton | Ann Walker / Bikie's Girlfriend | 2 |
| Andrew McFarlane | 'Fancy' Phil Burns / Graham Carter | 4 |
| Anna Hruby | Lynda Rowland | 2 |
| Anne Phelan | Lori Marshall | 3 |
| Anthony Hawkins | Mr Young / Chadwick / Health Inspector/ Leonard Fishman | 5 |
| Arna-Maria Winchester | Nancy O'Neil / Ruth Hill | 4 |
| Barbara Stephens | Elspeth Newman / Anne Southby / Lisa Turner | 5 |
| Betty Bobbitt | Helen Walsh / Peggy Morgan | 4 |
| Betty Lucas | Mary Reynolds | 2 |
| Bill Hunter | Andrew Dixon / Peter Williams | 4 |
| Briony Behets | Felicity Stafford / Julie Gaskin / Diana Elliot / Barbara Sauers / Janie Palmer | 5 |
| Bruce Spence | Student Counsellor | 1 |
| Bud Tingwell | George Connolly / Superintendent Keith York / Graham Horner | 5 |
| Carmen Duncan | Meredith Wade / Carla Hauser / Kim Morgan | 6 |
| Caroline Gillmer | Margot Davis | 1 |
| Caz Lederman | Cath Mercer | 2 |
| Cecily Polson | Barbara York | 1 |
| Christine Amor | Sharon Vernon / Betty Stephens / Jan Reading / Janet Carter | 6 |
| Chuck Faulkner | Edward Canning | 1 |
| Colette Mann | Chris | 1 |
| Colin McEwan | Dave Kelly / Lou Evans / Stan Dawson | 3 |
| Danny Adcock | Freddie Singer / Gary Locke / Jerry Turner / Vincie Hill / Ron Jarrett | 9 |
| David Argue | Greg Mann / Russell Nelson / Shane | 4 |
| David Clencie | Joey Baxter | 2 |
| Debra Byrne | Kerry Clements | 3 |
| Deborra-Lee Furness | Trisha Clarke | 1 |
| Denise Drysdale | Josie Brown / Rhonda Mather | 3 |
| Dina Mann | Laurel Drummond / Linda Perry | 3 |
| Drew Forsythe | Sid Moody / Murray Paxton | 4 |
| Elaine Lee | Faith Bloomfield | 1 |
| Elspeth Ballantyne | Dawn Curran / Claudie Gaynor | 3 |
| Elizabeth Alexander | Virginia Kingston / Sue McGregor | 4 |
| Fiona Spence | Nora Fitzgerald / Heather Ramsay | 3 |
| Frank Gallacher | Robert Harris / Stephen Morris / Vitoria Rossi / Robert Clements / Vince Reed / John Maynard | 9 |
| Frank Gallagher | James Nelson | 2 |
| Frank Lloyd | | 1 |
| Fred Parslow | | |
| George Spartels | Nick Pappas / Chris Murray / Claudio Gustoni / Fergus | 5 |
| Gerard Kennedy | Frank Brady | 3 |
| Gillian Jones | Nina Collins | 1 |
| Gus Mercurio | Terry Walsh / Harold Nichols | 3 |
| Heather Mitchell | Michelle Beasley | 1 |
| Henri Szeps | Steven Halliday / Vincente Morrelli / Bob Greer | 5 |
| Ivar Kants | Richard Evan Walters / Sergeant Roger Sutherland | 4 |
| Jacki Weaver | Lynne Bennett | 2 |
| Jacqui Gordon | Karen Foley / Kate Shaw / Linette | 4 |
| James Smillie | | 1 |
| Jane Harders | Norma Blake | 2 |
| Jeanie Drynan | Dimitra Coogan / Vanessa Montgomery | 4 |
| Jennifer Cluff | Lorraine Nelson | 1 |
| Jeremy Kewley | Kevin Jarrett / Brett Markham | 3 |
| Joanne Samuel | Maureen Hamilton / Susan Franklin | 2 |
| Joe Spano | Ron | 1 |
| John Blackman | John Slade | 1 |
| John Howard | Edward Whitelaw | 2 |
| John Jarratt | Fred Casey | 1 |
| Jon Blake | | 1 |
| Jon Finlayson | Maurice Pearson / Leslie Sampson | 3 |
| Julia Blake | Catherine Maynard / Elaine Davis / Jessie Benson / Laura Hewitt / Mrs. Parker | 8 |
| Julie Nihill | Raylene Fennell | 1 |
| Julieanne Newbould | Margaret Cook | 2 |
| June Salter | Pauline Clark | 2 |
| Kaarin Fairfax | Joan Wyndham | 1 |
| Kate Sheil | Tracey Powell / Helen Radcliffe / Karen Rush / Shawnee Lowe | 5 |
| Ken James | Larry Walker | 1 |
| Kerry Armstrong | Angela Clark / Marlene Anderson | 2 |
| Kerry McGuire | Geraldine Shipton | 1 |
| Kim Krejus | Sharon Hamilton / Lenice Moses / Shirley Morton | 5 |
| Kit Taylor | Arthur Scott / Brian Lambert / Philip Kendal / Larousse / Trevor Burke | 9 |
| Kym Gyngell | Oswald Prowse / Cliff Scully / George Edmunds / Lenny Wilson / Steve Ricketts | 7 |
| Lenore Smith | Sharon Jackson | 1 |
| Lesley Baker | Edna Dixon / Freda Steiner / Irene Yates / Mother / Mrs Black | 5 |
| Lewis Fitz-Gerald | Daryn Wheeler | 2 |
| Lex Marinos | Salvatore Rossi | 1 |
| Liddy Clark | Joanne McPherson / Karen Ashby / Kathy Simpson / Sandra Mazzorino | 6 |
| Lisa Aldenhoven | Kathy Curtis / Bronwyn Paton | 4 |
| Lisa Armytage | Jennifer Grant | 12 |
| Lois Ramsey | Mrs Blair | 1 |
| Lorna Lesley | Cynthia Rees / Julie Stephens | 4 |
| Louise Siversen | Funeral Mourner / Sally | 2 |
| Lyndel Rowe | Jessie Turner | 2 |
| Lynn Rainbow | Gloria Matthews / Patricia Wallis / Anne Mitchell | 5 |
| Maggie Kirkpatrick | Aunt Florrie | 3 |
| Margo Lee | Pearl Singleton | 2 |
| Maria Mercedes | Judy | 1 |
| Marion Edward | Mrs Margot Thomas / Mrs McGurk / Mrs Tait | 3 |
| Martin Vaughan | Albie Reid | 2 |
| Mary Ann Severne | Margot Palmer / Senator Susan Pearce | 3 |
| Mary-Anne Fahey | Robyn Cain | 2 |
| Maureen Edwards | Jane Logan / Barbara Wallace / Helen Marshall | 5 |
| Mel Gibson | Peter Lang | 2 |
| Mercia Deane-Johns | Andrea Williams / Gina Valente / Jan | 5 |
| Michael Aitkens | David Hurley / Kevin Dalton / Craig Latimer / Paul Rankin | 8 |
| Michael Carman | Bert Fuller / Neville Cook / Simon Mitchell | 4 |
| Michael Caton | Andrew Coucher / Bill Watson | 3 |
| Michael Duffield | Albie Hinch / Digby / Dr. Penhurst | 4 |
| Michael Long | Vince Keneally / Enzo Valente | 6 |
| Michele Fawdon | Heather Kendall / Cindy Carter | 5 |
| Mike Willesee | Self | 1 |
| Miles Buchanan | Alan Davis | 1 |
| Ned Manning | Paul Filby | 2 |
| Neil Melville | Plain Clothes Policeman | 1 |
| Nina Landis | Ellen Shannon | 3 |
| Noel Ferrier | Harry McPherson | 1 |
| Norman Kaye | Keith Anderson / Mr Montford / Sir Joseph Moore | 4 |
| Norman Yemm | | 2 |
| Olivia Hamnett | Audrey Mason | 1 |
| Patsy King | Sarah Fitzsimmons / Julie Gibbins | 2 |
| Penne Hackforth-Jones | Sgt. Joan Dawson / Ann Connors / Jackie Warren / Jennifer Treloar | 7 |
| Peta Toppano | Barbara Campbell / Jan Davis | 2 |
| Peter Carroll | Martin Sadler | 2 |
| Peter Gwynne | Pastor Dennington Evans / 2 |
| Peter Kowitz | Martin Lewis / Stuart Mackenzie | 4 |
| Peter Whitford | Father Daniel Monahan | 2 |
| Ralph Cotterill | Malcolm Lovell | 2 |
| Ray Meagher | Jerry Simmons / Stan Heath | 3 |
| Rebecca Gilling | Carla Moore | 2 |
| Redmond Phillips | David Carter | 1 |
| Reg Evans | Percy Sutherland / Spud Brayshaw | 4 |
| Richard Meikle | Frank Dobson | 2 |
| Richard Moir | Ken Spencer / Mark Doyle / Chris Porter / Jock Gould | 7 |
| Robert Coleby | Harry Wilson | 2 |
| Robert Hughes | Bob Harvey / James Best | 4 |
| Robert Menzies | Bill Perkins / Trevor Holmes | 4 |
| Roger Ward | Leon Turner / Bailey / Garry Dwyer | 5 |
| Ron Haddrick | Noel Travers / Ron Travers | 2 |
| Ronald Falk | Inspector Amory / Tom Harper | 4 |
| Rosalind Speirs | Jocelyn Knowles | 2 |
| Sally McKenzie | Gail | 2 hour special, 500th episode |
| Sandy Gore | Margaret Jamieson | 1 |
| Scott McGregor | Constable Stephen Waters | 7 |
| Shane Connor | Gardener #1 | 1 |
| Sheila Florance | Mum | 1 |
| Sigrid Thornton | Mary Pappas / Helen Davis / Karen / Tracy McBean | 5 |
| Simon Burke | Gordon Bailey / Vinnie Webster | 3 |
| Stefan Dennis | Steve / Booking Clerk / Francis Allen Turner / Giovanni Morelli / Jason Younger / Theo Rahir / Vincent Cahill | 8 |
| Terry McDermott | Jacob Friedman / Jim Faulkner / Dr Murdoch / Sgt Alec McEwan / Harvey Miller | 11 |
| Tim Robertson | Hedley Barrett | 1 |
| Tom Oliver | Brian Matthews / George Burton / Albert Cobb / Vinny Pratt / Peter Mitchell | 10 |
| Tony Barry | Pete McCawley | 2 |
| Tony Llewellyn-Jones | Neil Bailey / Ross Drennan | 4 |
| Tracy Mann | Carol Meehan / Lea Butler | 2 |
| Tyler Coppin | Gary Brooks | 1 |
| Val Jellay | Margaret Kirby / Beryl / Landlady / Mrs Flannigan | 5 |
| Veronica Lang | Sue Brady / Ann Carter / Claire Scott | 4 |
| Vic Gordon | Mr. Bates / Cartwright / Albert Hartley / Godfrey | 5 |
| Veronica Lang | Sue Brady / Ann Carter / Claire Scott | 4 |
| Vivienne Garrett | Ruth Forrest | 2 |
| Wendy Hughes | Marian McCall | 2 |
| Willie Fennell | | 1 |
| Zoe Bertram | | 1 |

## DVD releases

The series has been released exclusive to DVD in 22 Volumes
| Title | Format | Episodes | Original Melbourne airdates | Discs | Region 4 (Australia) | Special Features | Distributors |
| Cop Shop (Volume 1) | DVD | Episodes 1–26 | 1977-11-28 – 1978-03-30 | 7 | 28 April 2017 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 2) | DVD | Episodes 27–52 | 1978-04-03 – 1978-07-03 | 7 | 1 August 2017 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 3) | DVD | Episodes 53–78 | 1978-07-06 – 1978-10-02 | 7 | 27 November 2017 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 4) | DVD | Episodes 79–104 | 1978-10-05 – 1979-01-22 | 7 | 29 January 2018 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 5) | DVD | Episodes 105–130 | 1979-01-29 – 1979-05-07 | 7 | 13 April 2018 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 6) | DVD | Episodes 131–156 | 1979-05-10 – 1979-08-06 | 7 | 16 July 2018 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 7) | DVD | Episodes 157–182 | 1979-08-09 – 1979-11-12 | 7 | 28 September 2018 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 8) | DVD | Episodes 183–208 | 1979-11-15 – 1980-03-24 | 7 | 14 December 2018 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 9) | DVD | Episodes 209–234 | 1980-03-27 – 1980-06-23 | 7 | 15 February 2019 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 10) | DVD | Episodes 235–260 | 1980-06-26 – 1980-09-25 | 7 | 15 April 2019 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 11) | DVD | Episodes 261–286 | 1980-09-29 – 1981-02-05 | 7 | 28 June 2019 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 12) | DVD | Episodes 287–312 | 1981-02-09 – 1981-05-07 | 7 | 4 October 2019 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 13) | DVD | Episodes 313–338 | | 7 | 25 February 2021 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 14) | DVD | Episodes 339–364 | | 7 | 23 June 2021 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 15) | DVD | Episodes 365–390 | | 7 | 2 November 2021 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 16) | DVD | Episodes 391–416 | | 7 | 9 December 2021 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 17) | DVD | Episodes 417–442 | | 7 | 3 February 2022 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 18) | DVD | Episodes 443–470 | | 7 | 1 March 2022 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 19) | DVD | Episodes 471–498 | | 7 | 6 April 2022 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 20) | DVD | Episodes 499–526 | | 7 | 3 May 2022 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 21) | DVD | Episodes 527–529, 531–554 | | 7 | 18 August 2022 | None | Crawford Productions |
| Cop Shop (Volume 22) | DVD | Episodes 555–582 | | 7 | 25 October 2022 | None | Crawford Productions |

## Broadcast

Cop Shop was originally screened in a twice weekly format on Monday and Thursdays at 20.30 in Sydney and Melbourne. At various stages of the series each city was either a week ahead or behind the other or at the same stage. Later the series changed nights in Sydney to Wednesdays and Thursdays and then Thursdays and Fridays. It was eventually screened as a two-hour weekly block in both cities on Mondays in Melbourne and Thursdays (later Saturdays) in Sydney. The final 36 episodes screened in a late night 23.30 slot in Sydney on weeknights from Monday 26 November 1984.
Cop Shop aired briefly during 1989 on the UK-based, pan-European satellite TV channel, Lifestyle. It aired during the afternoon along with another Crawfords Production, Skyways.
| Season | Year | Episodes | Original Melbourne airdates | Original Sydney airdates |
| 1 | 1977 | Episodes 1–10 | 1977-11-28 – 1977-12-29 | 1977-11-28 – 1977-12-29 |
| 1 | 1978 | Episodes 11–100 (Sydney 11–95) | 1978-01-02 – 1978-12-18 | 1978-01-02 – 1978-12-28 (episode 95) / 1979-01-22 (episode 100) |
| 2 | 1979 | Episodes 101–189 (Sydney 96–189) | 1979-01-01 – 1979-12-10 | 1979-01-04 (episode 96) / 1979-01-25 (episode 101) – 1979-12-17 |
| 3 | 1980 | Episodes 190–279 | 1980-01-21 – 1980-12-08 | 1980-01-28 – 1980-12-11 |
| 4 | 1981 | Episodes 280–365 | 1981-01-05 – 1981-11-12 | 1981-01-08 – 1981-11-12 |
| 5 | 1982 | Episodes 366–451 (Sydney 366–448) | 1982-01-25 – 1982-11-18 | 1982-02-04 – 1982-11-11 (episode 448) / 1983-01-27 (episode 451) |
| 6 | 1983 | Episodes 452–532 (Sydney 449–538) | 1983-01-27 – 1983-11-14 | 1983-01-20 (episode 449) 1983-01-27 (episode 452) – 1983-12-10 (episode 532) 1983-12-31 (episode 538) |
| 7 | 1984 | Episodes 533–582 (Sydney 539–570) | 1984-01-16 – 1984-07-23 | 1983-12-17 (episode 533) 1984-01-07 (episode 539) – 1984-12-28 (episode 570) |
| 7 | 1985 | Episodes 571–582 (Sydney only) | Completed in July 1984 | 1985-01-01 – 1985-01-16 |

## Producers and directors

* Hector Crawford – Executive Producer
* Ian Crawford – Executive Producer
* Ian Crawford – Producer
* Terry Stapleton – Producer
* Marie Trevor – Producer
* Philip East – Director
* Charles "Bud" Tingwell – Director
* Sean Nash – Director