YourWizardOfAus

Serge Lazareff, Gus Mercurio and Penne Hackforth-Jones

Cash and Company and its sequel, Tandarra, were Australian made period adventure series broadcast by ITV (London Weekend and Anglia) in the mid-1970s. Both series were produced by the Seven Network (an Australian commercial television franchise) with financial support from the Australian Film Commission.

Sam Cash (Serge Lazareff) and Joe Brady (Gus Mercurio) are likeable bushrangers in the 1850s Victorian goldfields, always staying one step ahead of the mounted troopers who behave more like a rival crime gang than Her Majesty’s police. Tandarra Homestead is their hideout and base, the farm owned and run by widow Jessica Johnson (Penne Hackforth-Jones), who is not averse to the occasional criminal escapade herself, and who is more than equal to the lads in courage, shooting and riding.

With the departure of Serge Lazareff after the first series, the show’s continuation was in doubt, but the casting of Gerard Kennedy, a multi-award-winning and hugely popular star of Australian television at the time, enabled the second series, Tandarra, to be commissioned.

Gerard Kennedy (left) as former bounty hunter, Ryler

The series has generally aged well (unlike the quality of the print currently streaming) - the acting is natural and understated, the action and horsemanship convincing, there's great chemistry between the main cast, and it’s all done with an underlying sense of humour.

Penne Hackforth-Jones (Jessica Johnson) was born in Connecticut, USA, in 1949, but grew up in Australia. She was active in Australian television and film from 1969 to 2013, and wrote an acclaimed biography of her great-grandmother, the novelist Barbara Baynton. Penne Hackforth-Jones passed away in 2013, aged 64. In her obituary, the Sydney Morning Herald wrote; 'Like most fine actors, Penne Hackforth-Jones left her vanity at home whenever she went to work'.

Serge Lazareff (Sam Cash) passed away in 2021, aged 77. He had a great career as an actor, mainly on Australian television, then became an equally in-demand scriptwriter and editor.

Gus Mercurio (Joe Brady), born in Milwaukee, USA, was a former US Marine, boxer, and boxing referee who became a hugely popular actor in Australia. He passed away in 2010, aged 82.

The last surviving member of the principal cast was Gerard Kennedy (Ryler), who passed away in April 2025, aged 93. Kennedy was one of the most popular actors on Australian television in the 1970s, thanks largely to his portrayal of Detective Frank Banner in the legendary Melbourne-based police drama, Division 4.

Gerard Kennedy in Division 4, for which he won multiple awards as most popular actor on Australian television.

Old Dog with New Tricks: Too much happens in this. Long Shot: A villain with a stupid accent has it in for Cowley. Where the Jungle Ends: Some people from Bodie’s past turn up and they’re not nice. Killer with a Long Arm: A villain with a stupid accent wants to kill someone who bears an uncanny resemblance of the Greek king and also the lads are so in love. Heroes: Shotgun Tommy has fun and dies doing what he liked best. Private Madness, Public Danger: Someone wants to poison the water supply and we don’t get nearly enough shots of soaking wet lads. The Female Factor: Some woman from Doyle’s past turns up and gets killed. Everest Was Also Conquered: There are Lesbians (one of them ends up dead, but so do a lot of other people in this episode). Close Quarters: Bodie’s holiday is sabotaged by some villains with stupid accents. Klansmen: Racism is bad. Look After Annie: George Cowley was in love once. Stake Out: This is not how nuclear bombs work but on the other hand we get nearly 35 minutes of the lads doing nothing in particular. When the Heat Cools Off: A case from Doyle’s past comes back to haunt him.

Rogue: CI5’s first agent ever has other plans. Hunter/Hunted: Someone has it in for Doyle and the lads are very much in love. First Night: Doyle nags Bodie about his eating habits. The Rack: I’ve been reliably informed that this isn’t how courts of enquiry work. Man Without a Past: Someone almost kills Bodie’s girlfriend of the week and he isn’t happy about it. In the Public Interest: Undercover as gay. Not a Very Civil Civil Servant: Crime also happens in the building industry. A Stirring of Dust: There are a lot of old agents and Bodie sneezes. Blind Run: Only George Cowley knows what is going on. Fall Girl: Some woman from Bodie’s past turns up and gets killed, also everyone is unhappy with everyone else. Backtrack: Ray Doyle has to fend off Marge Harper and Bodie is very amused by this. Servant of Two Masters: George Cowley plays everyone, part I. The Madness of Mickey Hamilton: Emperor Palpatine has it in for doctors and it’s all terribly depressing.

Stopover: The lads are chewed out by Cowley repeatedly and they go to a pub. Runner: The plot is overcomplicated but now we know that Ray Doyle is still in the habit of walking into Bodie’s bedroom when he’s got a girlfriend there and also slapping your colleague’s bum is apparently part of the procedure to disarm bombs. A Hiding to Nothing: People’s arses are relevant to the plot. Dead Reckoning: Bodie is a great big softie on the inside. Mixed Doubles: Goodies and baddies aren’t so different and there is a sleepover. Need to Know: George Cowley plays everyone, part II. The Purging of CI5: Someone has it in for CI5. Fugitive: The running tackle of love happens. The Acorn Syndrome: Some girl was kidnapped and Doyle has to fend off a bored housewife. Slush Fund: A hitman is contracted to kill a journalist and Bodie manages to convince the journalist’s wife that he’s a mildly competent burglar. Weekend in the Country: Bodie’s and Doyle’s holiday is sabotaged by some villains. Take Away: CI5 is part of an international investigation in drug trade that exploits the Chinese community and it’s all rather bleak. Involvement: For reasons unknown, Ray Doyle decides to marry but in the end he narrowly avoids the fate of Classic Who companions.

The Gun: Something about a gun and drugs. Wild Justice: Someone from Bodie’s past died and he isn’t happy about it. Black Out: An amnesiac woman turns up and the lads visit a lot of country pubs. It’s Only a Beautiful Picture: Bodie and Doyle have to repair to the country to defeat a smuggler. Blood Sports: Bodie plays cricket and later on he’s jealous because Doyle has an eye on the stepsister of a victim of an assassination. Hijack: A villain of the old sort ‘helps out’ a guy from the GDR embassy and Doyle’s girlfriend’s flatmate is caught up in it. You’ll be All Right: A criminal asks Doyle for help and Bodie’s girlfriend is annoyed because she gets roped into this operation. Kickback: Someone from Bodie’s past turns up and for a change he is sort of nice, considering. Discovered in a Graveyard: I can’t believe it’s not fanfiction. Foxhole on the Roof: A disgruntled villain wants to make a lot of money and holds hospital patients hostage. The Ojuka Situation: Charles Dance was young once and I don’t know why Cowley even bothers to tell Bodie to stay put when Doyle is in danger. Operation Susie: Everything goes wrong and this is not how chemical analysis works. The Untouchables: George Cowley arranges a girlfriend for Bodie to get rid of an assassin with a stupid accent.