The New Avengers, Series 1 — Episode 12
Dirtier by the Dozen

Production details

Produced:October, 1976

Regional broadcasts

Broadcaster	Date	Time
Thames Television	5/01/1977	8:00pm
ATV Midlands	21/01/1977	7:30pm
Granada Television	21/01/1977	7:30pm
Anglia Television	5/01/1977	8:00pm
Border Television	9/03/1977	8:00pm
Channel Television	21/01/1977	7:30pm
Grampian Television	9/03/1977	8:00pm
Southern Television	21/01/1977	8:00pm
Scottish Television	9/03/1977	8:00pm
Tyne Tees Television	9/03/1977	8:00pm
Ulster Television	21/01/1977	7:30pm
Westward Television	21/01/1977	7:30pm
Harlech Television	19/12/1976	7:50pm
Yorkshire Television	9/03/1977	8:00pm

TV Times listing

International broadcasts

ABN2 Sydney, Australia	13/04/1977	8:35pm
ABV2 Melbourne, Australia	4/05/1977	8:35pm
ABC New York, USA	22/12/1978	11:30pm
TF1 France	5/03/1977	9:47pm
Suisse Romande, Switzerland	3/05/1977	8:20pm
French title	Commando très spécial
ZDF Germany
German title	Das dreckige Dutzend
KRO Netherlands	6/01/1977	8:25pm
Dutch title	De verdwenen generaal
Italy	24/08/1978	10:05pm
Italian title	Jack li pazzo
Spain	13/09/81	7:40pm
Spanish title	Comando especial

Sleeper is listed in nearly every single Australian broadcast schedule against both April 13 and May 4, 1977. It appears to have been pre-empted in its original broadcast by Dirtier by the Dozen as there are daily listings (as opposed to weekly guides) that show the switch - the daily listings normally did not indicate the episode title so having these do so seems to confirm the late schedule change. To confuse the issue, however, The Bananacoast Opinion printed a lengthy exposé of the plot for Dirtier by the Dozen in their May 4 edition. Did the Far North Coast have a different schedule? It seems unlikely, as Victoria and other states seem to have had the same change. Perhaps the editor noticed the repetition of Sleeper and thought it a mistake by the ABC, and ran the other plot line as being from the only apparently unaccounted for episode.

Continuity and trivia

Purdey’s favourite drink is gin, measure of orange, dash of bitters and ginger ale.

The Transport

Marque	Colour	Number Plate
Wolseley Six	black	?
Société Stampe et Renard SV4B biplane	red and white	G-AZUL
biplane	grey	-
high-wing light aeroplane	red and white	-
Piper Aerostar 601 P aeroplane	white, with yellow and blue stripes	N80363
Piper Aztec PA-23–250 1960 aeroplane	white with gold stripes	G-AREE
Piper Cherokee PA-28–140 1967 aeroplane	white with blue stripes	G-AVLI
Piper Cherokee PA-28–140 1967 aeroplane	white with blue stripes	G-AXSH
high-wing light aircraft	red and white	G-BA..
Beagle Basset B.206 1967	blue and yellow	G-ATZO
Piper Aztec PA-23–250 1969	blue and yellow	G-BAUA
Triumph Herald	red	180 MPH
Lockheed C-130K Hercules C.1 transport plane	RAF camouflage	-
Hawker Siddeley HS.780 Andover C1 transport plane	RAF camouflage	-
Land Rover fire tender	red	685 FAA
Land Rover SWB	green	?
AEC lorry	green	?
Purdey’s MGB Mk III 1976 drophead roadster	sandglow	MOC 232P
Aveling-Barford Universal Carrier No.2 Mk.II 1940	green	CT 179405
Austin Healey 100/4 1955	red	383 FMV
Land Rover SWB Series IIa armoured bonnet	green	29 ES 11
Land Rover SWB Series IIa	green	45 BE 72
Bell Jet Ranger II 206B helicopter 1973	yellow, black & white with Alan Mann Helicopters logo	G-BCWN

Who’s Killing Whom?

Victim	Killer	Method
Guerilla	Colonel Miller	sten gun
Guerilla	Sergeant Bowdon	sten gun
Travis	Corporal Keller	bowie knife
Freddy	(disease)	tropical disease caught while in Africa
Harris	Colonel Miller	sentenced to death by firing squad

The Fashions

Gambit’s fashions

1. light brown cord jacket with elasticated waist, epaulettes on shoulders, matching cord jeans, cream rollneck
2. light brown checked single-breasted 3-piece suit, light yellow shirt with white collar and placket, metallic mustard tie
3. Scottish regiment dress uniform with khaki coat,and kilt
4. camouflage British Army uniform, black beret
5. camouflage British Army uniform, black beret, khaki jumper instead of camo jacket

Purdey’s fashions

1. pale mustard blouse, cream safari suit jacket, orange/brown trousers and matching boots, later with hat with leopard print band
2. red ankle-length dress with cowl collar, long sleeves

Steed’s fashions

1. blue single-breasted 3-piece suit. White shirt. Purple tie with white spot, black bowler and umb
2. brown tweed sports coat, blue shirt, green tie