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Underbelly (series)
Encyclopedia
Underbelly is an Australian television true crime
-drama
which originally broadcast on the Nine Network
. Each series contains 13 episodes and is based on real-life events including the Melbourne gangland killings
between 1995-2004, the Griffith
drug trade between 1976-1987, and the Kings Cross scene between 1988-1999. The first series is based on the book Leadbelly: Inside Australia's Underworld, by The Age
journalists John Silvester and Andrew Rule.
A fourth series Underbelly: Razor
,which is based on Sydney's infamous razor-gang wars between 1927 and 1936, has completed airing. Three telemovies called The Underbelly Files have also been made: Tell Them Lucifer was Here
, on the hunt for the killers of two police officers in 1998, Infiltration
, on an Australian police detective's infiltration of the Calabrian Mafia, and The Man Who Got Away
, about the only man who escaped from Bangkok's Klong Prem
prison. All three aired on the Nine Network in February 2011.
In September 2011, a New Zealand version of the series premiered on TV3, titled Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud this six part mini-series was the first Underbelly production to be produced and financed outside of Australia. The series detailed events beginning in the late 1960s to and throughout the 1970s and told the origin of the Mr Asia drug syndicate and its original leader Marty Johnstone.The series is somewhat a prequel to the series A Tale of Two Cities. An American version has also been announced on the network channel Starz though nothing else has been confirmed at this stage.
After the performance of Underbelly: Razor in the ratings which has been successful, it is still currently unknown if there will be a fifth series entry into the crime franchise. Rumours reportedly suggest that a fifth and possible sixth series are currently being planned but no official statement by the Nine Network has been made yet.
which occurred between 1995 and 2004 referred to as the Melbourne gangland killings
in which 36 criminal figures and others were killed, and the transformation of Carl Williams from harmless driver into one of Australia's most notorious drug kingpins.
The activities of corrupt Kings Cross police officers - most notably Trevor Haken and "Chook" Fowler - and their actions are mainly depicted in the series, and some of these characters reprise their roles from the second season. The Wood Royal Commission into police corruption which occurred in 1995 is also prominently featured.
and her rival Kate Leigh
.
The new series is based on the Ned Kelly Award-winning book Razor, by Larry Writer. The series includes an ensemble cast beginning with New Zealand actresses Chelsie Preston Crayford and Danielle Cormack portraying Devine and Leigh respectively.
Although nothing has been confirmed by the Nine Network on the status of these future series, the era settings, locations and even cast are almost entirely rumors. Information on the fifth season is currently unknown but rumors have stated that it could possibly be set in Melbourne again, given the events from Des (Tuppence) Moran's death to the current Lebanese fighting, or in Queensland
, with Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
and the Fitzgerald Inquiry
into police corruption in that state. These series may only enter production depending on the ratings for Underbelly: Razor. Screentime's Des Monaghan has indicated that the production company is keen to possibly revisit Tony Mokbel
's story for the pending sixth series.
announced that three separate stand-alone crime telemovies would continue the Underbelly franchise. Known by the collective title Underbelly: Files, the first was Tell Them Lucifer was Here, the second Infiltration and the third The Man Who Got Away and premiered on Australia's Nine Network early in the 2011 ratings season.
It stars Brett Climo
, Jeremy Kewley
, Todd Lasance
, Greg Stone
, Dimitri Baveas, Ditch Davey
, Jane Allsop
, Annie Jones
, Paul O'Brien
, Daniel Whyte, Chris Bunworth, James Taylor, Craig Blumeris, Jasmine Dare, Marshall Napier
, Robert Taylor
, Shanti Pezet and Lee Cormie
, with a return guest appearance by Don Hany
as Nik 'The Russian' Radev - the same character he played in the original "Underbelly" series (which was set a few years after the events that take place in this movie).
The movie had its premiere screening across Australia on the Nine and WIN Networks on Monday 7 February 2011, quickly followed by an encore screening on GEM on Sunday 13 February 2011.
Late in 2010 this telemovie hit a legal snag as part of a pending court case in the NSW law courts, which resulted in a slightly altered version of 'Lucifer' being broadcast in Sydney and NSW on Monday 7 February. The version screened in NSW omitted one particular scene and changed the names of a number of individuals in the case (for example "Bandali Debs" changed to "Patrici Fabro"), however in an oversight, the subtitles were not edited and showed the original names.
. He and his police partner lived undercover in Griffith, New South Wales for a number of years, in order to 'Infiltrate' the very closed and deadly Mafia community there. Colin slowly befriended the Romeo family and eventually became a dear and trusted family friend and confidant to Mrs Romeo. Much to the Romeo family's shock and betrayal, all is exposed, and leads to broken hearts and death.
The two hour telemovie aired on 14 February 2011 and stars Sullivan Stapleton
as Colin McLaren, Jessica Napier
as Jude, Tottie Goldsmith
as Sara, Kassandra Clementi as Chelsea McLaren, and co-stars Valentino del Toro, Buddy Dannoun, Glenda Linscott and Henry Nixon
.
who was a British born Australian drug smuggler and the only person in history to escape from Klong Prem prison in Bangkok
.
It stars Toby Schmitz as David McMillan
and Claire van der Boom
as McMillan's partner Clelia Vigano. The cast also features Jeremy Sims
, Aaron Jeffery
, Nicholas Eadie
, Brendan Cowell
, Freya Stafford
, Josh Lawson
, John Orcisk, William Zappa, Heather Mitchell
and Deirdre Rubenstein. Also features Anthony Tsingas, as David's Dad.
The Man Who Got Away premiered on the Nine Network on Monday 21 February 2011.
, replacing character traits and outcomes.
The mini-series was scripted by John Banas and centred on the "Mr. Asia" drug syndicate, which was a major storyline of the second Australian Underbelly series, A Tale of Two Cities
. The show was marketed at the time as Underbelly: The Mr. Asia Story in New Zealand. However, the NZ six-part narrative differentiates itself from the Australian series' portrayal by focussing on the story of New Zealander, Marty Johnstone
- dubbed "Mr. Asia". Fellow Kiwi, Terry Clark, a central character of the Australian show, was convicted of Johnstone’s 1979 murder in England and is usually wrongly attributed as "Mr. Asia".
The cast includes:
The character Detective Constable Ben Charlton is both the narrator and a key player of the series - similar to that of Jacqui James in the original Underbelly
.
Land of the Long Green Cloud, a somewhat prequel to the central story of A Tale of Two Cities
, will also be set in 1970s New Zealand, but from 1972 to 1980. The mini-series began filming in April 2011, similar to that of Underbelly: Razor
. The six episodes will air on TV3
Wednesdays at 9:30pm from 17 August; Episode 1 is titled as "Disorganised Crime", followed by "Trains 'n' Boats 'n' Planes" and "Long Green Cloud".
The latest episodes are available On Demand for New Zealand based viewers for a limited time only. Catch up here.
Note: The first series release of Underbelly is not available for sale to Victorian customers, due to the Supreme Court of Victoria's prohibition of its distribution or exhibition therein.
Note: There are two versions of the Underbelly Files release as one of the telemovies, Tell Them Lucifer was Here, cannot be shown in NSW due to legal reasons. The NSW Edition will only contain two of the three telemovies in the release.
Note: The first three seasons (Underbelly, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities and Underbelly: The Golden Mile) will be released together as "Underbelly - The Trilogy: 3 Seasons Uncut and Uncensored".
True crime
True crime is a non-fiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people.The crimes most commonly include murder, but true crime works have also touched on other legal cases. Depending on the writer, true crime can adhere strictly to...
-drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
which originally broadcast on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
. Each series contains 13 episodes and is based on real-life events including the Melbourne gangland killings
Melbourne gangland killings
The Melbourne gangland killings were the murders in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia of 36 criminal figures or partners between 16 January 1998 and 13 August 2010. The murders were in a series of retributional murders involving various underworld groups. The deaths caused a sustained power vacuum...
between 1995-2004, the Griffith
Griffith, New South Wales
Griffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is also the seat of the City of Griffith local government area. Like the Australian capital, Canberra and the nearby town of Leeton, Griffith was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Griffith was named after Sir Arthur Griffith the...
drug trade between 1976-1987, and the Kings Cross scene between 1988-1999. The first series is based on the book Leadbelly: Inside Australia's Underworld, by The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
journalists John Silvester and Andrew Rule.
A fourth series Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor is a 13-part Australian television mini-series detailing real events that occurred in Sydney between 1927 and 1936. The series depicts the "razor gangs" who controlled the city's underworld during the era and the violent war between the two "vice queen" powers, Tilly Devine and...
,which is based on Sydney's infamous razor-gang wars between 1927 and 1936, has completed airing. Three telemovies called The Underbelly Files have also been made: Tell Them Lucifer was Here
Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer was Here
Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer was Here is an Australian made-for-television movie that aired on February 7, 2011 on the Nine Network. It is the first of three television movies in the Underbelly Files series, the other two being Infiltration and The Man Who Got Away.It tells the true story of...
, on the hunt for the killers of two police officers in 1998, Infiltration
Underbelly Files: Infiltration
Underbelly Files: Infiltration is an Australian made-for-television movie that aired on February 14, 2011 on the Nine Network. It is the second of three television movies in the Underbelly Files series, the other two being Tell Them Lucifer was Here and The Man Who Got Away.It tells the true story...
, on an Australian police detective's infiltration of the Calabrian Mafia, and The Man Who Got Away
Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away
Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away is an Australian made-for-television movie that aired on February 21, 2011 on the Nine Network. It is the last of three television movies in the Underbelly Files series, the other two being Tell Them Lucifer was Here and Infiltration.It recounts the true story...
, about the only man who escaped from Bangkok's Klong Prem
Klong Prem
Klong Prem Central prison is a high-security prison in Bangkok, Thailand. The prison has several separate sections. The greater complex houses up to 20,000 inmates. Within the complex perimeter are the Women's Central Prison, often referred to as "Lard Yao" or "Lard Yao women's prison"...
prison. All three aired on the Nine Network in February 2011.
In September 2011, a New Zealand version of the series premiered on TV3, titled Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud this six part mini-series was the first Underbelly production to be produced and financed outside of Australia. The series detailed events beginning in the late 1960s to and throughout the 1970s and told the origin of the Mr Asia drug syndicate and its original leader Marty Johnstone.The series is somewhat a prequel to the series A Tale of Two Cities. An American version has also been announced on the network channel Starz though nothing else has been confirmed at this stage.
After the performance of Underbelly: Razor in the ratings which has been successful, it is still currently unknown if there will be a fifth series entry into the crime franchise. Rumours reportedly suggest that a fifth and possible sixth series are currently being planned but no official statement by the Nine Network has been made yet.
Underbelly (2008)
Season 1 focuses on events in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
which occurred between 1995 and 2004 referred to as the Melbourne gangland killings
Melbourne gangland killings
The Melbourne gangland killings were the murders in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia of 36 criminal figures or partners between 16 January 1998 and 13 August 2010. The murders were in a series of retributional murders involving various underworld groups. The deaths caused a sustained power vacuum...
in which 36 criminal figures and others were killed, and the transformation of Carl Williams from harmless driver into one of Australia's most notorious drug kingpins.
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities (2009)
Season 2 is a prequel to the first and focuses on events that occurred in Sydney and Melbourne between the years 1976 to 1987. Events depicted include- the partnership between Robert TrimboleRobert TrimboleRobert Trimbole was an Australian businessman, drug baron and organised crime boss whose alleged involvement in the disappearance of anti-marijuana campaigner Donald Mackay and involvement in drug trafficking in the Griffith, New South Wales area, led to a royal commission, a Coroner's inquest and...
and Terry Clark in the "Mr. Asia" heroin importation syndicate, - the disappearance of Donald Mackay,
- the Great Bookie RobberyGreat Bookie RobberyThe Great Bookie Robbery was a crime committed in Melbourne, Australia on 21 April 1976.A well-organized gang of six stole between $6 million and $12 million from the Victoria Club, which was located on the second floor of a building in Queen Street...
and the resulting turf war between the Kane brothers and Raymond "Chuck" Bennett, - corruption within the Federal Narcotics Bureau and the New South Wales Police Force, propagated by figures such as Clark and George FreemanGeorge Freeman (bookmaker)George David Freeman was a Sydney organised crime figure and illegal casino operator. He was linked to the Sydney drug trade during the 1970s and '80s, was named in several Royal Commissions into organised crime and had links with American crime figures...
, and - the career of "Mr. Rent-a-kill" Christopher Dale FlanneryChristopher Dale FlanneryChristopher Dale Flannery, aka Mr. Rent-A-Kill is alleged to have been an Australian hitman. Flannery was born in Brunswick, Victoria.- Juvenile Crime:...
.
Underbelly: The Golden Mile (2010)
Season 3 is the sequel to A Tale of Two Cities plus a prequel to the first season and focuses on events that stemmed from the Kings Cross nightclub scene in Sydney between the years 1988 to 1999. Characters and events depicted include- Kings Cross identity John IbrahimJohn IbrahimJohn Houssam Ibrahim , a Lebanese Australian, is a Kings Cross nightclub owner. Police allege Ibrahim is a "major organised-crime figure" and was labelled as the "lifeblood of the drugs industry of Kings Cross" during the 1995 Wood royal commission however, Ibrahim strongly denies being involved in...
, - former prostitute and undercover police agent Kim HollingsworthKim HollingsworthKim Michelle Hollingsworth is an Australian woman who was formerly a stripper, prostitute, student police officer and undercover agent. She was dismissed from the New South Wales Police Academy for failing to disclose her past. Her judicial attempts for reinstatement were ultimately unsuccessful...
, - Kings Cross identities Louis and Bill Bayeh,
- drug dealers Danny "DK" Karam and Benny Kassab,
- convicted murderer Michael KanaanMichael KanaanMichael Kanaan is a Lebanese Australian triple murderer from Sydney, New South Wales, currently serving three sentences of life imprisonment plus 50 years and 4 months without the possibility of parole, for the murder of three people and other offences, all committed in Sydney between 17 July 1998...
, and - bookmaker and racing identity George FreemanGeorge Freeman (bookmaker)George David Freeman was a Sydney organised crime figure and illegal casino operator. He was linked to the Sydney drug trade during the 1970s and '80s, was named in several Royal Commissions into organised crime and had links with American crime figures...
and his associate Lenny McPhersonLenny McPhersonLeonard Arthur McPherson was one of the most notorious and powerful Australian career criminals of the late 20th century...
(who also appeared in A Tale of Two Cities).
The activities of corrupt Kings Cross police officers - most notably Trevor Haken and "Chook" Fowler - and their actions are mainly depicted in the series, and some of these characters reprise their roles from the second season. The Wood Royal Commission into police corruption which occurred in 1995 is also prominently featured.
Underbelly: Razor (2011)
Season 4 started on 21 August 2011. Underbelly: Razor will be set in Sydney during the roaring 1920s, when organised crime in Australia began. This is the story of the bloody battle between the era’s most feared vice queens, Tilly DevineTilly Devine
Matilda 'Tilly' Devine was an English-born prominent Sydney crime syndicate gangs member figure, involved in a wide range of activities, including sly-grog and razor gangs, but most notable as a madam.-Early life:...
and her rival Kate Leigh
Kate Leigh
Catherine Mary Josephine Leigh was an underworld figure who rose to prominence as an illegal trader of alcohol and cocaine dealer in Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia during the first half of the twentieth century...
.
The new series is based on the Ned Kelly Award-winning book Razor, by Larry Writer. The series includes an ensemble cast beginning with New Zealand actresses Chelsie Preston Crayford and Danielle Cormack portraying Devine and Leigh respectively.
Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud (2011)
This 6-part mini-series will air on TV3 in New Zealand sometime during September 2011. Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud will be set in the late 1960's to sometime throughout the 1970's. Events depicted include the origins of the Mr. Asia drug syndicate and its original leader Marty Johnstone. Though not a part of the Australian series chronology, this series is a prequel to the Australian series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities. Main characters include Marty Johnstone, Terry Clark and Andy Maher.Future series
Future possible series have not been confirmed but rumors have stated that a fifth and sixth series is highly likely.Although nothing has been confirmed by the Nine Network on the status of these future series, the era settings, locations and even cast are almost entirely rumors. Information on the fifth season is currently unknown but rumors have stated that it could possibly be set in Melbourne again, given the events from Des (Tuppence) Moran's death to the current Lebanese fighting, or in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, with Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
and the Fitzgerald Inquiry
Fitzgerald Inquiry
The Fitzgerald Inquiry into Queensland Police corruption was a judicial inquiry presided over by Tony Fitzgerald QC. The inquiry resulted in the deposition of a premier, two by-elections, the jailing of three former ministers and a police commissioner who was jailed and lost his...
into police corruption in that state. These series may only enter production depending on the ratings for Underbelly: Razor. Screentime's Des Monaghan has indicated that the production company is keen to possibly revisit Tony Mokbel
Tony Mokbel
Antonios Sajih 'Tony' Mokbel is an Australian from Melbourne, Australia, who was a fugitive until his recapture in Athens, Greece on 5 June 2007. He is of Lebanese descent and born in Kuwait. Detectives from Operation Purana allege that he is the mastermind behind the Melbourne amphetamines trade...
's story for the pending sixth series.
Underbelly Files telemovies (2011)
In early 2010 the Nine NetworkNine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
announced that three separate stand-alone crime telemovies would continue the Underbelly franchise. Known by the collective title Underbelly: Files, the first was Tell Them Lucifer was Here, the second Infiltration and the third The Man Who Got Away and premiered on Australia's Nine Network early in the 2011 ratings season.
Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer Was Here
Tell Them Lucifer Was Here depicts the murders of Victorian police officers, Gary Silk and Rod Miller which occurred in 1998 and shows the enormous efforts of the Lorimer Task Force in leading the manhunt for their killer or killers.It stars Brett Climo
Brett Climo
Brett Climo is an Australian actor.His television credits include: Sons and Daughters, A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors, The Man from Snowy River, Pacific Drive, Murder Call, Water Rats, Blue Heelers, Stingers, All Saints and The Elephant Princess.-External links:...
, Jeremy Kewley
Jeremy Kewley
Jeremy Leo Kewley is an Australian actor, based in Melbourne, who made his professional acting debut at the age of 14 in the feature film The Devil's Playground .-Early life:...
, Todd Lasance
Todd Lasance
Todd James Lasance is an Australian actor and is best known for his role as Aden Jefferies in the Australian soap opera Home And Away.-Personal life:...
, Greg Stone
Greg Stone
Greg Stone is an Australian actor who has appeared in films, television and on stage.-Biography:Stone graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney in 1983 and won a Helpmann Award and Green Room Award for Best Actor for his role of George W. Bush in David Hare’s Stuff Happens...
, Dimitri Baveas, Ditch Davey
Ditch Davey
Ditch Davey is an Australian actor.He was born Kristian Lind, but legally changed his name to Ditch when he was 18. Ditch came about because his older sister could not pronounce Christian, so instead she ended up calling him 'Ditchin'...
, Jane Allsop
Jane Allsop
Jane Claire Allsop is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Jo Parrish on Blue Heelers.-Personal life:...
, Annie Jones
Annie Jones (actress)
Annie Jones is an Australian actress who is best known for her role as Jane Harris in the soap opera Neighbours. She has won 2 Logie Awards.-Biography:...
, Paul O'Brien
Paul O'Brien
Paul O'Brien is a South-African-born Australian actor.-Biography:Paul O'Brien was born on 14 April in South Africa, and grew up in Australia. He spent several years on the Gold Coast, with his family...
, Daniel Whyte, Chris Bunworth, James Taylor, Craig Blumeris, Jasmine Dare, Marshall Napier
Marshall Napier
Marshall James Napier is a New Zealand-born actor. He is the father of actress Jessica Napier and the uncle of actor James Napier.Before becoming an actor, Napier worked variously as an art student, factory worker and truck driver...
, Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor (Australian actor)
- Biography :Taylor is best known internationally for his role in The Matrix as Agent Jones. He also appeared in the crocodile horror film Rogue and stars in Australian thriller Storm Warning and the 2009 Australian movie Coffin Rock.-Filmography:...
, Shanti Pezet and Lee Cormie
Lee Cormie
Lee Cormie is an Australian actor in Melbourne, Australia mostly known for his starring roles in number 1 US Box Office hit Darkness Falls and Australian film December Boys alongside Daniel Radcliffe.-Biography:...
, with a return guest appearance by Don Hany
Don Hany
Don Hany is an Australian award-winning actor. He is best known for his role in the series White Collar Blue, the film Lucky Miles and in the mini-series East West 101.-Biography:...
as Nik 'The Russian' Radev - the same character he played in the original "Underbelly" series (which was set a few years after the events that take place in this movie).
The movie had its premiere screening across Australia on the Nine and WIN Networks on Monday 7 February 2011, quickly followed by an encore screening on GEM on Sunday 13 February 2011.
Late in 2010 this telemovie hit a legal snag as part of a pending court case in the NSW law courts, which resulted in a slightly altered version of 'Lucifer' being broadcast in Sydney and NSW on Monday 7 February. The version screened in NSW omitted one particular scene and changed the names of a number of individuals in the case (for example "Bandali Debs" changed to "Patrici Fabro"), however in an oversight, the subtitles were not edited and showed the original names.
Underbelly Files: Infiltration
Infiltration is an adaptation for screen from an autobiographical novel written by ex-cop Colin McLarenColin McLaren
Colin McLaren is an Australian crime-writer and former undercover police operative. A feature length telemovie about his life by Underbelly Productions, starring Sullivan Stapleton in the title role, has just concluded filming for the Channel Nine Network and is due to air in 2011...
. He and his police partner lived undercover in Griffith, New South Wales for a number of years, in order to 'Infiltrate' the very closed and deadly Mafia community there. Colin slowly befriended the Romeo family and eventually became a dear and trusted family friend and confidant to Mrs Romeo. Much to the Romeo family's shock and betrayal, all is exposed, and leads to broken hearts and death.
The two hour telemovie aired on 14 February 2011 and stars Sullivan Stapleton
Sullivan Stapleton
Sullivan Stapleton is an Australian actor, who has appeared in many television series but is best known from his roles in Satisfaction and The Secret Life of Us.-Career:...
as Colin McLaren, Jessica Napier
Jessica Napier
Jessica Napier is a New Zealand born actress. She has been working consistently in Australian film and television for the past 15 years...
as Jude, Tottie Goldsmith
Tottie Goldsmith
Tottie Goldsmith is an Australian actress and singer.-Biography:Goldsmith is the daughter of Melbourne restaurateur and nightclub owner Brian Goldsmith and British-born actress Rona Newton-John. Her great grandfather was German physicist and Nobel Prize winner Max Born...
as Sara, Kassandra Clementi as Chelsea McLaren, and co-stars Valentino del Toro, Buddy Dannoun, Glenda Linscott and Henry Nixon
Henry Nixon
Henry Nixon is an Australian actor.Henry Nixon was born in the 1970s at St Margaret's Hospital on Crown Street in the inner-Sydney suburb of Surry Hills...
.
Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away
The Man Who Got Away tells the story of David McMillanDavid McMillan (smuggler)
David McMillan is a British-Australian drug smuggler who is best known for being the only Westerner on record as having successfully escaped Bangkok's Klong Prem prison. His exploits were the subject of the 2011 Australian telemovie, Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away.-Early life:McMillan was...
who was a British born Australian drug smuggler and the only person in history to escape from Klong Prem prison in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
.
It stars Toby Schmitz as David McMillan
David McMillan (smuggler)
David McMillan is a British-Australian drug smuggler who is best known for being the only Westerner on record as having successfully escaped Bangkok's Klong Prem prison. His exploits were the subject of the 2011 Australian telemovie, Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away.-Early life:McMillan was...
and Claire van der Boom
Claire van der Boom
Claire van der Boom is a Logie Award winning Australian film and television actress of Dutch ancestry. Internationally, she is best known for her appearance as Stella in the third episode of the HBO miniseries The Pacific, and her recurring role playing the ex-wife of Det...
as McMillan's partner Clelia Vigano. The cast also features Jeremy Sims
Jeremy Sims
-Personal life:He was educated at Wesley College, Perth, 1977–83. Sims was married to film director Samantha Lang. They have two daughters, Frederique and Evelyn Rose.-Career:...
, Aaron Jeffery
Aaron Jeffery
Aaron C. Jeffery is a Logie Award winning New Zealand – Australian actor.-Early life:Born in Howick, Auckland, Jeffery moved to Australia at the age of 17 and studied acting at NIDA.-Career:...
, Nicholas Eadie
Nicholas Eadie
Nicholas Eadie is an Australian television actor.Born in Sydney, New South Wales to actor and Australian Broadcasting Commission radio announcer Mervyn Eadie, he attended Waverley College from 1968 to 1976, studied Arts at University of New England for one year in 1977, and studied at the National...
, Brendan Cowell
Brendan Cowell
Brendan Cowell is an Australian actor, screenwriter and director. Cowell was born in Sydney. He stumbled upon acting by accident while waiting for his sister to come out of a rehearsal; he was then cast in a commercial at age 8...
, Freya Stafford
Freya Stafford
Freya Stafford is an Australian actress who has appeared in the television programs Head Start and White Collar Blue as central characters.-Early and personal life:Stafford was born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania...
, Josh Lawson
Josh Lawson
Joshua Lawson is an Australian actor. He grew up in Brisbane and attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2001. He also spent one year studying improvisation techniques in Los Angeles at The Second City, The Groundlings, ACME...
, John Orcisk, William Zappa, Heather Mitchell
Heather Mitchell
Heather Mitchell , is an Australian actress, appearing in Australian productions of Stage, television and film. She is a graduate of NIDA...
and Deirdre Rubenstein. Also features Anthony Tsingas, as David's Dad.
The Man Who Got Away premiered on the Nine Network on Monday 21 February 2011.
American version
On 22 June 2010, it was announced that the channel, Starz, will remake the Underbelly series. It will not be based on the original series, instead the writers will look for American gangs and rewrite situations in Underbelly: A Tale of Two CitiesUnderbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is a 13-part Australian television mini-series loosely based on real events that stemmed from the marijuana trade centred around the New South Wales town of Griffith. The timeline of the series is the years between 1976 and 1987. Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities...
, replacing character traits and outcomes.
New Zealand version
On 22 December 2010, 3News reported that New Zealand on Air would contribute $3.9 million towards six one-hour episodes of Underbelly NZ: The Land of the Long Green Cloud, in conjunction with Screentimes New Zealand branch. The executive producer of Underbelly NZ was announced as Philly de Lacey.The mini-series was scripted by John Banas and centred on the "Mr. Asia" drug syndicate, which was a major storyline of the second Australian Underbelly series, A Tale of Two Cities
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is a 13-part Australian television mini-series loosely based on real events that stemmed from the marijuana trade centred around the New South Wales town of Griffith. The timeline of the series is the years between 1976 and 1987. Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities...
. The show was marketed at the time as Underbelly: The Mr. Asia Story in New Zealand. However, the NZ six-part narrative differentiates itself from the Australian series' portrayal by focussing on the story of New Zealander, Marty Johnstone
Marty Johnstone
Christopher Martin "Marty" Johnstone was a New Zealand drug trafficker. The former Takapuna Grammar pupil was dubbed "Mr Asia" by the Auckland Star newspaper in August 1978 in a series of articles by Pat Booth.-Murder:...
- dubbed "Mr. Asia". Fellow Kiwi, Terry Clark, a central character of the Australian show, was convicted of Johnstone’s 1979 murder in England and is usually wrongly attributed as "Mr. Asia".
The cast includes:
- Dan Musgrove starring as Marty JohnstoneMarty JohnstoneChristopher Martin "Marty" Johnstone was a New Zealand drug trafficker. The former Takapuna Grammar pupil was dubbed "Mr Asia" by the Auckland Star newspaper in August 1978 in a series of articles by Pat Booth.-Murder:...
- Thijs Morris starring as Andy Maher
- Jamie Irvine starring as Detective Constable Ben Charlton
- Holly ShanahanHolly Shanahan-Television:-Films:-External links:...
starring as Detective Constable Carole Derwent - Andrew LaingAndrew LaingAndrew Laing is a New Zealand actor best known for his role as Dr. Geoff Greenlaw in the popular soap opera, Shortland Street.-Filmography:-External links:...
as Detective Sergeant Laurie Mackenzie - Damien Avery as Detective "Goose" Gosling
- Richard Knowles as Detective Sergeant "Ding" Bell
- Colin Moy as Detective Senior Sergeant Skinner
- Erroll Shand recurring as Terry Clark
- Johnny Barker as Josh Easby
- Jason HoyteJason Hoyte-Television Roles:*Young Hercules: Hephaestus*Hercules: The Legendary Journeys: Hephaestus*Xena: Warrior Princess: Hephaestus, Timus*Outrageous Fortune: Franklin "Corky" Corke*Seven Periods with Mr...
as Pat Booth - Fleur SavilleFleur SavilleFleur Saville in Auckland is a New Zealand television actress best known for her roles in the television sitcoms Being Eve and The Tribe in which she became known to international audiences for her portrayal of Ruby...
as Sue Macpherson - Olivia TennetOlivia TennetOlivia Tennet is a New Zealand actress and dancer. She has been active as an actress since 1999 and is mostly known for her role as Tuesday Warner on the New Zealand medical drama Shortland Street.-Career:...
as Julie Theilman - Joel TobeckJoel TobeckBorn in 1971 in Auckland, New Zealand, He is a well known actor in New Zealand and Australia with over 20 years acting experience.He comes from an acting background, his mother Liddy Holloway was a well known theatre and TV actress in New Zealand...
as Gary Majors - Calvin TuteaoCalvin TuteaoCalvin Tuteao is a New Zealand actor who has appeared in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Once Were Warriors, Shortland Street and Xena: Warrior Princess....
as 'Diamond' Jim Shepherd
- Rachel Blampied as Farah Wainwright
- Grae Burton as Peter Miller
- Anna Jullienne recurring as Deb Masters
- Jaime Passier-Armstrong as Isobel Wilson
- Edith Poor recurring as Bonnie Marie Jones
- Gary Young recurring as Choo "Chinese Jack" Cheng Kui
- John Leigh as Mac, "The Mick"
- Stelios Yiakmis recurring as 'Big' Ari
- Joshua Winger as "Commundard", part of the syndicate
The character Detective Constable Ben Charlton is both the narrator and a key player of the series - similar to that of Jacqui James in the original Underbelly
Underbelly (TV series)
Underbelly is a 13-part Australian television mini-series that retells the real events of the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne, and is the first series in the larger Underbelly Franchise. It depicts the key players in Melbourne's criminal underworld, including the Carlton Crew and their rival,...
.
Land of the Long Green Cloud, a somewhat prequel to the central story of A Tale of Two Cities
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is a 13-part Australian television mini-series loosely based on real events that stemmed from the marijuana trade centred around the New South Wales town of Griffith. The timeline of the series is the years between 1976 and 1987. Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities...
, will also be set in 1970s New Zealand, but from 1972 to 1980. The mini-series began filming in April 2011, similar to that of Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor
Underbelly: Razor is a 13-part Australian television mini-series detailing real events that occurred in Sydney between 1927 and 1936. The series depicts the "razor gangs" who controlled the city's underworld during the era and the violent war between the two "vice queen" powers, Tilly Devine and...
. The six episodes will air on TV3
TV3 (New Zealand)
TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
Wednesdays at 9:30pm from 17 August; Episode 1 is titled as "Disorganised Crime", followed by "Trains 'n' Boats 'n' Planes" and "Long Green Cloud".
The latest episodes are available On Demand for New Zealand based viewers for a limited time only. Catch up here.
| # | Episode | Air Date (NZ) | Timeslot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Disorganised Crime" | 17 August 2011 | 9:30pm Wednesday |
| 2 | "Trains 'n' Boats 'n' Planes" | 24 August 2011 | |
| 3 | "All At Sea" | 31 August 2011 | |
| 4 | "Marty / Party" | 7 September 2011 | |
| 5 | "Dominoes" | 14 September 2011 | |
| 6 | "Thirty Of Silver / One Of Gold" | 21 September 2011 | |
| 1-6 | DVD Release | 22 September 2011 | (Official site) |
DVD releases
| Series | Release dates | DVD Extras and Bonus Features |
Number of Episodes |
Number of Discs |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 4 | ||||
| Underbelly (Uncut) | 6 December 2011 | 8 May 2008 | 'Carl Williams – The Day of Reckoning' documentary | 13 | 4 (5 in Special Edition) |
| Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities (Uncut) | 25 May 2009 | Extended scenes | 13 | 4 (5 in Special Edition) |
|
| Underbelly: The Golden Mile (Fully Loaded) | 28 June 2010 | Lenticular packaging | 13 | 4 | |
| Underbelly Files | TBA | 3 March 2011 | TBA | 3 Telemovies (2 in NSW Edition) |
3 (2 in NSW Edition) |
| Underbelly: Razor | TBA | 10 November 2011 | TBA | 13 | TBA |
| Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud | TBA | 22 September 2011 | TBA | 6 | 2 |
Note: The first series release of Underbelly is not available for sale to Victorian customers, due to the Supreme Court of Victoria's prohibition of its distribution or exhibition therein.
Note: There are two versions of the Underbelly Files release as one of the telemovies, Tell Them Lucifer was Here, cannot be shown in NSW due to legal reasons. The NSW Edition will only contain two of the three telemovies in the release.
Note: The first three seasons (Underbelly, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities and Underbelly: The Golden Mile) will be released together as "Underbelly - The Trilogy: 3 Seasons Uncut and Uncensored".
Series ratings
- The following table's ratings and rankings are subject to change as more episodes are broadcast.
- Data based on the five Metropolitan markets only.
Series # Episodes Timeslot Season Premiere Season Finale TV Season Nightly Rankings Yearly Ranking Viewers
(Millions)1st 2nd 3rd >3rd 1 Underbelly (TV series)Underbelly is a 13-part Australian television mini-series that retells the real events of the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne, and is the first series in the larger Underbelly Franchise. It depicts the key players in Melbourne's criminal underworld, including the Carlton Crew and their rival,...13 8:30pm
Wednesday13 February 2008 7 May 2008 2008 2008 in Australian television-Events:* 14 January – The Nine Network undergoes a major revamp in its production and logo and on-air graphics as a part of a new network re-launch, and after a two-year absence, returns the famous "Nine Balls" logo, except instead of balls, they use discs...3 1.707* 2 Underbelly: A Tale of Two CitiesUnderbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is a 13-part Australian television mini-series loosely based on real events that stemmed from the marijuana trade centred around the New South Wales town of Griffith. The timeline of the series is the years between 1976 and 1987. Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities...13 8:30pm
Monday9 February 2009 4 May 2009 2009 2009 in Australian televisionThis is a list of Australian television events and premieres which occurred in 2009. The year 2009 is the 54th year of continuous operation of television in Australia...10 2 0 1 2 2.159 3 Underbelly: The Golden MileUnderbelly: The Golden Mile is a 13-part Australian television mini-series loosely based on real events that stemmed from the nightclub scene of the Sydney suburb of Kings Cross. The timeline of the series is the years between 1988 and 1999. it primarily depicts the running of Kings Cross and the...13 8:30pm
Sunday11 April 2010 27 June 2010 2010 2010 in Australian televisionThis is a list of Australian television events and premieres which occurred, or are scheduled to occur, in 2010. The year 2010 will be the 55th year of continuous operation of television in Australia.-Events:...7 1 2 3 4 1.712 4 Underbelly: RazorUnderbelly: Razor is a 13-part Australian television mini-series detailing real events that occurred in Sydney between 1927 and 1936. The series depicts the "razor gangs" who controlled the city's underworld during the era and the violent war between the two "vice queen" powers, Tilly Devine and...13 8:30pm
Sunday21 August 2011 6 November 2011 2011 2011 in Australian televisionThis is a list of Australian television events and premieres which occurred, or are scheduled to occur, in 2011. This year will be the 56th year of continuous operation of television in Australia.- Events :...4 3 5 1 10 1.595 - Underbelly figure is for the first five episodes - the total is calculated from the average audience achieved by the broadcast in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth and then the average audience achieved by the broadcast in Melbourne where it screened later in the year (and in varied timeslots).