Fat Tony And Co (Channel 9 2014, Robert Mammone, Vince Colosimo)

Crime drama series Fat Tony and Co was part of the Underbelly franchise (but not listed as such because of funding changes to Screen Australia) and focused on Tony Mokbel who in the 2000’s was Australia’s most wanted man. What followed as the police attempted to bring him to justice was an intense manhunt that lasted 18 months and dismantled a drug empire.

A miraculous tip-off to the Australian police revealed that Mokbel was living in Athens, Greece under a false name and documents. But how do you find one man in a population of four million? FAT TONY & CO follows Mokbel from his early beginnings in Melbourne’s underworld to his eventual discovery and arrest in a cafe in Athens.

Mokbel featured in the original Underbelly series but as Screentime Exec Des Monaghan says “When we first introduced Tony Mokbel, legal constraints greatly inhibited how much we could show. This time there are no such constraints – FAT TONY & CO is complete and unabridged.” Timeline wise the storyline runs alongside the events of the original Underbelly series but seen from Mokbel’s perspective.

In fact most of the original Underbelly players returned for this series – with a few exceptions – Kat Stewart was replaced by Hollie Andrew. Caroline Gillmer was replaced by Debra Byrne and Callan Mulvey was replaced by Jake Ryan.

Most of the cast from the first series of Underbelly return to play the same characters, although some were unavailable to reprise their signature roles such as Kat Stewart who played Roberta Williams, replaced by Hollie Andrew; Caroline Gillmer who played Judy Moran, replaced by Debra Byrne, and Callan Mulvey who played Mark Moran, replaced by Jake Ryan

production details
Australia / Channel 9 – Screentime / 9×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 23 February – 6 April 2014

Writers: Peter Gawler, Adam Todd, Jeff Truman, Michaeley O’Brien / Executive Producers: Des Monaghan, Greg Haddrick, Jo Rooney, Andy Ryan / Producers: Peter Gawler, Elisa Argenzio / Directors: Peter Andrikidis, Andrew Prowse, Karl Zwicky

cast
Robert Mammone as Tony Mokbel
Madeleine West as Danielle McGuire
Gyton Grantley as Carl Williams
Hollie Andrew as Roberta Williams
Shane Jacobson as Det. Insp. Jim ‘Big Kahuna’ O’Brien
Stephen Curry as Det. Sgt. Jim Coghlan
Richard Cawthorne as Australian Federal Police agent Jarrod Ragg
Vince Colosimo as Alphonse Gangitano
Les Hill as Jason Moran
Simon Westaway as Mick Gatto
Kevin Harrington as Lewis Moran
Gerard Kennedy as Graham Kinniburgh
Debra Byrne as Judy Moran
Rich Davine as Pasquale Barbaro
Louise Mandylor as Laura Mokbel
Jake Ryan as Mark Moran
Jeremy Kewley as Des ‘Tuppence’ Moran
Frank Sweet as Billy Fischer
Brian Vriends as Det. Sgt. Malcolm Rosenes
David Brown as Det. Sam Martone
Nick Simpson-Deeks as Bruno
Simone Kessell as Tamara Chippindall
Steve Bastoni as Homicide Det. Charlie Bezzina
Nicholas Bishop as Det. Sgt. Paul Dale
Mat Stevenson as Prosecutor
Tom Wren as Willie Thompson
Alex Tsitsopoulos as Milad Mokbel
Vince Poletto as Horty Mokbel
Samantha Tolj as Renee Mokbel
Odette Joannidis as Carmel Mokbel
Maria Mercedes as Agape Makrakanis
Steve Mouzakis as Major George Kastanis
Jason Gianginis as Incorruptible Police Detective
Tony Nikolakopoulos as Stavros Makrakanis
Robert Rabiah as Dario Mancini
Costas Kilias as Head of Hellenic Anti Drug Dept
James Chalas as Yiannis Vlahos Lawyer
Zoe Cramond as Lawyer Zara Grade-Wilson
Dean Cartmel as Phil Costa

THE EPISODES 23 February – 30 March 2014
1. THE TONY SPECIAL (23 Feb 2014)
2. THE MEXICAN JOB (23 Feb 2014)
3. WHEN THE DOG’S BARK (2 Mar 2014)
4. KILLERS, THIEVES AND LAWYERS (9 Mar 2014)
5. WHERE’S TONY (16 Mar 2014)
6. A NEW LIFE (23 Mar 2014)
7. THE INCORRUPTIBLES (23 Mar 2014)
8. A CHIP AND A CHAIR (30 Mar 2014)
9. DRAWING DEAD (30 Mar 2014)