Underbelly: Razor (Channel 9 2011, Danielle Cormack, Anna McGahan)

The Underbelly franchise rolls on with another period piece in the shape of Razor.

Razor this time takes us back to the 1920’s when Sydney was built on illegal drugs, gambling, extortion and prostitution. When brothels and sly grog shops flourished and gangs of thugs slashed their opposition into silence until the streets ran with blood. A time when two vice queens Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh, ruled the roost and battled to be top of the tree. A time when gangsters like Norman Bruhn, Guido Calletti, Big Jim Devine, Squizzy Taylor, Phil “the Jew” Jeffs, John “Snowy” Cutmore and Frank “the Little Gunman” Green were causing trouble for the burgeoning Australian police force.

Brilliant idea to take the story back to the roaring twenties. Directors on board for the series are Tony Tilse, Cherie Nowlan, Shawn Seet and David Caesar. Regular Underbelly writers Peter Gawler and Felicity Packard are also on board. Executive producer Des Monaghan said “The women who battle for control of the underworld are truly incredible characters whose stories are as fresh today as when they occurred. And despite legendary criminal figures, Squizzy Taylor and Norman Bruhn, our story is dominated by extraordinary women such as Kate Leigh, Tilly Devine, Nellie Cameron and arguably Australia’s first policewoman, Lillian Armfield. A truly rich tale with larger than life characters.”

production details
Australia | Channel 9 – Screentime

RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes | NUMBER OF EPISODES: 13 | AIRDATE: Broadcast 21 August – 6 November 2011

BOOK: Razor by Larry Writer | PRODUCERS: Elisa Argenzio, Peter Gawler | EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Des Monaghan, Greg Haddrick, Jo Horsburgh

cast
Danielle Cormack as Kate Leigh
Chelsie Preston Crayford as Tilly Devine
Anna McGahan as Nellie Cameron
Jack Campbell as “Big Jim” Devine
John Batchelor as Wally Tomlinson
Khan Chittenden as Frank “The Little Gunman” Green
Richard Brancatisano as Guido Calletti
Craig Hall as Detective Inspector Bill Mackay
Lucy Wigmore as Lillian May Armfield
Steve Le Marquand as Sergeant Tom Wickham
Jeremy Lindsay Taylor as Norman Bruhn
Justin Rosniak as Leslie “Squizzy” Taylor
Felix Williamson as Phil “The Jew” Jeffs
Lincoln Lewis as Bruce Higgs
Pippa Grandison as Mona Woods
Catherine Glavicic as May Seckold
Conrad Coleby as Constable Wharton “Syd” Thompson
Guy Edmonds as Greg “The Gunman” Gaffney
David Willis as Bill “The Octopus” Flanagan
Rel Hunt as William Archer
Matt Boesenberg as John “Snowy” Cutmore
Adam Tuominen as Frank “Razor Jack” Hayes
Jessica Mauboy as Gloria Starr
Rob Mills as Eric Connolly
Saskia Burmeister as Ida Maddocks
Emily Rose Brennan as “Black” Aggie

THE EPISODES
5. THE DARLINGHURST OUTRAGE