1. www.mnc.tv

2. EWAN BURNETT
Executive Producer
EMMA MORONEY
Supervising Producer
Peter Jenetsky
Executive in Charge of Production
ANDREW McINALLY and GARETH CALVERLEY
Producers
GARETH CALVERLEY and JOSS KING
Series Writers
JEFFREY WALKER
Director
© 2010 Boilermaker Burberry Entertainment Pty. Ltd.
www.mnc.tv

3. CONTENTS.
4. Series Synopsis
5 - 14. Key Characters
15. Production Notes
21. Key Crew
27. Key Cast
37 - 53. Episode SynopsEs

4. series synopsis
ONE-LINE SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS
Tony Piccolo leads a secretive double life – he’s a Tony Piccolo is an underworld enforcer, a veteran
devoted family man and the toughest underworld standover man, the best in the business. His wife
enforcer in Melbourne. and kids have no idea – they think he’s a carpet
cleaner!
Tony’s problems begin when he accidentally kills a
ONE PARAGRAPH SYNOPSIS friend from his criminal family. He suffers a major
crisis. Tony becomes an enforcer with a conscience.
Tony Piccolo is an average Aussie bloke. Early 40s. He’s lost his bottle – and if word hits the street, he’s
Affable. Hard working. He’s a family man. Tony a dead man.
keeps his ‘day job’ secret from his wife and kids –
for one very good reason. Tony is an underworld Tony decides he wants out. He needs to get out. But
enforcer. Gripped by a sudden mid-life crisis, Tony it’s not that easy… in this line of work, when you
decides he wants out. But in the gangster business, literally know where the bodies are buried, upper
an enforcer with a conscience is a dead man – and management doesn’t take kindly to early retirement.
a family is a dangerous thing to have. They favour a more permanent redundancy package.
And his wife Cathy won’t be too happy either!
Tony’s going to have to be very careful. He’s gotta
pick the kids up from school – and get milk – and
he’s gonna need more bullets.
4

5. 5

6. TONY
PICCOLO
There are two Tony Piccolos, and they lead totally
separate lives. The first is a hard arse. Brass
knuckles. Motorcycle boots. He’s a standover
man. The second is a doting dad and husband.
A suburban father, dressed in overalls and telling
bad jokes, he’s a husband, neighbour and friend.
As the pressure mounts and Tony melts down, the
two personas switch. At home, he becomes hard-
nosed, projecting strength and control. On the
street, he opens up and lets his emotions take over.
He can’t stop talking – and his caring, pussycat
side emerges. Not a great look for a standover
man.
6

7. CATHY
PICCOLO
Cathy’s story is divided into two distinct halves.
In the first, she’s a devoted homemaker, intent on
keeping up with the Joneses and making sure her
kids have a happy life. The turning point for Cathy
is the revelation that her life is based on a lie.
She’s furious at Tony’s betrayal. She knows that
she can survive without him, perhaps even prosper.
But it’s not the same emotionally – because despite
his deception, she still loves him.
7

8. LES WALKER
TONY’S MENTOR
Les is an old school crook; he’s down to earth,
calls a spade a shovel and wouldn’t know
political correctness if it was drinking his beer and
bumming his smokes.
A veteran standover man, Les is Tony’s adopted
father and mentor and a big part of Tony’s family.
He lives in the garage and the kids adore him.
He’s the perfect grandfather, genial, benign, and
unerringly generous. They’d never know he used to
be the hardest working hit man in Sydney.
8

9. DARLENE
THE UNDERWORLD GO-BETWEEN
Cool and detached, Darlene is a successful
businesswoman and entrepreneur who knows
everybody and has seen it all. She’s a player who
understands the correlation between information,
power, and control. For her, it’s never personal,
it’s always business. Operating from her pub in
Newport, which is Ground Zero for the crew,
Darlene is the middleman between the boys on the
street and Barry Donald, their nefarious boss.
9

10. MELANIE
PICCOLO
Mel, Tony and Cathy’s teenage daughter,
is practical – a realist – and sees life as a
negotiation; it’s about getting what you want. She
has Tony wrapped around her little finger and
devoutly believes in girl power.
Her journey through the series follows a clear
line – at first, she sees her Mum as something of a
failure, just a housewife who spends too much time
looking at the guy next door. When Cathy kicks
Tony out and runs the family with consummate
ease, Mel is impressed. And Mel is proud (and
more than a little surprised) when Cathy shows her
what real girl power looks like.
10

11. MATTHEW
PICCOLO
Mel’s younger brother, Matt is an unlikely son
for the Piccolos. Deductive and inquisitive, Matt
regularly challenges and confounds Tony; he’s
perceptive and asks questions. He’s eccentric – but
in a good way. Like everyone else in our story,
Matt has a few surprises of his own.
11

12. BARRY DONALD
THE UNDERWORLD BOSS
Like Tony, Barry is a family man. For him, family is
everything. You absolutely, positively do not want
to mess with this guy – he’s an old school captain.
He’s the real deal but slightly unhinged, we never
quite know which direction Barry’s gonna take
– and it’s unnerving – there’s a palpable tension
in the room when he’s around. He could kiss
you – or kill you. Maybe both. Barry is a master
manipulator and knows how to play people. He’s
the top dog and he’s not scared of anyone.
12

13. CHARLIE DONALD
TONY’S APPRENTICE
Handsome and capable, Charlie is a smart kid
flirting with the idea of being a gangster. With a
penchant for Resident Evil, a privileged upbringing
and Barry for a father, it’s time for this kid to learn
about life. Assigned to working with Tony to ‘learn
the ropes’, Charlie becomes increasingly impatient
– he wants to graduate to doing jobs on his own.
He’s just not cut out to be an apprentice.
13

14. STEVE BRENT
Steve is Tony’s best mate – a tightly Brent, Tony and Cathy’s suburban
coiled, dangerous guy with a chip on his neighbour, is a great guy who loves a
shoulder and simmering anger issues. He’s beer, the footy and knows his way around
a shapeshifter, morphing between Tony’s a barbecue plate. He’s fit, healthy and
friend and foe, according to the dictates handsome; the perfect neighbour – and eye
of his unrequited love for Darlene. He’ll candy for Cathy.
gladly play both ends against the middle.
For Steve, life is simple; it’s all about getting GARY THE GUNSMITH
paid. Nothing else matters.
Strictly speaking, Gary doesn’t make guns
DEAN – he sells them. And, given a few days, he
can get you anything you need. He knows
A New Zealander two stubbies short of a guns inside out and his client list covers
six pack, Tony’s assistant takes naivety to every crook in town. Gary is a classic
a new level. Dean came into Tony’s life via snitch and a great source of gangster-
Centrelink and soon became his apprentice related gossip – he leads a dangerous life
in the ‘carpet cleaning’ business. Dean is and he loves it.
oblivious to Tony’s real job. As long as he’s
got a titty magazine and a burger with the
lot, life is good!
14

15. 15

16. PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Title Executive Producer
SMALL TIME GANGSTER Ewan Burnett
Format Supervising Producer (Movie Extra)
8 X 30 minute episodes Emma Moroney
Logline Executive in Charge of Production (Movie Extra)
What happens when ‘the family’ meets the family? Peter Jenetsky
Production Company Producers
B
oilermaker-Burberry Entertainment Pty. Ltd. Andrew McInally
Gareth Calverley
Broadcaster
MOVIE EXTRA Series Writers
Gareth Calverley
Principal Cast (in alphabetical order) Joss King
Jay Bowen
Gia Carides Director
Jared Daperis Jeffrey Walker
Fletcher Humphrys
Nicole Gulasekharam Director of Photography
Samuel Johnson Craig Barden
Kevin Hofbauer
Sacha Horler Production Designer
Bill Hunter Otello Stolfo
Steve Le Marquand
Geoff Morrell Costume Designer
Sean Rees-Wemyss Katie Graham
Gary Sweet
Filming Location
Filmed entirely on location
in Melbourne, Australia
16

17. JUST AN ORDINARY GUY...
As a rule, films and TV shows set within the world of Early series drafts described the series protagonist as
gangsters tend to focus on those at the top of the food a hit man, but after brainstorming with New Zealand
chain. They breathlessly follow the exploits of men based writer, Joss King, who together with Calverley
or women ruthlessly climbing over the bruised and penned the series, they decided that concept was
bloodied bodies of those who stand between them and too harsh and not entirely original. “We thought we
their ultimate goal of supreme power. Think of iconic needed a TV show that could reach a broad, Australian
films such as Scarface, Goodfellas, the Godfather audience,” explains McInally, “so we dispensed with
trilogy, Portrait of a Mobster and small-screen fare the idea of him being a killer and instead made him a
from The Sopranos to Underbelly, and you will either standover man with a family in the suburbs who have
see somebody struggling to get to the top or battling to no real idea as to how he really makes his living.”
remain there. But what about the little guys?
Around this time, renowned TV producer Ewan Burnett
Long-time friends and SMALL TIME GANGSTER joined the SMALL TIME GANGSTER team as
Producers Andrew McInally and Gareth Calverley, Executive Producer. “I’ve known Gareth and Andrew
who produced The Team for FOXTEL’s The Comedy for some years,” says Burnett, “and have always liked
Channel and Andrew’s Guide and Spy Shop for ABC the way they operate. So when they came to me for
Comedy, had always harboured a passion for the support in developing a number of projects of which
crime genre and all things film noir. SMALL TIME GANGSTER was one, I was keen to
learn more. I thought it was pithy, funny, and really
“Films like Jules Dassin’s Night in the City and Samuel engaging. It’s not gratuitous in its use of violence
Fuller’s Pickup on South Street, that told the story of and nudity, and has a lovely heart. It’s all about the
blue-collar working class and small-time criminals, characters and following the emotional journey of this
were the kinds of films that inspired us to think that big, physical man who has a tough job. It’s also warmly
we could do something like that for television,” recalls funny because we recognise his humanity, and even
Calverley. “So we thought, what if we do a crime series though he does things that we might not do ourselves,
but one that isn’t about the bosses, instead focusing we understand that he’s just trying to make sense of
on the blue-collar guys, the working guys? Instead of what is happening to him, which is one of the key
making a show about Don Corleone, make a show things that differentiates SMALL TIME GANGSTER
about the guy who drives Don Corleone to work, that from other shows of the same genre.”
sort of thing.”
17

18. Entirely funded by Movie Network Channels, the series guys, it’s a lot as they’re working-class criminals for
comes to us from Boilermaker-Burberry Entertainment, whom every dollar counts.
a new company formed by the show’s Executive
Producer, Ewan Burnett of Burberry Entertainment, and So we have two families ignorant of each others
Producers Andrew McInally and Gareth Calverley of existence – naturally opposing forces that create conflict
Boilermaker Pty. Ltd. for Tony in every moment of every day, whether he’s
making a cup of tea in the house that’s been paid
“What’s been so great about working on SMALL for by his secret profession, or socialising with the
TIME GANGSTER,” notes Burnett, “is that we are criminals who are ignorant to the wife and two kids
working with Movie Network Channels. These people he has tucked away in the suburbs. And because he’s
understand movies. They understand character; they been living a lie for so many years, it’s now impossible
understand script and how to develop something for him to tell his wife and children the truth, and too
that engages an audience. They’ve given us a strong risky to let his criminal cohorts know that he has an
degree of creative freedom and have been very, very Achilles’ heel – a family.
supportive in the development and production of the
show, which is really refreshing. It’s also been a joy “It’s hard enough to juggle one family, let alone two,”
to work with just the one partner, who ‘got it’ from observes Calverley, “so what you have with Tony is a
the outset. They liked the genre, the humour, loved the normal, everyday guy who’s fighting to keep his home
script and have been just fantastic throughout.” life afloat and his workload going, and when those two
worlds collide, that’s SMALL TIME GANGSTER.”
The series revolves around the story of Tony Piccolo,
a small time gangster, yet a normal man with regular And collide they do, one fateful Christmas when Tony
aspirations. He adores his wife, Cathy, and their two is sent to collect money from his old friend Artie,
children, Mel and Matt, and likes nothing better than and inadvertently causes the terrified man’s death.
to come home at the end of a hard day and relax Consumed with guilt – a state not improved when
with a beer and his family. But he’s living a twenty circumstances force him to dismember Artie’s body –
year-old lie, for Tony is a standover man – one of the he develops ‘the yips’ and finds himself unable to inflict
best. While his loved ones think he earns his rather violence on his targets. An undesirable predicament
generous income by steam cleaning carpets, he’s for a standover man.”
really using a variety of well-honed, strong-arm tactics
to extract funds from those who foolishly owe money
to his ‘other family’ – a crime syndicate helmed by
brutal boss Barry Donald. And we’re not talking huge
sums here. It might only be $10,000 or so, but to these
18

19. 19

20. 20

21. 21

22. EWAN BURNETT EMMA MORONEY
(Executive Producer) (Supervising Producer)
Burnett has worked in the Australian film and television Moroney literally grew up on a film set. Assisting
industry for over 30 years. With an Arts Degree in producers from the age of 14 at one of Australia’s
Cinema Studies and Philosophy, he embarked on a most respected TV/Film production houses, Horizon
career in drama television for adults and children. Films, Moroney met and started her career in film
with an inspiring mentor, Richard Franklin. Since that
His productions have won many Australian and time, she has spent 16 years working in all manner
international awards and his extensive credits of productions from large scale ad campaigns to TV
include the series Last Man Standing, mini-series series’ including the seminal The Secret Life of Us, and
Kangaroo Palace, Bootleg and The Farm, along with feature films such as Phillip Noyce’s Quiet American
the children’s series Dead Gorgeous, Animalia, The where she learnt much about the 18-hour day!
Wayne Manifesto, Eugénie Sandler PI, Short Cuts,
Fergus McPhail and Sleepover Club. He has also In recent years, Moroney has produced a number
successfully produced stage productions and has of series for FOX8 and Movie Network Channels,
served on a number of boards and committees. including large-scale live events such as MOVIE
EXTRA Tropfest and Henry Rollins Live from
Melbourne.
Developing and producing successful comedy series
Chandon Pictures, The Jesters and now SMALL
TIME GANGSTER for Movie Network Channels,
Moroney is always on the hunt for the next great
script, featuring the next big thing.
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24. PETER JENETSKY ANDREW McINALLY
(Executive in Charge of Production) (Producer)
Peter has worked with some of Australia’s largest As co-founder of Boilermaker Pty Ltd, McInally has
media organisations, including senior roles with produced a diverse slate of projects, including Top
Austereo and The Seven Network, and is now Blokes, The Team, Andrew’s Guide to Being a Man
GM of Content Strategy and Marketing for Movie and Spy Shop.
Network Channels. In this role he is responsible
for the development of the channels’ content In addition to SMALL TIME GANGSTER, McInally
strategies as well as the marketing of the programs is currently producing The Mark Delaney Stories,
and brands. In recent years he has overseen the The Campbell Show and The Adventures of Tom
expansion of the channels’ Production ambitions Finn, along with a number of other projects in early
including the development and commissioning of development.
The Jesters, the award-winning comedy, Chandon
Pictures and entertainment formats such as the
film-making competition, Project Greenlight as
well as the live broadcast of the short-film event,
Movie Extra Tropfest.
24

25. GARETH CALVERLEY JOSS KING
(Writer/Producer) (Writer)
After graduating from Griffith University (BA Film King has been working as a professional writer
& Television 1990), Calverley began his career as around the world for over 16 years. He had his first
an assistant director at Warner Roadshow Studios. short story published at age fifteen, then branched
In 1997 he became the Associate Producer at
, into theatre plays. In 1993, he began five years work
Jonathan M. Shiff Productions in Melbourne, a role on South Pacific Pictures’ long running serial drama
that culminated in 1999 with the BAFTA award- Shortland Street as a story-liner and scriptwriter.
winning series Thunderstone.
In 1998, he was invited to work in London, Hungary
After a four-year stint producing international and Greece for Freemantle Media as Story Editor
television commercials, Calverley began writing and on various comedies and serial dramas. Three years
producing his own material, creating Top Blokes and later, he returned to New Zealand to be Story Editor
The Team for The Comedy Channel, Andrew’s Guide and scriptwriter on Shortland Street again, this time
and Spy Shop for ABC Comedy, and comedy series for five years.
The Mark Delaney Stories, The Campbell Show, and
The Adventures of Tom Finn. Since then, he has broadened his experience of other
genres, writing the critically acclaimed docudrama
In 2006, Calverley founded film and television The Million Dollar Con, story-lining the high rating
production company Boilermaker Pty Ltd with and equally acclaimed primetime adult drama This
business partner Andrew McInally. is Not My Life plus Ride with the Devil and the
comedy Diplomatic Immunity. He has also worked
His first two feature films, Rocket and Pretty Good in children’s drama, both for Endemol/BBC Paradise
Fighter, are in development with Screen Australia, Café and for Jonathan M. Shiff/Disney/Channel 10
while his latest film script Bite is in development with as scriptwriter for H20: Just Add Water (series two
Film Victoria. and three), story-liner/scriptwriter for Pirate Islands
(series two), and Elephant Princess (series two). He
In July 2008, he was appointed Head of Development recently received film financing from the NZ Film
for Jonathan M. Shiff Productions, leaving to write Commission for his first film Hearts on Fire, which is
and produce SMALL TIME GANGSTER in June currently in development.
2010. Calverley is fond of Irish whisky, movies and
Manchester United.
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26. JEFFREY WALKER CRAIG BARDEN
(Director) (Director of Photography)
Walker was one of Australia’s most talented child Barden has been at the forefront of his profession for
actors appearing in such shows as Ocean Girl, the last three decades. His extensive television credits
Round the Twist, Sky Trackers, Pugwall’s Summer, include Snowy, Halifax F.P., Ocean Girl (series one
Thunderstone, Blue Heelers and most memorably as and four), Lift-Off (series two), State Coroner, Good
Wayne in The Wayne Manifesto. Guys Bad Guys, Farscape, CrashBurn, Noah &
Saskia, Scooter Secret Agent, Last Man Standing,
As he neared the end of his teens, Walker’s focus Mortified and City Homicide.
shifted behind the camera and he spent several
years learning his craft on numerous film sets. Now In recognition of his distinctive visual flair, Barden
in his late twenties, he has proven himself to be an has also won no less than nine awards, courtesy of
exciting directorial talent and has directed episodes the Australian Cinematographers’ Society (ACS).
for Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Holly’s Heroes, Home
& Away, Last Man Standing and Wicked Science
(series two).
More recently, Walker directed multiple episodes
of H20: Just Add Water (series one, two and
three), City Homicide (series one and two), Dance
Academy, Rake, and the new Chris Lilley series for
HBO, Angry Boys.
26

27. 27

28. KEY CAST
Steve Le Marquand Tony Piccolo
Sacha Horler Cathy Piccolo
Geoff Morrell Les Walker
Gia Carides Darlene
Gary Sweet Barry Donald
Jared Daperis Charlie Donald
Nicole Gulasekharam Melanie Piccolo
Sean Rees-Wemyss Matt Piccolo
Fletcher Humphrys Steve
Kevin Hofbauer Dean
Jay Bowen Brent
Samuel Johnson Gary the Gunsmith
Bill Hunter Jack Stanley
Jacek Koman Artie
Colin Moody Darren
Tony Nikolakopoulos Glen
Nicki Paull Janet
Damien Richardson Sandy
Gianluca Toscano Nicky
Daniel Whyte Jeremy
28

29. PRINCIPAL CAST BIOGRAPHIES
STEVE LE MARQUAND SACHA HORLER
(Tony Piccolo) (Cathy Piccolo)
“Tony is an extremely complex man because “I think Cathy’s at a really common place
he lives a double life. He’s got a family on for a lot of women, where they start to
one side that he loves very much, and then question whether their marriage and
for work he goes off and beats the shit their kids represent the sum total of their
out of people for money. He’s tried to keep life and wonder whether that’s all there
those two worlds separate, which requires is. So when we meet her, she would like
a lot of energy and a lot of ingenuity, so a little more time with her husband and
he’s a very, very complicated, character.” would probably be better off if she drank
a little less Sauvignon Blanc. She’s at that
Le Marquand is an electrifying actor whose talents point where the kids are getting older
are regularly sought. Whether he’s performing with and she should really start to work out
a leading theatre group (STC, MTC, Company what’s going to happen next. But then her
B Belvoir) or on film or television, his magnetic husband admits that he’s a gangster and
presence is hard to ignore. it all goes pear-shaped.”
He has starred in notable features such as Mullet, Horler is one of Australia’s most talented and well-
Kokoda, Last Train to Freo, Razzle Dazzle, Men’s respected actresses.
Group and, most recently, Beneath Hill 60. Over
the last 15 years, he has also accrued an impressive A multi award winning film actress, Horler made her
television resume with roles in Water Rats, Big Sky, feature debut in the critically acclaimed feature film,
Murder Call, Wildside, A Difficult Woman, Blue Praise. She went on to star in Soft Fruit, My Mother
Heelers, Backberner, South Pacific, Young Lions, Frank, Walk the Talk, Travelling Light, The Illustrated
Farscape, All Saints, Sea Patrol, Rake and Laid for Family Doctor, Russian Doll, Savages Crossing, Look
ABC TV. Both Ways and most recently played the lead role
in Sarah Watt’s feature, My Year Without Sex.
His many stage outings include lead roles in Waiting
for Godot, Holy Day, The Spook, Don’s Party, Paul, Her numerous television credits include Love My
Tales from the Vienna Woods, The Serpent’s Teeth, Way, Blackjack, CrashBurn, Secret Bridesmaids
Gallipoli and War of the Roses. Business, Grass Roots and, most recently, Hawke,
Rake, My Place and Offspring.
29

30. Horler’s stellar theatre career includes performances GEOFF MORRELL
in God of Carnage, The Removalists, The Crucible, (Les Walker)
Pygmalion, Three Sisters, Far Away and Life After
George for the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) “Les’ role within the Piccolo family is kind
and for Company B, Peribanez, Blue Murder, The of like that strange, smelly, old uncle who
Birthday Party, Hamlet and Svetlana in Slingbacks. some people would prefer to stay out of
sight and others are quite fond of. He’s a bit
An accomplished voice artist, Horler narrated the like an old, comfortable piece of furniture –
SBS series The Nest and Angels in New York, somewhat doggy and moth-eaten, but with
and recently performed the voice of Lillian Roxon lots of coins hidden in the cracks.”
in the feted documentary, Mother of Rock: Lillian
Roxon, which screened at the Toronto International Morrell has acted in over 100 different roles for stage,
Film Festival and the 2010 Melbourne International film and television.
Film Festival. Horler also voiced Strix Struma in
Zack Snyder’s Warner Bros feature, Legend of the He has worked with all major theatre companies in
Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. Australia with lead roles in productions ranging from
Macbeth, King Lear, The Tempest, Rabbit, Away,
In 1999, Horler won an unprecedented two AFI Oleanna, Tom and Viv, The Seagull and Man of La
Awards in the same year – Best Actress for her Mancha to Speaking in Tongues, Blithe Spirit, Things
performance in the controversial film Praise and We Do for Love and Ruben Guthrie.
Best Supporting Actress for Soft Fruit. Her role in
Praise also saw her awarded the Film Critics’ Circle He has also starred in numerous films, telemovies and
of Australia Award for Best Actress. Praise was also mini-series’ including the features Ten Empty , Rogue,
in official selection at the Berlin Film Festival and Ned Kelly, Lucky Miles, The View from Greenhaven
Sundance Film Festival and was awarded the Film Drive and Coffin Rock, while his multitude of television
Critics’ Prize at the Toronto Film Festival. She was credits includes Blue Murder, Fallen Angels, Murder
again awarded an AFI Award for Best Supporting Call, Good Guys Bad Guys, Grass Roots, Changi,
Actress for her performance in Travelling Light and The Secret Life of Us, Marking Time, Blue Heelers, All
has received a further four AFI Award nominations Saints, Bastard Boys, Sea Patrol and Packed to the
for her work in My Year Without Sex, Secret Rafters.
Bridesmaids Business, Grass Roots and Russian Doll,
as well as an Inside Film Award nomination for Best Morrell recently finished shooting the lead role of Lester
Actress for My Year Without Sex. Lamb in the highly anticipated Showtime/Screentime
mini-series Cloudstreet, directed by Matthew Saville
and a key support role the ABC mini-series, Rake.
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32. GIA CARIDES GARY SWEET
(Darlene) (Barry Donald)
“I see Darlene as having worked extremely “Barry is a man with no redeeming
hard to make it all the way to the middle qualities, apart from the fact that he is
of this world. She answers to Barry, she very romantically involved with his wife,
instructs Tony and she makes demands on whom he adores, and he loves his kids. But
Steve, so she’s very much in the middle – as the patriarch of the Melbourne crime
caught between people she has to answer family, he’s ruthless, aggressive, at times
to, and people she has to get to do things brutal and very money-oriented. He has
for her. If her instruction is not taken up no social awareness, sensitivity and very
and she doesn’t get the job done, it’s her little compassion. He’s a funny guy.”
neck on the line, and that would be a
terrifying prospect.” Sweet has been a major presence in Australian film
and television for the last three decades.
Carides most recently starred alongside Richard
Roxburgh and Susie Porter in the ABC mini-series, His first major TV role was as series regular Leslie
East of Everything. ‘Magpie’ Maddern in The Sullivans. Highlights of his
extensive small-screen credits include Bodyline, The
Over the last few years, Carides has appeared in Great Bookie Robbery, Come in Spinner, Children
numerous US films including Stick It, My Big Fat of the Dragon, The Battlers, Blue Murder, Police
Greek Wedding and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Rescue, Cody, Wildside, Stingers, Blue Heelers,
Shagged Me. Her television work includes guest The Circuit, Rescue Special Ops, Cops LAC and the
roles on Without a Trace and ER, as well as an blockbuster mini-series, The Pacific.
ongoing role in the spin-off series, My Big Fat Greek
Life. Carides will next be seen opposite Matthew In 2001, Sweet played Josh in Tony McNamara’s
Goode in Jonathan Teplitzky’s feature film Burning play, The Recruit for MTC. He later starred as Paul
Man due for release in 2011. Burns in the musical Oh! What a Night.
In 2002, he landed the lead role of Steve in
Alexandra’s Project, Sweet’s second film with
acclaimed director, Rolf de Heer. His first, The Tracker,
in which he played The Fanatic, was in competition
at the 2002 Venice Film Festival. In 2003, Sweet
32

33. appeared in the feature film Getting’ Square opposite Aside from his on-screen roles, Daperis has appeared
Sam Worthington. Additional film credits include on stage as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! and as
The Lighthorsemen, Fever, The Dreaming, Indecent Nathan in The Full Monty, both for International
Obsession, Love in Ambush, The Big House, Body Management Group (IMG).
Jackers, Macbeth, The Tumbler, Subdivision and
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn NICOLE GULASEKHARAM
Treader. (Melanie Piccolo)
JARED DAPERIS “Mel is your typical teenage girl who is crazy
(Charlie Donald) about boys, phones, friends and shopping.
She has the usual clashes with her parents
“We meet Charlie at a time when his father because she loves to go out and have a
wants him to start a career, and for them, good time, and basically thinks that the
a career means getting into the ‘gangster’ family thing is a bit embarrassing – she’s
business. He’s a confident, somewhat much more interested in her friends.”
psychotic youngster who thinks he’s
invincible. He’s got a pretty dim perspective This exciting young actor has been performing from
of what being a gangster actually involves, an early age and is well known for her four seasons
as he just relates it to movies.” as Haley in the Disney original program As the
Bell Rings, which won an ASTRA Award for Most
Despite his youth, Daperis is something of an acting Outstanding Short Form Program. Her film work
veteran, having been performing since the age of includes Matching Jack, directed by Nadia Tass,
five. He first appeared in the whimsical children’s and the short films How Unfortunate and The Kiss,
TV series, Lift-Off, which was quickly followed by which was nominated for an AFI Award. Additional
guest roles in The Man from Snowy River, Janus, television credits include appearances on Blue
Mercury, Violent Earth and The Order. He has also Heelers, Rush, Bed of Roses and Neighbours.
appeared in Stingers, Halifax F.P., Blue Heelers,
Round the Twist, The Ponderosa, Ocean Star and She is also an accomplished singer and dancer and
Carla Cametti P.D. Recently, he completed a role in her theatrical credits include lead roles in Fiddler on
director Simon Wincer’s feature film, The Cup and the Roof and Annie.
took the lead role in the poignant feature-drama
Playing for Charlie.
33

34. SEAN REES-WEMYSS A television veteran, Humphrys has had both regular
(Matt Piccolo) and guest-starring roles in many of Australia’s notable
TV shows of the last fifteen years.
“Matt is an intelligent, sensitive, quite
aware child. I think he’s a really good Combining television work with regular stints in film
person. But he can be a ‘smartarse’ boy and theatre, Humphrys’ TV credits include A Country
too, and I think he feels he’s always the Practice, Blue Heelers, State Coroner, Neighbours,
smartest person in the room – particularly The Crash Zone, Eugénie Sandler PI, Something
when he’s with his sister, Mel!” in the Air, Stingers, McLeod’s Daughters, Marshall
Law, All Saints, Last Man Standing, Nightmares and
Although only 12 years of age, Rees-Wemyss has Dreamscapes, Satisfaction, East of Everything, Canal
already amassed an impressive slate of film and Road and Rush.
television credits, in addition to being a sought-after
voice-artist who has also appeared in several major Feature film credits include The Heartbreak Kid,
commercials. Chopper and Guru Wayne.
This young actor’s television credits include the hit
comedy series Kath & Kim (series four), Surprise KEVIN HOFBAUER
Surprise, Gotcha, Rush and most recently the pilot (Dean)
for Oosh .
“Although he’s not very bright – he really
Big-screen credits include key roles in Jindabyne, does think that Tony steam cleans carpets
Torn, and My Year Without Sex. for a living – he’s full of good intentions and
loves his job.”
FLETCHER HUMPHRYS A 2009 graduate from the Victorian College of the
(Steve) Arts, Hofbauer stars as Tony Piccolo’s dopey sidekick
Dean, in SMALL TIME GANGSTER.
“Steve wants to be Tony. He wants to run
his own show and be the cool, calm and SMALL TIME GANGSTER marks Hofbauer’s second
collected standover man that Darlene role in a major TV series. He was also a series regular
could fall in love with. He wants to be in series three of the popular police drama, Rush and
smart, tough and good looking, but prior to that time, honed his craft in a number of VCA
unfortunately he falls short in just about productions including The Bourgeois Gentleman, Peer
every department.” Gynt, Uncle Vanya and Macbeth. This engaging young
man is also an accomplished dancer, specialising in
jazz, hip-hop and tap.
34

35. JAY BOWEN SAMUEL JOHNSON
(Brent) (Gary the Gunsmith)
“Brent offers Cathy a hint of excitement “I’ve just loved playing Gary. He’s a
and danger and something slightly outside weapons expert, a speed freak and he’s
of her everyday life. She can tell that ultra paranoid. He thinks EVERYONE is out
somehow he’s different, but can’t quite to get him.”
put her finger on it. I think the truth about
Brent will surprise her quite a bit.” Versatile Johnson is equally adept at drama or
comedy and is well known to audiences through his
Since graduating from Victoria College of the Arts, many film, stage and television roles.
Bowen has amassed a varied range of credits. He
has performed in musical theatre productions of Early in his career, he was a series regular in the
Hair (directed by David Atkins) and Anything Goes long-running TV series, Home & Away. Roles in
(directed by Simon Williams), and also starred Blue Heelers, Ocean Girl, Raw FM, The Last of the
in several Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) Ryans, and One Way Ticket followed. Johnson was
productions including Cyrano De Bergerac, The also a series regular in the hit late nineties shows
Glass Soldier and A Streetcar Named Desire. Good Guys Bad Guys and Something in the Air,
and during this period also guest-starred in Halifax
He recently completed a lead role in the big-screen F.P., Stingers and Wildside.
sci-fi drama Ektopus and also appeared in the
Melbourne-based romantic drama, Centre Place. But to many viewers, Johnson is best known for his
long-running role as Evan in the hit television series,
The Secret Life of Us, which followed the lives and
loves of a group of St Kilda apartment dwellers.
Additional TV roles include the lead in the celebrated
mini-series, After the Deluge, Rush (series one, two
and three), The Pacific, Underbelly: A Tale of Two
Cities and the SBS comedy, Wilfred (series two).
Notable feature film credits include Crackerjack, The
Illustrated Family Doctor, the stop-animation drama
$9.99 and Blind Company.
35

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37. 37

38. Episode 1
JINGLE BELLS
SHORT Synopsis Artie dies and Tony is devastated… and left with a
body to dispose of. Later, everyone at a gangland
Leaving his unsuspecting family for an emergency Christmas party thinks Tony intentionally killed Artie
‘job’, standover man, Tony Piccolo, is forced to collect – and he’s given kudos by gangland supremo,
from an old friend in what becomes the Christmas Barry.
from hell.
Barry asks Tony to play mentor to his wild-eyed son,
Charlie. Desperately trying to keep all the pieces
of his life separate and the ‘balls in the air’, Tony
LONG Synopsis reluctantly says ‘yes’. As the first thread starts to fray,
he returns to his ‘real’ family and jumps fully clothed
Tony is looking forward to a quiet Christmas at
into his swimming pool, sinking to the bottom, quiet
home, until he gets a text from work advising him
as the grave, in the throes of a full-blown melt down.
that he’s got a job.
Merry Christmas!
At the pub, which is ‘Ground Zero’ for Tony and the
rest of the crew, Darlene – Tony’s connection to the
criminal world – needs him to collect from a low-
life bum behind in his payments. Tony is shocked to
discover the ‘bum’ is his good friend Artie. Tony tries
to calm Artie – he wants to help – but Artie panics
and bolts… only to be run over by an ice cream
truck playing ‘Jingle Bells’.
38

39. 39

40. 40

41. Episode 2
THE YIPS
SHORT Synopsis Tony decides to work solo – and tells Charlie. Tony is
summoned to see Barry and is on a knife edge until
Tony loses his nerve on a job, only to be saved Barry reveals Charlie’s told him a fictitious version of
by his new apprentice – the boss’ son, while back the story that makes it seem like Tony encouraged
home, Cathy bonds with their hunky neighbour and Charlie to make his first kill – and Barry is thrilled.
daughter Mel embarks on a dangerous romance. Charlie will be Tony’s apprentice! Tony comes home
and is stunned to find Charlie at his house – with
his family, flirting with his daughter. The pendulum
of power has swung from him to his dangerous
LONG Synopsis apprentice.
Still distracted by visions of Artie’s bloody demise,
Tony struggles to make love to Cathy. He meets
Charlie, his new apprentice, to show him the ropes.
Tony needs to tool up at Gary the Gunsmith’s shop
and Charlie is thrilled by the hardware.
Ordering Charlie to stay back, Tony moves onto his
next target, a sleazy porn dealer named Darren,
only to again find he can’t do the job. He’s officially
got the yips! To make things worse, Darren grabs
Tony’s taser and is about to use it when Charlie
shoots him dead with a gun stolen from Gary.
Meanwhile, Cathy meets Brent the new guy next
door and they bond. He encourages her to follow
her dreams. Mel is scathing and starts to wonder
if her Mum is a sexually starved, alcoholic, pill
popping, repressed housewife.
41

42. Episode 3
DANGEROUS TALK
SHORT Synopsis Cathy emerges to find Brent at the BBQ laughing
and chatting with Tony, striking up a genuine
Collecting from a low-life client, Tony’s nerves friendship. Tony drags Cathy inside and makes love
desert him again, leading to an unwise confession. to her. Everything’s seemingly back to normal. But
Meanwhile, Cathy’s friendship with Brent takes a as the episode ends, we see a bottle of Viagra in
new turn when he turns up at a family BBQ. Tony’s workbag – he’s managed to paper over the
ever-increasing cracks in his life… for now.
LONG Synopsis
Tony decides to get back in the game: by dangling
a degenerate gambler named Weasel off the roof
of a car park. Weasel starts blubbing excuses about
why he can’t repay Barry – and Tony again finds
himself cracking under the pressure, letting him go.
Jesus!
Charlie uses his day off to catch up with Mel. She
likes the fact that he’s a bad boy. During yoga, Brent
reassures Cathy about her situation – seeing her as
a woman of real ability, brains and beauty, and
Cathy finds herself drawn to him.
Later, Tony and Cathy argue about Brent and Tony
confronts their neighbour – only to find Brent has a
partner, Jeremy.
42

43. 43

44. 44

45. Episode 4
WHO’S GOT THE RPG?
SHORT Synopsis Putting on brave faces, Cathy and Tony attend the
wedding. Tony gets a call –
Suspicious, Cathy follows Tony and finds him with Darlene needs him back on the trail of the rocket
Darlene. Trying to calm her, Tony confesses all, but launcher. Tony brings a disbelieving Cathy with him.
she thinks he’s lying until he’s forced to take her on They end up in the middle of a Mexican stand-off
a job with explosive consequences. with Steve, Charlie and Gary the Gunsmith. Cathy
sees a totally different side to the impotent husband
she’s become used to lately – especially when Tony
saves the day. The RPG goes off, blowing up a
LONG Synopsis nearby factory.
A rocket launcher has been stolen. Depressed and
After the wedding, at home, Mel is freaking.
unmotivated, Tony has to attend a wedding with
Realising her life with Tony is a lie, Cathy kicks him
Cathy. He’s acting strangely, being short with the
out. A Hummer pulls up. Charlie opens the door.
kids, and she’s getting suspicious. Tony tells Charlie
He’s made his choice. That’s why Mel’s upset. Tony
he’s got to make a choice – it’s either Mel or working
gets into the Hummer and they drive away.
with him.
Cathy finds a bottle of distinctive little blue pills in
Tony’s pockets. She follows him to the pub and sees
him with Darlene. Cathy confronts them. What the
hell’s going on? Darlene leaves. Pushed to the limit,
Tony confesses – he has been keeping a secret. He’s
an enforcer for a criminal gang. Cathy’s stunned.
Then she scoffs, you expect me to believe that?
45

46. Episode 5
SUBURBAN BEATDOWN
SHORT Synopsis Feeling the pressure from Barry, Darlene confronts
Tony – why can’t you do your job? I thought we had
Trying to cope on her own, Cathy and the kids get something? Tony returns to the job site and gets the
an unwelcome visitor. Meanwhile, Tony employs an punter to pay up – dangling him and his car from a
unusual tactic to extract payment from a client and thirty-foot crane! He gets the money. Darlene offers
enjoys a racy night out with Darlene and Steve. herself to Tony – they can have it all.
Cathy realises she can cope without Tony, no
problem. But she misses him. Tony turns up at her
LONG Synopsis door. He will abandon the gangster life – for her
and the kids – she takes him back.
Since Cathy kicked him out, the sexual tension
between Tony and Darlene has been simmering.
At the pub, Darlene’s in bed, spurned by Tony,
Tony is assigned a collection job – but can’t do it –
Steve beside her. Tony has just created two new
his yips are in full bloom.
adversaries.
Les blames Cathy for Tony’s departure. He accuses
Meanwhile, Barry is starting to get jumpy about the
Cathy of being a hypocrite. A strange man turns
money he’s owed. His paranoia kicks in, only to be
up at the house – he wants money from Cathy. It’s
exacerbated when Charlie comes to Tony’s defence.
Weasel, the gambler that Tony let go. Cathy grapples
Watch out Tony!
with Weasel herself and fights him off – with the
help of Les and the kids. Tony’s furious, realising his
own problems have put his family in danger.
46

47. 47

48. 48

49. Episode 6
THE LAST POST
SHORT Synopsis Les changes his mind and decides to help Tony
and the family escape. He rips off half a million of
When Tony wants ‘out’, Les decides to take matters Barry’s money from Darlene and Steve and leaves
into his own hands, despite the consequences. the money for Matt in his locker at the soccer club.
Meanwhile, Mel and Charlie rekindle their romance, Meanwhile, Mel and Charlie rekindle their romance.
while Tony’s temper erupts at Matt’s soccer match. Darlene enlists Tony to find Les and the money before
Barry finds out. Les savours what could be his last
meal at a local RSL – he’s given Tony and the family
a chance to escape!
LONG Synopsis
Tony has decided to go straight. He starts going
to real carpet cleaning jobs with Dean, much to
Charlie’s disgust. Les confronts Tony, arguing that it’s
impossible to go straight and escape the criminal
life – Tony knows where too many bodies are buried
and Barry won’t let him go. Tony wants out. He just
needs enough money to get away and he and Les
part company without resolve.
Tony tries unsuccessfully to connect with Matt like a
‘normal Dad’ but he ends up in a fight with one of
the parents from Matt’s soccer team. It’s not easy
being normal. Cathy sees Tony acting tough – and
finds it turns her on!
49

50. Episode 7
STAND AND DELIVER
SHORT Synopsis Barry sends Charlie to get the money – and when
Tony fobs him off, Charlie reports back to Barry that
Under pressure from Barry to deliver monies owed, there’s a problem. Barry decides it’s time to take
Tony, Darlene and Steve accept a dangerous job. control. Tony and Steve, with tension between them
But with tension mounting, can Darlene and Steve at an all time high, arrive to make the exchange.
be trusted or is Tony walking into a trap? Barry and Charlie, wearing balaclavas and fully
tooled up with automatic weapons, crash the party,
killing two of the rival crew. Barry is furious with
Tony, accusing him of treachery and ready to put
LONG Synopsis him down. The remaining member of the rival crew
grabs an automatic weapon and drops Steve. Police
With the pressure from Barry mounting, Tony and
sirens are heard in the distance. Tony grabs Steve
Darlene accept a dangerous job from Sydney,
and they make their escape, momentarily avoiding
acting as security for an exchange of cash for drugs.
Barry’s wrath. Steve is dropped off at a hospital.
The only problem is the crew buying the drugs is
Under pressure, Darlene leaves town.
renowned for being cowboys – but Tony has no
choice. If he can get the money to Barry, he might
At the pub, Barry, still amped with the buzz of the
be able to save Les.
hijacking and despite a heartfelt plea from Tony,
puts a price on Les’s head. He’s a dead man. And
Thanks to the beating he took, Steve is furious with
Mel and Charlie have a secret that will bring the
Les. He also wonders if he and Darlene could get
two families together.
away clean, stealing the money from the exchange.
Steve intimates that he’s prepared to kill Tony to get
the money – underneath is a simmering jealousy
that’s pricked whenever he sees Tony and Darlene
together.
50

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52. 52

53. Episode 8
VENGEANCE
SHORT Synopsis off, without paying for what they did to Les? Isn’t
he supposed to be a tough guy? Tony realises she’s
Tony receives bad news about Les from an unlikely right. Time to get a little payback and Barry’s in the
source and decides to confront his demons once firing line.
and for all. But nothing goes as planned and he
finds himself facing the biggest decision of his life. Tony goes to get a weapon from Gary. Meanwhile,
Charlie lets it slip that Mel’s pregnant – and that Tony
has a family. Barry arrives at Tony’s house. Tony
returns home to face a vision from his nightmares
LONG Synopsis – his family is gone! Tony confronts Barry – where
are they? Barry smiles, cold and callous. He wants
Tony searches for Les without success. He returns
his money – but more importantly, he wants to tell
home, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.
Tony about Mel and the baby! They’re going to be
It’s Brent. He reveals to Tony that Les is dead – and
family! Tony is stunned.
that he knows about Tony’s secret double life. Brent
is a cop! He tells them he can get them out, give
Big Jack, the boss, arrives from Sydney with Brent
them new lives and give Tony everything he wants
as his bodyguard. In rapid fire, we learn that Brent
– as long as Tony testifies against Barry. Tony and
is a crooked cop in the employ of Big Jack and that
Cathy are furious at Brent’s betrayal.
Les is alive and well, thanks to a last minute reprieve
from Jack who wants Tony to take over the crew.
Matt shows Tony the money he found. Tony is
Barry is appalled – but Jack won’t take no for an
shocked. Les stole the money so they could get
answer. Cathy tells Tony, we’ll bide our time and
away clean – and he paid for it with his life. Tony is
deal with Barry when things have quietened down.
devastated. Matt wonders, what will Tony do? Tony
Barry isn’t finished with this yet either – and we end
tells Brent to stick his offer – he’s never heard of
with him eyeing Tony, the tension palpable.
Barry Donald. Brent watches Tony go, an odd sense
of equanimity on his face, almost respect.
At the poolside BBQ, Tony stares in disbelief as his
two families become one. Tony is trapped – he’s still
Tony tells Cathy – we’re leaving, getting out– this
got the yips – but Jack just made him a rich man.
is our chance. Cathy turns on him – how could he
They drink a toast to family – this isn’t over yet!
live with himself if he lets the scum that did this get
53

55. premiere double episode
April 19 at 8.30pm
ENCORE SCREENINGS
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