Underbelly: 13 part drama based on Leadbelly (John Silvester, Andrew Rule)
3 Jul Channel Nine's blog | Email this page | 44205 reads
UNDERBELLY COMMENCES PRODUCTION
Underbelly, the most anticipated drama series of recent times, commenced production in Melbourne today for the Nine Network.
The 13-part blockbuster, based on the book Leadbelly by John Silvester and Andrew Rule, is the compelling dramatisation of Melbourne’s infamous gangland killings that started in 1998 with the murder of Alphonse Gangitano. Underbelly will also follow the rise and fall ofnotorious career criminal Carl Williams, who sought to be king of Melbourne’s underworld and now languishes in prison.
Underbelly is the latest drama from production company Screentime whose recent slate includes The Society Murders and Mary Bryant. “This has to be one of the most exciting and challenging drama projects ever shot in this country,” Des Monaghan, executive producer for Screentime, said.
In keeping with the scope of this fascinating chapter of crime history, Underbelly boasts one of the most exciting ensemble casts ever assembled for Australian television. Rodger Corser (Last Man Standing) and Caroline Craig (Blue Heelers) star as Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Owen and Detective Constable Jacqui James, who embody the police officers who strove to stem the bloodshed of Melbourne’s internal crime wars.
Portraying real-life characters who have become part of Melbourne folklore are Vince Colosimo (Alphonse Gangitano), Gyton Grantley (Carl Williams), Kat Stewart (Roberta Williams), Simon Westaway (Mick Gatto), Martin Sacks (Mario Condello), Gerard Kennedy (Graham Kinninburgh), Kevin Harrington (Lewis Moran), Callan Mulvey (Mark Moran), Les Hill (Jason Moran), Robert Mammone (Tony Mokbel), George Kapiniaris(George Defteros) and Caroline Gillmer as matriarch Judy Moran.
“From the outset Nine has been 100 per cent committed to bringing Underbelly to the small screen,” said Nine Network Head of Drama, Jo Horsburgh. “And along with Sea Patrol and Canal Road, this landmark production represents the latest chapter in Nine’s proud tradition of creating world-class television.”
“The challenge for the writing team is to capture the essential truth of these extraordinary events in a compelling and coherent manner,” said Screentime’s Head of Drama, Greg Haddrick, who along with Peter Gawler and Felicity Packard will take writing credits.
Haddrick will also co-produce the series in conjunction with industry stalwart Brenda Pam, with Des Monaghan and Jo Horsburgh as executive producers. Underbelly will screen on the Nine Network in 2008.
Got to get the book 'Filthy Rat by simon illingworth' if you want it without the spin of the media and producers. It cuts to the chase with these low life scum bags and tells it how it is. It is available now via fontaine press.
2 Sep 08 at 5:24 pm
Great show and like many have said "very interesting". I secretly enjoy the vics not being able to see it lol. The only thing that gets a bit rich is everyone calling it a war, people high on drugs knocking off blokes in a cowardly way is no war.
2 Aug 08 at 3:05 am
nicely said. nice to hear someone speak up for dino and his family would appreciate it too. i spent the last 11 months of dinos life with him. underbelly is 70 % crap, dino would be disappointed at the way they potray him. He had big heart
14 Jun 08 at 12:40 am
Go to my blog and have a read, it is full of interesting facts about the banning of the show in victoria and my thoughts on the series.....i loved it, best australia tv series i have ever seen
http://ikojo.wordpress.com/
27 Mar 08 at 9:05 am
Go to my blog and have a read, it is full of interesting facts about the banning of the show in victoria and my thoughts on the series.....i loved it, best australia tv series i have ever seen
http://ikojo.wordpress.com/
27 Mar 08 at 9:04 am
i love underbelly..i have also researched every character that i no of in the gangland murders... i am obssessed i love the crime and allthe action...i no being apart of it all would be a compltetely different story. if you dont mind me asking, who r u related to? The whole gangland underwold member association excites me... i have never been more intreged...i have only seen 7 episodes, im trying to get theotehrs butit does not screen on victorian tv...
26 Mar 08 at 5:17 pm
WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW YOU WERE INVOLVED
WERE U ACTUALLY INVOLVED OR WERE U JUST DRAGGED INTO IT????
CAUSE OF ASSOCIATION.....WOULD LOVE TO KNOW
KATH
17 Mar 08 at 10:23 pm
Your facts are wrong. Reshad "Richard" Mladenic was Bosnian. That's 100% fact.
14 Mar 08 at 2:42 am
Blessssed I am to live in SYD giving me the pleasure of watching this fantastic show every week on TV
13 Mar 08 at 11:44 am
This is the prt I am having trouble with..)))
11 Mar 08 at 11:18 pm
Go to Mininova.org and search underbelly episodes 1-10 are avalible just download the torrent.
11 Mar 08 at 8:13 pm
Could someone please tell me in very very basic terms (you gather now that I am technologically deficient how I can download this fanatstic series, called Underbelly...
Specifically I would like to see the shower scene of Roger Corser..so if someone can send me a link to that, it would be great...
There is another link doing the rounds with Roger in a jogging scene in some other tv show. He does have an awesome appendage. I hope someone can help out. Have a great day.
11 Mar 08 at 4:17 pm
Are the books "Leadbelly" and "Underbelly: the gangland war" both by silvester and rule the same?
i'm assuming they are and that the latter has been re-released with new title to reflect the show.
11 Mar 08 at 2:34 pm
That was responding to anonymous of course about the shower sex scene in Ep3
Dave
10 Mar 08 at 4:04 pm
HELL YES!!!!!
That wasn't a donga. It was a babys arm holding an apple!!!
Won't hurt his image one little bit. HEHE
I told my wife and others who missed it and didn't believe me. We all watched the catch-up late last night and confirmed that there was indead a very large "member" hanbing between his legs during the shower sex scene. You'd think the editors would have picked it up!!!! not literally of course
Dave
10 Mar 08 at 4:02 pm
Is there even 13 eps??????
9 Mar 08 at 8:32 pm
Underbelly is awesome its the best tv program that has been showed this year! I also think that Damien Welsh - Howling is hot. I like ya tatts i think there sexy!
9 Mar 08 at 3:46 pm
I have been hanging for Wed nights to watch this series.
I often think about the kids of the real characters and hope they are doing OK. True or false they are living with it.
Living in wollongong- we want 'undervella' to start production soon!
8 Mar 08 at 11:28 pm
Its all a load of shit........but hey it is Television Drama after all, and dont we love it!!!! Im after episodes 11, 12 & 13 can any one help??? Vic born and proud, but extremely disappointed that I have to work so hard to see this series!!!!
8 Mar 08 at 10:35 pm
I love the series but I know for a fact that Richard Mladenich came from an Istrian/Italian family that was displaced at the end of the second world war. It is reasonably common for people from this region to speak and identify as italian but have croatian names. I was also surprised that Richie calls Dibra and Rocco crazy Italians as he was italian and I was pretty sure that Dibra would not be.
The hard thing about this series is that you get quite interested in certain characters and then they get killed off. Gangitano was a scary guy but Colosimo was so great to watch that it seems a shame to not see any more of him. Likewise the guy playing Mark Moran was sexy and intriguing but he's finished too. I guess that there won't be too many left by the end.To some extent Richie Mladenich provided comic relief even though he was a bit of a tragic figure really. It was great to see his mother portrayed so sympathetically. Families of crooks often have a hard time.
8 Mar 08 at 3:16 pm
I would like to know how the Moran children and the wives are going with getting on with their lives? Also is Mokbels current partner the same as depicted in the show?
7 Mar 08 at 10:21 pm
I would like to know how the Moran children and the wives are going with getting on with their lives? Also is Mokbels current partner the same as depicted in the show?
7 Mar 08 at 10:17 pm
Came across this low profile book on the subject, FILTHY RAT by Simon Illingworth, being re-released next month. Apparently tells the 'real' grubby Underbelly story without the gloss. http://www.fontainepress.com/the-underbelly-TV_filthy_rat.html
7 Mar 08 at 9:26 pm
Somebody told me that Dannielle McGuire is Eddie Mcguire's sister, does anybody know if this is true or just a stupid rumour.
6 Mar 08 at 4:49 pm
Here we go again,
In 1995 there was an excellent mini-series called "Blue Murder", about the NSW underworld dealings of Neddy Smith and infamous corrupt cop Roger Rodgerson.
This was shown in all states except for NSW, due to an on-going investigation against Neddy Smith.
I was devasted when it was banned in NSW, and back then there was no such thing as torrents, or internet downloads. 10 years later it finally made its debut in NSW, which by that stage, had lost some of its releavnce and impact. Still, it was an excellent piece of Australian true crime drama.
Lets hope the VICs learn our lessons and allow this important story to be told. (otherwise, just download it)
6 Mar 08 at 2:07 pm
Did anyone else notice last night that when Officer Owen and his girlfriend were having sex in the shower you could actually see his donga hanging down??? Bahahaha I thought it was hilarious
6 Mar 08 at 8:34 am
hey c.williams have seen the first 2 and im hooked. how would i go about getting upto episode 9? can you help me?
5 Mar 08 at 8:28 pm
Melbourne is a town not a state.. the state it was banned in was Victoria... not Melbourne...
4 Mar 08 at 9:55 pm
great show!!!reminds me of another aussie true crime mini series called blue murder. the facts arn't always 100 percent correct but they both tell the story of what went on.
3 Mar 08 at 5:18 pm
i think the show is bodgey. I am related to a character and the portrayals of the main characters is way off. Dino Dibra was a complete womble and criminal nobody. So too the whole Sunshine crew.
3 Mar 08 at 11:41 am
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