Tough Nuts Blog by Bryan Cockerill
Bryan Cockerill has had a long and successful career in Australian television, working across the ABC and Seven, Nine and Ten networks as both a writer and producer. Cockerill's credits included Midday with Kerri-Anne, Tonight Live with Steve Vizard, Who Dares Wins, O'Loughlin on Saturday Night and Carols in the Domain before spending eight years as Executive Producer on Australia's Funniest Home Videos for the Nine Network. At the end of 2009, Cockerill opened his own production company, The Full Box, along with his wife Geraldine Coy. TOUGH NUTS is the first production for The Full Box. The Full Box is presently developing other programming projects across film and television in a variety of genres.
The Making of George Freeman
Production notes by Bryan Cockerill on December 19, 2011
George Freeman was the King of Sydney for two decades. Freeman was an ambitious man, writing in his autobiography of his plan to be “not just any crook, but THE CROOK, the biggest – the man with the power and influence.” Born in tough inner city Sydney, George ...
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The Making of Stewart John Regan
Production notes by Bryan Cockerill on November 25, 2011
Stewart John Regan is probably the most evil criminal Australia has ever known. Regan was a psychopath; Neddy Smith described him as having the coldest eyes he'd ever seen, George Freeman said he struck fear into the hearts of everyone he met and Roger Rogerson told us he....
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The Making of Dino Dibra 'The Sunshine Boy'
Production notes by Bryan Cockerill on October 28, 2011
Dino Dibra was a Melbourne gangster whose meteoric rise as a drug dealer and murderer came to a swift, violent end at the barrel of his best friend's gun when he was just 25 years of age. The story of Dino Dibra is probably best summed up by journalist and author Adam Shand...
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The Making of Jockey Smith 'Public Enemy Number One'
Production notes by Bryan Cockerill on October 4, 2011
When James Edward “Jockey” Smith became Australia’s “public enemy number one”, he was a serial armed robber who was also charged with several attempted murders, caught with explosives, escaped from Pentridge Prison, faced kidnap and drug trafficking trafficking charges...
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The Making of Tilly Devine ‘Madam Razor’
Production notes by Bryan Cockerill on September 13, 2011
Our first female Tough Nut, Tilly Devine, was a woman with a terrifyingly short fuse and an unbelievable criminal record. We cast the wonderful and very talented Toni Pearen to play Tilly Devine. Not everyone knows that Toni is an extremely gifted actress who has worked in....
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The Making of Ray Denning - 'The Runner'
Production notes by Bryan Cockerill on August 12, 2011
Ray Denning lived an extraordinarily violent and brutal life. He was a man who ran his whole life – from his past, from prison, from police, and from one woman to another. Ray Denning was one of the most controversial figures in the history of Australian crime. He was one of Australia's most
....
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The Making of Stan Smith - The Enforcer
Production notes by Bryan Cockerill on July 28, 2011
This is the story of an Australian gangster that has never been told before. Stan Smith's criminal life is a remarkable chapter in Australia's criminal history and you will be amazed that a crook so big, so violent and so active could pass away in 2010 with barely a mention in the Australian media....
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The Making of Nik 'The Invader' Radev
Production notes by Bryan Cockerill on June 27, 2011
Nikolai Radev was born in Bulgaria in 1959. We chose the title Nik"The Invader" Radev, rather than the nickname most people associate with Radev; "The Russian" - which Radev gave himself as he thought it sounded more intimidating than "The Bulgarian". "The Invader" is a perfect title fit...
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