Peaky Blinders, an epic gangster saga, has started shooting in Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool, boasting a distinguished cast that includes Cillian Murphy (Inception, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, 28 Days Later), Sam Neill (The Tudors, The Piano, Jurassic Park), Helen McCrory (Hugo, Harry Potter, The Queen).

The cast also features Annabelle Wallis (Snow White And The Huntsman, The Tudors), Iddo Goldberg (Secret Diary Of A Call Girl) and Charlie Creed-Miles (Nil By Mouth, Wild Bill).

The story begins in 1919 in the Continue reading ‘Peaky Blinders, begins shooting with cast led by Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill and Helen McCrory’ »

British actress Annabelle Wallis is headed home to UK television to star oppositeCillian Murphy in the six-part BBC Two drama series Peaky Blinders.

 

Created by Eastern Promises scribe Steven Knight, an Oscar-nominee for Stephen Frears’ Dirty Pretty Things, the series is set in 1919 Birmingham where a ruthless family of gangsters, led by Murphy’s character Tommy, rules the lawless post-war slums.

Reported at deadline.com

Cillian Murphy is to star in new BBC Two drama Peaky Blinders.

The six-part gangster drama has been written by Steven Knight (Eastern Promises).

The series follows ruthless mobster Tommy (Murphy), whose family control the “lawless post-war slum neighbourhoods” of Birmingham in 1919.

Tommy’s gang are known as the ‘Peaky Blinders’ due to their practice of sewing razor blades into the peaks of their caps

Deadline reports.

Commissioned by Janice Hadlow, Controller BBC Two, and Ben Stephenson, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning, Peaky Blinders is created by acclaimed writer Steven Knight and produced by Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions.

Broadcast reports

 BBC2 controller Janice Hadlow has ordered the first self-contained TV drama series from Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? co-creator Steve Knight – a 6 x 60-minute period drama exploring gang life in 1920s Birmingham…

Peaky Blinders is based on the historically accurate story of gangsters and revolutionaries who terrorised the Midlands city. It is named after the razor blades sewn into the peaks of gang members’ caps, which could be used to slash their adversaries’ faces.

According to sundaymercury.net 

The Peaky Blinders – The Adderley Street-based gang emerged in the Bordesley and Small Heath areas, a particularly deprived part of the city in 19th century Birmingham.

Unlike their rivals, The Peaky Blinders had a carefully stylised image; bell bottom trousers, a silk ‘daff’ or scarf twisted round their necks and tied at the end, and a flat cap tilted on their head.

This classic look was displayed in police mugshots of gang members from the day, including David Taylor, who was jailed at the age of 13 for carrying a gun.

Other Peakies included baby-faced Harry Fowles, Ernest Haynes and Stephen McNickle, who were all jailed for petty theft after being arrested by the under-pressure police.