''
Hustle'' is a
British television
Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection ...
comedy-drama series made by
Kudos Film & Television
Kudos is a British film and television production company. It has produced television series for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, Amazon and Netflix and its productions include '' Tin Star, Humans, Broadchurch, The Tunnel'', ''Grantchester, Ap ...
for
BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
Michael Stone
''Michael Stone'', (Played by
Adrian Lester
Adrian Anthony Lester (born Anthony Harvey; 14 August 1968) is a British actor, director and writer. He is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award, an Evening Standard Theatre Award and a Critics' Circle Theatre Award for his work on the Lo ...
) who uses the
alias
Alias may refer to:
* Pseudonym
* Pen name
* Nickname
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Alias'' (2013 film), a 2013 Canadian documentary film
* ''Alias'' (TV series), an American action thriller series 2001–2006
* ''Alias the ...
''Mickey Bricks'', was the show's principal character from Series 1 to 3 and 5 to 8.
Mickey is a professional
grifter
A grifter may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Grifters (band), a 1990s American indie rock band
* ''The Grifters'' (novel), a 1963 American novel by Jim Thompson
* ''The Grifters'' (film), a 1990 American adaptation of the novel
* Grifter (ch ...
who makes money by setting up
long con
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have de ...
s. He is intelligent, charismatic and quick-witted. Although he works with
Albert Stroller
'' Hustle'' is a British television comedy-drama series made by Kudos Film & Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom.
Michael Stone
''Michael Stone'', (Played by Adrian Lester) who uses the alias ''Mickey Bricks'', was the show's principa ...
, who is one of his mentors, Mickey is the leader of his "crew" (team) of grifters. Mickey did not return in the fourth series, instead he led a con off-screen in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. He later, however, returned in the fifth.
Background
Mickey has a strong dislike of being told what to do or having a job. These feelings appear to stem from his childhood. In series one, he revealed that his father was an ordinary, law-abiding citizen whose only dream was to retire when he was 60, until he dropped dead of natural causes three days before his 60th birthday. Having watched his father play by the rules all his life and being destroyed, he has a strong hatred of people who simply use the system to make themselves rich at the expense of others. Mickey therefore always selects marks whom he has reason to dislike; by making his motive personal, he stops himself from ever making the con about the money. The gang states that their first rule is, "You can't cheat an honest man," not simply because they should not, but since those being
conned are greedy and dishonest, they are less likely to over-analyse anything that would make them rich. In that sense, Mickey is not hypocritical because he does not steal from "old ladies"; all his marks are either blatantly dishonest or simply coldly dismissive of others – he stole a man's credit card after hearing him attempt to convince his staff to only pay Eastern Europeans £2.50 an hour. On at least two occasions he has also masterminded cons where innocent people gain more than the gang themselves (Although the gang still made a profit). At the same time, however, Mickey has no qualms with staying in hotels without paying or doing anything about his
bar tab.
Career
Most people consider Mickey to be one of the finest grifters alive.
He has never been charged with grifting (his only incarceration was for a completely non-related crime – assault on his ex-wife's boyfriend with a baseball bat). He has three weaknesses – loyalty, his extraordinary ego, and his hatred of being told what to do by anyone. He is a unique con artist because he does not think like a normal person; it is impossible to second-guess him. He gives the impression of being spontaneous, but everything is planned and precise. He puts together complicated and seemingly unrelated events, impossible to unravel, but all related to the big con. He greatly enjoys high stakes. He has attempted several grifts – such as trying to con an amnesic who saw through their first con before he lost his memory by 're-doing' the original scam, or using the same con on four different marks at once – simply because people say that it is impossible. He often removes things from people's pockets and on one occasion drives off in a gentleman's car after convincing him he is a valet, but he frequently insists he is "not a thief". His cons often reflect this, as on several occasions he makes it appear as if a theft has taken place when the "stolen" objects are simply hidden or moved.
Personal life
In addition to his crew, Mickey is also friends with various other grifters. However, he does not seem to have any non-grifter friends, although he was married once. He has previously stated that as a grifter you should never have "anything in your life that you can't walk away from in a second". His marriage ended after his wife had an
affair
An affair is a sexual relationship, romantic friendship, or passionate attachment in which at least one of its participants has a formal or informal commitment to a third person who may neither agree to such relationship nor even be aware of i ...
. Mickey beat up the man responsible and was sent to prison for three years, returning to the streets in the first episode.
[
Several episodes have suggested a past relationship with fellow team member ]Stacie Monroe
''Hustle (TV series), Hustle'' is a British television comedy-drama series made by Kudos (production company), Kudos Film & Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom.
Michael Stone
''Michael Stone'', (Played by Adrian Lester) who uses the P ...
. In the episode, "A Touch of Class", Mickey breaks one of his cardinal rules by having an affair with the target of a con, which resulted in the con going awry and the wrong victim being hit when the original mark tricks them into going after an innocent man.
Later on, Mickey appears to be rather taken with newcomer, Emma Kennedy, flirting with her on occasion. However, after Sean Kennedy, Emma's brother shows hostility toward Mickey concerning his intentions towards his sister, Mickey reviews their relationship. Mickey and Emma decide that continuing would only cause problems, so they end it. Despite this, references to the feelings they had or still have are made until the very end of the series.
Departure
In Series 4, Mickey had left to take part in a con in Australia to sell the Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
. Danny Blue took over as leader, with Billy Bond
Billy may refer to:
* Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name)
Animals
* Billy (dog), a dog breed
* Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945
* Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge
* Billy, a youn ...
filling the resulting gap. Mickey appeared to call Danny at the end of the Series Four Finale, but the audience never saw Mickey; they heard Danny say "Sorry, bit busy, can I call you back?" and then hang up (Much to the annoyance of the group, as they were currently stuck on a sinking inflatable raft and thought that Mickey might have been able to suggest something useful.)
Return
The con in Australia succeeds but Mickey loses the money while attempting to escape the police. After stealing the uniform of a Naval Commander, Mickey returns to the UK where he discovers his team has split up and has gone their separate ways. He then manages to bring the remaining members of the team – Ash Morgan and Albert Stroller, although Albert briefly served as an occasional advisor while in prison – back together, aided by new members Emma and Sean, to help him start a new string of cons within the city of London. At the show's conclusion, he retires after faking his death to escape with his share of almost 10 million pounds his last mark was tricked into investing on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange in the City of London, England, United Kingdom. , the total market value of all companies trading on LSE was £3.9 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Pau ...
.
Ashley Morgan
''Ashley Morgan'', (played by Robert Glenister
Robert Lewis Glenister (born 11 March 1960 in Watford, Hertfordshire) is an English actor. The son of the television director John Glenister and the older brother of actor Philip Glenister, his roles include con man Ash "Three Socks" Morgan in ...
) known simply as Ash to his own crew, and "Three Socks" Morgan to the wider grifting circle, is a seasoned grifter, and the team's "''fixer''". He got the nickname while serving an 18-month prison sentence when a short-con known as 'The Flop' he pulled on an insurance broker went wrong. While in prison, he would 'go into the shower with 3 socks', suggesting he is a well endowed man. Ash is prone to talk about the working man and people making an honest living.
As a "fixer", it is Ash's role to ensure to get anything the team needs to carry out a con. He possesses considerable technical expertise and can hack into CCTV
Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly t ...
, security systems, phone lines and computer servers. He is also tasked with building websites to convince marks of the legitimacy of any fake business and will fabricate any props and small electronic gadgets, such as bugs and phone taps. His failures are few and cause his friends some surprises when they occur. He also has many contacts for more general items, from fake IDs and forged items to cars and hotel rooms. In Series 4, the gang needed £30,000 worth of Rubles in order to con a caviar shop owner. The mark was having trouble getting that amount anywhere, whereas Ash felt insulted that Danny even asked if he could locate them at short notice.
As well as being the fixer, Ash is an excellent grifter in general, able to play the part of various characters easily. Despite being mild-mannered, he also acts as the team's "heavy", intimidating others with considerable menace. It has been hinted in several episodes that Ash was "tasty" (slang for a good fighter) in his younger days, and often the threat of him becoming violent is enough to defuse situations where the team need protection.
It was revealed in one episode that Ash was one of two candidates for Mickey's Fixer, the other being a notorious grifter called Benny. However, although Benny was the more skilled grifter, capable of playing other roles such as the roper, Mickey chose Ash because he was a better team player who would keep his word.
Although his age gives the impression that he is the second-most-experienced team member, Ash has stated more than once that he is not interested in leadership, recognising his niche and remaining within that area even when the group votes for a new leader during Mickey's absence. In the absence of a leader, Ash ends up running short cons rather than assembling a team of his own. Even when he was temporarily put in charge, he tended to subtly rely on Mickey for inspiration rather than exclusively coming up with his own idea.
He often falls back on using a skull fracture he obtained in a bar room brawl many years ago to play a con known as "The Flop". He steps out in front of careless drivers, gets hit and acts badly injured, wearing a padded coat to avoid real damage. A hospital x-ray then shows the fracture and the driver's insurance pays out.[ His ex-wife June also used to perform the con, but eventually suffered brain damage from the impacts.] Ash gives a lot of his earnings to funding her treatment. When the gang heard about this, they decided to all contribute to her medical expenses. He gives his date of birth as 21 July 1960, and in the final episode states that he has known Mickey for around 20 years. He is the only character to appear in every episode.
Albert Stroller
Played by Robert Vaughn
Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor noted for his stage, film and television work. His television roles include the spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s series ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.''; the ...
.
Albert is an elderly American who acts as the group roper; his role is to identify targets ("marks") and lead them to the inside man. His distinctive style exudes the kind of dignified professionalism that wealthy, unsuspecting marks trust implicitly, making him the ideal man to rope them in for the serious score. As a result, he is a member of numerous establishments where the very wealthy can be found – private gentlemen's clubs, casinos, top hotels and restaurants are regular haunts for Albert and his targets. He is friends with many wealthy people under numerous aliases
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
. Albert was Mickey's mentor for long cons; his lessons encouraged Mickey to develop his eye for detail.
He is a master of cold reading – a technique often used by mentalists, fortune tellers, psychics, and mediums to determine details about another person in order to convince them that the reader knows much more about a subject than they do. Even without prior knowledge, a practised cold reader can quickly obtain a great deal of information about the subject by carefully analyzing body language, clothing or fashion, hairstyle, and manner of speech. This ability helps Albert get close to his marks quickly.
Although born in America, he was stationed in North London during World War II, where he fell madly in love with a local girl, Lily Cooper. A few weeks later, he had to evacuate the base and didn't have the time to get word to Lily. He wrote her a letter and posted it as soon as he could, but received no reply. After the war, he came back to London to look for her, only to see her at the church as she was getting married.
He fled from the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in the 1970s. Originally, he was a shoe salesman in the Midwest until the workforce was laid off
A layoff or downsizing is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or, more commonly, a group of employees (collective layoff) for business reasons, such as personnel management or downsizing (reducing the ...
. To secure a decent redundancy package, Albert conned the company out of $60,000 and shared it among his former co-workers. He reputedly enjoyed the experience so much that he became a grifter and moved to Las Vegas to work the marks there by day, and the casinos at night. However, soon all the casinos became wise to the grifters and banned them from even entering their premises. Albert left for the UK shortly afterwards. One of his partners-in-crime in Las Vegas was Joey Pepper, and together they would work the Shoe-switch scam. However, Joey was once caught doing the switch and was almost killed by the Casino security
Casino security refers to the measures that are taken at casinos to protect the establishment's money, property and patrons. The security protects the casino and its customers from violent crime, theft, and other inappropriate behavior.
Given the ...
.
At one point, he fell in love with a woman called Susan, to the extent that they were planning to get a house together, but Susan left after Albert lost the money they had raised in a card game. When Susan reappeared years later, she revealed that she had discovered that she was pregnant with Albert's child shortly after leaving him, but never returned because she didn't think that Albert's lifestyle was suitable for a child, and she did not want Albert to change for her sake. Albert was reunited with Susan and their daughter Kathleen at the end of the seventh series – where he also learned that he had grandchildren – but he missed a chance to say goodbye when he got caught up in a poker game to celebrate the gang's latest victory.
He was "out-grifted" once by Victor Maher, before joining with Mickey Bricks and the rest of the crew. However, he had spoken about Maher to Mickey before Maher turns up in Series 1 Episode 4 trying to out-grift Mickey.
He cannot go to Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
as he sold the air force some fighter jets in the '70s, and they still haven't arrived.
Stroller is a habitual gambler; he is also a habitual card cheat. These two habits combined have proven to be a weakness. During the first series, he was hospitalized after receiving a severe beating after being caught cheating by a casino owner. During the second series, he briefly dealt with a bout of depression after the death of a close friend caused him to question his own lifestyle. In the fifth series premiere, it was revealed that Albert was serving two years in prison for cheating in a casino, but he stated that he was enjoying the rest, and set Mickey and Ash up with new team members Emma and Sean Kennedy (albeit by setting them up so that each duo thought they were conning the other as a mark), subsequently being released several months early on parole for good behaviour after the team manipulated a judge into thinking Albert knew the location of a lost treasure, while Albert himself conned an unsympathetic member of the parole board into releasing him.
His birthdate is 3 June 1933, however, this may not be true as previously mentioned he was stationed in London during WW2 which would make him 12 years old in 1945.
Danny Blue
Played by Marc Warren
Marc Warren (born 20 March 1967) is an English actor, known for his British television roles. His roles have included Albert Blithe in '' Band of Brothers'', Danny Blue in '' Hustle'', Dougie Raymond in '' The Vice'', Dominic Foy in '' Stat ...
.
Background & joining the crew
Danny grew up in a family of career criminals, when he was 17, his uncle used him as a lookout while he and his crew robbed a casino in Windsor. They cleaned the place out. It was a professional job and they took the CCTV tapes with them. Although after watching them go in and out of prison throughout his youth he ran away, determined not to go straight, but to be a better criminal. Escaping to London, he became a master " dip", then moved up to the short con and mastered that as well. Egotistical and ambitious, Danny is determined not just to be good but to be the best and sought out the crew of confidence men run by Mickey Bricks to learn and master the long con.
Personality
The most recent addition to Stone's crew after literally talking his way into the group in the middle of a con in progress, he is a sometimes careless but brilliant con artist said by veteran con artist Albert Stroller
'' Hustle'' is a British television comedy-drama series made by Kudos Film & Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom.
Michael Stone
''Michael Stone'', (Played by Adrian Lester) who uses the alias ''Mickey Bricks'', was the show's principa ...
to have great "grift sense" and possibly be destined to be the best con artist in the world—something Danny is all too ready to believe, his ego being the greatest weakness he has yet to overcome. In contrast to Mickey's step-by-step planning of the long con, Danny tends to rely more on impulse, most of his cons being based around him establishing the original idea and working towards that goal while compensating for any problems that might arise when they arise, as opposed to Mickey preparing various contingency plans for possible problems.
In the 4th episode of the first series, Danny kissed Stacie while they were alone in the apartment after spending the day together- although neither knew it, Mickey had wanted Stacie to keep Danny occupied after a crooked ex-cop blackmailed Mickey by threatening to arrest Danny for his role in a casino heist-, but she rejected him. Danny accused her of only having eyes for Mickey, and the pair momentarily fell out. However, they later reconciled in the same episode. In subsequent episodes, there was suggested mutual attraction between the pair, most notably in the second episode of Season 2. However, this was never developed further
Taking over as leader
During Mickey's absence in series 4, Danny took over the leadership of the group. Despite hoping to hire a "fit bird" as Mickey's replacement, he eventually gave the go-ahead for Billy Bond
Billy may refer to:
* Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name)
Animals
* Billy (dog), a dog breed
* Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945
* Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge
* Billy, a youn ...
, a short con artist, who acted very much like Danny had on the first episode, to join instead. Although he lacked Mickey's ability to plan ahead for all possible contingencies- to the extent that Albert had to come up with a plan to fake the gang's death after they robbed a notorious casino owner-, Danny's style of leadership was nevertheless effective; during one con, Danny deliberately discarded a highly expensive bottle of wine by pouring the contents down the sink to convince the mark that their characters had no idea of the value of the wine that was allegedly in the cellar of the house they wanted to trick her into buying.
Departure and return
In the first episode of the fifth series of Hustle, Mickey returned to the UK after losing the money that he had made "selling" the Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
. He then returned to London and tried to get his old crew together, yet Albert was locked in prison, and Ash had gone solo doing small cons and bets in bars. When Mickey rejoined Ash, he informed him that Danny and Stacie had decided to stay in the States to pull off some more cons following their success in the fourth series. Although Stacie initially claimed that Danny had run off with a cocktail waitress to escape her husband the last time she saw him, Danny made a surprise appearance in the final episode of the show, portraying a hitman employed to murder Mickey's crew, shooting at them with blanks to fool the mark- Stacie having stolen the card with the real hitman's number and replacing the number with Danny's-, before revealing his identity and leaving with the other six members of the cast at the end.
Stacie Monroe
Played by Jaime Murray
Jaime Erica Murray (born 21 July 1976) is an English actress. She is known for playing Stacie Monroe in the BBC series '' Hustle'' (2004–2012), Lila West in the Showtime series ''Dexter'' (2007), Gaia in the Starz miniseries '' Spartacus: G ...
. Stacie is the only female member of a team-come-family of "long con" artists before Emma and Sean Kennedy join.
Background & personality
She was married to a short-con artist, Jake Henry (Max Beesley
Maxton Gig Beesley Jr. (born 16 April 1971) is an English actor and musician. He has appeared in a variety of television shows such as ''Bodies'', ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', '' Survivors'', '' Mad Dogs'', ''Homeland'', '' Suits ...
). Stacie became a grifter through him. They both worked together playing the short con 'The Badger' which involves Stacie playing the working girl who would pick up a mark, and then Jake would burst in as the irate pimp or boyfriend and threaten to tell the mark's wife. Stacie and Jake were married for several years but the marriage ended after he left her, taking their house and money, leaving her with nothing more than a mouldy piece of cheese, a Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...
CD and a plant (her ex appears as the subject of a con during the second series). It is suggested that she once had a romantic relationship with the group's leader, Michael Stone. Michael helped her after Jake left her. One first-season episode also suggested a possible attraction to the newest member of the group, Danny Blue (this theme continued in the second-season episode "Confessions" in which the two pretend to be engaged). The third episode of the third season reveals that she has a high level of mathematical ability, as she is shown calculating a high square root
In mathematics, a square root of a number is a number such that ; in other words, a number whose ''square'' (the result of multiplying the number by itself, or ⋅ ) is . For example, 4 and −4 are square roots of 16, because .
E ...
value in her head.
In creating the series, Tony Jordan
Tony Jordan (born 21 July 1957) is a British television writer. He was listed as the number one television screenwriter in the United Kingdom by ''Broadcast'' magazine in 2008 and among British broadcasting's top twenty in ''The Stage'' in 200 ...
realised that the principal characters could not have any friends or family outside the crew and therefore sought to create a nominal family with Stacie providing the role of substitute mother/wife. However, in the second series, the crew help Danny's grandmother. In the third series, they con a newspaper editor because he inadvertently caused a friend of Stacie's to attempt suicide by implying that she had embezzled money from the charity she worked for. She is sometimes demonstrated as the most compassionate member of the crew, twice leaving some of the money acquired in the latest con to people she had befriended during the con itself, and showing genuine relief when she learned that Eddie—the owner of the bar where the team regularly drink—was safe after they had been led to believe that he had been taken hostage as part of a revenge action against them. (Although Eddie, unaware that he had ever been believed to be in danger, assumed that this was part of another con.)
Position in the crew
Her official role is the banker and she has sole control and responsibility for the crew's finances. During the cons themselves, she usually takes on a variety of roles depending on need, ranging from a sultry vamp to a nerdy museum keeper, in order to help weave the web of deception. Her sex appeal is often used as a distraction, though she is often hesitant to rely upon it.
Departure
In the first episode of the fifth series, Mickey returned to the UK after losing the money he had made 'selling' the Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
. He then returned to London and tried to get his old crew together, yet Albert was locked in prison and Ash had gone solo doing small cons and bets in bars. When Mickey rejoined Ash, he informed him that Danny and Stacie had decided to stay in the US to pull off some more cons following their success in the fourth series.
Return
Stacie returned for the final episode of the 2012 series, which was also the final episode of the show. She became accidentally caught up in Micky's con while conning the same mark herself- working as the mark's broker while he was looking for investments with the intention of taking a few thousand from him when he made his deposit-, but joined forces with Micky's gang by enlisting the help of the also-returning Danny Blue to help pull the con off, recruiting Danny as a fake hitman to help the gang fake their deaths. Stacie then drove off with the other six members of the cast at the show's conclusion.
Eddie
Played by Rob Jarvis
Robert S Jarvis (born 1965) is an English television and film actor. He is best known for his roles as Eddie in ''Hustle'' the long running BBC series, Graham Shand in ''Luther'' and as Russell Posner in ''Emmerdale''. From the Wirral, he is fre ...
, (series 1–8), the owner and proprietor of the eponymous ''Eddie's Bar'' where the group often plan cons. Fully aware of the group and their dealings, he usually adopts a "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" attitude. The petty grifts played on him by the crew whenever they want to get out of paying their bar tab, make a point to someone, or are just plain bored, are a recurring theme through the series, and often serve as foreshadowing for a trick that will be important later in the episode. Through these tricks and mingling with Mickey's team, he has acquired a basic knowledge of cons. A Liverpudlian migrant to the London area, he speaks with a strong Scouse accent. Eddie stated in the second episode of the seventh season that he had been married in the past, although he appeared now to be either separated or divorced.
However, despite being skimmed by them several times, a certain financial trust exists between Eddie and the group. For instance, Eddie once lent them £4,000 to perform a con and it was paid back fully. The gang often pay Eddie their debts (often before heading on holiday at the end of a series) and provide monetary assistance if need be. Eddie occasionally helps the gang by posing as a grifter or acting as an informant; his information and knowledge often turn out to be helpful and sometimes avert disaster. Eddie is close enough to the crew to ask for a favour, and the team is also sometimes quite protective of him (e.g. not discussing some of their more dangerous schemes in the bar to ensure his safety). Furthermore, some of the targets in the series have been conned to settle scores on Eddie's behalf.
As such, Eddie might be considered an unofficial "sixth member" of the family.
Billy Bond
Played by Ashley Walters during series 4. Billy enters the crew the same way that Danny did – as a rookie, with a natural hustling instinct and a master of the short con, but with little knowledge or experience of the long con. Portrayed as an astute and likeable character despite prior involvement in drug dealing and street gangs, he knows that his inclusion within the crew is his chance to make it big.
Walters did not return for the fifth series, which instead marked the return of Adrian Lester; the final whereabouts of his character were never explained at all. In the first episode of the fifth season, when Mickey was trying to reassemble a crew, Ash mentioned that Danny and Stacie were still in America, but made no mention of Billy. In the last episode of the final series, although both Danny & Stacie returned, Billy did not, nor was there any mention of him.
Emma and Sean Kennedy
Kelly Adams
Kelly Diane Adams (born 16 October 1979) is an English actress. She has played leading roles in a number of British television series: Mickie Hendrie in the BBC One medical drama series '' Holby City'' (2004–2006) and ''Casualty'' (2005); Emm ...
played Emma and Matt Di Angelo
Mario Angelo S Constantinou (born 1 May 1987), professionally known as Matt Di Angelo, is a British actor and singer, best known for his role as Dean Wicks in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. He also portrayed Sean Kennedy in the BBC drama s ...
played Sean Kennedy during series 5–8.
Replacing the departed characters of Danny Blue and Stacie Monroe, Emma and Sean Kennedy are brother and sister, put into foster care after their mother died, a year after their father ran off. The Kennedy siblings had been living on the streets since Sean was nine, and Emma was fourteen, having run away from their foster family, they survived only through Emma's quick hands and manipulative abilities. While they understand first-hand the selfishness and greed of the world around them, the Kennedy siblings are less-experienced grifters and newcomers to the long con.
Before Albert is imprisoned, prior to series five, he is pickpocketed by Emma. Impressed by her abilities, Albert takes her under his wing. Sean originally never wished to be a grifter, unlike his sister, and was set on going to Drama school when he had the money, which he and Emma were raising through their cons. The first episode of series five, in which Stone returns to find Albert in prison and attempts to complete a con with only a two-man team, turns out to be a setup by Albert, who has separately encouraged Sean and Emma to try and con Mickey and Ash. Both groups successfully escape with each other's "money", which turns out to be fake. Mickey and Ash save Emma and Sean from a past mark by giving them the tools to fake their deaths and also manage to scare the past mark into giving them the money taken by the Kennedys.
Eventually, Sean enjoys being part of Mickey's crew to the point where he abandons his dreams of being an actor. Emma Kennedy proves to be a natural, unlike her brother, and her looks are used on many occasions in their cons to manipulate men into doing what she wants, however much she dislikes it. Sean's first con with the crew does not go well for him; he ends up passing out drunk when sent out on a fact-finding mission for Mickey, though he displays an impressive photographic memory even when intoxicated, and his information regarding the marks firing their PR company allows Mickey to set up his plan. Mickey then intends to use Sean to introduce Mickey and Emma as members of a new company, but one of the marks spikes his orange juice, resulting in Sean ending up drunk again. Emma is angered when she discovers this, and so has a drinking contest with the mark, which she wins. Sean is demoralised following the incident, but Mickey quickly helps him to dust himself off and carry on with the con.
Subsequent episodes focus on the siblings' development as con artists, and some back-story exposition; their father Rex Kennedy (played by Danny Webb) is targeted as a mark using a buried treasure scam in the episode 'The Father of Jewels'. Emma's childhood sweetheart appears in series seven episode two. However, he proves a disappointment to Emma, thanks in part to the input of Mickey Bricks, who is a romantic interest for Emma since her first appearance, before they knew each other's real identities. Sean and Emma's mutual protectiveness concerning each other is also an occasional theme, especially in the episode 'Politics' when Sean shows his protectiveness concerning Emma. Emma is also characterized as the member of the gang who is arguably the friendliest with Eddie, and the least likely to take advantage of him.
Contacts
*Neil Cooper (played by Tom Mannion
Tom Mannion is a Scottish actor.
His television credits include ''Brookside'', ''Up the Garden Path'', ''The Bill'', ''Boon'', ''Cadfael'', ''Doctor Finlay'', ''Doctors'', ''Eleventh Hour'', ''Holby City'', '' Roman Mysteries'', '' Hustle'', ' ...
) is another con artist who helps Mickey in Series 1, Episode 1. He impersonates a police officer named Martin DePalma in order to head the investigation into the crew.
*Tip Jones (played by Brian Pettifer Brian Pettifer (born 1953) is a British actor who has appeared in many television shows, and also on stage and in film. He is the younger brother of folk musician Linda Thompson.
Biography
He intended to become a photographer, but pursued a career ...
) is a forger of classical art who is extremely skilled but not trustworthy. When the crew call on him he is faking being brain-damaged to avoid an existing charge of forgery. He forges a Mondrian painting for the crew to sell as an original but attempts to swindle them at the last moment. However, this attempted treachery leads the crew to turn the tables on Tip and ensure that he is arrested by police officers suspicious of his brain damage claims.
*Samuel Richards (played by Richard Harrington) is a thief who means to steal a diamond taken from his family by a greedy banker, an event which led his father to kill himself. He teams up with the crew when the Head of Security at Moore's Bank tries to force the crew to help catch him.
*Ray Fordham is a grifter known as 'Scottish Ray' – a nickname he earned after taking a £50,000 down payment on Edinburgh Castle. He tries to recruit Danny Blue into a new crew he is setting up.
*Harry Holmes (played by Ronald Pickup
Ronald Alfred Pickup (7 June 1940 – 24 February 2021) was an English actor. He was active in television, film, and theatre, beginning with a 1964 appearance in ''Doctor Who''. Theatre critic Michael Billington described him as "a terrific sta ...
) is a fellow grifter who tries to con property developer Howard Jennings. However, Jennings has seen through him from the beginning and has taped all of their conversations, which he hands over to the police. Despite sharing a name, he is not connected to Martin Kemp's character in the eighth series.
*Adam Rice (played by Paul Nicholls) is a thief regarded by the police as "The Ghost" due to his ability to disappear from the crime scene or elude people trying to follow him. The crew try to enlist his help in stealing an original Hans Christian Andersen manuscript after being blackmailed by corrupt police officer DCI York, who wants Rice imprisoned. Though initially hesitant to join a team he does not know well, he is attracted by the idea of working with Ash and helping the crew. Rice eventually joins them for the heist, though is accidentally injured by Danny during it. As the crew take down DCI York, Rice escapes scot free and offers to work with the crew again whenever they wish to do a heist.
*Archie (played by Tony Rohr
Tony Rohr (born 1940) is an Irish actor.
Career
Rohr played Grandad in '' The Lakes'' and Solomon Featherstone in ''Middlemarch''. He has also appeared in ''The Bill'', ''The Long Good Friday'', '' McVicar'', '' Softly, Softly'', ''Crown Court' ...
) is involved in horse racing and is able to supply the crew with a horse and "paint" another horse during the con in Series 4, episode 2. He obviously has a history with the group – he says he is "always nervous around grifters".
*Cyclops (played by Bill Bailey
Mark Robert Bailey (born 13 January 1965), known professionally as Bill Bailey, is an English musician, comedian and actor. He is known for his role as Manny in the sitcom ''Black Books'' and his appearances on the panel shows ''Never Mind the ...
), so named for his thick-lensed glasses, is one of the crew's main sources of underworld information in Series 5 to 8. He normally frequents a greasy-spoon cafe and often propositions Emma, with little success.
*Joseph "Joey" Pepper is an American who used to be a grifter. He was once partners with Albert Stroller when he was in Las Vegas. After Albert left for Britain in the 1970s, Joey eventually took a job as a security consultant in a Las Vegas casino. He helps the crew escape after stealing $5 million from a casino.
Marks
Series 1
*Peter Williamson (played by James Laurenson
James Laurenson (born 17 February 1940) is a New Zealand stage and screen actor.
Early life
Laurenson was born in Marton, North Island, New Zealand. He was a student at Canterbury University College in Christchurch (now University of Canter ...
) is London businessman. He regularly makes the top 500 rich list but is greedy and will cross the street to pick up a one-pound coin. The crew lure him in with the promise of a guaranteed, but an illegal, way of tripling his money.
*DS Terri Hodges (played by Liz May Brice
Elizabeth May Brice (born 8 September 1975) is an English actress. She is known for roles such as the convicted murderer Pat Kerrigan on ITV1's '' Bad Girls'', and Agent Johnson in '' Torchwood: Children of Earth''.
Career
Brice was born in R ...
) is a senior officer within the Fraud Squad at the London Metropolitan Police. She has a particular vendetta against Michael Stone, having been tricked by him more than once.
*DCI Mullens (played by Ken Bones
Ken Bones (born 11 June 1947) is an English actor. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Career
Theatre
Bones trained at RADA between 1971 and 1973, where he won the Honours Diploma, the Ronson Prize, the Kendal Award, the Poel ...
) is the Head of the Fraud Squad at the Metropolitan Police in the opening episode. He oversees an operation to arrest the crew as they attempt to con Peter Williamson. However, Mullens' investigation is fatally compromised when it's revealed that DI Martin DePalma, a key officer in the investigation, was a con artist named Neil Cooper impersonating DePalma. This scandal and embarrassment make Mullens resign in disgrace and other police officers mention his fate during the series.
*Frank Gorley (played by Robert Pugh
Robert Pugh (born 11 October 1950) is a Welsh actor, known for his many television appearances, including the role of Craster in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones''.
Life and career
Pugh was born in the Tynte, Mountain Ash and grew up in Cilfy ...
) is a renowned bully and the owner of a top London casino and hotel situated in the West End. Though brutal, he is a film fanatic, and the crew con him into investing in a classic film production, with the promise of a speaking role in the finished film.
*Meredith Gates (played by Orla Brady
Orla Brady (born 28 March 1961) is an Irish theatre, television, and film actress born in Dublin. She has been nominated for several awards from the Irish Film & Television Academy for her work in televised programs, as well as starring in the ...
) is an avid art collector with a particular interest in the artist Mondrian; she has ripped off many poor struggling dealers and buyers over the years in order to complete her collection. The crew fake an original Mondrian and stage a bidding war for her to participate in.
*Victor Maher (played by David Calder) is the Head of Security for Moores Bank and before that he was in the Fraud Squad for 19 years. He is thrilled at taking on the best grifters in Europe and out-grifting them. He tries to force the crew into catching a known bank robber.
*Catherine Winterborn (played by Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Maria Outhwaite (; born 5 November 1970) is an English actress, presenter and narrator. Since playing the role of Mel Owen in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', she has starred in a number of theatre and television productions, including ...
) is a recently divorced businesswoman who is very bitter and vengeful towards her ex-husband Steven (played by Ben Miles
Benjamin Charles Miles (born 29 September 1966) is an English actor, best known for his starring role as Patrick Maitland in the television comedy ''Coupling'', from 2000 to 2004, as Montague Dartie in ''The Forsyte Saga'', from 2002 to 2003, as ...
). Having been left with nothing after the divorce, she jumps at the opportunity to invest in a rival hotel chain organised by the crew. Even when a guilty Mickey admits the con to her, she tries to commission the crew into ruining her ex-husband's career, the team only realising that her ex is a good person after they have put the con into action.
*Arthur Bond (played by Philip Jackson) is a rich businessman who owns the biggest theme park in the North of England. Mickey and Danny "sold" him the London Eye for £100,000; when the con was exposed on the media he was ridiculed, leaving him thirsty for revenge.
*Sir Anthony Reeves (played by David Haig
David Haig Collum Ward (born 20 September 1955) is an English actor and playwright. He has appeared in West End productions and numerous television and film roles over a career spanning four decades.
Haig wrote the play '' My Boy Jack'', w ...
) was the CEO of one of the major utility companies. After some bad management decisions he was dismissed, but with a golden handshake of £500,000. The crew con him out of his money by tempting him with his two guilty pleasures – horse racing and prostitutes.
Series 2
*Howard Jennings (played by Charlie Creed Miles) is a ruthless, young property broker in London. Considering London to be 'his city', he has taken radical steps to acquire valuable property, including running over the cat of an elderly tenant so that she would sign off on her flat. Though intelligent, he has a very bad temper – and Michael Stone is even more tempted at the prospect of conning him because he has been conned before and considers himself too smart for grifters.
*Johnny Keyes (played by Stanley Townsend
Stanley Townsend (born August 1961) is an Irish actor.
Personal life
Townsend was born and brought up in Dublin. After attending Wesley College, Dublin, he studied mathematics and civil engineering at Trinity College. While there he joined the ...
) is a prominent restaurateur and celebrity chef in London but has a notorious gangland past. His restaurant, "Keyes" is a highly fashionable spot, with an eight-week waiting list for a table. Keyes also harbours deep feelings for his long-lost son, who was kidnapped at a very young age. It is by impersonating this son via Danny that the crew find their "in". His suspicious wife, Juliette (Rebecca Lacey
Rebecca Jane Lacey (born 20 April 1965) is an English actress.Internet Movie DatabasRebecca Lacey/ref>
Early life
She was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, the daughter of actor Ronald Lacey and actress Mela White.
Career
Lacey is best k ...
) is less than enthusiastic about the search. However, just as Danny has succeeded with the con and manipulated him into purchasing a faked rare bottle of wine, Keyes suffers a heart attack. He dies in Danny's arms, who chooses to let him believe he is his son in his final moments. After Keyes' death, Juliette pays off Danny on the provision that she never sees her 'stepson' again.
*Trevor Speed (played by Lee Ingleby
Lee David Ingleby (born 28 January 1976) is an English film, television and stage actor.
He is best known for his roles as Detective Sergeant/Detective Inspector John Bacchus in the BBC drama ''Inspector George Gently'', as Stan Shunpike in ...
) is a short con artist whom Danny takes under his wing when they become acquainted in a pub. Danny convinces Mickey to let Trevor join their latest con against Anthony Mgube, an arms trafficker and former Nigerian government official with a hobby of collecting rare antique banknotes. Whilst on his way to undertake the final con against Mgube, Trevor loses a faked antique banknote that the team had prepared, leading Mickey to fire him. Trevor decides to proceed with the con independently, only to find himself slyly conned out of thousands by the crew. It's revealed that Mgube was Mickey in disguise all along and that the 'con' had been set up with Trevor as the real mark, in order to take revenge for Trevor conning Danny's grandmother.
*DI Samantha Phillips (played by Fay Ripley
Fay Ripley (born 26 February 1966)Ripley, Fay (25 February 2011).Don't tell me you are going to get my followers up to 5,000 for my birthday tomorrow...I say my birthday tomorrow. Twitter. Retrieved 26 February 2011. is an English actress, telev ...
) is a corrupt policewoman who threatens Eddie and blackmails the crew into cutting her in on their latest con, which is auctioning a faked rare comic book. She has a safe deposit box
A safe deposit box, also known as a safety deposit box, is an individually secured container, usually held within a larger safe or bank vault. Safe deposit boxes are generally located in banks, post offices or other institutions. Safe deposit ...
where she stashes all her ill-gotten gains. Despite her close surveillance and manipulative methods during the con, she is outwitted by the crew, who frame her for stealing the real comic book and expose her corruption, leading to her arrest.
*Jake Henry (played by Max Beesley
Maxton Gig Beesley Jr. (born 16 April 1971) is an English actor and musician. He has appeared in a variety of television shows such as ''Bodies'', ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', '' Survivors'', '' Mad Dogs'', ''Homeland'', '' Suits ...
) is Stacie's estranged husband and used to be a short con artist with her. However, in 2000, he disappeared with their savings and fled to Amsterdam, leaving her only a few assorted items in their otherwise empty flat. He went on to earn money by playing poker professionally and gained a reputation as one of the best players around.
Series 3
*Benny Frazier (played by Mel Smith
Melvyn Kenneth Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, actor and director. Smith worked on the sketch comedy shows ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' with his comedy partner, Griff Rhys Jones. S ...
) owns 16 licensed pubs and clubs across the East End. He is also a major importer of alcohol through his company, Benny Frazier Import/Export Company Limited, but he uses the alcohol shipments as a cover for people trafficking
Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others. This may encompass providing a spouse in the context of forced marriage, or the extracti ...
to smuggle in Eastern Europeans. Violent and ruthless, Frazier also has a reputation for brutality. The police have been after him for a while but they can never get anything on him. The crew get to him through his 17-year-old son, a hopeful but talentless rapper, keen to hit the big time. Just as the con is about to be successful, Benny discovers the team's true identities as they had previously tried to con his father-in-law, who recognized Albert. Mickey and Danny are viciously beaten by Benny and his men as a result, leading Ash to save the day with a group of fake policemen. Benny and his family flee the country to Malaga, believing they're on the run from the law.
*Charles Cornfoot (played by Terence Harvey
Terence John Humes (October 1944 – 7 September 2017), known professionally as Terence Harvey, was a British television actor. Among his many roles was the prosecution counsel in ''The Execution of Gary Glitter''. He also appeared in ''From Hell ...
) and Quenton Cornfoot (played by Stephen Campbell Moore
Stephen Campbell Moore (born Stephen Moore Thorpe, 30 November 1979) is a British actor. He is best known for his roles in Alan Bennett's play ''The History Boys'' and the film based on it. Since 2019, he has starred in the sci-fi television se ...
) are bankers working within their ancestral merchant bank, Cornfoots. Quenton is the Head of Corporate Finance, charged with roping in clients to invest, whilst Charles is the Head of Trading and oversees asset management
Asset management is a systematic approach to the governance and realization of value from the things that a group or entity is responsible for, over their whole life cycles. It may apply both to tangible assets (physical objects such as buildings ...
. They are both extremely greedy and immoral, frequently breaking many laws and ethics. The crew come to target the Cornfoots at the urging of James Whitaker Wright III, a legendary fellow grifter, because the Cornfoot's ancestors financially ruined Wright's ancestor in the early 20th century
The 20th (twentieth) century began on
January 1, 1901 ( MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 ( MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and World War II, nuclear ...
. They set up a fake oil company to float on the stock exchange
A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for th ...
and manipulate the Cornfoots into shorting
In finance, being short in an asset means investing in such a way that the investor will profit if the value of the asset falls. This is the opposite of a more conventional "long" position, where the investor will profit if the value of the a ...
the stock on the futures market beforehand so that the crew can secretly buy all the shares. Thus, with Cornfoots unable to fulfil their regulatory obligations, the crew blackmail them into paying a large financial settlement of £2 million. However, Wright cons the crew by faking his death and escaping with all the money in the aftermath.
*Kulvinder Samar (played by Silas Carson
Silas Carson (born 1965) is an English actor, mostly known for playing Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi and Viceroy Nute Gunray in all three of the ''Star Wars'' prequels and providing the voice of the Ood in ''Doctor Who''.
Life and career
In ''Sta ...
) is a ruthless and very wealthy businessman who owns a network of sweatshops
A sweatshop or sweat factory is a crowded workplace with very poor, socially unacceptable or illegal working conditions. Some illegal working conditions include poor ventilation, little to no breaks, inadequate work space, insufficient lighting, o ...
making counterfeit designer clothes. When he was younger, he wanted to become a Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
actor but was denied by his domineering father who wanted him to take over the family business. Still, he maintains a passionate interest in Bollywood films, which provides the way in for the crew as they set up a fake film for Kulvinder to invest in. Midway through the con, Kulvinder works out their plan but sustains a head injury in a car accident. This gives him short-term amnesia
Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...
, meaning he forgets that the crew are con artists. It also results in personality changes that make him regretful of his immoral past. After attempting to con Kulvinder for a second time using the same con, the crew ultimately abandon the con on moral grounds, as Kulvinder is now a 'good' man. However, it is revealed to the audience that Kulvinder does remember they are con artists but as the con attempt has given him an epiphany
Epiphany may refer to:
* Epiphany (feeling), an experience of sudden and striking insight
Religion
* Epiphany (holiday), a Christian holiday celebrating the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ
** Epiphany season, or Epiph ...
that he should return to India and train as an actor, he seeks no revenge against the crew and lets them walk free believing he still has amnesia.
*Francis Owen (played by Kenneth Cranham
Kenneth Cranham (born 12 December 1944) is a Scottish film, television, radio and stage actor.
Early life
Cranham was born in Dunfermline, Fife, the son of Lochgelly-born Margaret McKay Cranham (née Ferguson) and Ronald Cranham, a London-born ...
) and Tim Millen (played by Paul Kaye
Paul Kaye (born 15 December 1964) is an English comedian and actor. He is known for his portrayals of shock interviewer Dennis Pennis on ''The Sunday Show'', New York lawyer Mike Strutter on MTV's ''Strutter'', Thoros of Myr in HBO's ''Game of ...
) are two unscrupulous, immoral journalists working for the 'Weekend World', a tabloid newspaper. Francis is the ruthless Editor in Chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies.
The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
and Tim is his chief reporter
A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...
. Both men have no qualms about printing libellous
Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...
stories so long as they sell newspapers, nor do they care about unethical tactics. When a poorly sourced story about one of Stacey's friends, Emily Shaw, causes Emily to try and commit suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
, the crew decide to con Francis and Tim for revenge. As the Weekend World focuses extensively on stories about the British Royal Family, they concoct a fake story about the Queen Mother
A queen mother is a former queen, often a queen dowager, who is the mother of the reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since the early 1560s. It arises in hereditary monarchies in Europe and is also used to describe a number of ...
having died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
in 1941 and being replaced by a doppelganger so as not to disrupt British morale during the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. During the con, Francis remains highly suspicious of the story. However, the crew are able to convince both journalists after manipulating a DNA test to corroborate their claim. After publishing the story and having it exposed as fake, Owen and Millen are both disgraced and fired thanks to secret deals Mickey struck with rival editor Martin Townsend and MI5
The Security Service, also known as MI5 ( Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Go ...
, both of whom were interested in their downfalls.
*DCI Matthew York (played by Ian Puleston-Davies
Ian Puleston-Davies (born 6 September 1958) is a Welsh actor and writer. He is best known for his role as builder Owen Armstrong in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' from 2010 to 2015.
In November 2014, ITV announced that Puleston-Davi ...
) is an ambitious, corrupt police officer who enjoys the publicity from big arrests and does whatever he can to ensure that happens. York plants cocaine on the crew and imprisons them on drug charges in order to blackmail them into helping him entrap notorious thief Adam Rice, who plans to steal a valuable manuscript within the jurisdiction of a rival police detective, DCI Neil Cooper. York holds Albert in custody in order to ensure the crew does his bidding and assumes he has all bases covered. However, before and after the planned manuscript heist, the crew outwit York and ensures he disgraces himself in front of DCI Cooper. York ultimately faces an internal inquiry into his suspected corruption, led by Cooper.
Series 4
*Anthony Westley (played by Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor of stage, screen, and television. He is known for starring in the television shows '' It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch'' (1975–1978), and ''Hart to Hart'' (1979– ...
) is a Texan who made his fortune in industrial fastenings. He sold his company in 1999 to property developers knowing they were going to close down his factory and put his people out of work, but netting a profit of nearly $30 million. He is brash, single-minded, mean and also corrupt. When he was in business, he bribed key members of the US government to win defence contracts. He is also obsessed with the movie business, specifically movie memorabilia.
*Veronica Powell (played by Patricia Hodge
Patricia Ann Hodge, OBE (born 29 September 1946) is an English actor. She is known on-screen for playing Phyllida Erskine-Brown in ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' (1978–1992), Jemima Shore in ''Jemima Shore Investigates'' (1983), Penny in '' Mirand ...
) is the owner of Morecombe Hall Nursing Home, who has made most of her money in property. The nursing home was family-run for 12 years but was recently bought by Powell. After running it for two months she decided to whack up the fees and four months after that the fees have trebled from when she first took over. The elderly residents have to sell their property to pay for it although she convinces them to sell through her own auction house. She forgets to invite any serious bidders, buys the lot herself for next to nothing, and sells them on later. She also gets back her money when she collects the fees for the nursing home. She is also a real wine buff and will happily pay thousands to add the right vintage to her collection.
*Lady Clarissa Bartwell (played by Frances Barber
Frances Barber (née Brookes, born 13 May 1958) is an English actress. She received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays '' Camille'' (1985), and ''Uncle Vanya'' (1997). Her film appearances include three collaborations with Gar ...
) married her first husband for his money and title and changed her name from Carol to Clarissa. However, her husband finally saw through her and left, leaving her with a generous settlement. Despite this, she is a con artist and rips off charities. Every charity she holds events for receives only a fraction of what the event makes – the rest goes to her. She also rips off unwitting celebrities in the name of charity, all in cash.
*Johnny Maranzano (played by Chris Tardio) is the son of the late, great Frank Maranzano, a mafia boss and owner of the Oceanic Casino in Las Vegas. Frank Maranzano was found at Las Vegas international airport with three heads in a duffle bag. The only two things he seems to care about are himself and money. He has no regard for his staff and constantly abuses them – verbally and sometimes physically. He is not above killing anyone who crosses him and has people on his payroll everywhere in Las Vegas and LA. Johnny's pride and joy is the biggest slot machine in the world called Big Daddy which is in his casino. He created it in memory of his father.
Series 5
*Sara Naismith (Kelly Adams
Kelly Diane Adams (born 16 October 1979) is an English actress. She has played leading roles in a number of British television series: Mickie Hendrie in the BBC One medical drama series '' Holby City'' (2004–2006) and ''Casualty'' (2005); Emm ...
) made her fortune in dubious overseas property deals. She started by buying beachfront land along the Black Sea coast once the Soviet Union crumbled, next it was tendering for re-building programmes in China after the earthquake. She left China in scandal amidst revelations of her bribing officials to avoid building regulations. She thinks the recession in Europe means she can make a fortune in the money markets. She has an assistant called Aaron (Matt Di Angelo
Mario Angelo S Constantinou (born 1 May 1987), professionally known as Matt Di Angelo, is a British actor and singer, best known for his role as Dean Wicks in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. He also portrayed Sean Kennedy in the BBC drama s ...
), who has been with her since September 2008 and has a degree in Business Studies. ''Note: Naismith and Aaron were future team members Emma and Sean in disguise as arranged by Albert to con Mickey and Ash, whilst Mickey and Ash were conning them. The four became a team at the end of the episode.''
*William Dagmar is an intelligent, maverick trader on the stock market and the owner of Dagmar Associates based in London. He was one of the first people to get into Google and eBay, and among the first to get out of Enron and Northern Rock. The reason for his success though is insider trading through his contacts. ''Note: This was the cover story for Michael Stone who was in disguise when he conned Sara Naismith and Aaron (Emma and Sean Kennedy).''
*Carlton Wood and Harry Fielding run City Prime Associates in London specialising in intellectual property; trademarks, patents, and copyrights usually for high-end technology. Wood is the business brain and Fielding does the technical stuff.
After the group conned them, they returned in the Series Five finale trying to set up a situation where they could con the group out of their money in revenge, but the attempt was a complete failure from the beginning. Mickey subsequently hired other grifters to participate in the 'plot' and take back their money, allowing the plan to continue simply for the thrill of seeing their faces when they realised what had happened.
*Sir Anthony Kent (played by Tim McInnerny
Tim McInnerny ( ; born 18 September 1956) is an English actor. He is known for his many roles on stage and television, including as Lord Percy Percy and Captain Darling in the 1980s British sitcom ''Blackadder''.
Early life
McInnerny was born ...
) is a high court judge in London. Educated at Eton and Cambridge, Kent is the last of the old guard, out of touch and proud of it. He has a reputation for handing down the harshest sentences the law allows him. He has a house in Chelsea, an even bigger one in the Cotswolds, and fat expenses claims. He only cares about the crimes, verdicts, and sentences and never speaks to the press. He is known to have broken the rules once; in one of the cases he tried, he was promised gold in return for a shorter sentence. However, before Kent could get his hands on the gold, the prisoner is stabbed to death a month into his term.
*Toby Baxter is the only son of self-made ball bearings magnate Reginald Baxter. After his parents died when he was 27, he inherited the family business which he sold almost immediately for a reported £100 million. After the sale he retired and is obsessed with one thing – collecting love diamonds, which he keeps in a high-tech vault under his house. He is also a recluse and never leaves home.
*Pinky Byrne started in Hatton Garden as a runner, but soon worked out he could make more money as a tracer on the outside, using his knowledge of the industry on the inside. Byrne's a killer with no conscience but that is why he is good – he won't stop at anything. The last bloke who grassed him up was taken to a Halal butchers by Pinky who cut off his wedding tackle and made him eat it.
*Rhona Christie MP is a career politician. She took a marginal seat promising to speak up for the man and woman in the street although has become someone of influence in the construction industry. She picks projects to fast-track and then makes them happen to bypass planners and environmentalists and has a lot of influence. She can turn a worthless property into prime real estate, taking bribes from property developers to de-list buildings.
*Alfred Thomas Baron is the eldest son of the Duke and Duchess of Derbyshire, who can trace his ancestry back to Henry VIII. He spends his time mostly gambling, sleeping with models and doing dodgy business ventures. He believes that if people are stupid enough to lose their houses then it is the fault of the state. He even believes that there should some sort of compulsory euthanasia programme starting with the unemployed, those on benefits, and then moving on to the over 65s. He is an acquaintance of Carlton Wood and Harry Fielding and is used in their plan to con Michael Stone in revenge for their lost money, but the plan ends in disaster due to his stupidity, as well as the fact Mickey had been manipulating the situation right from the start.
Series 6
*Sir Edmund "Piggy" Richardson is the ex-boss of a bank he brought to the verge of collapse in 2009 and needed bailing out by the British government. He has become one of the most hated corporate sharks in the UK because he walked away with an annual pension of £500,000 earning him the nickname of "Piggy" and vilification by the press and the public due to the fact that half the people that worked for him lost their jobs.
*Liability Finch is an ex-grifter that has become a thief. However, he is a bumbling, hapless crook hence the name and is just not cut out to be a crook. He considers Mickey Bricks to be grifting royalty and wonders what it would be like to work beside him every day and used to work with Ash Morgan back in the mid-80s working short cons until Ash saw sense. They once did the pigeon drop six times in one day down in Brighton but their last victim was an off-duty policewoman and they did time. He also helped Ash with the flop where Ash would perform the flop and then Finch would pretend to be a doctor passing by. He now lives in a council flat in London. He's not strictly a mark in this episode, as he's a fellow grifter (albeit not a very good one), however, he is constantly misled by the crew so that he does what they want him to do, to enable their con to work out.
*Luke Baincross is 51 years old and in 2001 he inherited Baincross Hall; a 48-room mansion in Surrey. He supports two ex-wives, soon to be three, and has a champagne lifestyle without ever having done a day's work. He recently opened up Baincross Hall to the public. The Baincross family made their fortune in the Indian silk trade in the 18th century, and as a result have one of the world's largest collections of Indian art that is worth millions, including a life-size jewel-encrusted gold tiger.
*Rex Kennedy is the father of Emma and Sean Kennedy. He is a respected businessman in his adopted home of Melbourne, Australia from where he runs a successful property-developing company that has an extensive portfolio throughout Australia, and on several sites in Europe including one in London. In 1987, when Emma was five and Sean was three years old, he emigrated to Melbourne, Australia, leaving Emma and Sean in the care of their mother. His reason for leaving was that he figured they would be better off without him, so he told them he was going on a business trip and that he would bring Sean back a Tracey Island. That was the last they saw of him. A year after his departure his wife died, and Emma and Sean went into care. ''This character development causes a minor continuity error, based on an earlier episode suggesting a five-year age gap between Emma and Sean, while here they are stated as with a difference of only two years.''
*Mervyn Lloyd (played by Daniel Mays
Daniel Mays (born 31 March 1978) is an English actor.
Early life
Born in Epping, Essex, the third of four boys, Mays was brought up in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, by his electrician father and bank cashier mother. He attended the Italia Conti Acad ...
) is a dishonest 'entrepreneur' who conned Mickey when he sold him a useless mobile phone. As a result, Mickey lost his mojo (briefly passed onto barman Eddie) and the gang agreed to con Mervyn so the luck curse could be reversed. They had him believe that Albert is launching a great new product set to make millions of pounds. Mervyn falls for their scam and is left in a state of shock when the product prototype is sent to him (after investing in it). Mickey's mojo returned, as well as Eddie's bad luck.
Series 7
*Wendy Stanton (played by Anna Chancellor
Anna Theodora Chancellor (born 27 April 1965) is a British actress who has received nominations for BAFTA and Olivier Awards.
Background and early life
Chancellor was born in Richmond, England to barrister John Paget Chancellor, eldest son of ...
) is the head of Model Devotion, a modelling agency. A failed model herself, Stanton sought to gain access to the 'big-time' as an agency head but had never made it, simply working in low-end catalogues, made even worse when her ex-partner Betty Greenacre's company received a contract for Milan Fashion Week. She was also known to con aspiring models out of approximately £900 each by claiming that she needed the money to set up a portfolio for the models, claiming that they would recoup the money on their first job, which never arrives, allowing her to keep the money for herself.
*Jeremy Garrett, Stanley Mead, and Viscount Manley are: an MP recently appointed to the Treasury who believed that chips, ketchup and lager should be taxed to recoup recent losses; a judge on the court of public decency who engaged in threesomes; and a young man who had recently inherited a large amount of money from his father, respectively. All three, along with Wendy Stanton, are conned at the same time using the Spanish Prisoner scam.
*Georgina Althorp (played by Angela Griffin
Angela Mellissa Griffin (born 19 July 1976) is a British actress and television presenter who has been active on British television since the early 1990s. She is best known for portraying the roles of Fiona Middleton in the ITV soap opera ''Cor ...
) is the head of Dosh4You, a loan company with a ridiculously high-interest rate in the fine print of the contracts; most people who asked for loans from her ended up losing their homes anyway because they couldn't keep up the repayments. Having changed her name in her youth, Georgina originally studied law before going into her current business, going so far as to evict her own parents from their home.
*Marcus Wendell (played by Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon (born Michael Feldman; April 20, 1945) is an American actor. He is known for his role as James Dempsey in the British drama series ''Dempsey and Makepeace'' (1985–1986). His theatre credits include the original Broadway (theat ...
) is an American whose family have owned casinos all the way back to the Civil War in America, where his ancestors accused Charlie Stroller – Albert's great-grandfather – of cheating on their casino steamboat and threw him off the ship. Having opened his first casino in Britain, Wendell attempts to provoke the gang into trying to con him so that he can put their photos on his 'wall of grifters', where he places pictures of those he finds cheating in his casinos – although there is evidence that his standards to determine whether someone is cheating are relatively low – subsequently ruining the future career prospects of potential grifters by sending their information to all of the world's major financial institutions. However, the team are able to win the game using the table from the casino steamboat, revealing Wendell's family had rigged it and Stroller had realised the deception, hence he was framed.
*Benny is an old-time grifter who was a jack of all trades. He could pick out a mark with ease, pick a pocket with lightning speed and nearly replaced Ash as a member of the group. Even though he was an amazing grifter he thought he was better than everyone else, smarter, quicker and more devious. He held a great grudge against Mickey and his group for picking Ash instead of him and owed money to a local gang leader who threatened to kill him if the money wasn't returned with interest. He was a master con man, even managing to con Mickey out of £20,000 without him knowing it in the early days.
Series 8
*Dexter Gold, played by Paterson Joseph
Paterson D. Joseph (born 22 June 1964) is a British actor. He appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of ''King Lear'' and '' Love's Labour's Lost'' in 1990. On television he is best known for his roles in ''Casualty'' (1997–1998) ...
, is a gold seller. He made his fortune using a company that buys gold items and jewellery from unsuspecting victims for heavily reduced prices. He gets away with it because of the fine print no one reads. The team pose as a renegade army unit to con him, and successfully take him for £500,000.
*Petre Sava, played by Peter Polycarpou
Peter Polycarpou is an English-Cypriot actor, best known for playing Chris Theodopolopodous in the television comedy series '' Birds of a Feather'' and Louis Charalambos in ''The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies''.
Early life
Polycarpou w ...
, is a ruthless Eastern European art collector the team attempts to sell a fake Picasso to after hearing in the press that the work had been stolen. What they don't know, however, is that Sava was the original owner and they come unstuck when Sava kidnaps Mickey thinking the crew did steal the painting in the first place. They have had no luck in retrieving the original. Mickey is released though when Ash calls Sava and rival gangster Harry Holmes (Martin Kemp
Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''.
He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also a ...
) to the same warehouse, causing them and their henchmen to fight with a fake being destroyed in the process (Sava thought that this was the real painting). Eventually. he settles for a fake created by art forger Dolly Hammond (Sheila Hancock
Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. Hancock trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before starting her career in repertory theatre. Hancock went on to perform in plays and musica ...
).
*DI Sidney Fisk, played by Patrick Baladi
Patrick Bashir Baladi (born 25 December 1971) is an English actor and musician. He is best known for playing Neil Godwin in the BBC sitcom ''The Office'', Michael Jackson in the Sky 1 drama '' Stella'' and Stephen Holmes in the ITV thriller ''Ma ...
, is a corrupt senior police detective who makes cases 'go away' providing the offenders pay him enough. Fisk's new commanding officer, Wainwright, deals with Mickey and the team to ensnare Fisk and root out corruption in her department. The team plan an elaborate con involving a fake mark to trap Fisk, which he falls for, and is recorded saying exactly how he makes cases 'go away'.
*Dean and Dana Deville, played by John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in '' Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrow ...
and Raquel Cassidy
Raquel Cassidy is an English actress. She played the role of Phyllis Baxter in the television series ''Downton Abbey'' (2013–2015), winning a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. She has re ...
respectively, are a married American couple who have made their fortune by pitching fake diets and healthy lifestyle products. The team target them after a fellow grifter, Carol (Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger (born 12 June 1979) is an English actress and singer, best known as the winner of BBC television series '' I'd Do Anything'' on 31 May 2008 and the second series of ''The Biggest Loser'' in 2006. In 2022, she began portraying the ...
), suffers a heart attack after falling for one of their fake diet plans. Mickey and Ash create a story involving a miracle diet drink being developed by a major drug manufacturer. Mickey poses as a professional thief and the Devilles pay him £250,000 to help them steal the fake product from the manufacturer, but it turns out the product is just an emetic.
*Dale Ridley, played by Mark Williams, is a disgraced 80s TV gameshow host who had a catchphrase with 'Ding Dong, That's My Song'. Now he is a ruthless property developer, tearing down sites for profit including one of Albert's old clubs. The team know the old studios that fired him are up for sale and knows he would love the chance to take revenge and knock the building down. Dale does discover he's being conned, but Mickey and the gang still walk clean away with £250,000 of his money.
*Madani Wasem, played by Abhin Galeya
Abhin Shah or Abhin Galeya is a British actor. He is best known for his roles as PC Arun Ghir in the ITV series ''The Bill'' from 2008 to 2009 and Ash in the 2012 film '' Cleanskin''.
Early life and education
Galeya grew up in Edgware. He trai ...
, is a businessman who has inherited north of £850m from his recently deceased father. Wasem travels around Europe playing the money markets but is considered incredibly dangerous by the team, not least because he employs an 'enforcer', a person who will kill or torture a victim on demand. Mickey and the team use him as their final mark and successfully walk away with £10m of his money. Danny Blue was the 'enforcer' Wasem hired to kill the team but alas, it ended happily ever after.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hustle characters
Lists of British television series characters
Fictional con artists