Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals

Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals (2010-2012)

EndedReality showCrime

Lift the lid on the most notorious men in Australian crime. What made them? What shaped them? What took them to the top and then tipped them over the edge?

Network
Scheduleevery Thursday at 19:30 (60 min)

Last Episode

George Freeman – The King Of Sydney
Season 2Episode 860 min

George Freeman – The King Of Sydney

Murderer, standover man, race fixer, SP bookmaker, and crime lord, George Freeman was the King of Sydney for over three decades. His skills as a gambler and race fixer meant he could enrich his associates and a growing band of influential people who helped keep him out of trouble with police. Freeman grew up on the tough streets of Annandale and fell into crime at an early age. A product of boys’ reformatories like Mt Penang in Gosford, Freeman was a small waif like child, and suffered the worst imaginable treatment. His response to the terrors of his childhood was a seething violence that remained with him until his middle years. Approached by Sydney’s Mr Big, Lennie McPherson, Freeman dropped his life of property crime and began concentrating on illegal gambling at McPherson’s behest. Freeman rapidly became one of Sydney’s most influential criminals, running a network of SP bookies and standing over the illegal casinos for protection money. Freeman, together with McPherson and Stan “The Man” Smith formed a criminal alliance known as The Team. While Freeman fronted as The Team’s gambling heavyweight, he was not above committing murder to entrench The Team’s dominance in the Sydney underworld. When the madman, Stewart John “The Magician” Regan loomed as a threat, it was Freeman and Tough Nut Stan ‘The Man’ Smith who did the shooting. A decade later, Freeman and Smith would join forces again, this time to dispatch the loose cannon, hit man, Christopher Dale “Rentakill” Flannery. In 1979 and at the height of his powers, Freeman faced an assassin’s bullet but lived to tell the tale and exact revenge. Muller had a grudge against Freeman, and shot him in the neck and face outside the front door of his mansion at Yowie Bay with .22 handgun. The gangster kingpin took a contract on Muller’s life, and within six weeks Muller was shot dead. In his dotage, Freeman, a chronic asthmatic, became addicted to pethidine, and the King of Sydney died prematurely as a result of his addiction.
Jan. 26, 2012

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S02E08George Freeman – The King Of SydneyJan. 26, 2012
S02E07Stewart John Regan – The MagicianDez. 29, 2011
S02E06Dino Dibra - The Sunshine BoyNov. 24, 2011
S02E05Jockey Smith - Public Enemy Number OneOkt. 27, 2011
S02E04Tilly Devine - Madam RazorSept. 27, 2011
View all episodesView all seasons

Frequently Asked Questions  Warning: Spoilers

When did Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals premiere?

Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals premiered on August 26, 2010.

Who narrated Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals?

Australian actor, Andrew Daddo, narrated Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals.

What is the genre of Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals?

Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals is a documentary crime series.

How many episodes does Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals have?

Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals had 26 episodes in total.

What is the show's focus?

Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals focuses on the stories of some of Australia's most notorious criminals.

Who produced Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals?

The production company, Screentime Australia, produced Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals.

Was the show popular in Australia?

Yes, Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals was a popular show in Australia, with high viewership numbers.

Are there any celebrity interviews in the show?

Yes, there are interviews with journalists, detectives, and family members of the criminals, as well as some criminals themselves in Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals.

Is Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals available on DVD?

Yes, Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals is available on DVD in Australia.

What is the running time of each episode of Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals?

The running time of each episode of Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals is approximately 60 minutes.

Are the stories in the show based on true events?

Yes, the stories in Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals are based on real events.

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