australian television information archive

Stiff

June 20, 2004 (Seven)
Written by John Clarke
Directed by John Clarke

Adapted for television by John Clarke, Stiff is set in the seedy world of big business and fresh produce, and finds Murray Whelan hot on the trail of deception, hired industry thugs and unwitting pawns moved about with calculated chilling care.

The fiddle at the meat-packing works was a nice little earner for all concerned until Herb Gardiner (Alan Hopgood) reported finding a body in the Number 3 chiller. An accident, of course, but just the excuse a devious political operator might grab to stir up trouble with the unions.

Enter Murray Whelan (Wenham), minder, fixer and general dogsbody for the Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Angelo Agnelli (Mick Molloy). Between playing off party factions and pursuing the kohl-eyed Ayisha (Tamara Searle), it's all in a day's work for Murray to hose down the situation at Excellent Meats.

Then the lairy V8 turns up. And after that, it gets personal. Because don't you just hate it when somebody tries to kill you and you don't know who or why?

Starring:

• David Wenham as Murray Whelan
• Mick Molloy as Angelo Agnelli
• Deborah Kennedy as Trish
• Julian O'Donnell as Red Whelan
• Robyn Butler as Wendy Whelan
• Darren Casey as Ant
• Sam Neill as Lionel Merricks
• Tamara Searle as Ayisha
• Denis Moore as Apps
• Suzie Dee as Apps' Receptionist
• George Prataris as Memo
• Alan Brough as McGuire
• Alan Hopgood as Herb Gardiner
• Sue Jones as Woman Next Door
• Ramez Tabit as Sivan
• Aidan Fennessy as Parking Officer
• Sarah Walker as Pizza Waitress
• Gareth Yuen as Uniformed Cop
• Ruth Callum as Uniformed Cop 2
• Osvaldo Maione as Man in Laneway
• Matthew Quartermaine as Greg Coates
• Aaron Catalan as York
• Luke Elliot as Dalziel
• Paul Teiwes as Gavin Mullane
• John Penman as Anti-Uranium Man
• Simon Palomares as Sam Rossi
• Luke Robson as Bottleshop Guy
• Andy McPhee as Trevor
• Alberto Vila as Cafe Proprietor
• Tanja Bulatovic as Trish's Assistant
• Tammy Fitzgerald as Trish's Assistant
• Tahu Marumaru as BMW Thug
• Trevor Major as Menacing Man at Bar