CASTING

For the part of Big Pete we wanted a typical gangster type that wasn't too serious but still fit the part. I pictured a comical Godfather figure. Someone who had a run around to do his dirty work but younger than Marlon Brando who actually played the Godfather. We had to find a character built enough to be feared but young enough to seem funny that he was known as 'Big Pete'.

So meet Lewis Plaster. Another friend of mine who, as well as looking Italian, is quite well built to fit the part. The look of him reminds me of Fat Sam from Bugsy Malone who is also a crook in the sense Fat Sam owns a speakeasy which was illegal in the time which the film was set. As you can tell by the picture below you "look" of the characters are very similar. Lewis is just older!In addition to this, the costumes the characters wear in Bugsy Malone are similar to those we wish to use as Frank and Charlie have to "dress up" in order to be worthy of Big Pete's company.

The final character we needed to cast was Big Pete's side kick who would play the role of the gangsters run around. Obviously because gangsters never do the dirty work, this character is the one that Frank and Charlie follow to be led to Big Pete.
His real name is Matthew Partlett and he will be playing Big Pete's right hand man. We felt we needed this extra character to make Big Pete's reputation more believable.

Lewis and Matts relationship is similar to that of Montgomery Burns and Smithers from the Simpsons. One has all the power and the other is completely loyal no matter how badly treated he is.