Is Tommy Shelby based on a real person?

Although many characters in the series are based on real-life historical figures, most of the Peaky Blinders are entirely fictional and were created by Knight. Tommy Shelby is from a Romani family based in Birmingham. Murphy spent time with Romani people to prepare himself for the role.

Who is the character Tommy Shelby based on?

Thomas Shelby is a character on Peaky Blinders, who's played by actor Cillian Murphy. While not directly correlated to a real-life person, Shelby might have been inspired by former real-life Peaky Blinder Kevin Mooney, aka Thomas Gilbert.

Is peaky Blinder based on a true story?

It left staggered audiences wondering: “Is Peaky Blinders based on a true story?” While creator Steven Knight admitted that the Shelby clan of protagonists was fictional, the Peaky Blinders were indeed a real gang that ruthlessly vied for control of Birmingham's streets from the 1880s to 1910s.

Is the Shelby family based on a real family?

Peaky Blinders' Shelby family isn't based on a true story, but the world they inhabit mirrors the real-life Birmingham society of the 1920s.

Are there any Shelby's alive today?

“It's a myth. There is no evidence for it. The real Peaky Blinder gangs used weapons that were ready to hand, and not expensive.

The Original Peaky Blinders | Britain's Biggest Dig - BBC

Is Luca Changretta a real person?

Luca Changretta and his gang are entirely fictional and come from the mind of Peaky Blinders creator Stephen Knight.

Did the real peaky blinders have razors in their hats?

Historian David Cross, of the West Midlands Police Museum in Sparkhill, is also confident that razor blades in caps is just an urban myth. "If you think of your grandfather's cap in those days, then it would have had a very hard peak," said Mr Cross. "They used their hats with razor blades sewn in to rob people.

Was Billy Kimber a real person?

William "Billy" Kimber, born 1882 in Summer Lane, Aston in Birmingham, a brass caster by trade, was head of the Birmingham Boys. With gangs in Uttoxeter and Leeds he controlled racecourses in the Midlands and the North. For several years Kimber was probably the biggest organised crime boss in the UK.

Who was the leader of the real peaky blinders?

Tommy Shelby is the leader of the Peaky Blinders on the show, but the real life gang looked very different. The Birmingham of that period was impoverished and filled with un- and underemployed men and boys, many of whom turned to lives of low-level crime to survive.

Why do they smoke so much in Peaky Blinders?

The simplest answer as to why everyone smokes so much in Peaky Blinders is that it's a sign of the times. It was not until the 1960s that the U.S. Surgeon General announced that smoking causes cancer. That's not to say that no one had an inkling of the negative effects of smoking in the years prior.

Was there a real Alfie Solomons?

The character is based on a real-life Jewish gangster called Alfred Solomon. Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight says, "We have portrayed him as funny but with an edgy character. The Jewish gangs of the East End would have been just as famous but for some reason history seems to have remembered Alfie Solomons.

What is the Thomas Shelby haircut called?

Thomas Shelby's texturised crop is short on the back and sides of the head with a slightly longer length on top. Ask the barber: Ask for a "crop" but indicate you would like to have the fringe sweeping to the right or left and short around the back and sides with extra length left on top.

How much was the Shelby family worth?

Peaky Blinders gangster boss Tommy Shelby would be worth an enormous £450million in today's money. A superfan calculated the mobster's assets, which include his properties, his bookmaking empire, his bars and clubs and his other business interests, which added together would make him one of Britain's richest men.

Was Billy kitchen real?

Billy Kitchen (1886-1921) was a member of the Peaky Blinders gang who led their 100-man crew in Camden Town, London during the early 20th century. He was murdered by Alfie Solomon's men in 1921.

Is Tommy Shelby Billy Kimber?

Billy Kimber (1882-1919) was a British gangster and businessman from Birmingham who led the Birmingham Boys gang during the early 20th century. He took over the city during the 1910s, only to be murdered by up-and-coming Romani gangster Tommy Shelby in 1919 during a war between his gang and the Peaky Blinders.

What does the name Peaky Blinders mean?

Birmingham historian Carl Chinn believes the name is actually a reference to the gang's sartorial elegance. He says the popular usage of "peaky" at the time referred to any flat cap with a peak. "Blinder" was a familiar Birmingham slang term (still used today) to describe something or someone of dapper appearance.

What is Tommy Shelby smoking?

Thomas Shelby and Danny Whizz-Bang's method for easing stress and symptoms involves the smoking of brown opium with a clay pipe. In the first episode, Thomas is seen lighting the opium and putting it to flame, then drawing from it.

Why do Peaky Blinders wear caps?

"They used their hats with razor blades sewn in to rob people. That's what a Peaky Blinder was. "When they hit someone or headbutted someone on the nose while wearing one, it would cause their victim temporary blindness."

Why did the Peaky Blinders stop wearing flat caps?

They were only beginning to come in from the 1890s and were a luxury item, much too expensive for the Peaky Blinders to have used. “And any hard man would tell you it would be very difficult to get direction and power with a razor blade sewn into the soft part of a cap.

Is Michael Gray a real person?

Michael Gray (born September 2, 1951) is an American actor, known for his portrayal of Billy Batson in the 1970s TV series Shazam!. From 1972–1973, he appeared as Ronnie Collins in the first season of the NBC sitcom The Brian Keith Show, starring Brian Keith and Shelley Fabares.

Who is the smartest person in Peaky Blinders?

1 Tommy Shelby

When it comes to Peaky Blinders there really is only one person who can take the top spot when it comes to intelligence, and that is Tommy Shelby. The leader of the group and the man behind all of the plans and business ideas, Tommy has a reason for everything he does.

Which Peaky Blinders characters are real?

Is Peaky Blinders hair accurate?

The Peaky Blinders haircut is historically accurate and has been a popular look since the 20th century, particularly amongst young working-class men. The hair cut originated in interwar Glasgow, when the Neds (petty criminals), had a haircut which was long on the top and short at the back and sides.