Crime Investigation Australia (2005)

S4E7 CIA: FAMILIES OF CRIME - 'Mr Bigs'

For decades, Lennie McPherson was the formidable force behind Sydney's organized crime, alongside his partner George Freeman. Born in Balmain in 1921, Lennie was the tenth child of metalworker William and Nellie McPherson. His early life was marred by trouble, encountering the law at just 11 for theft, which led to a traumatic stay in a detention center. He ultimately became a notorious figure, known as Sydney's 'Mr Big,' with the police relying on him for intel while he instilled fear in rivals. On his estranged mother’s 70th birthday, he shockingly confronted her, presenting a live rabbit and expressing his anger over his exclusion from the celebration. In a fit of rage, he killed the rabbit before leaving. Lennie passed away from a heart attack in Cessnock Gaol in 1996 at the age of 75.