Danny and Tony Driscoll are minor antagonists in Only Fools and Horses and the main antagonists of its 2005-2009 spin-off continuation The Green Green Grass. They are a pair of ruthless crime lords situated in London, Peckham.
Danny is portrayed by Roy Marsden. Tony by Christopher Ryan, who also portrayed General Staal and Commander Stark on Doctor Who.
Biography[]
In 1988, Mickey Pearce and Jevon began dealings with the Driscoll Brothers and borrowed some mobile phones off them on sale and return. Del Boy was unaware of this deal, and ended up purchasing the phones off Mickey and Jevon to help them out.
The brothers had Mickey and Jevon beaten up (but not showing any facial injuries) until they admitted Del was the one who took the phones. The brother's headed round to Del's hangout the Nag's Head Pub. Del's friend Trigger warned him in advance about the brother's arrival and they went away to hide. But the brothers and their thugs soon discovered Del hiding away, and told him that he owed them £2000 for the phones. Del appeased to their slightly better nature to give him some time giving back the money, and the brothers agreed due to him looking after their sick mother back in the 1960s while they were locked up.
A week later the brothers turned up at the stag party of Del's younger brother Rodney looking for payment. Del came close to handing the money over, but held it back in order to support Rodney putting down the deposit for a flat. The brothers retaliated by giving Del a beating, which Del endured for Rodney's sake. Following the incident Del kept the attack to himself and gave Rodney the money. The brothers didn't bother Del any further following this.
In 2004 the brothers began dealings with second hand car dealer Boycie in order to import vehicles into the country. Boycie went along with the scheme in order to make more money. But he soon discovered the brothers were using the venture to smuggle in illegal immigrants. Boycie was arrested and questioned by the authorities, and he secretly testified against the brothers in exchange for his own freedom. Danny and Tony were sentenced to 40 years each for their multiple crimes.
In late 2005, the brothers were given early release when all evidence was "accidentally" erased by Scotland Yard. The brothers discovered that Boycie was the snitch, and put out a contract on him. Boycie and his family fled Peckham and settled down in Shropshire, cutting off contact with their friends and family back in Peckham. Three months later around the Christmas period the brothers discovered that Boycie was due to meet up with some clients at a lodge in Switzerland (unknown to Boycie they were con artists). The brothers turned up there to confront Boycie, only to find him absent due to Boycie being snowed in back at the United Kingdom. Boycie was shocked to see the arrest of the Driscoll brothers and the con artists on Crimewatch. The Driscoll Brothers were later released from custody and returned to Peckham, biding their time to track down Boycie.
A year later the Driscoll brothers befriended Marlene's sister Pertunia Lane and followed her to Shropshire. The Driscoll Brothers tied up Boycie's farm staff and confronted Boycie, although he attempted to bluff his way out of it by claiming he changed his statement against them. The Driscoll brothers decided to spare Boycie and instead asked for a favour, and wanted to bury a chest of theirs on his land. Boycie agreed to the favour in return for his life. The Driscoll brothers spent the night in Boycie's house with Pertunia before they all returned to Peckham the next morning.
Two years later the brothers were involved in a gang war in Peckham with the Russian mafia, which was down to the distribution of a mysterious potato cider (actually vodka). The brothers disappeared and were presumed dead, but turned up alive an well at Boycie's farm. They looked to uncover their chest, which was revealed to contain Spanish currency that would allow them to flee abroad and retire for good. But it transpired that the money was barely worth anything due to Spain now using the euro. The brothers discovered that Boycie and his farm handlers were the ones creating the potato cider and unwittingly caused the turf war in Peckham due to their buyers operating there. The brothers took the recipe in exchange that they don't kneecap Boycie and his workers, which they all instantly agreed on. The brothers left to return to Peckham, never to bother Boycie again.
Trivia[]
- Prior to their debut in the 1989 episode "Little Problems", the Driscoll Brothers were previously mentioned in the 1986 episode "Video Nasty" and the 1987 Christmas Special "The Frog's Legacy".
- According to show writer John Sullivan, the Driscoll Brothers were inspired by the Richardson Gang, a real-life crime gang that operated in South London, England in the 1960s.
- They are the villainous counterparts to protagonists Del Boy and Rodney, as both groups are brothers but share little resemblance and far different heights (with Del being shorter like Tony and Rodney tall like Danny). Danny is also the brains of the duo, similar to how Del mostly acts as the brains in his relationship with Rodney.
- They only appear in three episodes of The Green Green Grass and are mentioned a few times in other episodes. Despite their limited screen time, they act as the main antagonists due to being the driving force behind the show's plot and Boycie having to leave Peckham.
- The Brothers fate following The Green Green Grass is uncertain, although in the 2015 tie-in book He Who Dares (acting as an autobiography to Del Boy), the Driscoll brothers went missing and were presumed dead. Their disappearance allowed Boycie and his family to return to Peckham safe and sound.