In this episode, Regan and his mother, Clare – The Colonel – suddenly leave rural Young for the big smoke of Sydney. Clare turns up in the city’s notorious red-light district of Darlinghurst, while Regan mysteriously disappears into the institutional nightmare of a Gosford boys’ home. There, he will befriend other wayward children who will ultimately emerge as the biggest and most lethal gangsters of their era. And Regan, schooled as an apprentice criminal in the boys’ home, will enter the violent noir of Sydney’s Kings Cross in the 1960s and hone his skills as a murderous mobster, terrifying both his criminal milieu and law enforcement. Subscribers to The Australian hear new episodes of The Gangster's Ghost first. Plus, you can see photographs, videos, timelines and more at gangstersghost.com.au Read more: The sheep farmer who hunted down a gangster The brutal boys’ home that created more crims than it cured Families sought answers about slain relatives from notorious crim Neddy Smith See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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1:09:01
Episode 2: The Colonel
Johnny Regan's early years were completely dominated by his obsessive mother, Clare, nicknamed "The Colonel", who frowned upon his friendships, didn’t allow him to play sports, and publicly horsewhipped her young son. She was married to Alf Regan, the town drunk, the pair having met at The Australian Hotel where Clare worked as a barmaid. With the marriage over by the mid-1950s, Clare took her son to Sydney, starting a new life in the mean streets of Darlinghurst, where the gangster takes shape. In this episode, Matthew Condon visits the country NSW town of Young to retrace the childhood of Stewart John Regan and delve into his troubled early years. Subscribers to The Australian hear new episodes of The Gangster's Ghost first. Plus, you can see photographs, videos, timelines and more at gangstersghost.com.au Read more: How ruthless mum shaped her deadly gangster sonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode 1: Dead Man Talking
The five-decade mystery of who killed psychopathic pimp and murderer Stewart John ‘The Magician’ Regan at the age of 29. One of Australia’s most notorious gangsters, Regan was gunned down by three assassins in a Marrickville laneway in 1974. Introducing The Gangster’s Ghost podcast investigation, in which Matthew Condon explores just how bad this man was and reveals the secret recordings Regan made of himself and criminal associates. Subscribers to The Australian hear episodes of The Gangster's Ghost first, plus you can see photographs, videos, timelines and more at gangstersghost.com.au. Read more: Was this Roger Rogerson's first victim? Mystery of The Magician: 'I never killed him. But I had been set free' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Introducing: The Gangster's Ghost
Johnny 'The Magician' Regan was a murderer, pimp and psychopath, gunned down by three assassins in a grimy back lane in 1974. He was 29. Matthew Condon investigates gangland’s last great murder mystery. Subscribers to The Australian and registered users hear episodes of 'The Gangster's Ghost' first at gangstersghost.com.au. Plus you can read more about this case, see exclusive stories, photos, videos and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Johnny ‘The Magician’ Regan was a murderer, pimp and psychopath, gunned down by three assassins in a grimy back lane in 1974. He was 29. Matthew Condon investigates gangland’s last great murder mystery. Find out why police didn’t lift a finger for five decades.
Hear his voice from beyond the grave for the first time, in secret recordings brought to life by AI and our audio experts. And meet the family still haunted by his crimes.
Australia