Production has begun on period drama Copper, Cineflix Studios announced Thursday.

The 10 x 60-minute series will shoot in studio and on location in Toronto through May 2012, and will premiere on Shaw’s Showcase in the fall.

Copper follows an Irish-American cop, played by Tom Weston-Jones, working the notorious Five Points Neighbourhood in 19th-century New York, and his quest to investigate his wife’s disappearance and his daughter’s death.

The show, produced by Cineflix for BBC America –the network’s first original scripted drama series – was licensed for Canada by Shaw Media in October.

In January, Cineflix announced key cast and crew for the series.

Canadian Kyle Schmid (Blood Ties, pictured) stars alongside Weston-Jones as Manhattan aristocrat Robert Morehouse. Franka Potente (The Bourne Supremacy), Ato Essandoh (Damages) and Brit Anastasia Griffith (Royal Pains) also star.

Copper is created by Tom Fontana and Will Rokos. Fontana, Rokos, Barry Levinson, Glen Salzman, Sally Catto, Sam Berliner and Christina Wayne are co-executive producers.

The series is produced by Cineflix in association with BBC America and Shaw Media.