Big Breadwinner Hog
Encyclopedia
Big Breadwinner Hog is a British television
thriller serial
devised by Robin Chapman
, produced by Granada TV and transmitted in eight parts, starting at 9.00pm on 11 April 1969 on the ITV
network. It portrayed the ruthless rise through the criminal underworld of the trendy young London
gangster
Hogarth (Peter Egan
). He exploits the resources of a declining gangster, Ryan (Godfrey Quigley
), to take over the dominant crime syndicate Scot-Yanks, controlled by the equally ruthless and manipulative Lennox (Timothy West
). The key to Hogarth's success is knowledge of a murder arranged by Lennox, of which there is a crucial witness, Ackerman (Donald Burton
), a one-time private eye who has been blackmailed into working for Scot-Yanks, and bitterly resents Lennox as a consequence.
The eight-part serial was widely condemned at the time for its amorality and violence. Its first episode featured a scene in which a jar of hydrochloric acid
was thrown into a rival's face. "Barely minutes after the first episode was transmitted, the Granada TV switchboard was inundated" with viewers' complaints about the violence and the second episode was preceded by a Granada apology for the previous week's episode. Granada toned down some of the more violent aspects of later episodes but, despite this, viewer complaints continued and, after episode 5, some ITV regions moved transmission to a later timeslot; other ITV regions stopped transmission of the serial completely.
The serial was directed by Mike Newell
(later of Four Weddings and a Funeral
) and Michael Apted
. It gave an early role to John Challis
, later Boycie of Only Fools And Horses
, and an important role for Priscilla Morgan, wife of Dad's Army
star Clive Dunn
. Peter Egan
is also better known these days for sitcoms like Ever Decreasing Circles
(1984–89), Joint Account (1989) and Home Again (2006)
by Network DVD in June 2007 http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=382.
British television
Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
thriller serial
Serial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...
devised by Robin Chapman
Robin Chapman
-Biography:Chapman began his career as an actor at Cambridge before holding a spear at Stratford-Upon-Avon, working in repertory and then joining Joan Littlewood’s revolutionary Theatre Workshop where he turned to writing. Among his stage plays are High Street China, Guests and One of Us...
, produced by Granada TV and transmitted in eight parts, starting at 9.00pm on 11 April 1969 on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network. It portrayed the ruthless rise through the criminal underworld of the trendy young London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
Hogarth (Peter Egan
Peter Egan
Peter Egan is a British actor known for playing smooth neighbour Paul Ryman in 1980s sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles. He is married to retired actress Myra Frances.-Early life:...
). He exploits the resources of a declining gangster, Ryan (Godfrey Quigley
Godfrey Quigley
Godfrey Quigley was an Irish stage, film and television actor.Quigley was born in Jerusalem where his father served as an officer in the British Army...
), to take over the dominant crime syndicate Scot-Yanks, controlled by the equally ruthless and manipulative Lennox (Timothy West
Timothy West
Timothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
). The key to Hogarth's success is knowledge of a murder arranged by Lennox, of which there is a crucial witness, Ackerman (Donald Burton
Donald Burton
Donald Burton was an English theatre and television actor. Burton was the husband of actress Carroll Baker....
), a one-time private eye who has been blackmailed into working for Scot-Yanks, and bitterly resents Lennox as a consequence.
The eight-part serial was widely condemned at the time for its amorality and violence. Its first episode featured a scene in which a jar of hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid is a solution of hydrogen chloride in water, that is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. It is found naturally in gastric acid....
was thrown into a rival's face. "Barely minutes after the first episode was transmitted, the Granada TV switchboard was inundated" with viewers' complaints about the violence and the second episode was preceded by a Granada apology for the previous week's episode. Granada toned down some of the more violent aspects of later episodes but, despite this, viewer complaints continued and, after episode 5, some ITV regions moved transmission to a later timeslot; other ITV regions stopped transmission of the serial completely.
The serial was directed by Mike Newell
Mike Newell (director)
Michael Cormac "Mike" Newell is an English director and producer of motion pictures for the screen and for television. After the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, Newell became the third most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind Christopher Nolan...
(later of Four Weddings and a Funeral
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 British comedy film directed by Mike Newell. It was the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant...
) and Michael Apted
Michael Apted
Michael David Apted, CMG is an English director, producer, writer and actor. He is one of the most prolific British film directors of his generation but is best known for his work on the Up Series of documentaries and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.On 29 June 2003 he was elected...
. It gave an early role to John Challis
John Challis
John Challis is an English actor.-Career:He is probably best known for his role as Terrance Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce in the long running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass....
, later Boycie of Only Fools And Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
, and an important role for Priscilla Morgan, wife of Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
star Clive Dunn
Clive Dunn
Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn OBE is a retired English actor, comedian and author, best known for his role as Lance-Corporal Jack Jones in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army.-Early life:...
. Peter Egan
Peter Egan
Peter Egan is a British actor known for playing smooth neighbour Paul Ryman in 1980s sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles. He is married to retired actress Myra Frances.-Early life:...
is also better known these days for sitcoms like Ever Decreasing Circles
Ever Decreasing Circles
Ever Decreasing Circles is a British situation comedy which ran on BBC1 for four series from 1984 to 1989.It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and reunited them with Richard Briers, the star of their previous hit show, The Good Life. It was much less brash than most situation comedies,...
(1984–89), Joint Account (1989) and Home Again (2006)
Cast
- Hogarth — Peter EganPeter EganPeter Egan is a British actor known for playing smooth neighbour Paul Ryman in 1980s sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles. He is married to retired actress Myra Frances.-Early life:...
- Edge — Rosemary McHale
- Ryan — Godfrey QuigleyGodfrey QuigleyGodfrey Quigley was an Irish stage, film and television actor.Quigley was born in Jerusalem where his father served as an officer in the British Army...
- Spicer — Barry Linehan
- Singleton — Tony SteedmanTony SteedmanTony Steedman was an English character actor, perhaps best known for his role as Socrates in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure....
- Lennox — Timothy WestTimothy WestTimothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
- Gould — Hamilton DyceHamilton DyceHamilton Dyce was a British film and television actor.-Selected filmography:* Whistle Down the Wind * Dr. Crippen * Mrs...
- Moira — Priscilla Morgan
- Ackerman — Donald BurtonDonald BurtonDonald Burton was an English theatre and television actor. Burton was the husband of actress Carroll Baker....
- Greenwood — Brian McDermott
- Izzard — Alan BrowningAlan BrowningAlan Browning was an English film and television actor, born in Sunderland. He is best remembered as the character Alan Howard in the television series Coronation Street, a role he played from 1969 until 1973...
- Grange — David LelandDavid LelandDavid Leland is a director, screenwriter and actor who came to international fame with his directorial debut Wish You Were Here in 1987.-Life:...
- Raymond — James Hunter
- Nicholson — Tenniel EvansTenniel Evans-Family:Walter Tenniel Evans was born in Nairobi, Kenya. His middle name derived from the illustrator Sir John Tenniel, a distant relation. His daughter, Serena Evans, is an actress, and his son, Matthew, is a television director....
- Walker — Arthur PentelowArthur PentelowArthur Pentelow was an English actor who was best known for playing Henry Wilks in Emmerdale Farm from 1972–91...
- Parker — John HorsleyJohn Horsley (actor)John L. Horsley is an English actor. He was born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England.He made his acting debut at the Theatre Royal in Bournemouth. His early career saw him playing a succession of doctors and policemen, the former on film in Hell Drivers , the latter on television in Big...
- Raspberry — Peter Thomas
- Operative — John ChallisJohn ChallisJohn Challis is an English actor.-Career:He is probably best known for his role as Terrance Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce in the long running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass....
DVD release
The series was released on Region 2 DVD in a box set with SpindoeSpindoe
Spindoe is a British television series which was shown on ITV in the spring of 1968. It was named after the lead character, Alec Spindoe, a South London gangster; the plot of the series showed how Spindoe re-established his gangland empire after he had been supplanted during a term of imprisonment,...
by Network DVD in June 2007 http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=382.