Big Breadwinner Hog
A ruthless gangster rises through the criminal underworld.
Big Breadwinner Hog, a British thriller serial created by Robin Chapman, aired on ITV in eight episodes starting April 11, 1969. It followed young gangster Hogarth’s ruthless rise in London’s criminal underworld. The show sparked outrage for its amorality and violence; the first episode’s acid-throwing scene caused so many complaints that Granada apologized before episode two.
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 50 minutes
- Creator
- Robin Chapman
- Starring
- Peter Egan
- Timothy West
- Donald Burton
- Rosemary McHale
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Company
- Granada Television
- Network
- ITV
- Episodes
- 8
- First aired
- 11 April 1969
Facts from the source article.
Overview
The eight-part serial tracked the brutal climb of Hogarth, a fashionable young London gangster portrayed by Peter Egan, through the criminal underworld. He uses the assets of a fading mobster named Ryan, played by Godfrey Quigley, to seize control of the dominant Scot–Yanks syndicate. Its leader, Lennox, played by Timothy West, is just as ruthless and calculating. Hogarth’s advantage comes from knowing about a murder Lennox orchestrated, with a key witness in Ackerman, played by Donald Burton, a former private eye blackmailed into working for the syndicate who holds a deep grudge against Lennox. The show sparked widespread criticism for its violence and lack of morality. The first episode included a scene where a jar of hydrochloric acid is thrown into a rival’s face. Within minutes of that episode airing, Granada TV’s switchboard was flooded with viewer complaints. The second episode was preceded by an apology from Granada for the previous week’s content. Granada toned down some of the more violent moments in later episodes, but complaints kept coming. From episode five onward, some ITV regions moved the broadcast to a later time slot, and both Southern Television and Anglia Television stopped airing the serial entirely. The series was directed by Mike Newell and Michael Apted. It featured an early role for John Challis, later famous as Boycie in Only Fools and Horses, and a significant part for Priscilla Morgan. Peter Egan is now better recognized for sitcoms such as Ever Decreasing Circles, Joint Account, and Home Again.
DVD release
In June 2007, Network DVD issued a Region 2 box set pairing this series with Chapman's earlier Spindoe. The DVD transfers come from the original videotapes, except for the first episode, which features the notorious acid-throwing scene. That episode survives only as a telerecorded film copy, resulting in noticeably poorer image quality than the rest. The third disc includes an episode from the 1972 LWT series Villains, a serial told from the bank robbers' perspective. That episode centers on womanising safe-cracker Charles Grindley, played by Bob Hoskins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Big Breadwinner Hog?
Big Breadwinner Hog stars Peter Egan, Timothy West, Donald Burton and Rosemary McHale.
When did Big Breadwinner Hog end?
Big Breadwinner Hog last aired on 30 May 1969.
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