The Dustbinmen

The Dustbinmen

1969 - United Kingdom

Jack Rosenthal's sitcom about refuse collectors arrived in 1969 and immediately shot to number one in the JICTAR ratings where it stayed for all six episodes of it's first series-the first time this had ever happened on British television. 

Rosenthal had accompanied council refuse collectors on their rounds in 1968 as research for a an intended one-off television play for Granada Television, which went out as part of a seven-week series under the generic title, The System. His play -There's A Hole In Your Dustbin, Delilah-was set in the Lancashire town of Fylde (near Blackpool) and drew heavily on the characters he had encountered, and as a result was a typical Rosenthal earthy look at the human condition with all its flaws and idiosyncrasies. 

The Dustbinmen were led by their foreman, the foul-mouthed, beret-wearing Cheese and Egg (nicknamed because his initials were C.E.) and accompanying him on the Corporation Cleansing Department dust cart (affectionately dubbed Thunderbird 3) were an equally obnoxious crew of work-shy, housewife-lusting individuals. They were the bowler-hatted Heavy Breathing (nicknamed because he believed he was God's gift to women), Smellie (because he stank), Winston (the driver -an ardent Manchester City fan) and the dim witted Coronation Street * fan, Eric. The fact that none of the co-workers could stand the site of each other was eclipsed by their shared dislike for the corporation they worked for and in particular their new inspector who they nicknamed Bloody Delilah. They also turned their revulsion on the local residents whose garbage they collected often referring judgmentally to each of them by their address (hence Mrs 14b). 

The Dustbinmen

There were a number of cast changes from pilot to series, notably Cheese and Egg (Jack MacGowan to Bryan Pringle), Heavy Breathing (Harold Innocent to Trevor Bannister), Eric (Henry Livings to Tim Wylton) and Bloody Delilah (Frank Windsor to John Woodvine and then Brian Wilde for series 2 and 3). And Jack Rosenthal, having written the entire series one, began to become less involved so that by series three he had left the production entirely. The series courted much criticism at the time for its coarseness and vulgarity, although Cheese and Egg's favourite expletive 'pigging' seems tame by today's standards, but it was enough to provoke the wrath of Mary Whitehouse and her 'clean-up TV' campaign. As in many cases where she showed a disapproving voice, this did no harm at all to the show's ratings.

*There were a number of Coronation Street links, not least of all being the fact that Rosenthal had just finished with 'The Street' having written over 100 episodes, Graham Habberfield who played Winston Platt had similarly just finished a long stint on the show as Jerry Booth and Julie Goodyear -later to become Wetherfield's favourite barmaid, Bet Lynch- guest starred in two episodes.

Published on December 8th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

The Bulldog Breed

A single series of seven comedies about Tom, the perennial optimist, as he wanders through life leaving chaos in his wake totally oblivious to the problems he causes for everyone.

Also tagged Britcom

The Weekenders

How many marriages are dying of boredom? How many couples are dragging out a dreary, meaningless existence because they have long ceased to care for each other?

Also starring Bryan Pringle

Bryan Pringle

Bryan Pringle's craggy, down-to-earth looks made him a perfect character actor.

Also starring Bryan Pringle

The Fossett Saga

Victorian comedy series starring Jimmy Edwards as James Fossett, a writer of "penny dreadfuls"

Also released in 1969

Wyatt's Watchdogs

Major Wyatt, well retired from his military days, has taken it upon himself to form a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the quiet and affluent village of Bradly.

Also starring Trevor Bannister

The Brady Bunch

Architect Mike Brady marries beautiful young Carol, who has three girls to care for. Likewise, Mike's previous wife's death has left him to raise his three boys all alone. In no time this amalgam becomes the ideal average American middle class family.

Also released in 1969

Trevor Bannister

Primarily remembered as Mr. Lucas in the hit sitcom 'Are You Being Served?', Trevor Bannister's body of work in both television and theatre was extraordinary.

Also starring Trevor Bannister

David Croft and Dad's Army Cast

Writer and producer David Croft had the Midas touch when it came to comedy and the shows that he created and wrote with alternating creative partners Jimmy Perry and Jeremy Lloyd were comedy gold for the decades. But how did two of the most popular fare on the big screen?

Also starring Trevor Bannister

Bless This House

Devised by Vince Powell and Harry Driver, Bless This House was a starring vehicle for Sid James that showed him in a new and unfamiliar light-as a family man.

Also tagged Britcom