The Fosdyke Saga

"The Fosdyke Saga" was a British comic strip by cartoonist Bill Tidy, published in the "Daily Mirror" newspaper during the 1970s and early 1980s. Described as "a classic tale of struggle, power, personalities and tripe", the strip was a parody of John Galsworthy's classic novel series "The Forsyte Saga", however the slightly bizarre and strange antics of the characters and those around them had a Lancashire/Cheshire lean with mangles, chimneys and soot ever present.

"The Fosdyke Saga" was the story of Roger Ditchley, a wastrel son of tripe magnate, Old Ben Ditchley, who was deliberately disinherited by his father in favour of Jos Fosdyke. Roger, blinded by rage, seeks to regain his rightful inheritance over the next twelve years. His wicked plans are always thwarted as he enlists the most inept allies and twisted methods to attain his goal.

Each book included bizarre settings such as the rugby game between a Welsh choir and a lady's casual rugby team held in a Salford hotel (the stairs collapsed in the first half if you must know), the hunt for the Tripe Naughtee and the unforgettable "Brain of Salford" competition.

This superb series ended prematurely in 1984 when tycoon Robert Maxwell purchased Mirror Group Newspapers, and the year afterward axed the Fosdyke Saga from the Daily Mirror.

Created by well-known cartoonist Bill Tidy, who also produced cartoons for the satirical magazine "Private Eye" and created "The Cloggies", the wry humour in this classic 1970s comic strip was always excellent, if often unintelligible to those outside of the mid-north-west of England.

Adaptations

"The Fosdyke Saga" has been adapted as a TV movie, a radio serial by the BBC and a theatrical stage play.

The radio adaptation starred (among others) Miriam Margolyes, Enn Reitel, Christian Rodska and David Threlfall.

External links

* [http://www.tonystrading.co.uk/galleries/comicstrips/fosdykesaga.htm Gallery of "The Fosdyke Saga" books]
*imdb title|0076045|The Fosdyke Saga (1977) (TV)
* [http://www.radiolistings.co.uk/programmes/fosdyke_saga__the.html Fosdyke Saga radio serial]
* [http://opal.ukc.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/artist.py?id=184 Autobiography of Bill Tidy]