The Pig and Whistle

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The Pig and Whistle was a Canadian musical television series aired on the CTV television network from 1967 to 1977. Filmed in Toronto, Ontario but set in a fictional English pub, the show featured an assortment of Canadian, British and Irish performers.

One of CTV's most popular programs of its day, Pig and Whistle drew ratings of over a million viewers in the early 1970s.^[1] The programme was hosted by John Hewer and featured the music of the Carlton Showband, a Canadian-Irish musical group that continues to tour as of 2005.

Pig and Whistle is a stereotypical name of a traditional English public house. There are a few genuine pubs named Pig and Whistle in England, but they are probably outnumbered by the number of British theme pubs by the same name in other countries (such as in San Francisco^[2], Hollywood and Cocoa Beach, FL). The employee's cafeteria on the Queen Mary in Long Beach California has been called the "Pig and Whistle" ever since the ship began sailing in the 1930's.

The name originally comes from the two words Piggin and Wassail. A piggin is a vessel (such as a jug) used to carry ale, and wassail means a toast, as in "Good Health", or a special festive drink used for such toasts made from spiced wine or sweetened ale.^[2]

In the late 1960's and early 1970's, a musical revue called The Jig And Whistle performed regularly throughout New Brunswick. It featured The Ward Sisters, John & Greg Calnan, Ernie Morrison, Brian Teed and Joe Hachey, all of whom lived in Bathurst, NB. This popular act was modelled after the Pig And Whistle television show.^{[citation needed]}