Man At The Top: Winners Are Losers (ITV 21 Aug 1972)

In the penultimate episode of the whole Man At The Top series Winners Are Losers Charlie Armitage is going great guns as Joe’s parlimentary agent whirling Joe into a whole round of promotional opportunities, interviews, trips to Warley to open working mens clubs and appearances on TV. It looks like Joe is a shoe-in to become MP for the region. The only problem is Joe has picked up the threads of his relationship with Dr Helen Reid and thinks he might even be in love with her. If he wants to become chairman of Hudson Industries and an MP he has a difficult decision to make.

Fantastic episode full of fantastic dialogue (“I put you in the chair in the first place and I’ve been washing your nappies every day since”) and another typically brilliant performance from Haigh. He has this perfect ability to express world weariness despite everything going so well for him. Joe has risen so far within Hudson Industries that he even has his own pied a tierre in London complete with Butler.

Zena Walker doesn’t appear in this episode (she is missing from much of this second series in fact) and it is made plainly obvious that she and Joe are now living pretty much seperate lives.

classic quote
“Don’t tell me don’t Charlie”

production details
UK | ITV Network – Thames

RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes | AIRDATE: 21 August 1972

WRITERS: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley | DIRECTOR: Derek Bennett

Man At The Top Season 2 Episode 12

cast
KENNETH HAIGH as Joe Lampton
JANET KEY as Dr Helen Reid
PAUL MAXWELL as Donald Hudson
COLIN WELLAND as Charlie Armitage
JOHN McKELVEY as Billy Sutcliffe
GARY WALDHORN as Television Instructor
RAYMOND MASON as Whittaker
ROBIN PARKINSON as Public Relations Man
CAROL BALL, SUZAN MORRALL as Dancers