Captain Horatio Pugwash sails the high seas in his ship, the Black Pig, ably assisted by Tom the cabin boy Tom, pirates Willy and Barnabas, and Master Mate. His mortal enemy is Cut-Throat Jake, captain of the Flying Dustman. Black and white episodes were made by writer-animator John Ryan in irregular batches from 1957 to 1966. He made a second series in colour in 1974/75. The series was revived in 1998 by John Cary Studios.