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''Dad's Army'' is a British television
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...
about the United Kingdom's Home Guard during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. It was written by
Jimmy Perry James Perry, (20 September 1923 – 23 October 2016)Simon Morgan-Russell, "Perry, James (Jimmy) (1923–2016)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 202available online Retrieved 25 August 2020. was an Engli ...
and David Croft, and originally broadcast on
BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran for nine series and 80 episodes in total; a
feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
released in 1971, a stage show and a radio version based on the television scripts were also produced. The series regularly gained audiences of 18 million viewers and is still shown internationally. The Home Guard consisted of local volunteers otherwise ineligible for military service, either because of age (hence the title ''Dad's Army''), medical reasons or by being in professions exempt from conscription. Most of the platoon members in ''Dad's Army'' are over military age and the series stars several older British actors, including Arnold Ridley, John Laurie,
Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 36 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom '' D ...
and
John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation c ...
. Younger members of the cast included
Ian Lavender Arthur Ian Lavender (born 16 February 1946) is an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in the BBC sitcom '' Dad's Army'', and is the last surviving major cast member of the series following t ...
,
Clive Dunn Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn (9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom ' ...
(who, despite being one of the younger cast members, played the oldest guardsman, Lance Corporal Jones) and James Beck (who died suddenly during production of the sixth series in 1973). Other regular cast members included Frank Williams as the vicar and Bill Pertwee as the chief ARP warden. The series has influenced
British popular culture British culture is influenced by the combined nations' history; its historically Christian religious life, its interaction with the cultures of Europe, the traditions of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and the impact of the British Empir ...
, with its catchphrases and characters being well known. The ''
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves ...
'' magazine listed Captain Mainwaring's "You stupid boy!" among the 25 greatest put-downs on TV. A 2001
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
poll ranked Captain Mainwaring 21st on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters. In 2004, ''Dad's Army'' came fourth in a BBC poll to find '' Britain's Best Sitcom''. It was placed 13th in a list of the
100 Greatest British Television Programmes The BFI TV 100 is a list of 100 television programmes or series that was compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute (BFI), as chosen by a poll of industry professionals, with the aim to determine the best United Kingdom, British television pr ...
drawn up by the
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
in 2000 and voted for by industry professionals. A second feature film of ''Dad's Army'' with a different cast was released in 2016. In 2019,
UKTV UKTV Media Limited, simply known as UKTV, is a British multi-channel broadcaster, which, since 2019, has been wholly owned by BBC Studios (formerly BBC Worldwide), a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. It was formed on 1 November 1992 throug ...
recreated three missing episodes for broadcast in August that year on its
Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
channel under the title ''Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes'', starring Kevin McNally and Robert Bathurst as Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson.


Origins

Originally intended to be called ''The Fighting Tigers'', ''Dad's Army'' was based partly on co-writer and creator
Jimmy Perry James Perry, (20 September 1923 – 23 October 2016)Simon Morgan-Russell, "Perry, James (Jimmy) (1923–2016)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 202available online Retrieved 25 August 2020. was an Engli ...
's experiences in the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV, later known as the Home Guard) and highlighted a somewhat forgotten aspect of defence during the Second World War. Perry was only 17 years old when he joined the 10th
Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For gov ...
Battalion. His mother did not like him being out at night, and feared he might catch cold; he partly resembled the character of Private Pike. An elderly
Lance Corporal Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO), usually equi ...
in the 10th Hertfordshire often referred to fighting under Kitchener against the "Fuzzy Wuzzies" ( Hadendoa), and was the model for Corporal Jones. Other influences included the work of comedians such as
Will Hay William Thomson Hay (6 December 1888 – 18 April 1949) was an English comedian who wrote and acted in a schoolmaster sketch that later transferred to the screen, where he also played other authority figures with comic failings. His film '' O ...
, whose film '' Oh, Mr Porter!'' featured a pompous ass, an old man and a young man; together, this gave Perry the ideas for Mainwaring, Godfrey and Pike. Film historian
Jeffrey Richards Jeffrey Richards (born c.1945)Chris Arno"Fast Forward: Jeffrey Richards" ''The Guardian'', 11 January 2005 is a British historian. Educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, he is Professor of Cultural History at Lancaster University. A leading cul ...
has cited Lancastrian comedian Robb Wilton as a key influence; he portrayed a work-shy husband who joined the Home Guard in numerous comic sketches during WW2. Perry wrote the first script and gave it to David Croft while working as a minor actor in the Croft-produced sitcom '' Hugh and I'', originally intending the role of the
spiv In the United Kingdom, the word spiv is slang for a type of petty criminal who deals in illicit, typically black market, goods. The word was particularly used during the Second World War and in the post-war period when many goods were rationed du ...
, later called Walker, to be his own. Croft was impressed and sent the script to Michael Mills, the BBC's Head of Comedy and the series was commissioned. In his book ''Dad's Army'', Graham McCann explains that the show owes much to Michael Mills. It was he who renamed the show ''Dad's Army''. He did not like Brightsea-on-Sea, so the location was changed to
Walmington-on-Sea Walmington-on-Sea is a fictional seaside resort that is the setting of ''Dad's Army'', including the BBC Television sitcom (1968-1977), the BBC Radio 4 series and two feature films (1971 and 2016). Walmington-on-Sea is on the south coast of Engl ...
. He was happy with the names for the characters Mainwaring, Godfrey and Pike, but not with other names, and he made suggestions: Private Jim Duck became Frazer, Joe Fish became Joe Walker and Jim Jones became Jack Jones. He also suggested adding a Scot. Jimmy Perry had produced the original idea but needed a more experienced partner to see it through. Mills suggested David Croft and this launched the beginning of their association. When an episode was shown to members of the public to gauge audience reaction prior to broadcast of the first series, the majority of the audience thought it was very poor. The production team put the report containing the negative comments at the bottom of David Croft's in-tray. He only saw it several months later, after the series had been broadcast and received a positive response.


Situation

The show is set in the fictional seaside town of
Walmington-on-Sea Walmington-on-Sea is a fictional seaside resort that is the setting of ''Dad's Army'', including the BBC Television sitcom (1968-1977), the BBC Radio 4 series and two feature films (1971 and 2016). Walmington-on-Sea is on the south coast of Engl ...
, on the south coast of England. The exterior scenes were mostly filmed in and around the Stanford Training Area TANTA near
Thetford Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just east of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , in 2015 had a population of 24, ...
,
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...
. Walmington, and its Home Guard platoon, would be on the front line in the event of a German invasion across the
English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" ( Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), ( Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Ka ...
. The first series has a loose narrative thread, with Captain Mainwaring's
platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...
being formed and equipped, initially with wooden guns and LDV armbands, later on with full army uniforms; the platoon is part of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment. The first episode, " The Man and the Hour", begins with a scene set in the "present day" of 1968, in which Mainwaring addresses his old platoon as part of the contemporary '"
I'm Backing Britain ''I'm Backing Britain'' was a brief patriotic campaign, which flourished in early 1968 and was aimed at boosting the British economy. The campaign started spontaneously when five Surbiton secretaries volunteered to work an extra half-hour each d ...
" campaign. The prologue opening was a condition imposed after initial concerns from Paul Fox, the BBC1 controller, that it belittled the efforts of the Home Guard. After Mainwaring relates how he had backed Britain in 1940, the episode proper begins; ''Dad's Army'' is thus told in flashback, although the final episode does not return to 1968. Later episodes are largely self-contained, albeit referring to previous events and with additional character development. As the comedy in many ways relies on the platoon's lack of participation in the Second World War, opposition to their activities has to come from another quarter and this is generally provided by
Air Raid Precautions Air Raid Precautions (ARP) refers to a number of organisations and guidelines in the United Kingdom dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air raids. Government consideration for air raid precautions increased in the 1920s an ...
(ARP) Warden Hodges, and sometimes by the verger of the local church (St Aldhelm's) or by Captain Square and the neighbouring Eastgate Home Guard platoon. The group does have some encounters related to the enemy, such as downed
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
planes, a
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...
pilot who parachutes into the town's clock tower, a
U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...
crew and discarded parachutes that may have been German; a Viennese ornithologist appears in " Man Hunt" and an IRA suspect appears in " Absent Friends". The humour ranges from the subtle (especially the
class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differently ...
-reversed relationship between grammar school-educated Mainwaring, the local bank manager, and public school-educated Wilson, his deputy at the bank) to the
slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such ...
(the antics of the elderly Jones being a prime example). Jones had several catchphrases, including "Don't panic!" (while panicking himself), "They don't like it up 'em", "Permission to speak, sir?" and talk about the " Fuzzy-Wuzzies". Mainwaring says "You stupid boy" to Pike in many episodes. Other cast members used catch phrases including Sergeant Wilson who regularly asked ‘Do you think that’s wise, sir?’ when Captain Mainwaring made a suggestion. The early series occasionally include darker humour, reflecting that, especially early in the war, the Home Guard was woefully under-equipped but was still willing to resist the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
. For instance, in the episode "
The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage "The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage" is an episode in the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Saturday 8 March 1969. Synopsis The church bells are to be removed to provide metal for the war effort, so the vicar h ...
", the platoon believes the enemy has invaded Britain. Mainwaring, Godfrey, Frazer and Jones (along with Godfrey's sisters, who are completely unaware of the invasion) decide to stay at the cottage to delay the German advance, buying the regular army time to arrive with reinforcements; "It'll probably be the end of us, but we're ready for that, aren't we, men?", says Mainwaring. "Of course", replies Frazer.


Characters


Main characters

*
Captain George Mainwaring Captain George Mainwaring () is a fictional Home Guard captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In the 2016 movie he is played by Toby Jones and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is p ...
() (
Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 36 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom '' D ...
), the pompous, if essentially brave and unerringly patriotic local bank manager, Mainwaring appointed himself leader of his town's contingent of Local Defence Volunteers. He had been a
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
in the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, but is embarrassed by the fact that he never saw combat, being sent to France only in 1919 after the
Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the ...
and then part of the Army of Occupation in Germany. The character, along with Wilson and Pike, also appeared in the pilot episode of the radio series It Sticks Out Half a Mile. Due to the death of Arthur Lowe, the first episode of the full series of the radio comedy was remade with the character of Hodges replacing Mainwaring. *
Sergeant Arthur Wilson Sergeant Arthur Wilson is a fictional Home Guard platoon sergeant and bank chief clerk, first portrayed by John Le Mesurier in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. Background Wilson was born in 1887, and is carefree, cheerful and well-s ...
(
John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation c ...
), a diffident, upper-middle-class chief
bank clerk ''The Bank Clerk'' is a 1919 American short comedy film directed by and starring Fatty Arbuckle. The film is considered to be lost. Cast * Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle * Molly Malone See also * List of American films of 1919 * Fatty Arbuckle film ...
who would quietly question Mainwaring's judgement ("Do you think that's wise, sir?"). Wilson had actually served as a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
during the First World War, but he only reveals this in the final episode. He does not live with the Pike family but is implied to be in a relationship with the widowed Mrs Pike. This hinted relationship would also be mentioned in the later radio series It Sticks Out Half a Mile, set after the end of the war. * Lance Corporal Jack Jones (
Clive Dunn Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn (9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom ' ...
), the local butcher, born in 1870. Jones was an old campaigner who enlisted as a drummer boy at the age of 14 and participated, as a boy soldier, in the
Gordon Relief Expedition The Nile Expedition, sometimes called the Gordon Relief Expedition (1884–85), was a British mission to relieve Major-General Charles George Gordon at Khartoum, Sudan. Gordon had been sent to the Sudan to help Egyptians evacuate from Sudan ...
of 1884–85 and, as an adult, in Kitchener's campaign in the
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
in 1896–98. Jones also served during the Boer War and the Great War. He often suffers from the effects of malaria caught during one of his campaigns, and has to be calmed during his "shudders". Often seen as fastidious and a worrier, he has a number of catchphrases, including "They don't like it up em!" and "don't panic, don't panic!", which he says when panicking. Dunn was considerably younger than his character, being only 48 at the start of filming. This meant he often performed the physical comedy of the show, which some of the older cast members were no longer capable of. * Private James Frazer ( John Laurie), a dour Scottish former
Chief Petty Officer A chief petty officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards. Canada "Chief petty officer" refers to two ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy. A chief petty officer 2nd class (CPO2) (''premier maître de deuxiè ...
on HMS ''Defiant'' in the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...
. He served at the
Battle of Jutland The Battle of Jutland (german: Skagerrakschlacht, the Battle of the Skagerrak) was a naval battle fought between Britain's Royal Navy Grand Fleet, under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet, under Vice ...
as a ship's cook and also has a
medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
for having served on Shackleton's Antarctic expedition. He grew up on the Isle of Barra. In episode one, he states that he owns a philately shop, but subsequently his profession is changed to an undertaker. His catchphrase was "We're doomed. Doomed!" *
Private Joe Walker Private Joe Walker is a fictional black market spiv (or Wholesales Supplier, as he politely puts it) and Home Guard platoon member, first portrayed by actor James Beck in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In real life, Beck died suddenly ...
( James Beck), a
black market A black market, underground economy, or shadow economy is a clandestine market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality or is characterized by noncompliance with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the ...
spiv In the United Kingdom, the word spiv is slang for a type of petty criminal who deals in illicit, typically black market, goods. The word was particularly used during the Second World War and in the post-war period when many goods were rationed du ...
, Walker was one of only two able-bodied men of military age among the main characters (the other one being Private Pike). In the first episode, Walker claimed he was not called up to the regular army because he was in a
reserved occupation A reserved occupation (also known as essential services) is an occupation considered important enough to a country that those serving in such occupations are exempt or forbidden from military service. In a total war, such as the Second World War, w ...
as a wholesale supplier. In one of the missing episodes, it was revealed that he was not called up because of an allergy to
corned beef Corned beef, or salt beef in some of the Commonwealth of Nations, is salt-cured brisket of beef. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large-grained rock salt, also called "corns" of salt. Sometimes, sugar and spices are added ...
. Walker was written out of the series following James Beck's death in 1973. *
Private Charles Godfrey Private Charles Godfrey MM is a fictional Home Guard platoon member, first portrayed by Arnold Ridley in the BBC television sitcom '' Dad's Army''. and in the 1971 ''Dad's Army'' film. He is retired and was previously a tailor for the Civil ...
( Arnold Ridley), a retired shop assistant who had worked at the Army & Navy Store in London. He lives in Walmington with his elderly sisters and serves as the platoon's medical orderly. He has a weak bladder and often needs to "be excused". A
conscientious objector A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to objec ...
during the First World War, he was nevertheless awarded the Military Medal for heroic actions as a combat
medic A medic is a person involved in medicine such as a medical doctor, medical student, paramedic or an emergency medical responder. Among physicians in the UK, the term "medic" indicates someone who has followed a "medical" career path in postgra ...
during the Battle of the Somme. He also demonstrated bravery during his Home Guard service particularly during the " Branded" episode where Mainwaring, unconscious in a smoke-filled room, is rescued by Godfrey. *
Private Frank Pike Private Frank Pike is a fictional Home Guard private and junior bank clerk, first portrayed by actor Ian Lavender in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. He was appointed as the platoon's information officer by Captain Mainwaring in The ...
(
Ian Lavender Arthur Ian Lavender (born 16 February 1946) is an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in the BBC sitcom '' Dad's Army'', and is the last surviving major cast member of the series following t ...
), the youngest of the platoon, a cosseted, somewhat immature mother's boy, often wearing a thick scarf over his uniform to prevent illness and a frequent target for Mainwaring's derision ("You stupid boy!"). Pike is not called up to the regular army due to his rare blood group (in series 8 he is excused for this reason). He works for Mainwaring in his day job as an assistant bank clerk. He frequently addresses Sergeant Wilson as "Uncle Arthur". (On the last day of filming, David Croft confirmed to Lavender that Wilson was Pike's father.) Pike would later appear in the radio series '' It Sticks Out Half a Mile''.


Supporting characters

* ARP Chief Warden William Hodges ( Bill Pertwee), the platoon's major rival and nemesis. He calls Mainwaring "Napoleon". Mainwaring looks down on him as the local
greengrocer A greengrocer is a person who owns or operates a shop selling primarily fruit and vegetables. The term may also be used to refer to a shop selling primarily produce. It is used predominantly in the United Kingdom and Australia. In the Uni ...
and dislikes that Hodges saw active service in the Great War. As an Air Raid Precautions (ARP) warden, he is always demanding that people " put that light out". To the home guard he often calls "You ruddy hooligans!" The character of Hodges would later appear in the radio series It Sticks Out Half a Mile, although not in the pilot episode. * Reverend Timothy Farthing ( Frank Williams), the effete, petulant
vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pre ...
of St Aldhelm's Church. He reluctantly shares his church hall and office with the platoon. * Maurice Yeatman ( Edward Sinclair), the verger at St Aldhelm's Church and
Scoutmaster A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit. Roles There are many different roles a leader can fulfill depending on t ...
of the local Sea Scout troop. He is often hostile to the platoon while frequently sycophantic towards the vicar, who often struggles to tolerate him. * Mrs Mavis Pike ( Janet Davies), Pike's overbearing widowed mother, who is often implied to be in a relationship with Sergeant Wilson. * Mrs Fox (
Pamela Cundell Pamela Isabel Cundell (15 January 1920 – 14 February 2015) was an English character actress. She played Mrs Fox in the long-running TV comedy '' Dad's Army''. She was a descendant of Henry Condell, one of the managers of the Lord Chamberla ...
), a glamorous widow. There is a mutual attraction with Corporal Jones and the couple marry in the last episode. Illicit little "extras" are passed across the counter on her regular visits to Jones's butchers shop and she helps the platoon with official functions. In the episode "
Mum's Army "Mum's Army" is the ninth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Friday 20 November 1970. Synopsis Mainwaring's plans to involve the women of Walmington in the platoon become ra ...
", she gives her Christian name as Marcia, but by the final episode she is addressed as Mildred. * Private Sponge ( Colin Bean), a sheep farmer. He led the members of the platoon's second section (the first section being led by Corporal Jones) and thus had only occasional speaking parts, although his character became more prominent in later series. He appeared in 76 of the 80 episodes. * Mr Claude Gordon (
Eric Longworth Eric Longworth (20 July 1918 – 20 August 2008) was an English actor, best known for his semi-regular role in the BBC comedy ''Dad's Army'' as Mr. Gordon, the town clerk of Walmington-on-Sea. Eric Groves Longworth was born in Shaw and Crompt ...
), the Walmington
town clerk A clerk is a senior official of many municipal governments in the English-speaking world. In some communities, including most in the United States, the position is elected, but in many others, the clerk is appointed to their post. In the UK, a Tow ...
often involved when the platoon are taking part in local parades and displays. Although generally civil with Captain Mainwaring and his men, he is an officious and somewhat pompous individual, and Hodges tends to use him to try and interfere with the platoon's activities. * Private Cheeseman (
Talfryn Thomas John Talfryn Thomas (31 October 1922 – 4 November 1982) was a Welsh character actor, best known for supporting roles on television in the 1970s, including those of Private Cheeseman in ''Dad's Army'' (1973–1974) and Tom Price in '' ...
), a Welshman who works for the town newspaper. He joined the Walmington-on-Sea platoon during the seventh series after the sudden death of James Beck, who played Private Walker. * Captain Square ( Geoffrey Lumsden), the pompous commanding officer of the rival Eastgate Platoon, and a former soldier who served with
Lawrence of Arabia Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–1918 ...
during the Great War. He is frequently at loggerheads with Mainwaring (whose name he persists in mispronouncing as spelt, "Main-wearing", instead of the correct "Mannering") and has the catchphrase, "You blithering idiot!" * Mrs Yeatman ( Olive Mercer), the somewhat tyrannical wife of Maurice Yeatman, the verger. Over the course of the series, her first name is given as either Beryl, Anthea or Tracey. * Mr Sidney Bluett ( Harold Bennett), an elderly local man who is occasionally involved with the antics of both the platoon and Hodges. He and Mrs Yeatman are implied to be having an affair. * Miss Janet King (
Caroline Dowdeswell Caroline Dowdeswell (born 7 March 1945, Oldham, Lancashire) is a former English television actress. Career She attended theatre school from age 12 and joined the Bromley Rep at 17. Dowdeswell first appeared on television in 1961, and her first ...
), a clerk at Swallow Bank who works with Mainwaring, Wilson and Pike in the first series. * Edith Parish ( Wendy Richard) also called Shirley, a cinema
usherette An usher is a person who welcomes and shows people where to sit, especially at a church, theatre or when attending a wedding. History The word comes from the Latin ''ostiarius'' ("porter", "doorman") through Norman French, and is a cognate of ...
and girlfriend of Private Walker. * Dolly ( Amy Dalby and Joan Cooper) and Cissy Godfrey ( Nan Braunton and
Kathleen Saintsbury Kathleen Saintsbury (4 July 1899 – 1995) was a British actress from the 1920s to the 1970s but who is best known today for playing Cissy Godfrey in the BBC comedy '' Dad's Army''. Early life Saintsbury was born in London in 1899, the younge ...
), Private Godfrey's spinster sisters, who reside with him at their cottage. * Elizabeth Mainwaring (
Unseen character An unseen character in theatre, comics, film, or television, or silent character in radio or literature, is a character that is mentioned but not directly known to the audience, but who advances the action of the plot in a significant way, and w ...
), Mainwaring's reclusive, paranoid and domineering wife who is never seen on-screen. Her marriage with Mainwaring is not a happy one and Mainwaring does his best to avoid her at any opportunity. They have no children. Other actors who appeared in small roles include Timothy Carlton, Don Estelle, Nigel Hawthorne, Geoffrey Hughes, Michael Knowles,
John Ringham John Henry Ringham (10 February 1928 – 20 October 2008) was a British actor who appeared on both television and stage. Among his roles was that of Norman Warrender in the 1980s sitcom '' Just Good Friends''. Early life Ringham was born in Ch ...
, Fulton Mackay,
Anthony Sagar Anthony Sagar (19 June 1920 – 24 January 1973) was an English character actor and a member of the National Theatre. He was prolific screen performer and appeared in many films (including seven of the ''Carry On'' series) and television series ...
,
Anthony Sharp Dennis Anthony John Sharp (16 June 1915 – 23 July 1984) was an English actor, writer and director. Stage career Anthony Sharp was a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and made his stage debut in February 1938 ...
,
Carmen Silvera Carmen Blanche Silvera (2 June 1922 – 3 August 2002) was a British comic actress. Born in Canada of Spanish descent, she moved to Coventry, England, with her family when she was a child. She appeared on television regularly in the 1960s, and ...
and
Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera, ''EastEnders''.
.
Larry Martyn Lawrence Martyn (22 March 1934 – 7 August 1994) was a British film and television actor known for his comedy performances. Martyn was born in London and was a member of the Parachute Regiment. He was famous as store maintenance man "Mr ...
appeared as an unnamed private in four episodes, and later took over the part of Walker in the radio series following the death of James Beck. The former
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
er Fred Trueman appeared in " The Test".


Opening and closing credits

The show's opening titles were originally intended to feature footage of refugees and Nazi troops, to illustrate the threat faced by the Home Guard. Despite opposition from the BBC's Head of Comedy Michael Mills, Paul Fox, the controller of
BBC 1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
, ordered that these be removed on the grounds that they were offensive. The replacement titles featured the animated sequence of
swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. I ...
-headed arrows approaching Britain. The opening titles were updated twice; firstly in series 3, adding colour and improved animation and then again in series 6, which made some minor modifications to the animation. There were two different versions of the closing credits for the show. The first version, used in series 1 and 2, simply showed footage of the main cast superimposed over a still photograph, with the crew credits rolling over a black background. The better known closing credits, introduced in series 3, were a homage to the end credits of the film '' The Way Ahead'' (1944) which had covered the training of a platoon during the war. In both instances, each character is shown as they walk across a smoke-filled battlefield. One of the actors in ''Dad's Army'', John Laurie, also appeared in that film and his performance in the end credits of ''The Way Ahead'' appears to be copied in the sitcom. Coincidentally, the film's lead character (played by
David Niven James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...
) is named Lieutenant Jim Perry.


Music

The show's theme tune, " Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?" was Jimmy Perry's idea, intended as a gentle
pastiche A pastiche is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking i ...
of wartime songs. The other songs were authentic 1940s music recordings. Perry wrote the lyrics and composed the music with Derek Taverner. Perry persuaded one of his childhood idols, wartime entertainer
Bud Flanagan Bud Flanagan, (born Chaim Reuben Weintrop, 14 October 1896 – 20 October 1968) was a British music hall and vaudeville entertainer and comedian, and later a television and film actor. He was best known as a double act with Chesney Allen. Fla ...
, to sing the theme for 100 
guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...
(). Flanagan died less than a year after the recording. At the time it was widely believed to be a wartime song. The music over the opening credits was recorded at Riverside Studios, Flanagan being accompanied by the Orchestra of the Band of the
Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...
. The version played over the opening credits differs slightly from the full version recorded by Flanagan; an edit removes, for timing reasons, two lines of lyric with the "middle eight" tune: "So watch out Mr Hitler, you have met your match in us/If you think you can crush us, we're afraid you've missed the bus." (The latter lyric is a reference to a speech by
Neville Chamberlain Arthur Neville Chamberlain (; 18 March 18699 November 1940) was a British politician of the Conservative Party who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. He is best known for his foreign policy of appeaseme ...
.) Bud Flanagan's full version appears as an Easter egg on the first series DVD release and on the authorised soundtrack CD issued by CD41. Arthur Lowe also recorded a full version of the theme. The closing credits feature an instrumental
march March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March ...
version of the song played by the Band of the Coldstream Guards conducted by Captain (later Lieutenant Colonel) Trevor L. Sharpe, ending with the air-raid warning siren sounding all-clear. It is accompanied by a style of credits that became a trademark of David Croft: the caption "You have been watching", followed by vignettes of the main cast. The series also contains genuine wartime and period songs between scenes, usually brief quotations that have some reference to the theme of the episode or the scene. Many appear on the CD soundtrack issued by CD41, being the same versions used in the series.


TV episodes

The television programme lasted nine series and was broadcast over nine years, with 80 episodes in total, including three Christmas specials and an hour-long special. At its peak, the programme regularly gained audiences of 18.5 million. There were also four short specials broadcast as part of ''
Christmas Night with the Stars ''Christmas Night with the Stars'' is a television show broadcast each Christmas night by the BBC from 1958 to 1972 (with the exception of 1961, 1965 and 1966). The show was hosted each year by a leading star of BBC TV and featured specially made s ...
'' in 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1972; one of which was also restaged as part of the Royal Variety Performance 1975.


Missing episodes

The first two series were recorded and screened in black and white, while series 3 to 9 were recorded and screened in colour. Even so, one episode in series 3, '' Room at the Bottom'', formerly only survived in black and white and remains on the official DVDs in this form. This episode has benefited from
colour recovery Colour recovery (or colour restoration) is a process which can restore lost colour to television programmes which were originally transmitted from the colour video tape which the original master was recorded on during final production prior broadc ...
technology, using a buried colour signal (chroma dots) in the black-and-white telerecording to restore the episode back to colour and was transmitted on 13 December 2008 on BBC Two. ''Dad's Army'' was less affected than most from the
wiping Lost television broadcasts are mostly those early television programs which cannot be accounted for in studio archives (or in personal archives) usually because of deliberate destruction or neglect. Common reasons for loss A significant prop ...
of
videotape Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog or digital signal. Videotape is used in both video tape recorders (VTRs) and, more commonly, videoca ...
, but three second-series episodes remain missing: episode 9 "
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Walker" is a missing episode in the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 15 March 1969. One of the three missing ''Dad's Army'' episodes, only a few short clips and screensh ...
", episode 11 "
A Stripe for Frazer "A Stripe for Frazer" is a missing episode of the British television comedy series '' Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 29 March 1969. Of the three missing ''Dad's Army'' episodes (all from the second series) it is the only one to ...
" and episode 12 "Under Fire". (All three missing episodes were among those remade for BBC Radio with most of the original cast, adapted from the original TV scripts. Audio recordings of all three were included as bonus features on ''The Complete Series DVD collection''.) Two further series 2 episodes were thought lost until 2001. Two of the three missing episodes have since been performed as part of the latest stage show. In 2008, soundtracks of the missing episode "A Stripe for Frazer" and the 1968 Christmas Special "Present Arms" were recovered. The soundtrack of "A Stripe for Frazer" has been mixed with animation to replace the missing images. The Audio soundtrack for the 1970 Christmas Special "Cornish Floral Dance" has also been recovered.


''Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes'' (2019)

In 2018,
UKTV UKTV Media Limited, simply known as UKTV, is a British multi-channel broadcaster, which, since 2019, has been wholly owned by BBC Studios (formerly BBC Worldwide), a commercial subsidiary of the BBC. It was formed on 1 November 1992 throug ...
announced plans to recreate the three missing episodes for broadcast on its
Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...
channel. Mercury Productions, the company responsible for ''Saluting Dad's Army'', Gold's 50th anniversary tribute series, produced the episodes, which were directed by Ben Kellett. The recreations were broadcast in August 2019, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of their original broadcast by the BBC. Kevin McNally and Robert Bathurst were the initial casting announcements as Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson, with Bernard Cribbins portraying Private Godfrey. The full cast was announced in January 2019, with McNally, Bathurst and Cribbins joined by
Kevin Eldon Kevin Eldon (born 2 October 1959) is an English actor and comedian. He featured in British comedy television shows of the 1990s including ''Fist of Fun'', ''This Morning with Richard Not Judy'', '' Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge'' ...
,
Mathew Horne Mathew Frazer Horne (born 6 September 1978) is an English actor, comedian, television presenter and narrator. He is best known for appearing on several BBC sketch shows and sitcoms, most notably ''Gavin & Stacey'' (as Gavin Shipman), ''The Ca ...
, David Hayman and Tom Rosenthal. However, Bernard Cribbins subsequently withdrew from the project, and was replaced as Godfrey by
Timothy West Timothy Lancaster West, CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English actor and presenter. He has appeared frequently on both stage and television, including stints in both ''Coronation Street'' (as Eric Babbage) and ''EastEnders'' (as Stan Carte ...
.


Cast

* Kevin McNally – Captain Mainwaring * Robert Bathurst – Sergeant Wilson *
Kevin Eldon Kevin Eldon (born 2 October 1959) is an English actor and comedian. He featured in British comedy television shows of the 1990s including ''Fist of Fun'', ''This Morning with Richard Not Judy'', '' Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge'' ...
– Lance Corporal Jones * David Hayman – Private Frazer *
Mathew Horne Mathew Frazer Horne (born 6 September 1978) is an English actor, comedian, television presenter and narrator. He is best known for appearing on several BBC sketch shows and sitcoms, most notably ''Gavin & Stacey'' (as Gavin Shipman), ''The Ca ...
– Private Walker *
Timothy West Timothy Lancaster West, CBE (born 20 October 1934) is an English actor and presenter. He has appeared frequently on both stage and television, including stints in both ''Coronation Street'' (as Eric Babbage) and ''EastEnders'' (as Stan Carte ...
– Private Godfrey * Tom Rosenthal – Private Pike * Tracy-Ann Oberman as Mrs Pike * Simon Ludders as ARP Warden Hodges *
David Horovitch David Horovitch (born 11 August 1945) is an English actor, perhaps best known for playing the character of Inspector Slack in ''Miss Marple''. He stars in the '' Game of Thrones'' prequel series ''House of the Dragon'' as Grand Maester Mellos. ...
as Corporal-Colonel Square * John Biggins as the Verger, who only appeared in one of the three episodes


Films


1971 film

In common with many British sitcoms of that era, ''Dad's Army'' was spun-off as a feature film which was released in 1971. Backers
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
imposed arbitrary changes, such as recasting Liz Fraser as Mavis Pike and filming locations in Chalfont St Giles,
Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-e ...
, rather than
Thetford Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just east of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , in 2015 had a population of 24, ...
in
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...
, which made the cast unhappy. The director,
Norman Cohen Norman Cohen (11 June 1936 in Dublin – 26 October 1983 in Van Nuys, California) was an Irish film director and producer, best known for directing two feature films based on television comedy programmes, ''Till Death Us Do Part'' (1969) and ...
, whose idea it was to make the film, was nearly sacked by the studio. Jimmy Perry and David Croft wrote the original screenplay. This was expanded by Cohen to try to make it more cinematic; Columbia executives made more changes to plot and pacing. As finally realised, two-thirds of the film consists of the creation of the platoon; this was the contribution of Perry and Croft, and differs in a number of ways from the formation of the platoon as seen in the first series of the television version. The final third shows the platoon in action, rescuing hostages from the church hall where they had been held captive by the crewmen of a downed German aircraft. Neither the cast nor Perry and Croft were happy with the result. Perry argued for changes to try to reproduce the style of the television series, but with mixed results. Filming took place from 10 August to 25 September 1970 at
Shepperton Studios Shepperton Studios is a film studio located in Shepperton, Surrey, England, with a history dating back to 1931. It is now part of the Pinewood Studios Group. During its early existence, the studio was branded as Sound City (not to be confused ...
and on location. After shooting the film, the cast returned to working on the fourth television series. The film's UK première was on 12 March 1971 at the Columbia Theatre, London. Critical reviews were mixed, but it performed well at the UK box-office. Discussions were held about a possible sequel, to be called ''Dad's Army and the Secret U-Boat Base'', but the project never came to fruition.


2016 film

A second film, written by
Hamish McColl Hamish McColl (born 28 January 1962) is a British comedian, writer and actor. He trained at the École Philippe Gaulier, Paris and the University of Cambridge. With Sean Foley, he formed the double act '' The Right Size'' in 1988, creating co ...
and directed by Oliver Parker, was released in 2016. The cast included
Toby Jones Tobias Edward Heslewood Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 7 September 1966) is an English actor. Jones made his film debut in Sally Potter's period drama '' Orlando'' in 1992. H ...
as Captain Mainwaring,
Bill Nighy William Francis Nighy (; born 12 December 1949) is an English actor. Nighy started his career with the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool and made his London debut with the Royal National Theatre starting with '' The Illuminatus!'' in 1977. There he ...
as Sergeant Wilson,
Tom Courtenay Sir Thomas Daniel Courtenay (; born 25 February 1937) is an English actor. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Courtenay achieved prominence in the 1960s with a series of acclaimed film roles, including ''The Loneliness of t ...
as Lance Corporal Jones,
Michael Gambon Sir Michael John Gambon (; born 19 October 1940) is an Irish-English actor. Regarded as one of Ireland and Britain's most distinguished actors, he is known for his work on stage and screen. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivi ...
as Private Godfrey,
Blake Harrison Blake Harrison is an English actor, comedian and dancer. He is best known for playing Neil Sutherland in the BAFTA-winning E4 comedy ''The Inbetweeners'' and more recently as 'Medium' Dan, in the ITV sitcom Kate & Koji since 2020. Career H ...
as Private Pike, Daniel Mays as Private Walker and Bill Paterson as Private Frazer.
Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Known for her versatility, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed ...
, Sarah Lancashire and
Mark Gatiss Mark Gatiss (; born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist. His work includes writing for and acting in the television series '' Doctor Who'', '' Sherlock'', and '' Dracula''. Together with ...
also featured. The film was primarily shot on location in Yorkshire. Filming took place on the beach at North Landing,
Flamborough Head Flamborough Head () is a promontory, long on the Yorkshire coast of England, between the Filey and Bridlington bays of the North Sea. It is a chalk headland, with sheer white cliffs. The cliff top has two standing lighthouse towers, the ol ...
, Yorkshire and at nearby
Bridlington Bridlington is a coastal town and a civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is about north of Hull and east of York. The Gypsey Race enters the North Sea at its harbour. The 2011 ...
. It opened in February 2016 to mainly negative reviews.


Stage show

In 1975, ''Dad's Army'' transferred to the stage as a revue, with songs, familiar scenes from the show and individual "turns" for cast members. It was created by Roger Redfarn, who shared the same agent as the series' writers. Most of the principal cast transferred with it, with the exception of John Laurie, who was replaced by Hamish Roughead. Following James Beck's death two years earlier, Walker was played by
John Bardon John Bardon (born John Michael Jones, 25 August 1939 – 12 September 2014) was an English stage and screen actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1988 (1987 season) for '' Kiss Me, Kate'', sharing the aw ...
. ''Dad's Army: A Nostalgic Music and Laughter Show of Britain's Finest Hour'' opened at
Billingham Billingham is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England. The town is on the north side of the River Tees and is governed by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. The settlement had previously formed i ...
in
Teesside Teesside () is a built-up area around the River Tees in the north of England, split between County Durham and North Yorkshire. The name was initially used as a county borough in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Historically a hub for heavy manu ...
on 4 September 1975 for a two-week tryout. After cuts and revisions, the show transferred to London's West End and opened at the
Shaftesbury Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. Opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, it was the last theatre to be built in Shaftesbury Avenue. History The theatre was ...
on 2 October 1975. On the opening night there was a surprise appearance by
Chesney Allen William Ernest Chesney Allen (5 April 1894 – 13 November 1982) was a popular English entertainer of the Second World War period. He is best remembered for his double act with Bud Flanagan, Flanagan and Allen. Life and career Allen was b ...
, singing the old
Flanagan and Allen Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act most active during the 1930s and 1940s. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 – 1968, born Chaim Weintrop) and Chesney Allen (1894–1982). They were first paired in a Florrie Ford ...
song ''Hometown'' with Arthur Lowe. The show ran in the West End until 21 February 1976, disrupted twice by bomb scares and then toured the country until 4 September 1976. Clive Dunn was replaced for half the tour by Jack Haig (David Croft's original first choice for the role of Corporal Jones on television). Jeffrey Holland, who went on to star in several later Croft sitcoms, also had a number of roles in the production. The stage show, billed as ''Dad's Army—The Musical'', was staged in Australia and toured New Zealand in 2004–2005, starring Jon English. Several sections of this stage show were filmed and have subsequently been included as extras on the final ''Dad's Army'' DVD. In April 2007, a new stage show was announced with cast members including
Leslie Grantham Leslie Michael Grantham (30 April 1947 – 15 June 2018) was an English actor, best known for his role as "Dirty" Den Watts in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders''. He was a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a West ...
as Private Walker and ''
Emmerdale ''Emmerdale'' (known as ''Emmerdale Farm'' until 1989) is a British soap opera that is broadcast on ITV1. The show is set in Emmerdale (known as Beckindale until 1994), a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, ...
'' actor Peter Martin as Captain Mainwaring. The production contained the episodes "
A Stripe for Frazer "A Stripe for Frazer" is a missing episode of the British television comedy series '' Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 29 March 1969. Of the three missing ''Dad's Army'' episodes (all from the second series) it is the only one to ...
", "
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Walker" is a missing episode in the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 15 March 1969. One of the three missing ''Dad's Army'' episodes, only a few short clips and screensh ...
", " Room at the Bottom" and "
The Deadly Attachment "The Deadly Attachment" is the first episode of the sixth series of the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Wednesday 31 October 1973. It has become one of the best known episodes of the series due to the ra ...
". In August 2017, a new two-man stage show titled, ''Dad's Army Radio Hour'', opened at the
Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...
It starred David Benson and Jack Lane. Between them, the pair voiced the entire cast of ''Dad's Army'', including incidental characters. The episodes adapted from the original radio scripts were "
The Deadly Attachment "The Deadly Attachment" is the first episode of the sixth series of the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Wednesday 31 October 1973. It has become one of the best known episodes of the series due to the ra ...
", " The Day the Balloon Went Up", " Brain Versus Brawn", " My British Buddy", "
Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel "Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel" is the twelfth episode of the fifth series of the British comedy series '' Dad's Army'' that was originally transmitted on 22 December 1972. Synopsis Operation Catherine Wheel has been set up in order ...
" and "
Mum's Army "Mum's Army" is the ninth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Friday 20 November 1970. Synopsis Mainwaring's plans to involve the women of Walmington in the platoon become ra ...
". The production featured three episodes not adapted for the radio series "
When You've Got to Go "When You've Got to Go" is the second episode of the eighth series of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was first transmitted on Friday 12 September 1975. Plot Wilson and Mrs Pike are having tea waiting for Frank to come home from h ...
", " My Brother and I" and "
Never Too Old "Never Too Old" is the last episode of the ninth and final series of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Sunday 13 November 1977, the same day of the Remembrance Sunday 1977 Commemorations. Synopsis A we ...
". The show was well received by critics and the David Croft estate for its respectful and uncanny performances. In 2019, the production changed its name to ''Dad's Army Radio Show'' and continued to tour nationally throughout the UK until the end of 2021.


Radio series

The majority of the TV scripts were adapted for
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...
with the original cast, although other actors played Walker after James Beck's death (which took place soon after recording and before transmission of the first radio series).
Harold Snoad Harold Edward Snoad (born 28 August 1935) is a British television producer, writer and director. He is best known for the television sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'', starring Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift. He is also well known for having d ...
and Michael Knowles were responsible for the adaptation, while wartime BBC announcer John Snagge set the scene for each episode. Different actors were used for some of the minor parts: for example
Mollie Sugden Mary Isobel Sugden (21 July 19221 July 2009), known professionally as Mollie Sugden was an English actress. She was best known for being an original cast member in the British sitcom '' Are You Being Served?'' (1972–1985) as senior saleswoman ...
played the role of
Mrs Fox ''Dad's Army'' is a British television sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, and originally broadcast on BBC1 from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran fo ...
, and Pearl Hackney played Mrs Pike. The first episode was based on the revised version of events seen in the opening of the film version, rather than on the TV pilot. The entire radio series has been released on CD. Knowles and Snoad developed a radio series, '' It Sticks Out Half a Mile'', which recounted what happened to some of the ''Dad's Army'' characters after the war. It was originally intended to star Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier, reprising their ''Dad's Army'' roles, but Lowe died after recording the pilot episode in 1981, so Bill Pertwee and Ian Lavender were brought in to replace him. Ironically, if Arthur Lowe had lived the series might never have been made, as the illness from which he suffered towards the end of his career badly affected his voice, which led to an initial decision not to commission it. In the event the revised cast recorded a 13-episode series. John Le Mesurier died in November 1983, making another series impossible. The last radio recording of ''Dad's Army'' occurred in 1995, when Jimmy Perry wrote a radio sketch entitled ''The Boy Who Saved England'' for the "Full Steam A-Hudd" evening broadcast on Radio 2, transmitted on 3 June 1995 on the occasion of the closure of the BBC's Paris studios in Lower Regent Street. It featured Ian Lavender as Pike, Bill Pertwee as Hodges, Frank Williams as the Vicar and Jimmy Perry as General Haverlock-Seabag.


Other appearances

Lowe, Le Mesurier, Laurie, Beck, Ridley and Lavender (wearing Pike's signature scarf) appeared as guests in a 1971 edition of '' The Morecambe & Wise Show'' on
BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream a ...
in the ''Monty on the Bonty'' sketch, with Lowe as
Captain Bligh Vice-Admiral William Bligh (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. The mutiny on the HMS ''Bounty'' occurred in 1789 when the ship was under his command; after being set adrift i ...
and the others as crewmen on HMS ''Bounty''. The cast appeared in a 1974
public information film Public information films (PIFs) are a series of government-commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the United Kingdom. The name is sometimes also applied, ''faute de mieux'', to similar films from other countries, ...
, in character but set in the modern day, showing how to cross the road safely at Pelican crossings. Lowe, Le Mesurier, Dunn, Lavender and Pertwee, and Jones's van, appeared in character at the finish of the 1974 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. Lowe, Le Mesurier and Laurie again made a cameo appearance as their ''Dad's Army'' characters in the 1977 ''Morecambe and Wise'' Christmas Special. As
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
is following incomprehensible instructions to find the BBC studios, he encounters them in a steam room. On leaving, Mainwaring calls him a "stupid boy". A pilot episode for an American remake called '' The Rear Guard'' was produced by ABC and broadcast on 10 August 1976, based on the episode "
The Deadly Attachment "The Deadly Attachment" is the first episode of the sixth series of the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Wednesday 31 October 1973. It has become one of the best known episodes of the series due to the ra ...
". However, it failed to make it past the pilot stage. Lowe and Le Mesurier made a final appearance in ''Dad's Army'' garb for a 1982 television commercial advertising Wispa chocolate bars.
Clive Dunn Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn (9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom ' ...
made occasional appearances as Lance Corporal Jones at 1940s themed events in the 1980s and 1990s and on television on the BBC Saturday night entertainment show '' Noel's House Party'' on 27 November 1993. Arthur Lowe twice appeared on the BBC children's programme ''
Blue Peter ''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC Te ...
''. The first time was with John Le Mesurier, in which the two appeared in costume and in character as Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson when walking around looking at and discussing a mural which schoolchildren had painted featuring the characters from the show at a Christmas party, among whom was Mainwaring's unseen wife Elizabeth – or rather, what the children thought she looked like (Mainwaring remarks "Good grief. What a remarkable likeness!"). Arthur Lowe made a second appearance as Captain Mainwaring on ''Blue Peter'' with the ''Dad's Army'' van which would appear in the forthcoming London-Brighton run and showed presenter John Noakes the vehicle's hidden anti-Nazi defences.


Awards

During its original television run, ''Dad's Army'' was nominated for multiple
British Academy Television Awards The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955. Background The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...
, although only won "Best Light Entertainment Production Team" in 1971. It was nominated as "Best Situation Comedy" in 1973, 1974 and 1975. Also, Arthur Lowe was frequently nominated for "Best Light Entertainment Performance" in 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1978. In 2000, the show was voted 13th in a
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
poll of industry professionals of the
100 Greatest British Television Programmes The BFI TV 100 is a list of 100 television programmes or series that was compiled in 2000 by the British Film Institute (BFI), as chosen by a poll of industry professionals, with the aim to determine the best United Kingdom, British television pr ...
. In 2004, championed by
Phill Jupitus Phillip Christopher Jupitus (, ''né'' Swan; born 25 June 1962) is an English stand-up and improv comedian, actor, performance poet, cartoonist and podcaster. Jupitus was a team captain on all but one BBC Two-broadcast episode of music quiz ...
, it came fourth in the BBC poll to find Britain's Best Sitcom with 174,138 votes.


Tributes

In June 2010, a statue of Captain Mainwaring was erected in the
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...
town of
Thetford Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just east of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , in 2015 had a population of 24, ...
where most of the exteriors for the TV series were filmed. The statue features Captain Mainwaring sitting to attention on a simple bench in Home Guard uniform, with his swagger stick across his knees. The statue is mounted at the end of a winding brick pathway with a
Union Flag The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...
patterned arrowhead to reflect the opening credits of the TV series and the sculpture has been designed so that members of the public can sit beside Captain Mainwaring and have their photograph taken. The statue was vandalised not long after the unveiling by a 10-year-old boy, who kicked it for 10 minutes and broke off the statue's glasses, throwing them into a nearby river. The statue has since been fixed. The British sitcom '' Goodnight Sweetheart'' paid tribute to ''Dad's Army'' in episode one of its second series in 1995, "Don't Get Around Much Any More". Here, lead character Gary Sparrow ( Nicholas Lyndhurst) – a time-traveller from the 1990s – goes into a bank in 1941 and meets a bank manager named Mainwaring and his chief clerk, Wilson, both of whom are in the Home Guard. When he hears the names Mainwaring and Wilson, Gary begins singing the ''Dad's Army'' theme song. A brief visual tribute to ''Dad's Army'' is made at the start of the episode "Rag Week" from Ben Elton's 1990s sitcom '' The Thin Blue Line.'' In June 2018 the
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issued a set of 8 stamps, featuring the main characters and their catchphrases, to mark the comedy's 50th anniversary. In 2020, Niles Schilder for the
Dad's Army Appreciation Society The Dad's Army Appreciation Society is an organisation dedicated to the British television show ''Dad's Army''. It is run by a small group of individuals and has over 1,700 members. History The society was founded in 1993 by Bill Pertwee (who pl ...
wrote four short scripts which followed how the characters from the series would have, in the author's opinion, dealt with the events of that year. Titles of the scripts included ''Dad’s Army Negotiates Brexit'' and ''An Unauthorised Gathering.''


Cultural influence

The characters of ''Dad's Army'' and their catchphrases are well known in the UK due to the popularity of the series when originally shown and the frequency of repeats. Jimmy Perry recalls that before writing the sitcom, the Home Guard was a largely forgotten aspect of Britain's defence in the Second World War, something which the series rectified. In a 1972 ''
Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves ...
'' interview, Arthur Lowe expressed surprise at the programme's success:
We expected the show to have limited appeal, to the age group that lived through the war and the Home Guard. We didn't expect what has happened – that children from the age of five upwards would enjoy it too.
By focusing on the comic aspects of the Home Guard in a cosy south coast setting, the TV series distorted the popular perception of the organisation. Its characters represented the older volunteers within the Home Guard but largely ignored the large numbers of teenagers and factory workers who also served. Accounts from Home Guard members and their regimental publications, inspired Norman Longmate's history ''The Real Dad's Army'' (1974).


Media releases

The BBC released two "Best of" DVD sets in October 2001 and September 2002, but it was not until September 2004 that the full series began to be released, with the first series and the surviving episodes of the second series being released first, along with the documentary ''Missing Presumed Wiped''. By November 2007, the entire series had been released on DVD, with the final edition featuring the specials "My Brother and I" and "The Battle of the Giants" along with various other appearances, including several "Christmas Night with the Stars" sketches and excerpts from the 1976 stage show. The DVDs also include short individual biographical documentaries about the characters and their actors called ''We Are the Boys''. The Columbia film adaptation is separately available; as this is not a BBC production, it is not included in the box set. In 1973 the series was adapted into a comic strip, drawn by Bill Titcombe, which was published in daily newspapers in the UK. These cartoon strips were subsequently collected together and published in book form, by Piccolo Books, in paperback. – Piccolo/Pan, London – 1973


See also

* ''Dad's Army'' Appreciation Society * ''Dad's Army'' Museum *
Bressingham Steam and Gardens Bressingham Steam & Gardens is a steam museum and gardens located at Bressingham (adjacent to a garden centre), west of Diss in Norfolk, England. The site has several narrow gauge rail lines and a number of types of steam engines and vehicles ...
*
Charles Burrell Museum The Charles Burrell Museum is a museum in Thetford in Norfolk, England, dedicated to steam power and steam transport. The museum opened in 1991 in the former Paint Shop of Charles Burrell & Sons, which is grade II listed, on Minstergate in Thetf ...
* Blitz and Pieces (another ''Dad's Army'' museum) * Jones's van * '' The Rear Guard'' (unsuccessful US adaptation)


References

;Notes ;Further reading * Croft, David; Perry, Jimmy; Webber, Richard (2003). ''Dad's Army: The Complete Scripts''. Orion. * Croft, David (2004). ''You Have Been Watching...: The Autobiography of David Croft''. BBC Consumer Publishing (Books). * Croft, David; Perry, Jimmy; Webber, Richard (2000). ''The Complete A-Z of Dad's Army''. Orion. * Longmate Norman (2010) ''The Real Dad's Army: The Story of the Home Guard.'' Amberley. * * McKenzie, Simon (1995). ''The Home Guard: A military and political history''. OUP. * Perry, Jimmy (2003). ''A Stupid Boy''. Arrow.


External links

;Guides
''Dad's Army'' at the former BBC Guide to Comedy (archive)
* * * *



;Miscellaneous


BBC Treasure Hunt site


* '' ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/dadsarmy/index.shtml Dad's Army' at the BBC Archive
''Dad's Army'' film locations in Norfolk

''Dad's Army'' TV and film locations in Norfolk

Dad's Army podcast

Bill Pertwee Interview – April 2010

Filming locations from ''Dad's Army''

Croft & Perry Podcast
{{Use dmy dates, date=May 2019 1968 British television series debuts 1977 British television series endings 1960s British sitcoms 1970s British sitcoms BBC Radio comedy programmes BBC television sitcoms British military television series David Croft sitcoms English-language television shows Television series about old age Television shows adapted into comics Television shows adapted into films Television shows adapted into plays Television shows adapted into radio programs Television series created by Jimmy Perry World War II television comedy series