Dad's Army (TV Series 1968–1977) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error During WW2, in a fictional British seaside town, a ragtag group of Home Guard local defense volunteers prepare for an imminent German invasion. Creator: After a surreal lecture on telling allied parachutists from German ones, the platoon is ordered to pick up a stranded U-boot's crew. Wilson feels live hand-grenades are too dangerous for his hot-head... 8.9 At long last Corporal Jones is marrying Marcia Fox. He asks Mainwaring's permission as his commanding officer, which involves the captain being caught over the phone by his wife having coffee with ... 8.8 It is revealed that Private Godfrey was a Conscientious Objector in the First World war, leading Mainwaring and some of the platoon to brand him as a coward. However, during an exercise in which ...

8.6 a list of 33 titles created 13 Oct 2012 a list of 34 titles created 26 Jul 2013 a list of 35 titles created 28 Jan 2014 a list of 21 titles created 30 Nov 2014 a list of 33 titles created 26 Dec 2015 Search for " Dad's Army " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Title: Dad's Army (1968–1977) 8.1/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 1 win & 9 nominations. See more awards » Photos The misadventures of a ragtag group of elderly Home Guard local defense volunteers at the onset of WW2. Director: Norman Cohen The prison life of Fletcher, a criminal serving a five-year sentence, as he strives to bide his time, keep his record clean, and refuses to be ground down by the prison system.

Stars: Ronnie Barker, Brian Wilde, Fulton Mackay The Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon deal with a visiting female journalist and a German spy as World War II draws to its conclusion. Director: Oliver Parker Arkwright is a tight-fisted shop owner in Doncaster, who will stop at nothing to keep his profits high and his overheads low, even if this means harassing his nephew Granville. Arkwright's ... See full summary » Stars: Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Lynda Baron Long running BBC comedy show consisting of sketches and humourous musical routines involving the large Ronnie Barker and the small Ronnie Corbett. Most sketches involved both men, but ... See full summary » Stars: Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, The Fred Tomlinson Singers Classic 1960s British comedy series about a middle aged man and his elderly father who run an unsuccessful 'rag and bone' business (collecting and selling junk). Harold (the son) wants to ... See full summary » Stars: Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H. Corbett, Frank Thornton Accident-prone Frank Spencer fails to navigate the simplest tasks of daily life, while also trying to look after his wife and baby.

Stars: Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, Jessica Forte Victor Meldrew is a retiree who attracts bad luck. If he's not driving his long suffering wife Margeret crazy with his constant moaning, he's fighting with neighbors. Stars: Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle This prison comedy is based on the popular British television series of the same name. Long time Slade prison inmate Fletcher is ordered by Grouty to arrange a football match between the ... See full summary » Director: Dick Clement Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long suffering tenants. Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Don Warrington, Frances de la Tour The comic adventures of a group of misfits who form an extremely bad concert party touring the hot and steamy jungles of Burma entertaining the troops during World War II. Stars: Windsor Davies, Melvyn Hayes, Donald Hewlett In 1967 actor Jimmy Perry shows his friend David Croft the script of a sitcom he has written based on his time in the Home Guard, entitled 'Fighting Tigers'.

Head of BBC TV comedy Michael ... See full summary » Director: Steve Bendelack Edit Storyline Popular BBC comedy series set in the fictional south coast seaside town of Walmington-On-Sea during World War 2. Alternating moments of gentle character comedy with broad slapstick, it recounts the misadventures of the local voluntary defence force (or 'Home Guard') consisting of men too old or 'unfit' for military service. They are led by the pompous Mainwaring, manager of the local bank, and consist of the suave, mild-mannered Sergeant Wilson , Lance-Corporal Jones, the town's butcher and an old soldier prone to hysteria, cockney spiv Walker, dour Scots undertaker Frazer, gentle, elderly and incontinent Godfrey and dim-witted mummy's boy, Pike, whose mother is 'friendly' with Wilson. They are based in the Church hall where there is much friction between Mainwaring, the effeminate Vicar, his creeping Verger and ARP Warden Hodges (the grocer) who calls Mainwaring 'Napoleon' and strongly dislikes him.

The 80 episodes (the last 68 made in colour) have been frequently repeated, many are ... Written by Allen Dace <a.w.dace@maff.gov.uk> 31 July 1968 (UK) See more » Also Known As: Daar komen de schutters See more » Filming Locations: Did You Know? Trivia An episode is kept on standby by the BBC for use as an emergency backup program, to be broadcast if a major technical problem prevents normal programs being shown. This came to light on June 20, 2000 when the BBC Six O'Clock News (1984) was interrupted by a power failure at the BBC, and an episode of Dad's Army was transmitted in its place. See more » Goofs Throughout the series LCPL Jones is the only member of the platoon to wear medal ribbons on his uniform. Frazer, Wilson, and Godfrey (and possibly others) all saw service in WWI and would have medals and ribbons, and would most likely have worn them proudly as well. See more » Quotes [They are telling off a cheeky young boy] Jones : Ere. I know him. He's a cheeky little monkey.

He comes into my shop when it's full of persons and shouts out, "Sainsbury's." Pike : Yeah. And he runs into our bank and shouts out, "National Provincial." My favourite comedy series of all time 6 November 2002 | by BritishFilms1 WARNING: This review contains spoliers "Dad's Army" has got to be my favourite comedy series of all time. It is about the adventures of a Home Guard platoon on the South Coast of England during World War II. Pompous bank manager Mr Mainwaring [Arthur Lowe] is Captain of the platoon. He is assited by his chief clerk Arthur Wilson [John Le Mesurier] who is the Home Guard sergeant.

The other main characters who formed the platoon were 70 year old devoted solidier Lance-Corporal Jack Jones [Clive Dunn] who fought in the Sudan under the command of General Kitchener during the 1880s, James Frazer [John Laurie], a doom-and-gloomy old Scotsman who runs an undertakers in Walmington-on-Sea [the town where the series is situated], who was formerly a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy [my favourite character], retired Menswear salesman Charles Godfrey [Arnold Ridley], the platoon's medical orderly who lived in a country cottage with his sisters [Dolly and Cissy], Cockney "spiv" Joe Walker [James Beck] who was usually seen with various lady friends and was well-known for being able to obtain rationed goods for people [if they paid him for them] and finally, Frank Pike [Ian Lavender], the youngest member of the platoon who was very much a "mummy's boy" and usually made a mess of things, Mainwaring was often heard to describe him as a "stupid boy".

Another regular character was the Chief Air Raid Warden, Mr Hodges [Bill Pertwee], who expressed a severe dislike for Mainwaring and his men, due to the fact that they often curtailed his plans. He referred to Mainwaring as "Napoleon" and the two soon developed an instant dislike for each other, doing more fighting among themselves rather than with the Germans [!]. There was also other regulars including Mrs Pike [Janet Davies], Pike's mother and Wilson's girlfriend, Wilson being Pike's Uncle Arthur. Mrs Fox [Pamela Cundell], a resident of the town who had a long-running relationship with Jones, before the two eventually married in the final episode and OAP Mr Blewitt [Harold Bennett] was also seen many times.

Many guest stars were also seen in the programme including Barbara Windsor ["EastEnders" as a theatre star], Nigel Hawthorne ["Yes Minister" as a man on a bike], Wendy Richard ["EastEnders" as Walker's girlfriend], Carmen Silvera ["Allo Allo" as Mainwaring's lady friend], Geoffrey Hughes ["Coronation Street" as a bridge controller], Phillip Madoc [a German Captain], Peter Butterworth ["Carry On" films as a printer] and Fulton MacKay ["Porridge" as a doctor]. This has to be the best British comedy series of all time and if it doesn't make you laugh, I don't know what will. 10 out of 10! Six Bells Inn, Bardwell Suffolk – Dad’s Army Most Of the Dad’s Army series was filmed in the locality and several sites are still easily recognisable:- The opening sequence was filmed at Knettishall Heath and many of the countryside scenes were also shot there.

Bardwell Village Green was used during the episode”The Honourable Man” Drinkstone Windwill was featured in “Don’t Forget The Diver” Thetford Town Centre was used in many episodes and Thetford Guild Hall was ‘Walmington Town Hall’ !!! But in essence the heart of Dad’s Army was Honington Village – about 2 miles from Bardwell – with the Church and Primary School standing in as St Aldhelms Church and Church Hall. There is also a Dads Army Museum you can visit in thetford which has unique visitor experience, talks and presentations, location tours, events, a museum shop and a tea room. its located at: The Old Fire Station,The Guildhall, Cage Lane, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2DS Feel free to visit the website for more information and opening times They also recently got the original butcher’s van used by Lance Corporal Jack Jones through auction bringing the iconic van back home to ‘walmington-on-sea’ . Literary Norfolk Literary Norfolk Dad's Army Dad's Army was a much-loved BBC sitcom - written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft - which ran from 1968 to 1977.

It featured the exploits of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard led by the pompous Captain Mainwaring (pronounced 'Mannering') and supported by the debonair and indecisive Sergeant Wilson. Set during WW2 the series boasted a great ensemble cast and produced some of the most memorable comedy catchphrases of all time including Corporal Jones' 'Don't Panic!' and 'They don't like it up 'em! Each week the platoon would attempt to protect England from German invasion - which embroiled them in some hilarious adventures. Statue of Captain Mainwaring in Thetford ï¿½ Cameron Self The original idea for the series came from Perry's own experiences in the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV) or Home Guard as it was later called. Perry was only 15 when he joined the Hertfordshire Battalion and Private Pike and Mavis Pike are clearly based on himself and his mother. While serving in the platoon he also came across a veteran of Kitchener's campaigns who used to talk about the 'Fuzzy Wuzzies' - which provided the inspiration for Corporal Jones.

The series derived much humour from the fact that all the leading characters had 'day jobs' in Walmington-on-Sea. Mainwaring, Wilson and Pike all worked in Swallow's Bank, while Jones was the butcher, Hodges the greengrocer, Fraser the undertaker and Walker the local spiv and black marketer. Although the idea was Perry's - both he and David Croft used to write the scripts. They would meet to discuss various possibilities for the plot and then go away and write each episode separately. Perry and Croft both had a theatrical background and had a shared love of farce - so their ideas usually gelled together perfectly. The series was originally going to be called 'The Fighting Tigers' - but was later changed to Dad's Army. Many modern sitcom writers including Ben Elton, John Sullivan, Richard Curtis and David Renwick have paid homage to the quality of the Dad's Army scripts. The show ran for twelve series and regularly reached audiences in excess of 13 million. To view a complete list of all the Dad's Army episodes click here .

Captain George Mainwaring Arthur Lowe Sergeant Arthur Wilson John Le Mesurier Lance Corporal Jack Jones Clive Dunn Private Joe Walker James Beck Private Charles Godfrey Arnold Ridley Private James Fraser John Laurie Private Frank Pike Ian Lavender Chief Warden Hodges Bill Pertwee Reverend Timothy Farthing Frank Williams Verger Maurice Yateman Edward Sinclair Mrs Fox Pamela Cundell Norfolk (and Suffolk) Film Locations Most of the external footage for the series was filmed in and around the town of Thetford in Norfolk. Each summer the cast and crew would come up to the town and stay in either the Bell or the Anchor Hotels in Bridge Street. The actors usually stayed at the more 'up-market' Bell while the crew lodged at The Anchor. (The Anchor Hotel is now boarded up and derelict but may be re-developed shortly.) The Derelict Anchor Hotel in Thetford Thetford Guildhall became Walmington-on-Sea Town Hall - and it was from the Guildhall clock tower that the German pilot dangled in 'Time On My Hands' (1972). The Guildhall was also used in 'The Captain's Car' (1974).

Thetford Guildhall The flint cottages of Nether Row were used in four episodes: 'Man Hunt' (1969), 'The Armoured Might of Corporal Jones' (1969), 'The Big Parade' (1970) and 'Time On My Hands' (1972). Nether Row, Thetford Thetford's Palace Cinema featured in both 'The Big Parade' (1970) and 'A Soldier's Farewell' (1972). The Palace was also the place were the cast gathered at the end of each week's filming to view the 'rushes'. Newtown, Old Bury Road and Mill Lane, in the town, also make an appearance. The Palace Cinema, Thetford The Bell Hotel was used for the first scene of the first show called 'Man of the Hour' (1968). It made use of the 'Norvic Room' which is now the hotel's restaurant. The Bell Hotel, Thetford Stanford Battle Area The Stanford Battle Area (STANTA) lies a few miles north of Thetford and was created during WW2 as a training area for British and NATO forces.

Five villages were evacuated to create the area - namely: Stanford, Lynford, Tottington, West Tofts and Buckenham Tofts. The area provides many of the iconic locations for Dad's Army including the marvellous end-credit sequence where the platoon move across open ground wearing camouflage.

It was BBC director Harold Snoad who was ultimately responsible for choosing Thetford saying: 'I wanted a battle area we could have control over and had narrowed it down to Stanford, which I knew was going to work very well.' Below is a list of the episodes featuring the Battle Area: 'No Spring for Frazer' (1969) Baileybridge, Buckenham Tofts 'Battle of the Giants' (1971) Stanton Lake, West Tofts 'Battle of the Giants' (1971) and 'Come in Your Time Is Up (1975) Blackrabbit Warren 'Everybody's Trucking' (1974), 'Wake-Up Walmington' (1977) and 'Number Engaged' (1977) Croxton Heath 'The Day the Balloon Went Up' (1969) and 'Gorilla Warfare' (1974) Frog Hill, Stanford Opening and closing sequences from series 3 onwards.

Buckenham Toft stables 'Command Decision' (1968), Boots Boots Boots' (1970) and 'the Test' (1970) West Tofts Church 'The Lion Has 'Phones' (1969) and 'Don't Forget the Diver' (1970 Cross Roads, West Tofts 'Battle of the Giants' (1971 Many other external scenes were shot in Norfolk or Suffolk. 'Sons of the Sea' (1969) was shot on the Norfolk Broads and 'Don't Forget the Diver' (1970) at Drinkstone windmill in Suffolk. Other locations used include: Honington, Bardwell, Bressingham, Wacton, Brandon, Santon Downham, Oxburgh Hall ('Museum Piece' 1968), Weeting, Great Yarmouth , Lowestoft and Lynford Hall (Mundford). Weybourne Railway Station in North Norfolk was the location for 'The Royal Train' (1973) Weybourne Station Many of the extras for the series were drawn from the Thetford Music and Drama Society or the Thetford Senior Citizen's Club.

The Steam Museum at nearby Bressingham provided authentic fire engines, steam rollers and traction engines for a number of the episodes. Today, Bressingham hosts an impressive recreation of Walmington-on-Sea - as well as a collection of Dad's Army memorabilia. A Dad's Army museum has recently been set up inside Thetford Guildhall by the Friends of Thetford Dad's Army. It is quite hard to find as it lies on Cage Lane behind the Guildhall. The Dad's Army Museum, Thetford On Sunday 20th June, 2010 a statue of Captain Mainwaring was unveiled by David Croft - on ground close to the River Little Ouse . It was made by the sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn and features Mainwaring wearing his Home Guard uniform, seated on bench with his baton across his knees. Local councillors have also approved plans for the redevelopment of the Anchor Hotel and it is hoped that, in future, this will provide accommodation for Dad's Army fans wanting to visit Thetford.

Dad's Army - the movie However, when Columbia Pictures came to make the Dad's Army movie(released in 1971) - they abandoned the normal Norfolk locations and headed further south. Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire was transformed into Walmington-on-Sea - while other scenes were shot at Seaford in Sussex and at Shepperton Studios. The famous scene with the white horse on the raft heading down river was filmed at Chobham in Surrey. Famous Catchphrases from the Series: Mainwaring: 'You stupid boy, Pike.' and 'Right then, pay attention.' Godfrey: 'May I be excused?' Frazer: 'We're doomed!' Jones: 'Don't Panic, Mr Mainwaring!', 'They don't like it up 'em!' and 'Permission to speak, sir'. Hodges: 'Put that light out!' and 'I'm going to get you Napoleon.' Wilson: 'Is that wise, Sir?' Pike: 'What would mum say, Uncle Arthur?' The Theme Tune The Dad's Army theme tune was written by Jimmy Perry and Derek Taverner and was performed by Bud Flannagan. Here are the lyrics: Who do you think you are kidding Mr.

Hitler If you think we're on the run? We are the boys who will stop your little game. We are the boys who will make you think again. 'Cos who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler? If you think old England's done? Mr. Brown goes off to town On the 8:21, But he comes home each evening And he's ready with his gun. So watch out Mr. Hitler You have met your match in us. If you think you can push us We're afraid you've missed the bus. So who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler? If you think old England's done. The Missing Episodes In an attempt to save space in its library, the BBC (criminally) wiped three original video tape recordings from series two - namely: 'The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Walker', 'A Stripe for Frazer' and 'Under Fire'. If you possess any recordings of these episodes - then the world would love to hear from you! Dad's Army Filming Locations - Find That Location Dad's Army Filming Locations Episodes Dad's Army, written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, ran for nine years with 80 episodes spread over nine series.

It is recognised as one of the finest jewels in the UK's comedy crown. Set during the Second World War, it focuses on a group of men in the small, fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea. Due to their age, the men are not eligible for active service. They decide to set up their town's Local Defence Volunteers, later to become The Home Guard. Led by bank manager Captain George Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), the platoon also includes assistant bank manager Sgt Arthur Wilson (John Le Mesurier), butcher L-Cpl Jack Jones (Clive Dunn), undertaker Pte James Frazer (John Laurie), Pte Charles Godfrey (Arnold Ridley), Pte Joe Walker (a spiv, played by James Beck) and the young Pte Pike (Ian Lavender). The sitcom - which took a little while to settle before becoming an all-time classic - spawned a full-length feature film, a stage show and radio series.

Series: Dad's Army | Dad's Army Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Original run 31 July 1968 - 13 November 1977 Dad's Army is a British comedy sitcom focusing on the exploits of a platoon of Home Guard from the fictional town of Walmington-On-Sea , set in the 2nd World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry & David Croft , and was broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 seasons and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show. The series regulary gained audiences of 18 million viewers and is still repeated world-wide. The Home Guard consisted of local volunteers otherwise ineligible for military service, usually owing to age, and as such the series starred several veterans of British, film and stage, including Arthur Lowe , John Le Mesurier , Arnold Ridley & John Laurie .

Relative youngsters in the regular cast were Ian Lavender , Clive Dunn (who was made-up to play the elderly Jones ), Frank Williams , James Beck (who died suddenly during production of the programme's sixth series, despite being one of the youngest cast members) and Colin Bean . In 2004 Dad's Army was voted into fourth place in a BBC poll to find Britain's best sitcom. Previously, in a list of the 100 Greatest Television Programmes drawn up by the BFI (British Film Institute) in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, it was placed thirteenth. The series has had a profound influence on popular culture in the United Kingdom, with the series' catchphrases and characters well known. It is also credited with having highlighted a hitherto forgotten aspect of defence during the Second World War. The Radio Times magazine listed Captain Mainwaring 's "You stupid boy!" among the 25 greatest put-downs on TV. Contents Edit Originally intended to be called The Fighting Tigers, Dad’s Army was based partly on co-writer and creator Jimmy Perry’s real-life experiences in the Local Defence Volunteers (later known as the Home Guard).

Perry had been 17 years old when he joined the 10th Hertfordshire Battalion and with a mother who did not like him being out at night and fearing he might catch cold, he bore more than a passing resemblance to the character of Frank Pike . An elderly Lance-Corporal in the outfit often referred to fighting under Kitchener against the " Fuzzy Wuzzies " and proved to be a perfect model for Jones . Other influences were the film Whiskey Galore!, and the work of comedians such as Will Hay whose film Oh, Mr Porter! featured a pompous ass, an old man and a young man which gave him Mainwaring , Godfrey and Pike. Another influence was the Lancastrian comedian Robb Wilton, who 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, Walker, to be his own. Croft was impressed and sent the script to Michael Mills, Head of Comedy at the BBC.

After addressing initial concerns that the programme was making fun of the efforts of the Home Guard, the series was commissioned. In his book, Dad's Army, Graham McCann explained that the show owes a lot 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 . 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 Scottish person to the mix. Jimmy Perry had produced the original idea but was in need of an experienced man to see it through. Mills suggested David Croft and so the successful partnership began. Situation Edit The show was set in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-On-Sea , on the south coast of England (the exterior scenes were mostly filmed in and around Thetford, Norfolk). Thus, the Home Guard were on the front line in the eventuality of an invasion by the enemy forces across the English Channel, which formed a backdrop to the series.

The first series had a loose narrative thread, with Captain Mainwaring’s Platoon being formed and equipped—initially with wooden guns and LDV armbands, and later on full army uniforms; the platoon were part of "The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment". The first episode, " The Man and the Hour ", began with a scene set in the 'present day' of 1968, in which Mainwaring addressed his old platoon as part of the contemporary 'I'm Backing Britain' campaign. The prologue opening was a condition imposed after initial concerns by Paul Fox, the controller of BBC 1, that it was belittling the efforts of the Home Guard. After Mainwaring relates how he had backed Britain in 1940, the episode proper began; Dad’s Army is thus told in flashback, although the final episode does not return to the then-present. Later episodes were largely self-contained, albeit referring to previous events and with additional character development.

As the comedy in many ways relied on the platoon’s failure to participate actively in World War II, opposition to their activities had to come from another quarter, and this generally showed itself in the form of Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Warden Hodges , although sometimes the Verger of the local church, or Captain Square and the neighbouring Eastgate Home Guard platoon. However, the group did have some encounters related to the war such as downed German planes, a U-boat crew, parachutes that may have been German, and German mines. Also, an IRA suspect appeared in one episode, " Absent Friends ". The humour ranged from the subtle (especially in the class-reversed relationship between Mainwaring and Wilson, who also happened to be his deputy at the bank) to the slapstick (the antics of the elderly Jones being a prime example). Jones had several catchphrases, including "Don't panic!", "They don’t like it up ’em", "Permission to speak, sir", and talk about "the Fuzzy-Wuzzies". Mainwaring said "You stupid boy" to Pike in many episodes.

The first series occasionally included darker humour, reflecting the fact that, especially early in the war, members of the Home Guard were woefully under-equipped and yet were still prepared to have a crack at the German Army. An example of this theme occurs in "The Battle of Godfrey’s Cottage" episode, in which the platoon believes an enemy invasion is underway. 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 any German advance, giving the rest of the platoon time to warn the town; "Of course, that will be the end of us", says Mainwaring. "We know sir", replies Frazer, before getting on with the task in hand. Characters Mrs. Mavis Pike ( Janet Davies )—Pike’s mother and Sergeant Wilson’s lover. Reverend Timothy Farthing ( Frank Williams )—The effete vicar of St. Aldhelm’s Church, he shares his church hall and office with Mainwaring’s platoon. Maurice Yeatman ( Edward Sinclair )—Mr. Yeatman was the verger at St.

Aldhelm’s Church and head of the Sea Scouts group, and was often hostile to the platoon. Private Sponge ( Colin Bean )—Private Sponge had the job of representing those members of the platoon not in Corporal Jones’ first section. Private Cheeseman ( Talfryn Thomas )—a Welshman who joined the Walmington-on-Sea platoon during the seventh series to compensate for the death of James Beck who played Private Walker. Opening and closing credits Edit The show's opening titles were originally intended to feature footage of refugees and Nazi troops, in order to illustrate the threat faced by the Home Guard. Despite opposition from the BBC's Head of Comedy Michael Mills, BBC One's controller Paul Fox ordered that these be removed on the grounds that they were "offensive". The replacement titles featured the now familiar animated sequence of swastika-headed arrows approaching Britain. In Series 6 they were updated – in all previous versions one of the Nazi arrows passes over the tail of another but then appears under. This was corrected.

The closing credits of the show are a homage to the end credits of the 1944 film The Way Ahead which had covered the training of an everyman platoon during the war and was released as a propaganda film in 1943. In both instances, each character is shown as they walk across a smoke-filled battlefield. One of the stars of 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 sit-com. Music Edit The show's theme tune, " Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Hitler? " was Jimmy Perry's idea, intended as a gentle pastiche of wartime songs (This is the only pastiche as the other music used is of the time). Perry wrote the lyric himself, and composed the music with Derek Taverner. Perry persuaded one of his childhood idols, wartime entertainer Bud Flanagan, to sing the theme for 100 guineas. Flanagan died shortly after the recording.

The version played over the opening credits differs slightly from the full version recorded by Flanagan; an abrupt but inconspicuous edit removes, for timing reasons, two lines of lyrics with a different 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." Bud Flanagan's full version appears as an Easter egg on the first series DVD release. Arthur Lowe also recorded a full version of the theme. The closing credits feature an instrumental march version of the song played by the Band of the Coldstream Guards conducted by Captain (later Lt Col) 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 songs between scenes, usually brief quotations that have some reference to the theme of the episode or the scene. TV episodes Main article: List of Episodes The television series lasted nine series and was broadcast over nine years, with 80 episodes in total, including three Christmas specials.

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 in 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1972. Missing episodes Main article: Missing Episodes The first two series were recorded and screened in black and white; after that series three to nine were recorded and screened in colour. Even so, one episode in series three, Room at the Bottom , could only be found in black and white, despite being recorded in colour. On the official DVDs, the episode is also in black and white. Technology eventually allowed the BBC to put the full colour version out in late 2008. Until 1978 the BBC (along with ITV) did not have proper archives for programmes recorded on video tape. This, combined with the cost of 2 inch Quadruplex videotape reels and no appreciation of future commercial possibilities, resulted in significant amounts of material being wiped after they were transmitted (contractual agreements at that time often allowed for one repeat showing before being wiped). Although the BBC has recovered many recordings from overseas broadcasters and private collectors through BBC Archive Treasure Hunt, many are still missing.

Dad's Army is less affected than most, but three second-series episodes are lost, and one third-series episode was filmed in colour but had only existed in black and white. This third-series episode has been re-coloured, using an existing colour signal in the black-and-white tele-recording, and was transmitted on 13 December 2008 on BBC Two. Two further series-two episodes were believed lost until 2001. Two of the three lost episodes have since been performed as part of the latest stage show. In 2008, soundtracks of the lost episode A Stripe for Frazer and the 1968 Christmas Night with the Stars special Present Arms were recovered, but it is unlikely that a visual version of either will be found. Film Main article: Dad's Army Film As with many TV shows of that era, in 1971 Dad's Army was made into a feature film. Backers Columbia Pictures imposed arbitrary changes, such as recasting Liz Fraser as Mavis Pike and filming outdoors in Chalfont St Giles rather than Thetford, which made the cast unhappy.

The director, Norman Cohen, who was also responsible for the idea to make the film, was nearly fired 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 the final third shows the platoon in action, rescuing hostages from the church hall where they’d been held captive by three German pilots. Neither the cast nor Perry and Croft were happy with the result. Perry spent time arguing for changes to try to reproduce the style of the television series, but with mixed results. Filming took place between 10 August and 25 September 1970, at Shepperton Studios and various locations. 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. Stage Show Main Article: Dad's Army 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 sitcom writers. Most of the principal cast transferred with it, with the exception of John Laurie (he was replaced by Hamish Roughead). Following James Beck’s death two years earlier, Walker was played by John Bardon. Dad’s Army: A Nostalgic Music and Laughter Show of Britain’s Finest Hour opened at Billingham in England, Teesside 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 on 2 October 1975. On the opening night there was a surprise appearance by Chesney Allen, singing the old Flanagan and Allen song Hometown with Arthur Lowe.

The show ran in the West End until 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 2004–05, 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 as Private Walker and Emmerdale actor Peter Martin as Captain Mainwaring . The production contained the episodes " A Stripe for Frazer ", " The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker ", " Room at the Bottom " and " The Deadly Attachment ".

Radio series Main article: Dad's Army (Radio Series) , List of Radio Episodes Many TV episodes (67, to be exact) were remade for BBC Radio 4 with the original cast, although other actors played some parts (such as the part of Walker after the death of James Beck ). These radio versions were adapted by Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles and also featured a narrative by veteran newsreader John Snagge who would set the scene at the start of each episode. Other appearances Edit Arthur Lowe , John Le Mesurier and John Laurie made a cameo appearance as their Dad's Army characters in the 1977 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special. As Elton John is following incomprehensible instructions to find the BBC studios, he encounters them in a steam room. On leaving, Mainwaring calls him a “stupid boy”. Earlier, Le Mesurier, Laurie, Beck, Ridley and Lavender had appeared as guests in the 22 April 1971 edition of The Morecambe and Wise Show on BBC2 playing pirates to Lowe’s captain in the Monty on the Bounty sketch.

The cast also appeared in a 1970s public information film, in character but set in the modern day, showing how to cross the road safely at traffic lights. 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 . However, it failed to make it past the pilot stage - probably due to the fact there was never a realistic chance of a German invasion of the United States, unlike Britain. Le Mesurier and Lowe made a final appearance in Dad's Army garb for a 1982 television commercial advertising Wispa chocolate bars. Clive Dunn made occasional appearances as Corporal Jones at 1940s-themed events in the 1980s and 1990s. Arthur Lowe appeared on Blue Peter twice. The first time was with John Le Mesurier, reprising their roles of Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson respectively when discussing a mural schoolchildren had painted. Arthur Lowe appeared as Captain Mainwaring a second time on Blue Peter with the Dad's Army vehicle which was featuring in a London-Brighton run.

Awards Edit During its original television run, Dad's Army was nominated for a number of British Academy Television Awards, 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 poll of industry professionals of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. In 2004, championed by Phill Jupitus, it came fourth in the BBC poll to find Britain's Best Sitcom with 174,138 votes. Tributes Edit In June 2010, a statue of Captain George Mainwaring was erected in the Norfolk town of Thetford where most of the TV series Dad's Army was filmed.

The statue features Captain Mainwaring sitting to attention on a simple bench in Home Guard uniform, with his pace stick across his knees. The statue is mounted at the end of winding brick pathway with a Union Flag patterned arrow head to reflect the opening credits of the TV series, and the sculpture has been designed so that members of the public can sit alongside Captain Mainwaring for the purpose of having their photo taken. Cultural influence Edit 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 interview, Arthur Lowe expresses 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." Media releases Main Article: List of Books , List of Memorabilia 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, with the final edition featuring the specials "The Battle of the Giants", "The Love of Three Oranges" and "My Brother and I", along with various other appearances including several "Christmas Night with the Stars" sketches and excerpts from the 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 also available, although as this is not a BBC production, this is not included in the boxset. Dad's Army (1971) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property.

Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The misadventures of a ragtag group of elderly Home Guard local defense volunteers at the onset of WW2. Director: What Makes the Golden Globe Awards So Entertaining? IMDb Special Correspondent Dave Karger breaks down why the Golden Globes are so much more entertaining than other award shows. Don't miss our live coverage of the Golden Globes beginning at 5 p.m. PST on Jan. 8 in our Golden Globes section. a list of 274 titles created 10 Mar 2012 a list of 234 titles created 21 Nov 2012 a list of 1252 titles created 27 Apr 2015 a list of 30 titles created 10 months ago a list of 415 titles created 6 months ago Search for " Dad's Army " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin.

During WW2,in a fictional British seaside town,a ragtag group of Home Guard local defense volunteers prepares for an imminent German invasion. Stars: Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn This prison comedy is based on the popular British television series of the same name. Long time Slade prison inmate Fletcher is ordered by Grouty to arrange a football match between the ... See full summary » Director: Dick Clement Long running BBC comedy show consisting of sketches and humourous musical routines involving the large Ronnie Barker and the small Ronnie Corbett. Most sketches involved both men, but ... See full summary » Stars: Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, The Fred Tomlinson Singers Classic 1960s British comedy series about a middle aged man and his elderly father who run an unsuccessful 'rag and bone' business (collecting and selling junk). Harold (the son) wants to ... See full summary » Stars: Wilfrid Brambell, Harry H. Corbett, Frank Thornton Arkwright is a tight-fisted shop owner in Doncaster, who will stop at nothing to keep his profits high and his overheads low, even if this means harassing his nephew Granville. Arkwright's ...

See full summary » Stars: Ronnie Barker, David Jason, Lynda Baron The prison life of Fletcher, a criminal serving a five-year sentence, as he strives to bide his time, keep his record clean, and refuses to be ground down by the prison system. Stars: Ronnie Barker, Brian Wilde, Fulton Mackay Going Straight (TV Series 1978) Comedy Following his release from Slade prison, Fletcher tries to stick to the straight and narrow, but it isn't easy! Stars: Ronnie Barker, Patricia Brake, Richard Beckinsale Victor Meldrew is a retiree who attracts bad luck. If he's not driving his long suffering wife Margeret crazy with his constant moaning, he's fighting with neighbors. Stars: Richard Wilson, Annette Crosbie, Doreen Mantle Accident-prone Frank Spencer fails to navigate the simplest tasks of daily life, while also trying to look after his wife and baby. Stars: Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, Jessica Forte A satire show using puppets that are charicatures of major public figures.

Stars: Steve Nallon, Kate Robbins, Chris Barrie Popular sitcom set in a seedy bedsit lorded over by the mean, vain, boastful, cowardly landlord Rigsby. In each episode, his conceits are debunked by his long suffering tenants. Stars: Leonard Rossiter, Don Warrington, Frances de la Tour Popular BBC sketch show that introduces a whole host of memorable characters such as Tim-Nice-But-Dim, Wayne and Waynetta Slob, The Old Gits and teenagers Kevin and Perry. The show spawned a slew of spin-off series and films. Stars: Harry Enfield, Paul Whitehouse, Kathy Burke Edit Storyline When World War Two breaks out, the small seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea finds itself less than ably defended by the elderly and inept members of Captain Mainwaring's home guard unit. Put on manoeuvres by a visiting Major-General, Mainwaring's men manage to bungle one task after another. However, when a group of Germans from a scout plane take the Mayor hostage at the church hall, the clueless soldiers might still have a chance of saving the day! Written by Anonymous At last! Their epic story invades the Big Screen!

Genres: September 1971 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Daar komen de schutters See more » Filming Locations: Black and White (archive footage in opening scenes)| Color (Technicolor) (as Technicolor®) Aspect Ratio: Did You Know? Trivia During World War 2 counterfeiting was extensive in Britain. The Germans planned to flood the British economy with counterfeit money to wreck the British economy. Most of counterfeit money were made by prisoners of war (POW), who were artists. See more » Goofs During the roadblock scene, cars contemporary with the year the film was made can be seen parked at the end of the street. The closest one is covered with a tarpaulin to disguise the fact it's "modern". See more » Quotes Maj. Gen. Fullard : [Realises that Mainwaring is in charge of the platoon] Good heavens - it's that damm bank clerk! (Yurp) – See all my reviews Overall, the Dad's Army movie is very funny, although the humour isn't quite as catchy and sparkly as in the TV and radio series. So where does this leave us, the viewers?

If you've never seen Dad's Army then the movie is a good way of bringing yourself up to speed and getting hooked on the mad world of Walmington o/S. The downside is that you might not "get it" because, as I said, the humour in the movie is a bit on the stolid side. For Dad's Army buffs the movie holds nothing new as the story is more or less a cutup of the TV series, but it's a unique chance of seeing your favourites in "high def" as compared to the shitty quality of the BBC video recordings. The movie also features what must be the lamest holdup sequence in the history of the universe. I can't make up my mind if that's a positive or a negative, though. 1 of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes Dad's Army uncovered: 35 things you need to know about the BBC comedy classic - Mirror Online TV Dad's Army uncovered: 35 things you need to know about the BBC comedy classic It has been 35 years since Dad's Army finished its original telly run - check out our essential need to know facts about the comedy favourite Share Get celebs updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Despite its original run ending 35 yesterday, Dad’s Army still has a prominent pride of place in British TV history. More than just a comedy, few other shows have contributed as many immediately recognisable moments that are remembered so fondly across all ages. So are the show's stars - Clive Dunn's recent sad passing evidenced one again how Dad's Army has stayed with viewers across the years. Think you know everything there is to know about this national telly treasure? Think you’re dooooooooooomed? Well don’t panic! Here are 35 facts on the adventure of the Home Guard during Britain’s finest hour! 1. Television and beyond!

Dad’s Army ran for an epic 80 television episodes across nine series from 1968 to 1977 as well as a number of short sketches. But it wasn’t all about television: the Captain Mainwaring and his men also crossed radio and stage on their way to becoming national treasures. 2. Almost Mainwarings Arthur Lowe is most famous for his role as bumbling Captain George Mainwaring, a character some of his co-stars thought resembled him! But he wasn’t the first choice. Some BBC bosses, including Head of Comedy Michael Mills, were against his casting and the role was offered to Thorley Walters and even future Doctor Who Jon Pertwee before Lowe took on his most famous part. 3. They don’t like it down ‘em! Arthur Lowe certainly knew what comedy he liked and knew what he didn’t. In one episode he refused to film a scene where Private Frazer tries to free a bomb from Captain Mainwaring’s trousers. After a few rewrites, as you may remember, Corporal Jones ended up taking the bomb for the team. But Arthur Lowe insisted on something a bit more permanent: he had a clause written into his contract that he would never have his trousers removed! 4.

War veterans View gallery Corporal Jones may always be the first of the platoon to want to ‘stick it up ‘em’ but the late Clive Dunn , who served four years in prisons and prisoner of war camps in Austria during WW2, was a pacifist. Other members of the cast and crew had fought not only in the Second World War, but also the First such as Arnold Ridley (Private Godfrey). During WWII, Arthur Lowe served as a Sergeant Major and John Le Mesurier a Captain, while director/producer David Croft rose to the rank of major after joining the Royal Artillery in 1942. 5. Real Home Guard Of the television Home Guard platoon only John Laurie (Frazer) and Arnold Ridley (Godfrey) had actually served in the real Home Guard during the Second World War. Ridley had joined the Home Guard’s forerunner, the Local Defence Volunteers in 1940, narrowly escaping injury or death when his cottage was hit by a bomb in 1944. Laurie was also a veteran of the First World War, as a member of the Honourable Artillery Company. 6. Permission to sing, sir!

Video Loading Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8Cancel Play now The late Clive Dunn achieved fame as one of the most quotable characters in Dad’s army, Corporal ‘Don’t Panic’ Jones. But at the same time he was playing the role, he also managed to score a number one hit single with 1971’s ‘Grandad’ – a song that featured none other than Rick Wakeman on keyboards. It certainly wasn’t the end of Dunn’s musical career - he even released his own album, ‘Permission to Sing Sir!’ 7. Private Perry! One of the show’s most popular characters, Private Pike (played by Ian Lavender ) was based on writer Jimmy Perry’s real life experience as a teenager being molly-coddled by his mum. "She didn't go so far as making me wear a scarf, but she came pretty near" he said. Shouldn’t have told us that, Pike! 8. Almost Walkers While Pike may be semi-autobiographical, and perhaps because of it, Jimmy Perry wrote the character of spiv Private Joe Walker to play himself. Eventually James Beck was cast after co-writer David Croft told Perry to choose between acting or writing!

Despite the ultimatum, Perry did manage to fit in a cameo in the sixth episode of the first series ‘Shooting Pains’ as Charlie Cheeseman. 9. The real life Walmington-on-sea The outside scenes of the fictional Walmington were actually filmed in Thetford, Norfolk. You’ll know if you’re there: Since 2007, a statue of Captain Mainwaring has sat on a bench by the Little Ouse river. 10. Mrs Mainwaring Where was Mrs Mainwaring? (Photo: BBC) 1968 was a great year for unseen wives. Not only did Dad’s Army start in the UK, but it was also the year that Colombo kicked off across the Atlantic. “She hasn’t left the house much since Munich” Captain Mainwaring said about his never-seen wife... Or did she? Mrs Mainwaring actually made an appearance in the Dad’s Army Annual 1974 story ‘Mum’s Army’. 11. The American remake Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8Cancel Play now Yes, another one!

ABC filmed a pilot in 1976 for their version of Dad’s Army - The Rear Guard featured the WWII antics of the American Civil Defense! You can’t blame them for adapting the classic u-boat episode ‘The Deadly Attachment’ for the first show, but a full series was never commissioned. Perhaps the idea of a German invasion of America was just a bit too far-fetched! 12. Game on One for Dad's Army fans of a slightly younger generation Sadly the heyday of Dad’s Army was over far before video games hit the shelves. But that hasn’t stopped tributes popping up. The Sega Mega-CD version of Mortal Kombat had a special cheat called ‘Dad’s code’ which replaced the names of original fighters such as Sub-Zero, Raiden and Kitana with those of Mainwaring, Frazer, Pike and gang! 13. Where’s the movie? If you sit back with your complete Dad’s Army DVD collection of all nine series you might think something’s missing. Where’s the 1971 film? In fact, while the series is owned by the BBC, the film is owned by Columbia Pictures.

When it was made in between television series, they insisted on a number of changes, including recasting Mrs Pike. 14. Carry On Dad’s Army! There were a number of cross-over actors between the two comedy franchises. Ian Lavender (Pike) starred in Carry on Behind while Bill Pertwee managed to make two Carry On films. Actresses fared a little better. Barbara Windsor guest starred as a fairground sharpshooter in the sixth episode of the first series while the late Wendy Richard not only appeared in two Carry On films, co-starring with Barbara Windsor in the early 1970s, but also managed to play two separate characters in Dad’s Army. 15. Don’t panic! Dad's Army, Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn, James Beck, John Laurie, Ian Lavender and Arnold Ridley (Photo: PA) The BBC are normally ready for a crisis... Even today Auntie keeps an episode of Dad’s Army in the wings as an emergency back-up just in case a show goes off air. Sound far-fetched? It happened when the 6 o’clock news was hit by a power-cut in 2000. 16.

The missing episodes In the 1960s, BBC storage policies weren’t future proof. With VHS not even a glimmer in a VCR, programmes rolls took up lot of valuable space. So the BBC decided to bin episodes of many classic shows! Early episodes of Doctor Who are perhaps the most famous casualties, but Dad’s Army was not immune. While the comedy came out of it better than most, three episodes from the second series remain lost to this day. 17. How popular? In the late 1960s, early Dad’s Army first screened to an audience of 8 million, a figure a lot of TV executives would beg for today. However, in the 1970s heyday of audience figures the sit-com found itself near the top of the pile, attracting more than 18 million viewers at its peak. 18. One of Britain’s best sitcoms (Photo: Daily Mirror) In 2004, Dad’s Army came fourth in a BBC poll to find Britain’s best sitcom. It may have lost out to new pretenders The Vicar of Dibley, Blackadder and Only Fools and Horse’s but it beat Fawlty Towers into fifth. 19.

Dad’s Army: The Sequel! It happened! In 1981, a sequel called ‘It Sticks Out Half a Mile’ was recorded for BBC Radio, starring Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier. Sadly, Lowe died soon after the recording, but a full 14 part series was made at the insistence of Lowe’s widow. The new series featured former Warden Hodges and former Private Pike renovating a pier with a loan from ‘Uncle Arthur’. 20. The radio show! Before the sequel, ‘Dad’s Army’ was no stranger to radio. Many of the television episodes were adapted for BBC Radio 4 by writing duo Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles. As you may expect, some classic scenes had to be adapted for the new media, but the main change was the addition of a ‘newsreader’ who added an extra WWII atmosphere to each installment. 21. The stage show! In 1975 the hit TV series even transferred to the stage, featuring many of the original cast under what could be greatest show name ever: ‘Dad's Army: A Nostalgic Music and Laughter Show of Britain’s Finest Hour’.

It may have been twice disrupted by bomb scares during its four month run in the West End, but went on to tour the country until September 1976. Clive Dunn who plays Corporal Jones right to left Ian Lavender as pike and James Beck as Private Walker (Photo: Daily Mirror) 22. Private Den! In 2007 the stage show was revived, with adaptations of classic television scripts. The show ran for a year with ex-Eastender villain Leslie Grantham as Private Walker. 23. The Stage Show Down Under! Audiences could enjoy Dad's Army—The Musical in Australia and New Zealand in 2004 and 2005. If you’re itching for a look, you can find some clips on the series DVDs. 24. The Dad’s Army Appreciation Society Former cast members Bill Pertwee (Warden Hodges) and Frank Williams (the Vicar) set up the Appreciation Society in 1993. The Society helped set up the Dad’s Army Collection and its 1,700 members host a variety of events around the country proving that the show still has a strong fan base. 25. That theme tune! 30.

One’s favourite show When Bill Pertwee, Captain Mainwaring’s nemesis Warden Hodges, collected his MBE in 2007 he let slip a royal secret... Her Majesty is apparently a Dad’s Army fan. The Queen Mother was also said to enjoy spending an evening watching the show - her VHS copies of the show can be seen in the Castle of Mey, her Scottish residence in Caithness. 31. Festive army Dad’s Army became a familiar sight in the festive schedules with specials in 1971, 1975 and 1976. But yuletide recognition was some time coming: in 1968, 1969, 1970 and then again in 1972 the show only featured in short specials as part of the BBC’s Christmas Night with the Stars. 32. ‘You stupid boy!’ DAAS Index Page These pages are dedicated to the hit BBC comedy series 'Dad's Army' which ran for nine years from 1968 until 1977. It spawned a full length feature film, a radio series and a musical stage show.

2016 marks the shows 48th anniversary and the Society's 23rd. The DAAS is run by a small group of individuals and has over 1500 members from all parts of the globe. The Society is dedicated to keeping the show alive and we have accumulated many rare items, including video and audio material, cine film and many on location photographs. Our collection is available for all members to borrow through our video and audio libraries. We have also collected information from a variety of people involved in the making of the series, including many local people involved in one way or another when they were filming, mainly around the Thetford area of Norfolk. The Society produces a full colour magazine for members three times a year and arranges a regular members dinner which, so far, have been attended by several of the original cast, in addition to other events in the year. The Society, in conjunction with The Bressingham Steam Museum, near Diss in Norfolk, set up the Dad's Army Collection which was officially opened on 14 May 2000 by the shows creators Jimmy Perry & David Croft.

Here, in a full size representation of Walmington-on-Sea, many of our accumulated items are on display, along with some of the vehicles used in the series. In addition to the Bressingham collection, at nearby Thetford they have created their own Dad's Army Museum to commemorate the towns association with the programme. It was here that the cast and crew stayed and used many parts of the town for location filming. The Friends of Thetford Dad's Army Museum commissioned a full size bronze statue of Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring which was unveiling in June 2010 by the late David Croft. In December 2012 they also acquired the original Jones' Van so that future generations can see, hear, touch and indeed smell, this iconic vehicle. The new feature film released in February 2016 was shot in and around Bridlington, starring a number of classic actors filling the boots of the original cast. If you want to know more, we hope these pages will provide some background information, and if you are a fan already, I hope they will add to your enjoyment.

Dad's Army - This Week, Years Past Walmington-on-Sea | Dad's Army Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Walmington-on-Sea had a pleasure pier, with a 20-foot-wide gap (6.1 m) blown in the middle to prevent it from being used as a landing stage by invading forces. The beach is lined with barbed wire and other defences, including mines, pill boxes and anti-tank blocks. There was a sweet shop, The Novelty Rock Emporium , at least one bank ( Swallow Bank , run by George Mainwaring ), the Marigold tea-rooms , Anne's Pantry, the Dutch Oven, a butcher's shop, greengrocer's, undertaker's and numerous pubs including the Red Lion , which all suggest it was a reasonably-sized place. Like most British towns, it also had a church, Saint Aldhelm's, with a hall next door which was used for community acts such as putting on a Christmas pantomime and a place for the sea scouts to parade.

Location Edit Although it is never specified where the town is, there are several references to Hastings, Eastbourne and Dover which suggests that it could be based on Bexhill-on-sea, although Bexhill has no pier and is not in Kent. Deal in Kent has been suggested since it has a pier and is next to Walmer: possibly the inspiration for the name "Walmington". Another suggestion is the town of Wilmington in Kent. In reality, outdoor TV scenes were filmed at Thetford, an inland town in Norfolk, thus giving no clue as to the scriptwriters' preferences. The 1971 film moved location to Chalfont St Giles, even further from the coast.

Question: What is the name of the town featured in Dad's Army
Answer: Walmington -on -Sea