Dad's Army - BBC1 Sitcom - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)
- 28th December: Handwritten Dad's Army script up for sale (BBC)
Genre
Broadcast
Channel
Episodes
80 (9 series), plus 4 short inserts
Creator
Stars
Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn, John Laurie, Arnold Ridley, Ian Lavender, James Beck, Bill Pertwee and more
Writers
Directors
Producer
Company
14th May, 1940: With the threat of invasion from Nazi Germany a horrifying reality, a new branch of the military was created out of the men not yet in the regular army. This force, first known as the Local Defence Volunteers, would soon become known as the Home Guard - but due to the vast number of elderly volunteers it also earned the nickname of "Dad's Army".
In Walmington-on-Sea, a town on the south coast of England, the Home Guard platoon is lead by Captain George Mainwaring, the pompous local branch manager of Swallow Bank. Alongside Mainwaring are his public school educated second-in-command and the bank's chief clerk Sergeant Arthur Wilson, and local butcher, old war horse and third-in-command Lance Corporal Jack Jones.
The main body of the platoon is comprised of a number of regular privates. The most notable of these are mummy's boy and bank clerk Frank Pike, pessimistic Scottish undertaker James Frazer, black market spiv Joe Walker and elderly medical orderly Charles Godfrey.
As if the Germans and constant threat of invasion weren't bad enough, the platoon have their own local problems, not least from common greengrocer and despised chief ARP Warden Hodges; Pike's interfering mother Mavis (who has a "relationship" with Wilson); the vicar and verger who run the church hall where the platoon parade; and Mainwaring's terrifying but never-seen wife Elizabeth.
Despite all that age, war, and their own pomposity, infighting and incompetence throws at them, these fine boys make up England's last line of defence against Nazi attack. God save them - and God help us!
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Additional details
Part of
Also known as
- The Fighting Tigers (Working title)
Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour
Soundtrack
Opening theme tune written by Jimmy Perry, composed by Derek Taverner, and sung by Bud Flanagan. The Band of the Coldstream Guards conducted by Captain (later Major) Trevor L. Sharpe play the closing theme music.
Website links
- BBC Comedy Guide
An article about the history of the show from the BBC. - The Dad's Army Museum
A museum dedicated to the show is located in Thetford, where the live-action scenes filmed. - Dadsarmy.tv
Yet another online guide to the wartime comedy. - Behind The Scenes On 'Dad's Army'
A collection of photos behind the scenes on Dad's Army - Dad's Army At 40
Comprehensive collection of photographs, documents and related Dad's Army materials from the BBC Archive. - IMDb
- Wikipedia
Broadcast details
First broadcast
Wednesday 31st July 1968 at 8:20pm on BBC One
Next repeats
- Series 4, Episode 2: Sunday at 7:20pm on U&Gold
- Series 4, Episode 2: Monday at 2:05pm on U&Gold
- Series 4, Episode 2: Monday at 6:40pm on U&Gold
- Series 4, Episode 3: Monday at 7:20pm on U&Gold
- Series 4, Episode 3: Tuesday at 2pm on U&Gold
- Series 4, Episode 3: Tuesday at 6:40pm on U&Gold
- Series 4, Episode 4: Tuesday at 7:20pm on U&Gold
- Series 4, Episode 4: Wednesday 8th January at 2pm on U&Gold
- Series 4, Episode 4: Wednesday 8th January at 6:40pm on U&Gold
Most recent repeats
- Sunday 29th December 2024 at 5:30pm on BBC2 - Christmas Special
- Saturday 28th December 2024 at 8:00pm on BBC2 - Series 6, Episode 1
- Thursday 26th December 2024 at 9:00am on U&Gold - Series 7, Episode 6
Recording details
- BBC Television Centre - Studio sets.
- Thetford - Location filming.