"Dad's Army" (1968) TV series 1968-1977

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Creators:

David Croft
Jimmy Perry

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Release Date:

31 July 1968 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Plot:

Popular BBC comedy series set in the fictional south coast seaside town of Walmington-On-Sea during World War 2...

Plot Keywords:

Home Guard | Lance Corporal | Sergeant | Butcher | Bank Manager

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Arthur Lowe	...	Capt. George Mainwaring / ... (80 episodes, 1968-1977)
John Le Mesurier	...	Sgt. Arthur Wilson (80 episodes, 1968-1977)
Clive Dunn	...	LCpl. Jack Jones (80 episodes, 1968-1977)
John Laurie	...	Pte. James Frazer (80 episodes, 1968-1977)
Arnold Ridley	...	Pte. Charles Godfrey (80 episodes, 1968-1977)
Ian Lavender	...	Pte. Frank Pike (80 episodes, 1968-1977)
James Beck	...	Pte. Joe Walker (60 episodes, 1968-1973)
Bill Pertwee	...	A.R.P. Warden Hodges / ... (57 episodes, 1968-1977)
Bud Flanagan	...	The Voice Of / ... (49 episodes, 1968-1975)
Edward Sinclair	...	Verger Henry Yeatman / ... (46 episodes, 1968-1977)
Colin Bean	...	Private Sponge / ... (41 episodes, 1968-1977)
Frank Williams	...	Rev. Timothy Farthing / ... (40 episodes, 1969-1977)

Also Known As:

The Fighting Tigers (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (80 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

All Saints' Church, Honington, Suffolk, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

It only took an hour and a half to tape each episode of Dad's Army, though there was a week's rehearsal prior to the actual recording of each episode. In addition, the cast did six weeks location filming in Norfolk and Suffolk for each series, to record exterior scenes; only the scenes in the studio interior sets were taped at TV Centre in London. Sometimes the episodes would be filmed then transmitted a week later.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Wilson: Do you think that's wise, sir?

Movie Connections:

Featured in 'We Are the Boys...': John Laurie (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Come on. Hold my hand now

You Stupid Boy!

Capt. Mainwaring would frequently utter the above phrase, and then immediately do something much more stupid than young Private Pike could ever accomplish. This is one of the reasons why this colorful program is one of my favorites (pardon my American English spelling).

The scripts are good, but what really make this show brilliant are the great characters and the wonderful actors. It must have been very difficult to get elderly actors to do zany slapstick comedy, but the directors managed to do it beautifully.

The contrast of young and old, and middle class and working class people in perpetual conflict is really great fun to watch. More egos are deflated in this series than ever before, and with hilarious results.

Instead of watching the horrible news accounts of the Iraq War, watch a video tape of Dad's Army. This a very funny remembrance of a much better era.