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

Creators:

David Croft
Jimmy Perry
(more)

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:

Hidden Character | Bank Manager | Sitcom | Army | Lance Corporal

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)
Frank Williams	...	The Vicar / ... (40 episodes, 1969-1977)

(more)

Series Directed by
David Croft		(1 episode, 1973)
Robert Knights		(1 episode, 1977)
Harold Snoad		(unknown episodes)
Bob Spiers		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
David Croft		(80 episodes, 1968-1977)
Jimmy Perry		(80 episodes, 1968-1977)

Series Produced by
David Croft	....	producer (11 episodes, 1968-1977)

Series Cinematography by
James Balfour		(1 episode, 1972)
Peter Chapman		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Bob Rymer		(2 episodes, 1972-1973)
Bill Harris		(2 episodes, 1972)
John Dunstan		(unknown episodes)
John Stothart		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Paul Joel		(10 episodes, 1968-1973)
Alan Hunter-Craig		(3 episodes, 1968)
Geoff Powell		(1 episode, 1977)
Oliver Bayldon		(unknown episodes)
Robert Berk		(unknown episodes)
Bryan Ellis		(unknown episodes)
Tim Gleeson		(unknown episodes)
Richard Hunt		(unknown episodes)
Ray London		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Susan Wheal		(1 episode, 1972)
Mary Husband		(1 episode, 1977)
Judy Allen		(unknown episodes)
Odette Barrow		(unknown episodes)
Michael Burdle		(unknown episodes)
Barbara Kronig		(unknown episodes)
George W. Ward		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Cynthia Goodwin	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1972)
Sylvia Thornton	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1977)
Ann Ailes-Stevenson	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Penny Bell	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Anna Chesterman	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Sandra Exelby	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Cecile Hay-Arthur	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Michael McCarthy	....	sound (4 episodes, 1972-1973)
James Cole	....	sound (3 episodes, 1968)
John Delany	....	sound (3 episodes, 1972)
Les Collins	....	sound recordist (2 episodes, 1972)
Clive Derbyshire	....	boom operator (2 episodes, 1973)
John Gatland	....	sound recordist (2 episodes, 1973)
Ron Blight	....	sound recordist (1 episode, 1972)
Laurie Taylor	....	sound (1 episode, 1977)
Graham Bedwell	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Bill Chesneau	....	sound (unknown episodes)
John Holmes	....	sound (unknown episodes)
Alan Machin	....	sound (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Peter Day	....	visual effects (2 episodes, 1972)
Tony Harding	....	visual effects (1 episode, 1972)
John Friedlander	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)
Martin Gutteridge	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)
Len Hutton	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)
Ron Oates	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)
Jim Ward	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Howard King	....	lighting technician / lighting / ... (8 episodes, 1972-1977)
Peter Chapman	....	camera operator (8 episodes, 1975-1977)
George Summers	....	lighting technician / lighting (3 episodes, 1968)
James Balfour	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1972-1973)
Stewart A. Farnell	....	camera operator (1 episode, 1972)
Len Newson	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Major Trevor L. Sharpe	....	conductor (80 episodes, 1968-1977)

Series Other crew
Charles Garland	....	series editor (1 episode, 1973)
Gordon Elsbury	....	production assistant (1 episode, 1977)
Jo Austin	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Bob Spiers	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (original airing)

Also Known As:

The Fighting Tigers (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (80 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

John Laurie and Arnold Ridley both fought in World War One and both were wounded and invalided out of the army.

Quotes:

Jones: Well Mrs. Fox is an excellent cook. Aren't you Mrs. Fox?
Mrs. Fox: Well. You've always been very nice about my dumplings.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Comedy Connections: It Ain't Half Hot, Mum (#5.3)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Come on. Hold my hand now

Best TV programme ever made

Dad's Army is my favourite TV programme of all time. It is just a work of genius. Jimmy Perry & David Croft really knew how to write a good script. Like Perry said the cast was right, the time was right, the script was right, the tunes were right and the whole situation was right which was what made Dad's Army a miracle. All the gags, jokes, tunes and atmosphere's are all hilarious, jolly and wonderful. It's why Dad's Army has always and will be one of the most popular programmes in TV history. Set in World War II of course it shows you the hilarities of pompous kind-hearted bank manager Captain Mainweering (Arthur Lowe), charming upper-class twit cheif bank clerk Sergeant Wilson (John Le Mesurier), kind old fool and long time soldier now butcher Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn) and many other hilarious characters. With these men of course operating the Walmington-On-Sea Home Guard disasters can of course happen even if at the end of the day it turns out the the platoon is needed to pick up the pieces. The men themselves give the war a brighter atmosphere. With the platoon having the most bizarre members like Private Frazer (John Laurie) being an undertakes, Private Walker (James Beck) being a spinster, Private Godfrey (Arnold Ridley) being a retired old aged pensioner and Private Pike (Ian Lavender) being a complete pansy and mummy's boy. Also with the gay and meaning well Rev. Timothy Farthing, the sneaky Verger and the platoons arch enemy Warden & Greencrocer & common git Bill Hodges (Bill Pertwee). Even though situations that the men get into may be a bit bizarre they always come out the other end feeling victorius. And why shouldn't they having proved to the whole town that they are not just a bunch of pomous, twitish, foolish, dirty and some other stuff. My favourite episode of Dads Army has "The Deadly Attachment". Reason is that it has the men coming face to face with the Germans and seeing the hilarities of getting out of it. Also other episodes like "Time On My Hands", "Keep Young And Beautiful" and "No Spring For Frazer" I still find really hilarious and stimulating. The show will undoubtedly go on forever being known as the programme that changed the face of television forever.