Forever Fun

Source: TV Quick, words by Chris Twomey.
Date: December 2001

Four decades after it was created, Dad's Army is more popular than ever.

'It was just a funny little show,' says Dad's Army creator Jimmy Perry. 'It makes me blush to think it's still so loved.'

Thirty four years ago, former soldier-turned-actor Jimmy was going through a bit of a lean patch, so he devised a rough outline for a sitcom. The show was based on his teenage experiences with the Home guard and went on to become one of TV's all-time classics.

BBC2's Dad's Army Night celebrates this success. Several programmes are lined up for the night, including a rerun of last years tribute Don't Panic, presented by Victoria Wood. But the highlight will be two 'missing' episodes which haven't been seen since their original broadcast in 1968 - Operation Kilt and The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage.

'Dad's Army wasn't all that popular to begin with' confides Jimmy, 78. 'One Woman said, "we've had enough of this wartime stuff - and that bald bugger doesn't know his lines!"'.

Nevertheless, Dad's Army's now-familiar characters hit the screen - Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe, "the bald bugger'), suave Sgt Wilson (John Le Mesurier), doddery Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn), Jack-the-lad Walker (James Beck), loveable Godfrey (Arnold Ridley), dour Fraser (John Laurie)and dim Pike (Ian Lavender). But it would take three series before the public really warmed to the show's charms.

'Today it wouldn't have made it past the first series,' admits Jimmy.

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