Radio
Episode 11: Under Fire
 Based
on the TV episode: Under Fire
(1969)
Original Broadcast: Monday 8th April 1974, BBC
Radio 4, 6.15pm
Studio
Recording: Friday 27th July 1973
Adapted for Radio by Michael Knowles & Harold Snoad
Based on the Television Scripts by Jimmy Perry & David
Croft.
Produced By John Dyas.
The platoon
investigate a local resident who is believed to be a German Spy,
while Square continually throws a spanner
in the works...
Cast:
Arthur Lowe (Captain Mainwaring) , John Le Mesurier (Sergeant
Wilson), Clive Dunn (Lance Corporal Jones), John Laurie
(Private Frazer), Arnold Ridley (Private Godfrey),
Pearl Hackney (Mrs. Pike), Geoffrey Lumsden (Square),
Avril Angers (Mrs. Keane), David Gooderson (Mr. Murphy)
John Snagge (BBC Announcer)
 Now,
Pay Attention...
Under
Fire has the distinction of been one of three Dad's
Army episodes, which no longer exist in the BBC Television
archive. Fortunately, a version was recorded by some of
the cast for BBC radio in 1973.
Under
Fire features a memorable drill lead by Corporal -
Colonel Square in which Lance Corporal Jones and Private
Godfrey are required to ride on bicycles.
Radio
script writer, Michael Knowles recalled the making of
a Dad's Army Radio episode, which required Corporal
Jones to ride a bicycle, in Bill Pertwee's book Dad's
Army - The Making of A Television Legend.
'John
Dyas (the radio series producer) decided it would be a
good idea if Clive Dunn actually rode a bicycle on the
stage. Clive's enthusiastic response to this was immediate.
"I would like to ride a bicycle round the stage,
sir!" With that he leapt astride the bike and tried
several circuits of the stage before the idea was abandoned
as being not only too dangerous for the cast but also
for the audience! As it turned out, it worked better when
Clive walked between two microphones. Such is the magic
of radio!'
Avril
Angers appears here as Mrs. Keane, a role originally played
by Queenie Watts in the television version.
Ian Lavender does not feature in this episode.
|
Available
on BBC Radio Collection Cassette: Dad's
Army 6 - The Menace From The Deep
Dad's
Army Radio Episode Guide
Written,
researched and designed by Andy Howells (c) 2003. Design revised:
Andy Howells (C) 2003.
|
