An episode of Britain's Best Sitcom. This Dad's Army documentary features interviews with cast and crew including Clive Dunn, Jimmy Perry and David Croft.
Britain is facing invasion by Hitler and his Nazi hordes - and the men of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard are facing a crisis of their own. Private Walker, source of their supplies of whisky, cigarettes and other essential black market goods, has been called up to the army. Captain Mainwaring decides to use all his standing as an officer and a bank manager to have Walker excused from military service. Meanwhile, Jones and co try to ensure that Walker fails his army medical. (Gold recreates three episodes of Dad's Army that haven't been seen on television since they were first broadcast in 1969.)
After listening to a radio broadcast asking for men to form what was to become known as the home guard, George Mainwaring, a local bank manager, decides to act and form the platoon on his own. He appoints himself as Captain and recuruits his chief bank clerk Arthur Wilson as the platoon sergeant as well as enlisting the banks office boy Frank Pike. Several of the local tradesmen, including James Frazer; a philatelist shopkeeper, retired shop worker Charles Godfrey, Jack Jones the butcher and black market business man; Joe Walker also volunteer their service for 'King and Country'.. And so, The Walmington-On-Sea Home Guard was born.
With the shortage of weapons, Capt Mainwaring goes to the local museum, to see if any of the guns that are on display can be used, by the platoon.
Capt Mainwaring worried about the lack of weapons gets a visit from a Capt Square an old soldier who offers to donate some guns from his collection providing that he can take command of the platoon. Mainwaring agrees until he sees the state of the guns.
Capt Mainwaring is giving a lecture on recognizing enemy agents when he learns that for every Nazi that they capture there is a reward Later on the section on patrol capture two German flyers but back at HQ Godfrey accidently let them escape
Just when the platoon finally get their uniforms LCpl Jones is told that unless he can complete the assault course in 15 minutes he will have to leave So Mainwaring and the rest of the platoon think of a plan to help him
When news that the Prime Minister is to pay a visit to the area a shooting contest is held to see which of the local platoons will form the honor guard Walker gets a crack shot from the theatre touring show ( Barbara Windsor ) to take part as a member of the platoon but a surprise is in store for everybody
Captain Mainwaring calls the platoon together to parade on Christmas night.
When six members of the Highland Regiment attack the Warmington On Sea's H.Q. The platoon have to come up with a scheme to capture the attackers
When the church bells start to ring the platoon leap into action Jones takes half the platoon to Godfrey's cottage to set up a machine gun post While Wilson not knowing where Jones has gone also heads for the cottage where they both mistake each other for German's and prepare to attack
Walker is finally called up but Mainwaring tries to get his call up differed because of his value to the platoon but he is still ordered to go only to find out that he is allergic to the army's corned beef.
Sergeant Wilson overhears Mrs Pike telling Frank that she is expecting a child. Wilson assumes that she is pregnant and that he is the father, but it turns out that she is looking after an evacuee. Mainwaring advises that Wilson marry her, until she clears up the misunderstanding.
Capt Mainwaring promotes Frazer to Lance Corporal thus causing friction between him and Jones When Frazer starts getting above himself Mainwaring cancels the promotion
When Captain Bailey informs Mainwaring that he can make up another lance corporal, Frazer is chosen. Jones and Frazer both try desperately to impress Mainwaring into making them a corporal, and Frazer issues many charge sheets. The episode ends with Frazer breaking into the office with a boat-hook in his biceps.
The platoon are fire watching when they see a man using a torch Convinced that they have discovered a spy they arrest him only to find that they have made a terrible mistake
Mainwaring is under orders to be more cooperative with the A.R.P. wardens. A task that's made very difficult by their newly appointed Chief. Walker strikes a deal with Jones to make it easier for him to carry rationed goods without being stopped by the police - he is to let the platoon use his butchers van as a troop carrier and ambulance by day and let Walker use it by night. He bribes Jones with the promise that Jones will receive petrol coupons for it. Unfortunately things don't entirely go to plan...
The platoon travel to a secret location to be trained at a battle school. After a long train journey and a march in which they get hopelessly lost, they arrive late and end up missing two meals and the third is virtually inedible. Starving and tired the platoon take on the assault course in which they try their best to get back at Mainwaring for getting them lost. The platoon then have to capture the 'enemy's camp' held by Captain Rodrigues and his men. This task looks impossible but can Mainwaring save the day and win back the respect of his troops? Meanwhile Walker tries to raid the nearby farm to get food for his starving comrades.
Capt Mainwaring teaches the platoon the tactical use of the phone system when a German plane crashes into the towns reservoir. Because Mainwaring and Wilson cannot decide what to do it is left to Walker to come up with a plan to make the Germans surrender
When a low flying German aircraft. attacks Warmington On Sea. the platoon under the command of Lance Cpl Jones, fire at the aircraft, and use up all their ammunition. Mainwaring is furious, and orders an investigation.
During an air raid an unexploded bomb lands on the bank Mainwaring and Wilson find where the bomb has landed and secure it until the bomb disposal people arrive.
Capt Mainwaring is found not to have held the Kings Commission so he is reduced to the ranks and Sgt Wilson takes over command of the platoon After a disastrous war game against the Eastgate Platoon his men ask the Colonel for him to be reinstated
The episode was originally recorded in colour. However, in the Sixties and Seventies the BBC would sometimes wipe and re-use the master tapes once the programme had been aired. Film copies of the master tapes were often made of programmes prior to being wiped, but the recordings were only made in black and white. Thanks to the development of new Colour Recovery technology, the preservation team within BBC Archive have been able to bring a new lease of life to specific archive content, and this Dad's Army episode is the first programme to have its colour recovered. Colour Recovery relies on the particular manner in which these film recordings were made, and hails from the Colour Recovery Working Group, an independent group which has been working on the development the technology – the idea for which was conceived over a decade ago.
The platoon have taken charge of a large field gun and have to learn how to use it
The platoon captures a runaway barrage balloon and while trying to secure it Capt Mainwaring is carried aloft
The platoon hold a dance where Pike is going to announce his engagement to a local girl Sgt Wilson tries to get him to change his mind but Pike will not be put off.
The platoon are assigned guard duty on an isolated, disused pier for a week. However thanks to Pike's poor judgment over what to tie the boat too, they end up stranded with no contact with the mainland and no food. Attempts at Morse code only prompt Hodges to pursue the platoon to get them to 'Put that light out!' and he ends up stranded himself. If that wasn't enough Jones spots a mine has floated under the pier, but does Hodges have a solution that'll 'bowl them over'?
Godfrey asks to leave the platoon because he doesn't want to fight Mainwaring is furious and the rest of the platoon shun him until they find out that he was a hero from the first war So he rejoins the platoon as medical orderly
The platoon are told to be on the lookout for any parachutes found lying about so Walker tells Mainwaring that he has found one. They also take on a dog which they use to track an escaped German pilot but accidently arrest a bird watcher
The search begins for a spring clip for a Lewis gun that Frazer has lost while he was cleaning it. The trail leads them through Frazer's workshop to a Funeral Director, to Mr. Bluett's dining room table, to a graveyard. The platoon stop at nothing, committing various crimes including house breaking and grave robbing to get the clip back. But will they find it in time to save Frazer from a court-martial?
Captain Mainwaring comes up with the idea of small armed patrols to wreak havoc with the enemy, using a small repossessed boat the bank has acquired. After a practice on the river they get lost in the fog and they think they have drifted across the Channel and are about to be captured by the Germans, but they are in for a shock when they find out where they really are.
The platoon are rehearsing 'The Cornish Floral Dance' alongside the Wardens and some of the ladies of Walmington-on-Sea.
Captain Mainwairing, Sargent Wilson and Lance Corporal Jones perform a musical tribute to Noel Coward.
Mainwaring watches a film reel at the cinema which shows Winston Churchill inspecting Army troops and their mascot - a ram, of course where Mainwaring's concerned - if another platoon has a mascot, so must his. Sponge volunteers one from his farm but they have to catch it first, something that of course ends in complete disaster with Pike up to his neck in it - literally. Meanwhile the town parade is being organised and of course Mainwaring wants the platoon to lead, but Hodges has other ideas...
During home guard maneuvers LCpl Jones disguised as a log and helped by Frazer in a diving suit floats down the river in order to attack the Eastgate platoons headquarters
The most important item in the infantryman's equipment is his feet, and Captain Mainwaring is determined that all of his men will be well shod with hardy, battle-worthy feet. To this end, he starts a foot-hardening programme.
The platoon have moved to a new H.Q's position on the beach When Pike fails to turn up they find him caught up in the barbed wire at the waters edge With the tide coming in Mainwaring and Wilson mount a rescue mission but someone else gets there first
The platoon guard some Italian P.O.W's then suspicion falls on Walker that he may be helping them to escape. Mainwaring then sets a trap with a surprising outcome
In Capt Mainwaring's absence Wilson organizes a darts match against the ARP in the local pub When Mainwaring returns unexpectedly they have trouble getting the men back on parade
The platoon are manning the local lighthouse and they accidently switch on the light and can't find a way to switch it off During an upcoming air raid they must a way to cover up the glare
LCpl Jones goes to a reunion of his old regiment While he is away an old comrade that fought in the same battle joins the platoon and accuses Jones of cowardice On his return Jones has to tell the real story
Captain Mainwaring decides to enlist women to the platoon to assist with the war effort. After initial interviews go rather less than satisfactory, a Mrs. Fiona Grey walks into his office and into his life. Mainwaring is flattered that Fiona not only has similar views to him about the war, but also is complementary about his persona. He finds himself falling in love, unfortunately the men very quickly realise and start to gossip behind his back and Fiona decides to leave, but can Mainwaring get to the station in time to stop her?
In a cricket Match between the platoon and the air raid wardens, Chief Warden Hodges has a secret weapon up his sleeve. He plans to use England's fast bowler Fred Trueman, but all does not go as planed.
Sgt Wilson becomes a manager of his own branch and gets a commission on the same day but hours later his new branch has been destroyed during an air raid Mainwaring offers him his old job back and his old rank.
When the A.R.P. Headquarters has been destroyed Hodges and the wardens move into Mainwarings Office and the two of them start arguing over space Later the chimney catches fire and they have to work together to put the fire out
While the platoon are at a training camp Mainwaring gets drunk with the other officers during the night and misses the live grenade training the following morning. Later during the training one of the grenades lands in Jones van and Mainwaring rides to the rescue
The platoon are challenged by the Eastgate platoon to a test - but Hodges, the vicar and the verger are judges. To begin with, they seem likely to win - but when Jones gets a bad attack of malaria, defeat seems close.
Captain Mainwaring and his men create comedy mayhem when they go on manoeuvres with other military companies under the eye of a real Major-General. The result is disaster after disaster. After the shambles of manoeuvres, the Walmington-On-Sea defenders return home just as a German scout plane crashes near their town. It's crew captures the Church Hall and holds the Vicar and Major as hostages. The Major-General sends for the Army, the Army sends for the Navy, the Navy sends for the Marines, the Marines call in the police, and the police call the fire brigade. While this is going on, the irrepressible irregulars of Dad's Army hilariously demonstrate that they really can do the job they were organised for...
The pumping station of the reservoir has been damaged by a bomb with Walker and Godfrey trapped inside. Hodges is determined to overrule Mainwaring's rescue attempt until it's discovered the structure of the building is very unsafe and they draw lots to decide who is going to be the ones to dig the stranded men out. After successfully reaching Walker and Godfrey, the roof caves in and everyone but Jones ends up trapped in the underground bunker that is now filling rapidly with water. But does Godfrey have a solution that is more useful than asking to be relieved?
Vanity swoops through the platoon after Parliament decide that Home Guard members who are not fit for battle must be reassigned to the A.R.P. and A.R.P wardens that are fit should be reassigned to the Home Guard. The platoon obviously don't want this to happen so resort to some rather shocking measures to fool the Area Commander into believing they are suitable to stay where they are.
During the journey home after a night at the cinema Mainwaring comes to the assistance of the clippie after Hodges makes fun of her Later Mainwaring dreams of being Napoleon with the clippie as Josephine
Rumour sweeps through Walmington, that Wilson is seeing a young girl, He goes AWOL, and is found drunk. It turns out that the girl is his daughter. Meanwhile Walker has taken a delivery of pigeons that have been stolen from Trafalgar Square, and has to find somewhere to hide them. Then the platoon assemble for church parade.
The platoon practice house clearing by using the office and the Vicar and Hodges get caught up in the action. Later during a live firing exercise the platoon are sent to the wrong map reference. When Jones discovers the mistake he drives to rescue.
The platoon are given a lecture on the German Army but because Frazer keeps on complaining Mainwaring makes him acting C.O. of the platoon Later when the Colonel asks the platoon to attend a dinner Mainwaring has to play the bagpipes.
While Captain Mainwaring holds a party at his house for the platoon the bank is hit by a German bomb. After guarding the money all night he has to find a way to transport the money to the Eastgate Branch for safety
Godfrey asks for a holiday from the platoon in order to help an old girlfriend who runs a farm to bring in the harvest. As it's important work Mainwaring brings all the platoon to help.
Lance Corporal Jones has mislaid £500 that has been collected by the merchants to build a center for the local people Frazer hypnotizes Jones and after a long search the money finally turns up.
During an exercise Mainwaring And the platoon have to find a way to gain access into an ammo dump After dressing up as firemen they are called to a real fire
When the light is left on in the church hall, Chief Warden Hodges, suspects that Mainwaring is the culprit, and takes him to court. The verger knows what happened, but Hodges will not let him tell the truth.
The platoon are asked to provide guard duty at a testing ground for secret weapons but when one of the devices gets loose the platoon have to give chase
A Christmas Night with the Stars special: The platoon is chosen to take part in a world wide radio broadcast
A German pilot has baled out and is caught hanging by his parachute on the clock tower The platoon climb up to rescue him but get trapped themselves
The platoon finally get to grips with the enemy when they have to guard some Nazi Submariners but the Germans turn the tables on Mainwaring and try to escape but somehow Jones ends up with a grenade down his trousers
The Platoon decide to give a party to the visiting American troops.When the Yanks start to get fresh with the platoon's girl friends, all hell lets loose.
When news that the King is to travel through Warmington-On-Sea, by train, Capt Mainwaring and the platoon, are detailed to provide an honor guard,then the local stopping train breaks down on the main line,and the King's train is due any time.
The platoon have gone away to a camp to undergo an efficiency test Meanwhile Walker has a van load of onions to sell to Hodges. Later with no blank shells to use on the test Mainwaring has a brain wave and he uses the onions as ammunition to pass the test
When a relative of Sergeant Wilson dies, he inherits the title, Then when a Russian factory worker visits the town, to boost Anglo-Russian relations,Mainwaring has been asked to present the key of the town, until the mayor hears about Wilson's title, and asks Mainwaring to step down.
The platoon get lost on a wild and stormy night and have to take shelter in a old and deserted house that is used for training tracking dogs When Pike gets his uniform wet he changes it for an old German uniform but when the dogs get loose, they chase Pike and the platoon across the fields
Capt Mainwaring has gone into hospital for an operation on an ingrowing toenails. Meanwhile Wilson as acting C.O. has asked the Vicar and the Verger to join the platoon to make up the numbers.
As all the road signs have been removed from the area, the platoon are ordered to put up temporary ones to help a large convoy on maneuvers that is due to drive through the area, but due to the condition of the ground the platoon's van gets stuck in the mud.
Pike gets his head caught in the park railings and the platoon are summoned to help meanwhile a large bomb has exploded near the town and has put the gas and electricity supplies out of order When Mainwaring returns to hear what has happened he puts the town under martial law
While on maneuvers the platoon come in contact with an escaped gorilla.
The platoon are dressed as Morris Dancers for a local show when Jones comes to Capt. Mainwaring with a problem concerning Mrs Fox. Jones thinks she is seeing the town clerk and wants Mainwaring to sort it out for him.
Lady Maltby offers her Rolls Royce to Capt Mainwaring for use as his staff car. After the car has been disguised with camouflage paint, it has to be repainted black, because the Mayor's car has run out of petrol, and there no official car to greet a visiting V.I.P.
When the platoon accidentally shoot a turkey they try and return it to the local farmer but he will not accept it so the men come up with the idea of providing a dinner for the local O.A.P's
The Colonel orders Mainwaring and the platoon to make a training film with a couple of well known actors but unknown to Mainwaring they are to play the Germans. Mainwaring refuses to take part but the rest of the platoon are ordered to. When the filming is cancelled Mainwaring and the men still dressed as German soldiers are spotted in the local pub and the alarm is given.
Pike finally gets his call up papers and is to join the Airforce but when his blood that has been donated for the red cross is checked it is found to be from a rare group and he is excused military service Then he has to find a way to break the news to the platoon
Godfrey's cottage is due to be demolished to make way for a new airfield but no-one can bring themselves to break the news to him until Jones finds out that he already knows. In the end Frazer, knowing the family history of the General in charge, bribes him to get the airfield moved 200 yards. This results in some rather amusing consequences. The door to Mainwaring's bank office is replaced with a paper door, apart from the insult of not having a proper door Mainwaring is even more annoyed at the fact that Pike the Colonel and Jones manage to destroy it within minutes of it being installed.
Captain Mainwaring gives a lecture on field craft in the vicar's garden, covering what to eat and how to erect a tent. Later, apart from having to put with the vicar, verger, Hodges and a gang of boy scouts, their field manoeuvres are also interrupted by three German fliers who have been shot down and are trapped in their dinghy in the middle of the lake... ""Handi hoch! Handi hoch!""
Cpl Jones has problems with his bank account. When Mainwaring tries to help, he finds that the trail leads through the platoon, on to Mrs Pike, and ends with Mr Hodges.
Mainwaring has visions of promotion for himself and Wilson and of expanding the platoon into a company, so he embarks on a recruitment drive. A poster is drawn up and Jones is voted to be in it. Unfortunately a mix-up at the printers results in Jones being branded an escaped prisoner of war instead.
Mainwaring's drunken brother Barry arrives in Walmington claiming that their father's pocket watch, held by Mainwaring, belongs to him. Mainwaring gives him the pocket watch to assuage him, but he gatecrashes Mainwaring's party for local dignitaries..
To raise money for the Comforts For The Troops Fund, the vicar organises a bazaar - each member of the platoon donates something. Hodges the greengrocer donates three oranges, extremely rare due to wartime rationing. Mrs. Mainwaring fails to show, and Captain Mainwaring has only one chance of redemption - get his hands on one of Hodges' oranges..
The people of Walmington-On-Sea are becoming apathetic about the war effort. When practicing on a firing range, Mainwaring is told to keep the noise down and Hodges is verbally assaulted for his efforts as chief warden. Mainwaring decides to scare his townfolk by getting the platoon to dress up as fifth columnists and marching through the countryside 'asking ze questions!' Will their plan work? Or will Mainwaring just end up looking rather silly in front of Captain Square and the Eastgate platoon?
Capt Mainwaring is to be an umpire in a war game exercise so he gets the use of a car Pike meets a girl and uses the car to take her out but they stay out all night and the whole town is shocked
During a ' Wings For Victory ' fundraising event the platoon decide to stage a reenactment of the battle between St George and the Dragon but friction starts when Hodges and the wardens plan the same thing
Frazer is busy counting up his earnings when his doctor visits and accidentally knocks over a money box revealing that Frazer is far from poor. Concerned, the doctor alerts Mainwaring, who alerts Jones and very soon Frazer's fortune is the subject of town gossip. Eventually the platoon, Hodges, the Vicar and the Verger are spying on Frazer to see what he does with his money. Will they get their hands on it, or does Frazer have a sneaky trick up his sleeve?
The platoon take over from the regular army in guarding some vital telephone wires During an air raid a bomb lands in the wires and a way has to be found to get it down before it explodes
Lance Corporal Jones wants to marry Mrs Fox but has to get Capt Mainwaring's permission. During the reception an invasion alert is called and Jones spends his wedding night on the beach doing guard duty.
A new making-of documentary, looking at the production of the new animated epidodes of 'Dad's Army'.
In this one-off special to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the classic show, self-confessed Dad's Army fan Jonathan Ross is joined by the show's stars, including Ian Lavender, Clive Dunn, Bill Pertwee and Frank Williams, plus celebrity fans Ronnie Corbett, Jon Culshaw and John Thompson. There are also plenty of surprises in store for everyone who has watched the much-loved television comedy.
Shown as part of the BBC Comedy Connections series. This episode looks at Dad's Army, the gentle wartime sitcom that became one of the most popular and best-loved series of all time. Set in wartime Britain, the cast of Dad's Army featured many veterans of stage and screen including Arthur Lowe, John Laurie and Arnold Ridley. As well as creating a template for future ensemble sitcoms, the series established one of British TV's most successful writing partnership - that of Jimmy Perry and David Croft. But Comedy Connections reveals that neither writer gave Dad's Army its name. Originally called Fighting Tigers, the new title was imposed on the show by the BBC's then Head of Comedy, Michael Mills. Other surprises include John Laurie expressing his disappointment that, at the age of 73 and after a glittering theatre career, he should become most famous for 'this crap', what happened when Ian Lavender asked the show's writers whether his character, Pike, was in fact Wilson's son, and what producer David Croft did with the audience feedback report after the screening of the show's pilot. With contributions from writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft, plus actors Clive Dunn, Ian Lavender, Frank Williams, Bill Pertwee, Pamela Cundell and Wendy
Presented by Terry Wogan this compilation programme celebrates the unique talent of Arthur Lowe, including interviews with those who knew him, together with clips from TV programmes.
A celebration of the much-loved British comedy about the Home Guard hosted by Victoria Wood.
Documentary about the missing episodes of season 2. When the two missing episodes of Dads Army were found: Operation Kilt and The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage, on the night of their showing they showed this documentary before hand. Also, on the Dads Army Series 1 and 2 DVD, this documentary is an extra. Basically, Terry Wogan announced it and he just went through sitcoms where episodes are no longer in the achieves. Series that have missing episodes are: Hancock's Half Hour, Till Death us do Part, The Likely Lads, Doctor Who and although three episodes have been found, three more episodes of Dads Army remain missing. Also on this documentary, they began talking about Dads Army, where they showed a clip from the abysmal American version of Dads Army. The three missing episodes of Dads Army are: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker, A Stripe for Frazer and Under Fire. Dads Army fans, like myself, live in hope that one day the episodes will be found.
Documentary from the BBC series 3 DVD release of Dad's Army.
Documentary from the BBC series 7 DVD release of Dad's Army.
Documentary from the BBC series 4 DVD release of Dad's Army.
Documentary from the BBC series 5 DVD release of Dad's Army.
Documentary from the BBC series 6 DVD release of Dad's Army.
Documentary from the BBC series 7 DVD release of Dad's Army.
Documentary from the BBC series 8 DVD release of Dad's Army.
Documentary from the BBC series 9 DVD release of Dad's Army.
Celebrities choose their favourite moments from Dad's Army.
A Christmas Night with the Stars special: To raise money, the platoon dress up in costumes and act as historical figures in the past that have taken over England.
A documentary about Dad's Army. Starring Clive Dunn Jimmy Perry David Croft Ian Lavender Pamela Cundell Frank Williams Philip Madoc Bill Pertwee Eric Longworth
A public information advert featuring the cast of Dad's Army, created to inform the public of how to use a pelican crossing.
Dad's Army: A Nostalgic Music and Laughter Show of Britain’s Finest Hour was a 1975 stage adaptation of the BBC sitcom Dad's Army. Following the success of the television programme, the stage show was commissioned by Bernard Delfont in the spring of 1975. Jimmy Perry and David Croft adapted material from the original scripts, making changes to allow for the absence of location filming. The show was in the style of a revue, with songs, familiar scenes from the show, and individual turns for cast members. It was produced by Roger Redfarn, who shared the same agent as the writers.
On tour with the cast of the Dad's Army stage show. Filmed and narrated by Frank Williams with his 8mm cine camera.
60-minute scripted comedy drama about how the legendary creators of Dad's Army - Jimmy Perry and David Croft - overcame BBC management scepticism, focus groups and cast constipation to get the much-loved legend onto air. Running from Perry's initial idea in 1967 until the transmission of the first episode in 1968, this affectionate and witty film shows the beginnings of Perry and Croft's writing partnership and the casting woes, personal clashes and production difficulties that put the show's very existence in jeopardy. It reveals to fans and newcomers alike what went on behind the scenes in the making of the classic sitcom Dad's Army and is a true love letter to British creativity.
Near the end of World War II, the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon deals with a female journalist and a German spy.
Jimmy Perry introduces his favourite episode from Dad's Army. He chose 'Branded' from series 3, where Godfrey is betrayed as a coward, played brilliantly by Arnold Ridley. There's trouble in the ranks of the Home Guard when the bravery of the gentle and well-mannered Private Godfrey is called into question.
These pictures are from the final scene in 'Battle of the Giants' in which Jones is seen climbing onto a flagpole. The background was shot on location at Elveden Hall in Norfolk, whilst Jones and the flagpole were recorded in front of the studio audience in London. The two pictures were electronically combined using 'colour separation overlay'.
Alexander Armstrong begins a 50th anniversary celebration of Dad's Army by looking at the inspiration for the show and how it made it to the screen. Alongside fascinating and entertaining archive material, the show features interviews with actors from the very earliest episodes, members of the production team who were there when it all started and a veteran of the real Home Guard.
Alexander Armstrong continues this 50th anniversary celebration of Dad's Army by looking at the heyday of the show. He meets Dad's Army vicar Frank Williams, explores the impact of the show on the lives of its stars and we hear from Hugh Dennis, Jon Culshaw and other comedy stars of today who grew up loving Dad's Army.
Alexander goes behind the scenes to discover just how Dad's Army was made. He meets locals from the Norfolk town of Thetford, which stood in for Walmington-on-Sea, and we hear from the expert professionals who brought Jimmy Perry and David Croft's ambitious ideas to the screen.
Alexander Armstrong looks at how the show transferred to the radio and to the stage before finally coming to an end on television - only to live on in the hearts of its millions of fans.
When he's told he can make a member of the platoon a Corporal, Captain Mainwaring instigates a competition between Frazer and Jones to see who deserves the promotion. Both candidates do their best to impress him, particularly during a demonstration on how to face down a Nazi stormtrooper, but things go awry when a power-crazed Frazer charges the other men with court-martial offences. (Gold recreates three episodes of Dad's Army that haven't been seen on television since they were first broadcast in 1969.)
Tipped off by Frazer and Godfrey, Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson investigate a house from where they believe someone may have been signalling to enemy aircraft. They take the suspect back to the church hall, but chaos ensues when an incendiary bomb comes through the roof and the platoon desperately battles the blaze. (Gold recreates three episodes of Dad's Army that haven't been seen on television since they were first broadcast in 1969.)
A Dad's Army retrospective formed part of BBC2's evening line up in 1998. Here, writer David Croft appeals to vintage VCR owners to return any old recordings they may have. Also includes trails for "Maximum Bob" and an evening of programmes surrounding a screening of Schindler's List.
The story behind one of the best loved British sitcoms ever made, from humble beginnings to smash hit. This show celebrates all of Dad's Army's iconic catchphrases, the hilarious stunts, and goes behind the scenes to discover what happened when the cameras stopped rolling. Former cast member Ian Lavender reflects on the show, and there are also contributions from Jonathan Ross, John Thomson, Al Murray, Eamonn Holmes, Kelly Holmes and many others.
Behind the scenes of the comedy, revealing what the cast was like in real life and telling the stories of some of their heroic efforts. Featuring interviews with some of the original cast and their wives and children.
