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Dad's Army. Image shows from L to R: Private Godfrey (Arnold Ridley), Lance Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn), Private Walker (James Beck), Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), Private Frazer (John Laurie), Sergeant Wilson (John Le Mesurier), Private Pike (Ian Lavender).

Dad's Army

BBC One sitcom about a home guard unit. 80 episodes (9 series), 1968 - 1977. Stars Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn, John Laurie and others.

Series 6, Episode 2 is repeated on BBC2 tomorrow at 7:30pm.

Dad's Army. Image shows from L to R: Lance Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn), Private Pike (Ian Lavender), Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), Sergeant Wilson (John Le Mesurier), Private Frazer (John Laurie), Private Godfrey (Arnold Ridley). Copyright: BBC.

Dad's Army

Beloved sitcom about the struggles of a Home Guard platoon during World War II who are fighting incompetence, age and pomposity more than Nazis

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Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1968 - 1977
Channel
BBC One
Episodes
80   (9 series), plus 4 short inserts
Creator
Jimmy Perry
Starring
Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn, John Laurie, Arnold Ridley, Ian Lavender, James Beck, Bill Pertwee and others
Writers
Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Directors
David Croft and Bob Spiers
Producer
David Croft

14th May, 1940: With the threat of invasion from Nazi Germany a horrifying reality, a new branch of the military was created out of the men not yet in the regular army. This force, first known as the Local Defence Volunteers, would soon become known as the Home Guard - but due to the vast number of elderly volunteers it also earned the nickname of "Dad's Army".

In Walmington-on-Sea, a town on the south coast of England, the Home Guard platoon is lead by Captain George Mainwaring, the pompous local branch manager of Swallow Bank. Alongside Mainwaring are his public school educated second-in-command and the bank's chief clerk Sergeant Arthur Wilson, and local butcher, old war horse and third-in-command Lance Corporal Jack Jones.

The main body of the platoon is comprised of a number of regular privates. The most notable of these are mummy's boy and bank clerk Frank Pike, pessimistic Scottish undertaker James Frazer, black market spiv Joe Walker and elderly medical orderly Charles Godfrey.

As if the Germans and constant threat of invasion weren't bad enough, the platoon have their own local problems, not least from common greengrocer and despised chief ARP Warden Hodges; Pike's interfering mother Mavis (who has a "relationship" with Wilson); the vicar and verger who run the church hall where the platoon parade; and Mainwaring's terrifying but never-seen wife Elizabeth.

Despite all that age, war, and their own pomposity, infighting and incompetence throws at them, these fine boys make up England's last line of defence against Nazi attack. God save them - and God help us!

More description

Production Details

Part of

Dad's Army

Production company
Also known as
  • The Fighting Tigers (Working title)
Soundtrack
Opening theme tune written by Jimmy Perry, composed by Derek Taverner, and sung by Bud Flanagan. The Band of the Coldstream Guards conducted by Captain (later Major) Trevor L. Sharpe play the closing theme music.
Laugh track
Live audience

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Wednesday 31st July 1968 on BBC One at 8:20pm
Last new broadcast
Sunday 13th November 1977 on BBC One at 8:10pm
Upcoming repeats
  1. Series 6 Episode 2: Tomorrow at 7:30pm on BBC2
  2. Series 3 Episode 10: Sunday at 8pm on Gold
  3. Series 3 Episode 10: Monday at 3:40pm on Gold
  4. Series 3 Episode 10: Monday at 7:40pm on Gold
  5. Series 3 Episode 11: Monday at 8:20pm on Gold
  6. Series 3 Episode 11: Tuesday at 3:40pm on Gold
  7. Series 3 Episode 11: Tuesday at 7:40pm on Gold
  8. Series 3 Episode 12: Tuesday at 8:20pm on Gold
  9. Series 3 Episode 12: Wednesday at 3:40pm on Gold
  10. Series 3 Episode 12: Wednesday at 7:40pm on GoldShow all repeats
  11. Series 3 Episode 13: Wednesday at 8:20pm on Gold
  12. Series 3 Episode 13: Thursday at 3:40pm on Gold
  13. Series 3 Episode 13: Thursday at 7:40pm on Gold
  14. Series 3 Episode 14: Thursday at 8:20pm on Gold
  15. Series 3 Episode 14: Friday 31st January at 3pm on Gold
  16. Series 4 Episode 1: Friday 31st January at 3:40pm on Gold
  17. Series 3 Episode 14: Friday 31st January at 7:40pm on Gold
  18. Series 4 Episode 1: Friday 31st January at 8:20pm on Gold
  19. Series 6 Episode 3: Saturday 1st February at 7:30pm on BBC2
  20. Series 4 Episode 2: Sunday 2nd February at 8pm on Gold
  21. Series 4 Episode 2: Monday 3rd February at 3:40pm on Gold
  22. Series 4 Episode 2: Monday 3rd February at 7:40pm on Gold
  23. Series 4 Episode 3: Monday 3rd February at 8:20pm on Gold
  24. Series 4 Episode 3: Tuesday 4th February at 3:40pm on Gold
  25. Series 4 Episode 3: Tuesday 4th February at 7:40pm on Gold
  26. Series 4 Episode 4: Tuesday 4th February at 8:20pm on Gold
  27. Series 4 Episode 4: Wednesday 5th February at 3:40pm on Gold
  28. Series 4 Episode 4: Wednesday 5th February at 7:40pm on Gold
  29. Series 4 Episode 5: Wednesday 5th February at 8:20pm on Gold
  30. Series 4 Episode 5: Thursday 6th February at 3:40pm on Gold
  31. Series 4 Episode 5: Thursday 6th February at 7:40pm on Gold
  32. Series 4 Episode 6: Thursday 6th February at 8:20pm on Gold
  33. Series 4 Episode 6: Friday 7th February at 3:30pm on Gold
  34. Series 4 Episode 6: Friday 7th February at 7:40pm on Gold
  35. Series 4 Episode 7: Friday 7th February at 8:20pm on Gold

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