
- 27th December: Mrs. Brown's Boys suffers in cross-channel ratings drop
- 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!
- Part of
- 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
- Series 5 Episode 9: Monday 15th March at 8:20pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 9: Tuesday 16th March at 7:40pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 10: Tuesday 16th March at 8:20pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 10: Wednesday 17th March at 7:40pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 11: Wednesday 17th March at 8:20pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 11: Thursday 18th March at 7:40pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 12: Thursday 18th March at 8:20pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 14: Friday 19th March at 12:20pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 12: Friday 19th March at 7:40pm on Gold
- Series 5 Episode 14: Friday 19th March at 8:20pm on GoldShow all repeats
Website links
- BBC Comedy Guide
An article about the history of the show from the BBC. - The Dad's Army Museum
A museum dedicated to the show is located in Thetford, where the live-action scenes filmed. - Dadsarmy.tv
Yet another online guide to the wartime comedy. - Behind The Scenes On 'Dad's Army'
A collection of photos behind the scenes on Dad's Army - Dad's Army At 40
Comprehensive collection of photographs, documents and related Dad's Army materials from the BBC Archive. - IMDb
- Wikipedia

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