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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 3, Episode 1 is repeated on Gold on Monday 20th July at 8pm.

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

  1. 13th May via Beyond The Joke: BBC makes comedy sets available as Zoom backgrounds
  2. 7th April via The Sun: Brits turn to classics such as Dad's Army for comfort
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 3 Episode 1: Monday 20th July at 8pm on Gold
  2. Series 3 Episode 1: Tuesday 21st July at 12:40pm on Gold
  3. Series 3 Episode 1: Tuesday 21st July at 3:20pm on Gold
  4. Series 3 Episode 1: Tuesday 21st July at 7:20pm on Gold
  5. Series 3 Episode 2: Tuesday 21st July at 8pm on Gold
  6. Series 1 Episode 1: Tuesday 21st July at 8:40pm on Gold
  7. Series 1 Episode 1: Wednesday 22nd July at 12:20am on Gold
  8. Series 1 Episode 1: Wednesday 22nd July at 12:40pm on Gold
  9. Series 3 Episode 2: Wednesday 22nd July at 3:20pm on Gold
  10. Series 3 Episode 2: Wednesday 22nd July at 7:20pm on GoldShow all repeats
  11. Series 3 Episode 3: Wednesday 22nd July at 8pm on Gold
  12. Series 1 Episode 2: Wednesday 22nd July at 8:40pm on Gold
  13. Series 1 Episode 2: Thursday 23rd July at 12:20am on Gold
  14. Series 1 Episode 2: Thursday 23rd July at 12:40pm on Gold
  15. Series 3 Episode 3: Thursday 23rd July at 3:20pm on Gold
  16. Series 3 Episode 3: Thursday 23rd July at 7:20pm on Gold
  17. Series 3 Episode 4: Thursday 23rd July at 8pm on Gold
  18. Series 1 Episode 3: Thursday 23rd July at 8:40pm on Gold
  19. Series 1 Episode 3: Friday 24th July at 12am on Gold
  20. Series 1 Episode 3: Friday 24th July at 12:35pm on Gold
  21. Series 3 Episode 4: Friday 24th July at 2:40pm on Gold
  22. Series 3 Episode 5: Friday 24th July at 3:20pm on Gold
  23. Series 3 Episode 4: Friday 24th July at 7:20pm on Gold
  24. Series 3 Episode 5: Friday 24th July at 8pm on Gold
  25. Series 1 Episode 4: Friday 24th July at 8:40pm on Gold
  26. Series 1 Episode 4: Saturday 25th July at 12:20am on Gold

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