Dads Army, tv series and feature film
Posted: May 31st, 2008, 9:22 am
Not many British tv shows transfered to the big screen were any good, particulary sit-coms. Dads Army was the exception. it is often repeated, but never dates. the reason is IMO simple, it was set in WW2 about a platoon of The Home Gaurd, a group of older guys as in 'Col Blimp' defending the home front from potential Nazi invasion
The group was led by Captain Mannering, an unhappilly married man and manager of the local bank. he was a pompos idiot, but nonetheless very brave man. his catchphrase when speaking to Pike 'You Stupid Boy'
then there was Sargeant Arthur Wilson, Mannering's no-2 at the bank and to his boss' dismay more intelligent than he, though lacking in ambition, was played by the most famous of the group as far as international films are concerned, John le Mesurier
Lance Corporal Jones, the elderly butcher, played by the much younger Clive Dunn, which would explain why he was able to do all those difficult stunts. Jones was an experienced soldier of the 19th Century and WW1. his catchphrase was 'Don't Panic' while he himself was hysterical
Jock Fraser, was an ex-naval, turned undertaking Scotsman, played by 39 Steps star John Laurie. his catchphrase was 'We're Doomed'
Private Godfrey was played by elderly playwright Arnold Ridley
Private Joe Walker, a spiv, was played by James Beck, who sadly died during the series run at 46
Private Frank Pike, an innocent teenage bank clerk in Mannering's bank, played by Ian Lavender, who along with Dunn are the two last suriving members of the group
Bud Flanagan of the war-time double act Flanagan and Allen and The Crazy Gang, sang the theme song, Who Do You Think You're Kidding Mr. Hitler, just before his death. the song also partly featured on the sountrack of the movie version
The group was led by Captain Mannering, an unhappilly married man and manager of the local bank. he was a pompos idiot, but nonetheless very brave man. his catchphrase when speaking to Pike 'You Stupid Boy'
then there was Sargeant Arthur Wilson, Mannering's no-2 at the bank and to his boss' dismay more intelligent than he, though lacking in ambition, was played by the most famous of the group as far as international films are concerned, John le Mesurier
Lance Corporal Jones, the elderly butcher, played by the much younger Clive Dunn, which would explain why he was able to do all those difficult stunts. Jones was an experienced soldier of the 19th Century and WW1. his catchphrase was 'Don't Panic' while he himself was hysterical
Jock Fraser, was an ex-naval, turned undertaking Scotsman, played by 39 Steps star John Laurie. his catchphrase was 'We're Doomed'
Private Godfrey was played by elderly playwright Arnold Ridley
Private Joe Walker, a spiv, was played by James Beck, who sadly died during the series run at 46
Private Frank Pike, an innocent teenage bank clerk in Mannering's bank, played by Ian Lavender, who along with Dunn are the two last suriving members of the group
Bud Flanagan of the war-time double act Flanagan and Allen and The Crazy Gang, sang the theme song, Who Do You Think You're Kidding Mr. Hitler, just before his death. the song also partly featured on the sountrack of the movie version