Dad's Army has been an enduring highlight of the small screen since
its debut on British television in 1968. The show, which follows the exploits of
the Home Guard of Walmington-on-Sea, a fictional seaside town on the south coast
of England, ran for
nine series in total, comprising 80 episodes, and regularly attracted viewing
figures of over 18 million at the height of its popularity. Today, it is still
shown weekly on BBC 2 and was recently placed fourth in a BBC poll of
Britain's Best Sitcoms
Ever.
The show has permeated British society, with the characters'
signature catchphrases (particularly Captain Mainwaring's 'Stupid boy!') having
entered the lexicon of popular culture. Such is its appeal that in August 2008
Jonathan Ross paid tribute to Dad's Army with an hour-long special, looking back
on the show's success and reliving its funniest moments. Yet Dad's Army is also
credited with drawing attention to the important role that Local Defence
Volunteers (later known as the Home Guard) played in the Second World War, in
guarding coastal areas of Britain and other important
industrial and military sites such as factories and explosives stores, and in
observing and reporting enemy aircraft.
Bill Pertwee found fame as ARP Warden Hodges in the series and has
put together a comprehensive tribute to all aspects of the show. This book
includes extensive features on the two creators of Dad's Army, Jimmy Perry and
David Croft, along with biographies of the whole cast of actors who brought this
British comedy classic to life, paying particular attention to such memorable
figures as Arthur Lowe (Captain Mainwaring), John Le Mesurier (Sergeant Wilson),
Clive Dunn (Corporal Jones) and Ian Lavender (Private Pike). As an integral part
of the show itself, Bill Pertwee is uniquely positioned to give an intimate view
of his co-stars, their families and the supporting production team.
His colourful account includes many hilarious incidents on and off
the set, such as filming for Columbia Pictures and being invited to tea at
10 Downing
Street. Numerous colour photos as well as a fine
selection of well-reproduced original stills supplement the informative text,
and a full episode listing is included, together with articles on the many Dad's
Army spin-offs and side projects, including the highly successful stage play,
movie adaptation and radio series.
