Dad's Army.

[Beach Hut]

I still rate this as one of the best comedies ever written due to the ensemble cast and the hints on snobbery between Wilson and Manwaring.

 

[fat old seagull]

If they can entice my dad to watch it while drinking a can of Webster's Yorkshire Bitter and unobtrusively dropping his hat now and again it'll be like a second childhood for me. I'm all for it.

Are you my brother? .....

 

[Prince Monolulu]

If you listen closely, or just slightly, you may notice a ‘cut’ in the opening theme tune.
Edited for timing reasons, this denied us the tune’s immortal middle eight lyrics: "So watch out Mr Hitler, you have met your match in us/If you think you can crush us, we're afraid you've missed the bus!”.

 

[clapham_gull]

Not sure any actor would take it on, it's cursed, almost all the actors in the original ended up dead.

A bit of a myth that the cast died young.

James Beck (Private Walker)died young at 44 (would be be 85 today) as did relatively Janet Davies (Mrs Pike) at 59. Arthur Lowe died at 66.

But most of the actors were already old in the 70s and Dad's Army is repeated time and time again.

Such was the strength of the acting it's surprising who lived the longest. Clive Dunn was one of the younger members of the cast as was Frank Williams, the vicar. He is still alive (83) and was born AFTER James Beck.

John Laurie was born in 1897 !! and would be 117 if alive today, slightly behind Arnold Ridley who would be 118.

Both lived into their 80s.

The full run down:

Arthur Lowe - (1915–1982) – Aged 66

John Le Mesurier (1912–1983) Aged 71

Clive Dunn (1920-2012) – Aged Aged 92

John Laurie (1897–1980) – Aged 83

Arnold Ridley (1896–1984) – Aged 88

James Beck (1929–1973) – Aged 44

Bill Pertwee (1926-2013) – Aged 86

Edward Sinclair (1914–1977) – Aged 63

Colin Bean (1926–2009) – Aged 83

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Why film it Yorkshire? there must be somewhere down south Kent or East Sussex which would be better? Warmington-on-Sea is supposedly near Eastbourne.

The '70's feature film was done in Kent wasn't it?

The series was filmed in Norfolk.
The film was, I believe, filmed in Kent.
The secret to Dads Army was that it was written and produced by Croft and Perry from personal experience in WW2. And most of the actors would have been through it as well and able to relate to the time.
Each character was superb by some excellent actors the relationship between Mainwaring and Wilson was sublime and for large parts the series was very funny.
My favourite episode is the one with " don't tell him Pike" but it is the bit when Walker is taking the order for fish & chips and the German
captain says " I vont haddock and I dont want any of your nasty soggy English chips, I vont mine crisp unt light brown"
I look forward to the new one but I do not think they could match it, Perry and Croft had the knack of making one off comedies with characters you got to know and love in their parts like It aint half hot mum and dads army and my absolute all time favourite Hi De Hi, god I loved that show.

 

[jimbob5]

The series was filmed in Norfolk.
The film was, I believe, filmed in Kent.
The secret to Dads Army was that it was written and produced by Croft and Perry from personal experience in WW2. And most of the actors would have been through it as well and able to relate to the time.
Each character was superb by some excellent actors the relationship between Mainwaring and Wilson was sublime and for large parts the series was very funny.
My favourite episode is the one with " don't tell him Pike" but it is the bit when Walker is taking the order for fish & chips and the German
captain says " I vont haddock and I dont want any of your nasty soggy English chips, I vont mine crisp unt light brown"
I look forward to the new one but I do not think they could match it, Perry and Croft had the knack of making one off comedies with characters you got to know and love in their parts like It aint half hot mum and dads army and my absolute all time favourite Hi De Hi, god I loved that show.

No the FILM was made in Chalfont St Giles in Bucks.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

A bit of a myth that the cast died

But most of the actors were already old in the 70s and Dad's Army is repeated time and time again.



John Laurie was born in 1897 !! and would be 117 if alive today, slightly behind Arnold Ridley who would be 118.

No shit Shirlock

 

[clapham_gull]

I still rate this as one of the best comedies ever written due to the ensemble cast and the hints on snobbery between Wilson and Manwaring.

hints ?

It's my favourite programme ever.

 

[Monkey Man]

Walmington was indeed supposed to be near Eastbourne, hence the episode with the reporter from the Eastbourne Gazette.

I think Dad's Army was one of the great comedies, which not only pulled off the very difficult trick of creating a large number of believable comic characters, but managed to appeal to all ages. I can think of programmes that were funnier but none that were as beautifully written and which were as affectionate towards those they portrayed.

The film has been cast really well and even if it falls flat on its face I'll give it a go and it won't spoil what Perry and Croft created.

 

[clapham_gull]

No shit Shirlock

Quite and also is the often repeated and yet completely wrong assertion that the show was "cursed" because the cast died young.

They didn't and neither did I suggest you did.

I presumed you were referring to the "Dad's Army curse" and elaborated the point.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

No the FILM was made in Chalfont St Giles in Bucks.

Fair enough but I dont remember seeing any white cliffs last time I was in Chalfont.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Arnold Ridley is a fascinating man. Despite playing the 'wimp', he suffered major traumas during WWI

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Ridley

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Walmington was indeed supposed to be near Eastbourne, hence the episode with the reporter from the Eastbourne Gazette.

I think Dad's Army was one of the great comedies, which not only pulled off the very difficult trick of creating a large number of believable comic characters, but managed to appeal to all ages. I can think of programmes that were funnier but none that were as beautifully written and which were as affectionate towards those they portrayed.

The film has been cast really well and even if it falls flat on its face I'll give it a go and it won't spoil what Perry and Croft created.

This always bugged me as there were quite a few references to Eastboune but the platoon had kent invicta cap badges and stuff. They either did not care or they based it around the Kent / Sussex border like Rye or Winchelsea.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

Quite and also is the often repeated and yet completely wrong assertion that the show was "cursed" because the cast died young.

They didn't.

I give up

 

[clapham_gull]

I give up

I'd give up selectively quoting to make a point when I'm effectively agreeing with you.

Bad day ?

 

[Beach Hut]

hints ?

It's my favourite programme ever.

OK hints is a bit weak it played a huge part in the comedy set up. I thought Arthur Lowe played that part very well, what I find very refreshing about it is that still to this day, probably having watched each episode a lot of times very well written and very funny.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

I'd give up selectively quoting to make a point

With hindsight it was a really shit joke on my behalf, I simply claimed that a show filmed in the 60's with a cast of mostly old/middle aged men was "cursed" as, here we are in 2014, and most of the cast have died.

Like I said, shit joke, enjoy the rest of your evening

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

OK hints is a bit weak it played a huge part in the comedy set up. I thought Arthur Lowe played that part very well, what I find very refreshing about it is that still to this day, probably having watched each episode a lot of times very well written and very funny.

Although still funny as a youngster I never got into the characters. Now that I do I love it even more. I cannot think of a poor or boring one even parts like the verger, Mrs Fox and Mr Blewitt were fabulous.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Don't, just Don't

And it was very close to Bexhill

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Just thought about the episode where they get stuck on the pier and try to get the chocolate out of the machine.
Mainwaring wouldn't let them break in because " thats the sort of things the Germans do" so they had to use Frasers pennies which he was very reluctant to give away. Brilliant stuff.