Dad's Army
Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Hitler?
Dad's Army is a British sitcom written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, following the Home Guard platoon of the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea during the Second World War. Arthur Lowe stars as the pompous bank manager Captain Mainwaring, who leads a well-meaning but shambolic band of volunteers including the languid Sergeant Wilson, the excitable butcher Corporal Jones and the mollycoddled Private Pike. Running for nine series between 1968 and 1977, the show drew audiences of over eighteen million at its peak and remains a fixture of British television, still repeated regularly on the BBC nearly six decades after it first aired.
Start a quizAt a glance
- First aired
- 31 July 1968
- Last aired
- 13 November 1977
- Created by
- Jimmy Perry and David Croft
- Channel
- BBC One
- Series
- 9
- Episodes
- 80
- Set in
- Walmington-on-Sea, on the south coast of England
- Quizzes
- 3
Dad's Army quizzes
How well do you know the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard? Fall in for this wartime classic.
The platoon, the vicar and the warden. A quiz for those who know Walmington-on-Sea inside out.
From the church hall to the pier. Memorable moments from nine series of the Home Guard.
Dad's Army cast and characters
Captain Mainwaring
Played by Arthur Lowe
The pompous but brave and patriotic local bank manager, who appoints himself commander of the Walmington-on-Sea platoon. His put-down "You stupid boy!" is usually aimed at Pike.
Sergeant Wilson
Played by John Le Mesurier
Mainwaring's diffident, upper-middle-class chief clerk at the bank and his sergeant in the platoon, who quietly asks 'Do you think that's wise, sir?' He is implied to be in a relationship with Pike's widowed mother.
Lance Corporal Jones
Played by Clive Dunn
The elderly local butcher and veteran of Kitchener's campaign in the Sudan, forever telling stories of his army days. His catchphrases include 'Don't panic!' and 'They don't like it up 'em!'
Private Frazer
Played by John Laurie
A dour Scot from the Isle of Barra, a former Royal Navy chief petty officer who works as the town undertaker. His gloomy catchphrase is 'We're doomed!'
Private Pike
Played by Ian Lavender
The youngest member of the platoon, a mollycoddled junior clerk at Mainwaring's bank who wears a scarf to ward off colds. He calls Sergeant Wilson 'Uncle Arthur'.
Private Godfrey
Played by Arnold Ridley
A gentle retired shop assistant from the Army & Navy Stores who lives with his sisters and serves as the platoon's medical orderly. He was awarded the Military Medal as a stretcher bearer at the Somme.
Private Walker
Played by James Beck
A cheeky Cockney spiv who can get hold of anything on the black market and often makes jokes at Mainwaring's expense. James Beck died suddenly in 1973, during the making of series six.
Chief ARP Warden Hodges
Played by Bill Pertwee
The local greengrocer and air raid warden, and the platoon's arch-rival. He calls Mainwaring 'Napoleon' and is always shouting 'Put that light out!'
Dad's Army facts and FAQs
- When was Dad's Army first shown?
- Dad's Army was first shown on BBC One (then called BBC1) on 31 July 1968. It ran for nine years, and the final episode, 'Never Too Old', aired on 13 November 1977.
- How many series (seasons) and episodes of Dad's Army are there?
- There are nine series of Dad's Army and 80 episodes, including three Christmas specials from 1971, 1975 and 1976. Three episodes from series two are missing from the BBC archive, and Gold remade them with a new cast in 2019.
- Who created and wrote Dad's Army?
- Dad's Army was created by Jimmy Perry, who based it partly on his own time in the Home Guard as a 16-year-old. He wrote the series with David Croft, who also produced it.
- Where was Dad's Army filmed?
- Dad's Army was filmed on location in and around Thetford in Norfolk, especially the army's Stanford Training Area nearby. Studio scenes were recorded at BBC Television Centre in London, and a statue of Captain Mainwaring now sits in Thetford.
- Where is Dad's Army set?
- Dad's Army is set in Walmington-on-Sea, a fictional seaside town on the south coast of England. Its Home Guard platoon would be on the front line if the Germans invaded.
- What is Dad's Army about?
- Dad's Army is a British sitcom about a Home Guard platoon of volunteers, most of them too old for regular military service, during the Second World War. Led by pompous bank manager Captain Mainwaring, they are ready to defend Britain but rarely get the chance, battling the ARP warden and their own incompetence instead.
- Who played Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army?
- Captain Mainwaring was played by Arthur Lowe in all 80 episodes of the TV series and in the 1971 film. Toby Jones took the role in the 2016 film, and Kevin McNally played him in the 2019 remakes of the missing episodes.
- Who are the main characters in Dad's Army?
- The main characters in Dad's Army are Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), Sergeant Wilson (John Le Mesurier), Lance Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn), Private Frazer (John Laurie), Private Godfrey (Arnold Ridley), Private Pike (Ian Lavender) and Private Walker (James Beck). Their chief rival is ARP Warden Hodges (Bill Pertwee).
Awards and recognition
Placed fourth in the BBC's Britain's Best Sitcom poll (2004)
Drew audiences of over eighteen million viewers at its peak
Adapted into feature films in 1971 and 2016 and a 67-episode BBC Radio 4 series (1974-1976)