“Dad’s Army” – 1968- 1977

Director(s)
David Croft
Harold Snoad
Bob Spiers
Robert Knights (episode “Knights of Madness”)

Writer(s)
David Croft
Jimmy Perry

Producer(s)
David Croft producer

Cast
Arthur Lowe – Capt. George J. Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier – Sgt. Arthur K. Wilson
Clive Dunn – LCpl. Jack Jones
John Laurie – Pvt. James Frazer
Arnold Ridley – Pvt. Charles P. Godfrey
Ian Lavender – Pvt. Frank Pike
Bill Pertwee – ARP Warden ‘Willy’ Hodges
Frank Williams – The Vicar (Rev. Timothy Farthing)
Edward Sinclair – The Verger (Mr. Yateman)
Colin Bean – Pvt. Sponge
James Beck – Pvt. Joe Walker (1968-1973)
Harold Bennett – Mr. Blewitt (1969-1977)
Pamela Cundell – Mrs. Fox (1969-1977)
Janet Davies – Mavis Pike (1968-1977)
Caroline Dowdeswell – Janet King (1968)
E.V.H. Emmett – Newsreel Commentator (1968)
Eric Longworth – The Town Clerk
Geoffrey Lumsden – Capt. Square
Olive Mercer – Mrs. Yeatman
Robert Raglan – Col. Pritchard (1971-1975)
John Ringham – Capt. Bailey (1969)
Talfryn Thomas – Pvt. Cheeseman (1973-1974)

Review By Bill Bailey
Possibly the greatest TV of all time

Delightful, engaging, funny, serene … – words fail to express the sincere JOY this show gives me. I could probably use all the complimentary words in a thesaurus – and then some. Along with The Prisoner I have my desert island TV sorted. Every character is real. Even if the show was not funny (which it is – hugely), I could still watch this end-to-end and then again just for the characters alone. The BBC made some sublime TV in late 1960’s and through the 1970’s. Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served etc are all magnificent … but if push comes to shove this is it. The best TV of all time? Well, that’s my opinion and I am entitled to it – but yes, I would augue that this is it.
One criticism though – why oh why can’t the BBC/A&E release the whole series IN FULL and in sequence (they’ve found 2 of the 5 missing episodes from Series 2 so they have enough material to fill that DVD with the “Finding Of..” TV special (from 2000), Message To The Empire, various BBC variety TV appearances, the 1-hour specials etc etc). Now when that’s released I would be truly happy.