Open Air: Dad's Army

Interviews from 1989 with Bill Pertwee, Ian Lavender and Jimmy Perry, reflecting on the series and the renewed popularity of it following repeats on BBC 1 in the autumn of that year. NB. incomplete recording - material missing about half way through.

[@johnking5174]

Dad's Army is unique, that it is one of the most rare sitcoms which just has pure warmth to it. When you watch it, you feel safe. Strange, as it was set during an era where the British felt totally unsafe due to the war. But the comedy is safe, family friendly and brilliantly written and acted.

[@DeirdreMcNamara]

Growing up in post war England, with rubble still visible from the blitz, I always felt safe, because the people whom I knew were mostly incredibly kindly. When a sister got lost, the police found her, brought her to the station, gave her ice cream, contacted parents, etc... Nowadays they'd have sirens and social workers all over the place...Whether people liked you or not, they were raised to "do the right thing," and "rise above" petty jealousies, etc. It was a "country worth fighting for," and despite the "best efforts" of Heath, Bliar, Thatcher, et al, and though partly occupied by stealth, it still is... Resurgam!

[@johnking5174]

@@DeirdreMcNamara Well that is a one sided rose tinted glasses view in my opinion. If you were a gay man, you had to live a life in hiding. Imagine being arrested and jailed or fined (or both) for having sex with your boyfriend? That was a time when gay men were hunted and scared. It would not be until 1967 before in England Wales being gay was not a crime. That is not a world I would want to live in as a gay man, so I am indeed thankful for the modern world.

[@timelordvictorious]

yep also millions died on the home front.nasty shit still happened like any decade

[@LordRollo]

Gotta love Jimmy's Jacket...Absolutely love Dad's Army. Brilliant

[@ysgol3]

Jimmy Perry was wonderful - a brilliant writer and a diamond of a man.

[@anarchistatheist1917]

Very cool, I have never seen this before. Dad's army is one of the greatest sitcoms ever made. I have a short sleeve shirt with an image of Lance corporal Jones and a caption underneath saying "Don't panic Don't Panic."

[@ljt47exploring64]

He still plays with his ear

[@jasbarsoph]

absolute legends

[@coffin-dodger]

2023 woop woop woop woop thanks dads army bill and Ian ♥

[@glenstg]

Great how the public could ask them questions directly and it is amazing how well Bill pertwee could impersonate the others

[@billygillan2217]

Over 10 million watched in 89 and most of Scotland,there were amazing kids shows in 80s and like the Six million dollar man and many more and this in the case of Dads Army we all watched ,family entertainment, sadly known today with moron TV in reality crap and depression soaps

[@vincentaugustine7683]

I know Im kinda randomly asking but do anyone know of a good place to stream newly released movies online?

[@clayjairo4339]

@Vincent Augustine i watch on flixzone. You can find it by googling :)

[@MrChris5254]

Walked in a pub in Newcastle.The adelfi on Shakespeare's street.Lowe,Dunn and the other.they were on at the royal about 72

[@timelordvictorious]

Wow cool

[@watergreg5836]

Ian Lavender

[@alfie4troy]

Water Greg don’t tell him pike

[@Jsatchel2010]

Dad's army was never political, and did not care about political correctness. It was a simple life back then. Sadly, those days are gone forever.

[@johnking5174]

Dad's Army could never be political, as it was not set in the years it was aired. Dad's Army was based in 1940, 1941 and 1942 - the politics of that era was vastly different to the politics of 1968-1977 when it aired. So politics would have never entered into the sitcom. This is one reason why David Croft based nearly all of his sitcoms in the past - Dad's Army (WW2), Hi-De-Hi (1950s) - Allo allo (WW2 France) - You Rang M'Lord (1920s) - Oh Doctor Beeching (1960s) etc.

[@rockablllydoodrock6757]

Proper Comedy

[@DarkAutumn3D]

I do see a lot of John in the way he talks sometimes lol.

[@DeirdreMcNamara]

Interesting to hear Ian Lavender's take on "you stupid boy..." that it was said "with affection..." It did sometimes appear that the great, sometimes irritating actor, Arthur Lowe - irritating as in the "sand that makes a pearl" so to speak - saw Pike as the son Mainwaring always wanted, but suppressed as incompatible with Mainwaring's "aspirational class" values. It also tinted his attitude to Wilson - whom "fortune" favored with class, a title, golf club membership and even an unacknowledged son!

[@outlookesp]

i always thought that Clive Dunn had sung the intro

[@annie7367]

That's what I assumed as a kid.

[@MrDavey2010]

Ian Lavender always seems ill at ease when with his old colleagues.

[@coffin-dodger]

Forking BRILLIANT.. THANKYOU ♥