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Unseen photos of Dad’s Army stars on set mark 50th anniversary of the classic sitcom
Some of the scrapes mirrored incidents Don witnessed as a lad in East Barnet during the war.
He says: “I saw our Home Guard training in the park. They did gas mask training in the cricket pavilion.
“Jimmy Perry must have seen something similar because in one episode, Godfrey rescues the unconscious Mainwaring from a smoke-filled hut.”
In this photo from 1975 cast members raise a laugh as they ring the church bells. There were cameos from famous names such as Babs Windsor, and, here, Wendy Richard in 1973.
Don remembers Philip Madoc’s role as a German U-boat captain in the same year. Don says: “I was shooting the dress rehearsal… Madoc pulled out that little notebook.
“So, I was one of the first people to hear the line that has since gone down in comedy history – ‘Don’t tell him, Pike!’” Don describes Arnold Ridley (right), as a “lovely, gentle man, just like his character, Private Godfrey”.
He adds: “Aged 72 when the series began, he was the only cast member to have served in both wars and had been seriously injured at the Somme.
“I took him to the Imperial War Museum for an exhibition about the Christmas gift boxes Princess Mary sent to him and our brave troops in 1914.” YOU have been watching them for half a century…and they’re as funny as ever.
The men of the Walmingtonon-sea Home Guard first hit our TV screens in July 1968 and made Dad’s Army one of the best-loved comedy shows ever.
To celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary, Radio Times has brought out a tribute book full of interviews and photos.
Most of the images were captured by Don Smith, a Daily Mirror photographer, who also took pictures for the TV mag. Don, now 85, charted all nine series, and got to know the cast, crew and writers better than any other journalist. He says: “I was sent to shoot the dress rehearsal of the second episode… I had no idea what it was all about. “But straight away I knew this was going to be a classic.” Don then met Jimmy Perry, the co-writer with David Croft, and they became good friends. Here Don shares memories and unseen Dad’s Army photos.
■ The Radio Times Dad’s Army at 50 is available at www.radiotimes.com/ rtdadsarmy or Whsmith or call 0044 3330 160 730.