Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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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!’” 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 03330 160 730.