Dad's Army Blue Peter

Dad’s Army at the BBC Archive

Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson meet John Noakes and Leslie Judd.If you are interested in the history of Dad’s Army you could do much worse than pay a visit to the Dad’s Army collection which is part of the BBC Archive. The BBC Archive taps into the extraordinarily rich pool of documentary resources that the BBC has retained over the years.

The Dad’s Army collection has a selection of production shots taken during filming along with photographs taken from special appearances, such as the Blue Peter shot above. Even more interesting are the letters from performers and agents showing how the cast was assembled including the agreement that Clive Dunn should enjoy third billing after Arthur Lowe and John le Mesurier.

Although much of the story told will be familiar from interviews and books, it is fascinating to see the original documents, most handwritten. It also underlines just how long ago this programme, that still feels so young and fresh, was made – almost 45 years now since its inception.

 

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