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Specials
December 27, 1971

Specials

01. Battle of the Giants!

The platoon is challenged by the Eastgate platoon to a test - but Hodges, the vicar and the verger are judges. To begin with, they seem likely to win, but when Jones gets a bad attack of malaria, defeat seems close.

1h 1min
December 27, 1971

02. My Brother and I

Second Xmas Special. Mainwaring's drunken brother Barry arrives in Walmington claiming that their father's pocket watch, held by Mainwaring, belongs to him. Mainwaring gives him the pocket watch to assuage him, but he gatecrashes Mainwaring's party for local dignitaries..

39min
December 26, 1975

03. The Love of Three Oranges

Third Xmas Special. To raise money for the Comforts For The Troops Fund, the vicar organises a bazaar - each member of the platoon donates something. Hodges the greengrocer donates three oranges, extremely rare due to wartime rationing. Mrs. Mainwaring fails to show, and Captain Mainwaring has only one chance of redemption - get his hands on one of Hodges' oranges..

30min
December 26, 1976

04. Jonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Army

In this one-off special to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the classic show, self-confessed Dad's Army fan Jonathan Ross is joined by the show's stars, including Ian Lavender, Clive Dunn, Bill Pertwee and Frank Williams, plus celebrity fans Ronnie Corbett, Jon Culshaw and John Thompson.

There are also plenty of surprises in store for everyone who has watched the much-loved television comedy.

1h 0min
August 3, 2008

05. Comedy Connections - Dad's Army

Shown as part of the BBC Comedy Connections series. This episode looks at Dad's Army, the gentle wartime sitcom that became one of the most popular and best-loved series of all time.

Set in wartime Britain, the cast of Dad's Army featured many veterans of stage and screen including Arthur Lowe, John Laurie and Arnold Ridley. As well as creating a template for future ensemble sitcoms, the series established one of British TV's most successful writing partnership - that of Jimmy Perry and David Croft.

But Comedy Connections reveals that neither writer gave Dad's Army its name. Originally called Fighting Tigers, the new title was imposed on the show by the BBC's then Head of Comedy, Michael Mills. Other surprises include John Laurie expressing his disappointment that, at the age of 73 and after a glittering theatre career, he should become most famous for 'this crap', what happened when Ian Lavender asked the show's writers whether his character, Pike, was in fact Wilson's son, and what producer David Croft did with the audience feedback report after the screening of the show's pilot.

With contributions from writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft, plus actors Clive Dunn, Ian Lavender, Frank Williams, Bill Pertwee, Pamela Cundell and Wendy

30min
December 13, 2008

06. A Life on the Box - Arthur Lowe

Presented by Terry Wogan this compilation programme celebrates the unique talent of Arthur Lowe, including interviews with those who knew him, together with clips from TV programmes.

30min
February 21, 1999

07. Dad's Army In Colour – Room At The Bottom

The episode was originally recorded in colour. However, in the Sixties and Seventies the BBC would sometimes wipe and re-use the master tapes once the programme had been aired. Film copies of the master tapes were often made of programmes prior to being wiped, but the recordings were only made in black and white.

Thanks to the development of new Colour Recovery technology, the preservation team within BBC Archive have been able to bring a new lease of life to specific archive content, and this Dad's Army episode is the first programme to have its colour recovered.

Colour Recovery relies on the particular manner in which these film recordings were made, and hails from the Colour Recovery Working Group, an independent group which has been working on the development the technology – the idea for which was conceived over a decade ago.

30min
December 13, 2008

08. Dad's Army (The Movie)

Capt. Mainwaring and his men create comedy mayhem when they go on manoeuvres with other military companies under the eye of a real Major-General. The result is disaster after disaster. After the shambles of manoeuvres, the Walmington-on-Sea defenders return home just as a German scout plane crashes near their town. Its crew captures the church hall and holds the vicar and Major as hostages.

The Major-General sends for the Army, the Army sends for the Navy, the Navy sends for the Marines, the Marines call in the police, and the police call the fire brigade. While this is going on, the irrepressible irregulars of Dad's Army hilariously demonstrate that they really can do the job they were organised for...

1h 35min
March 12, 1971

09. Don't Panic! The 'Dad's Army' Story

A celebration of the much-loved British comedy about the Home Guard hosted by Victoria Wood.

30min
May 28, 2000

10. Missing Presumed Wiped

Documentary about the missing episodes of season 2.

When the two missing episodes of Dads Army were found: Operation Kilt and The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage, on the night of there showing they showed this documentary before hand. Also, on the Dads Army Series 1 and 2 DVD, this documentary is an extra.

Basically, Terry Wogan announced it and he just went through sitcoms where episodes are no longer in the achieves. Series that have missing episodes are: Hancock's Half Hour, Till Death us do Part, The Likely Lads, Doctor Who and although three episodes have been found, three more episodes of Dads Army remain missing. Also on this documentary, they began talking about Dads Army, where they showed a clip from the abysmal American version of Dads Army.

The three missing episodes of Dads Army are: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker, A Stripe for Frazer and Under Fire. Dads Army fans, like myself, live in hope that one day the episodes will be found.

30min
December 28, 2001

11. We are the Boys: Arnold Ridley

Documentary from the BBC series 3 DVD release of Dad's Army.

30min

12. The Unforgettable Arthur Lowe

No details

30min
September 18, 2000

13. We are the Boys: James Beck

Documentary from the BBC series 4 DVD release of Dad's Army.

30min

14. We are the Boys: John Laurie

Documentary from the BBC series 5 DVD release of Dad's Army.

30min

15. We are the Boys: John Le Mesurier

Documentary from the BBC series 6 DVD release of Dad's Army.

30min

16. We are the Boys: Arthur Lowe

Documentary from the BBC series 7 DVD release of Dad's Army.

30min

17. We are the Boys: Clive Dunn

Documentary from the BBC series 8 DVD release of Dad's Army.

30min

18. We are the Boys: Ian Lavender

Documentary from the BBC series 9 DVD release of Dad's Army.

30min

19. Selection Box

Celebrities choose their favourite moments from Dad's Army.

30min
February 5, 1997

20. Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages

A Christmas Night with the Stars (1969) special: To raise money, the platoon dresses up in costumes and acts as historical figures in the past that have taken over England.

10min
December 25, 1969

21. Broadcast to Empire

A Christmas Night with the Stars (1972) special: The platoon is chosen to take part in a world wide radio broadcast

14min
December 25, 1972

22. The Passing Years

A documentary about Dad's Army.

Starring: Clive Dunn; Jimmy Perry; David Croft; Ian Lavender; Pamela Cundell; Frank Williams; Philip Madoc; Bill Pertwee; Eric Longworth.

30min
November 12, 2007

23. The Cornish Floral Dance

The platoon is rehearsing 'The Cornish Floral Dance' alongside the Wardens and some of the ladies of Walmington-on-Sea.

A special for Christmas Night With The Stars (1970), currently believed lost.

11min
December 25, 1970

24. The Coward Revue: A Musical Tribute to Noël Coward

Capt. Mainwairing, Sgt. Wilson and LCpl. Jones perform a musical tribute to Noël Coward.

4min
January 20, 1969

25. The Pelican Crossing

A public information advert featuring the cast of Dad's Army, created to inform the public of how to use a pelican crossing. The crossing was temporarily installed for filming on a dead-end service road in Woodley, Berkshire, itself now pedestrianised. A follow-up film featured just Bill Pertwee (ARP Warden Hodges) and Edward Sinclair (as the verger) in Hodges' van, attempting to subvert the Highway Code, with unfortunate consequences.

1min
December 23, 1976

26. Nationwide preview of Dad's Army: The Stage Show

Dad's Army: A Nostalgic Music and Laughter Show of Britain’s Finest Hour was a 1975 stage adaptation of the BBC sitcom Dad's Army. Following the success of the television programme, the stage show was commissioned by Bernard Delfont in the spring of 1975. Jimmy Perry and David Croft adapted material from the original scripts, making changes to allow for the absence of location filming. The show was in the style of a revue, with songs, familiar scenes from the show, and individual turns for cast members. It was produced by Roger Redfarn, who shared the same agent as the writers.

5min
October 10, 1975

27. On Tour With The Cast

On tour with the cast of the Dad's Army stage show. Filmed and narrated by Frank Williams with his 8mm cine camera.

16min
December 26, 1968

28. Blue Peter Art Competition

No details

7min
December 27, 1968

29. Blue Peter Item On Jones' Van

No details

4min
December 28, 1968

30. The Cornish Floral Dance (Royal Variety Performance 1975)

The Christmas Night With The Stars special from 1970, believed lost, is recreated live at The Royal Variety Performance in 1975.

11min
November 16, 1975

31. John Le Mesurier: It's All Been Rather Lovely

Michael Palin, Clive Dunn and Ian Lavender are among those who contribute to this candid portrait of actor John Le Mesurier, from his turbulent marriage to Hattie Jacques to his life-changing role as Sergeant Wilson in Dad's Army.

59min
April 27, 2012

39. Battle Of The Giants - Tower View

These pictures are from the final scene in 'Battle of the Giants' in which Jones is seen climbing onto a flagpole. The background was shot on location at Elveden Hall in Norfolk, whilst Jones and the flagpole were recorded in front of the studio audience in London. The two pictures were electronically combined using 'colour separation overlay'.

2min
January 1, 1969

40. Nationwide preview of Dad's Army - The Stage Show

The Dad's Army Musical open in September 1975 and ran for 12 months. Parts of the show were filmed at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London for an item on 'Nationwide' broadcast on 10th October 1975.

5min
October 10, 1975

41. The Pelican Crossing (Road Safety Film)

UK Public Information Film. Dad's Army explains Pelican (PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled) Crossings.

2min
December 22, 1976