Classic Comedy from the BBC Archives

Dad's Army: The Lost Tapes

Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn and Ian Lavender star in a collection of rediscovered Dad's Army gems.

Jimmy Perry was born in Barnes, London in 1924. Aged 16 during the Second World War, he joined the Home Guard and then served with the Royal Artillery as a sergeant, also setting up a concert party as entertainment for the troops. After the war he trained as an actor. His writing partnership with David Croft began in 1968, and between them they created such hit shows as Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi and You Rang, M'Lord? David Croft was born in Poole, Dorset. He became a Major in the Second World War, serving in India. North Africa and Singapore. After the war he worked as an actor and then turned to writing. His involvement in television led to producing and directing. His numerous producer credits include Steptoe and Son and 'Til Death Us Do Part. As well as his partnership with Jimmy Perry, he developed Are You Being Served? and 'Allo 'Allo as a co-writer and producer with Jeremy Lloyd. He was awarded the OBE in 1978. He died in 2011.

Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn and Ian Lavender star in a collection of rediscovered Dad's Army gems. Published for the first time, these four instalments of Dad's Army have been brought together from a variety of archive sources, and in each case represent something unique. 'A Stripe for Frazer' is the surviving TV soundtrack from an episode whose film recording has long been missing in action; 'Santa on Patrol' and 'The Cornish Floral Dance' are two mini-episodes produced in 1968 and 1970 for BBC TV's Christmas Night With the Stars; finally, 'The Boy Who Saved England' is a mini-episode written by Jimmy Perry and starring Ian Lavender, recorded as part of BBC Radio 2's Last Night at the Paris programme in 1995. With a supporting cast including Arnold Ridley, John Laurie, James Beck, Bill Pertwee and Frank Williams, this is a fine quartet of episodes you're not likely to have seen or heard before. Don't panic! Duration: 1 hour approx.

Dad's Army: Complete Radio Series 3

Twenty-six episodes from the third BBC Radio series starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn plus a bonus pilot episode of It Sticks Out Half a Mile.

Jimmy Perry was born in Barnes, London in 1924. Aged 16 during the Second World War, he joined the Home Guard and then served with the Royal Artillery as a sergeant, also setting up a concert party as entertainment for the troops. After the war he trained as an actor. His writing partnership with David Croft began in 1968, and between them they created such hit shows as Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi and You Rang, M'Lord? 
 
David Croft was born in Poole, Dorset. He became a Major in the Second World War, serving in India. North Africa and Singapore. After the war he worked as an actor and then turned to writing. His involvement in television led to producing and directing. His numerous producer credits include Steptoe and Son and 'Til Death Us Do Part. As well as his partnership with Jimmy Perry, he developed Are You Being Served? and 'Allo 'Allo as a co-writer and producer with Jeremy Lloyd. He was awarded the OBE in 1978. He died in 2011.

Twenty-six episodes from the third BBC Radio series starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn, plus the pilot episode of It Sticks Out Half a Mile 
 
In 1973 the BBC adapted its hit wartime TV series for radio, featuring the original television cast and characters. Three series were broadcast between 1974 and 1976, with episodes adapted by Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles. 
 
Now you can enjoy once again these unique recordings, with a supporting cast including John Laurie, Arnold Ridley and Ian Lavender. Among the twenty-six episodes are A Man of Action, Keep Young and Beautiful, Absent Friends, The Deadly Attachment, Things That Go Bump in the Night, My British Buddy, Asleep in the Deep, Time On My Hands and Is There Honey Still for Tea? Also included is the 1981 pilot episode of the radio sequel to Dad’s Army, It Sticks Out Half a Mile, starring Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier. 
 
Also in this set is a sixteen-page PDF booklet with comprehensive programme history, synopses for all Series Three episodes, original transmission dates, photographs and cast biographies.

Dad's Army: Complete Radio Series Two

Twenty episodes from the second BBC Radio series, starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn

Jimmy Perry (Author) Jimmy Perry was born in Barnes, London in 1924. Aged 16 during the Second World War, he joined the Home Guard and then served with the Royal Artillery as a sergeant, also setting up a concert party as entertainment for the troops. After the war he trained as an actor. His writing partnership with David Croft began in 1968, and between them they created such hit shows as Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi and You Rang, M'Lord? 
 
David Croft (Author) 
David Croft was born in Poole, Dorset. He became a Major in the Second World War, serving in India. North Africa and Singapore. After the war he worked as an actor and then turned to writing. His involvement in television led to producing and directing. His numerous producer credits include Steptoe and Son and 'Til Death Us Do Part. As well as his partnership with Jimmy Perry, he developed Are You Being Served? and 'Allo 'Allo as a co-writer and producer with Jeremy Lloyd. He was awarded the OBE in 1978. He died in 2011. David Croft (Author) David Croft was born in Poole, Dorset. He became a Major in the Second World War, serving in India. North Africa and Singapore. After the war he worked as an actor and then turned to writing. His involvement in television led to producing and directing. His numerous producer credits include Steptoe and Son and 'Til Death Us Do Part. As well as his partnership with Jimmy Perry, he developed Are You Being Served? and 'Allo 'Allo as a co-writer and producer with Jeremy Lloyd. He was awarded the OBE in 1978. He died in 2011.

Twenty episodes from the second BBC Radio series, starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn. 
 
In 1973 the BBC adapted its hit TV series for radio, featuring the original TV cast and characters. Three series were broadcast between 1974 and 1976, with episodes adapted from their TV counterparts by Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles. 
 
Now you can enjoy once again these unique recordings, with a supporting cast including John Laurie, Arnold Ridley and Ian Lavender. Among the twenty-one episodes are Don't Forget the Diver, Put That Light Out, Mum's Army, A. Wilson - Manager, and The Day the Balloon Went Up.

The Complete Radio Series One

Dad’s Army

Twenty episodes from the first BBC Radio series plus an hour-long Christmas special, starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn.

Twenty episodes from the first BBC Radio series plus an hour-long Christmas special, starring Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn. 
 
In 1973 the BBC adapted its hit TV series for radio, featuring the original TV cast and characters. Three series were broadcast between 1974 and 1976, with episodes adapted from their TV counterparts by Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles. 
 
Now you can enjoy once again these unique recordings, with a supporting cast including John Laurie, James Beck, Arnold Ridley and Ian Lavender. Among the twenty-one episodes are The Man and the Hour, The Battle of Godfrey’s Cottage, Sgt Wilson’s Little Secret, Something Nasty in the Vault, The Menace from the Deep and No Spring for Frazer.

On The Waterfront

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Budd Schulberg's powerful, hard-hitting crime drama.

Budd Schulberg (Author) 
Budd Schulberg was an American author and screenwriter who won an Oscar for his screenplay of On the Waterfront. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1957 film A Face in the Crowd, which launched Andy Griffith to stardom. Among his novels are What Makes Sammy Run? and The Harder They Fall. He died in 2009, aged 95.

The classic, universal tale of the corrupting influence of power, the healing force of love, and how the truth must always be told - heedless of the consequences. In the New York docks of the 1950s, at least ten per cent of everything is paid to the mob. Longshoremen looking for work either pay kickbacks or face starvation. One-time fight contender Terry Malloy has been led into crime by his older brother Charley, and he's being used in a plot to get young Joey Doyle murdered for not 'dummying up'. Terry finds the courage to blow the whole scam wide open, once and for all, and leads his fellow workers to a confrontation with the crime bosses. As a film, On the Waterfront made a star of Marlon Brando. This powerful radio drama was recorded in Hollywood, in the presence of its Oscar-winning author Budd Schulberg, and first broadcast to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film's release. It features a bonus interview with the author.

It Ain't Half Hot Mum

Meet the gang in these four classic BBC TV episodes!

David Croft was born in Poole, Dorset. He became a Major in the Second World War, serving in India. North Africa and Singapore. After the war he worked as an actor and then turned to writing. His involvement in television led to producing and directing. His numerous producer credits include Steptoe and Son and 'Til Death Us Do Part. As well as his partnership with Jimmy Perry, he developed Are You Being Served? and 'Allo 'Allo as a co-writer and producer with Jeremy Lloyd. He was awarded the OBE in 1978. He died in 2011. 
 
Jimmy Perry was born in Barnes, London in 1924. Aged 16 during the Second World War, he joined the Home Guard and then served with the Royal Artillery as a sergeant, also setting up a concert party as entertainment for the troops. After the war he trained as an actor. His writing partnership with David Croft began in 1968, and between them they created such hit shows as Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi and You Rang, M'Lord?

Meet the gang in these four classic BBC TV episodes! Enjoy the exploits of the Royal Artillery Concert Party, a motley troupe of military thespians seconded to India during the Second World War. In 'My Lovely Boy', When RSM Williams realises the love of his life is Parky's mum, he sets about recruiting him for the concert party. In 'The Supremo Show', a VIP visit calls for a very special show - but when Gloria sprains his ankle, the Sergeant Major must take his place. In 'We are Not Amused', Gloria plays Queen Victoria in a jingoistic pageant - but the men don't realise they'll be playing to an Indian VIP. In 'Money Talks', when the men discover that Gunner Graham is due to receive an inheritance, they set about winning his favour. Starring Windsor Davies, Melvyn Hayes, Don Estelle and Michael Bates.

David Croft

Books by David Croft

Series by David Croft

BBC TV Soundtracks

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