Product Description

The best jokes, gags and scenes from a true British comedy classic. 'They don't like it up 'em!' 'People shout the "Don't tell him, Pike!" line at me regularly - and I didn't even say it!' Philip Madoc. In the annals of British television, no finer example of classic comedy exists than in the shape of Dad's Army, the Home Guard-based sitcom written by veteran writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft. Although they penned many other sterling programmes, including Hi-De-Hi! and the underrated You Rang, M'Lord?, they'll forever be remembered for their brilliant wartime comedy spotlighting the antics of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard, led by the irascible and pompous Captain Mainwaring. Between 1968 and '77, nine series and three Christmas Specials - totalling 80 instalments - were screened, much to the delight of the millions of fans who tuned in; but the show's popularity has continued unabated and even today, four decades since the platoon marched onto the scene, it remains one of the golden offerings from the sitcom genre. With the 40th anniversary of Dad's Army in 2008, what better time to celebrate the magic of this show.The Best of British Comedy - Dad's Army includes: / The History: an overview of how Dad's Army was born and developed / Gags and Catchphrases: a collection of classic quotes from the programme / Did You Know? : snippets of info about the show, cast, etc. / Favourite scenes: the most memorable scenes in full / A Dad's Army quiz Episode: 'Something Nasty in the Vault' Mainwaring and Wilson are stuck in the bank's strong room. There has been an air raid and they've ended up holding an unexploded bomb. Pike arrives. Pike: Uncle Arthur? Wilson: Oh, what it is, Frank? Pike: Do you think I ought to phone mum and tell her you're holding a bomb? Wilson: No! Pike: But she might get cross if she found out that you'd been holding a bomb and she wasn't told about it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #101500 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
On the basis that it is possible to have too much of a good thing, this book may well be dangerous to Dad's Army fans of a nervous disposition. Richard Webber's absorbing and affectionate tribute to the hugely popular sit-com features more information than you could possibly need. Yet to its huge credit it still manages to steer a path round getting bogged down in anorak-level detail. Of course there are biographies of all the stars and the plot lines of every episode. Nothing surprising in that. But there are also short pieces on the minor actors--did you know that the man who played the obsequious verger also played a taxi driver in the film version of No Sex Please We're British--and astonishingly a round-up of the 21 "silent soldiers"; actors who made up the rest of the platoon and never uttered a single line between them. There's details of the Dad's Army film, the stage play and the radio show as well as a terrific forward by Michael Palin who, rightly, points out what a fine ensemble piece the show was. You probably need to be a fan to buy this book but if you are it is a genuine treat. --Nick Wroe

About the Author
As a journalist and writer, Richard Webber writes regulary about TV, contributing to a host of newspapers and magazines, including TV Quick, Daily Express, Sunday Express and the Sunday Telegraph and is the author of over a dozen books celebrating classic comedy, such as The A-Z of Dad's Army, The A-Z of Only Fools and Horses, The Complete One Foot in the Grave, Are You Being Served? - 25 Years, Rising Damp - A Celebration, Porridge - The Inside Story and The Complete A-Z of Everything Carry On.

Customer Reviews

Disappointing
This book is really not up to scratch. A much better one is: Dad's Army": The Story of a Classic Television Show by
Graham McCann.

"Dad's Army" (The Best of British Comedy) by Richard Webber
I am sorry to have to rubbish this book
I had to 1 star rate it to post this review it really in my humble opinion only deserves minus 5 Stars.
From the Product description can it really be the same book I bought from Amazon.
"Dad's Army" (The Best of British Comedy) by Richard Webber ISBN-10: 0007285302
If you have not yet bought this book do not waste your money and buy it. I thought by now everything that could be said in books had been said sadly this proved to be true. Buy the other Richard Webber Dads Army books instead.
It is sad to have to say this as Richard wrote the A to Z of Dads Army which is faultless.

1) The books good points The books good points
2) The books bad points
3) The only news in it

1) The books good points It is hardback and printed on high quality paper
2) The books bad points It consists of some of the funnier scenes from Dads Army taken from the Dads army scripts books. There are a few little anecdotes from the writers and actors. In the page before each episode covered there is a colour picture of grass (yes) and about six lines of text. The main pages of the book the lines there is a lot of double line spacing I assume to make it appear to have more text
3) The only news in it is Arthur Lowe was really more pompous than he appeared and he revealed this to friends that he was aware he was pompous and Jimmy Perry now regrets scripting Godfrey as an incontinent old man now that he Jimmy is elderly himself.



"Dad's Army" (The Best of British Comedy)

A must for any Dad's Army fan
A fantastic read especially for someone like me who has seen the programmes but didn't know anything about the backgound.