Dad's Army

 

Dad’s Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard in the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show. The series regularly gained audiences of 18 million viewers and is still repeated today on BBC Two.

 

The Home Guard consisted of local volunteers otherwise ineligible for military service, usually owing to age, and as such the series starred several veterans of British film, television and stage, including Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Arnold Ridley and John Laurie. Relative youngsters in the regular cast were Ian Lavender, Clive Dunn (who was made-up to play the elderly Jones), Frank Williams and  of course, Jimmy Beck.

Private Joe Walker

 

If you need anything from whiskey to knicker elastic, watches or even weapons, Joe Walker will get them for you. "Mind you, as its war-time it will cost you, 'cos you can't get 'em".

 

Joe is a typical cockney spiv, making his way through life ducking and diving, trying to avoid the law.

 

Moving down to the south coast from his native Plaistow in east London to avoid call up, he was registered as having a reserved occupation (a banana salesman) until the authorities eventually caught up with him. Luckily for him, he was allergic to corned beef, which invalided him out of the army, only to return to serve the needs of the local community.

 

Walker very rarely dealt with money, relying on the bartering system to do business, and occasionally using his skills to do a little work for charity. One of the cleverest in the platoon, others turned to him for inspiration in a tricky situations.

 

 

 

Dad's Army copyright © BBC