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PERMISSION TO SPEAK, SIR!: DAD'S ARMY ON RADIO (320kbs-m4a/412mb/2hrs59mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 9th August 2020
They don't like it up 'em!
After winning their frontline TV offensive, how did the Home Guard win the war of the ears with a rear-guard action for radio?
Legendary comedy producer Harold Snoad and actor Michael Knowles reveal how they went about adapting the classic BBC TV hit series for radio – as the writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft were too busy to do it themselves.
Over three hours, enjoy six Dad's Army episodes made for radio:
* The Enemy Within the Gates: Captain Mainwaring's platoon try to capture Germans for a reward. From February 1974.
* Don't Forget the Diver: The platoon don crazy camouflage in a drill to attack Captain Square's HQ. From February 1975.
* The Day the Balloon Went Up: Captain Mainwaring gets carried away with the platoon's war effort. From June 1975.
* When Did You Last See Your Money?: Corporal Jones panics when he misplaces £500 collected for the servicemen's canteen. From May 1975.
* If the Cap Fits: Captain Mainwaring promotes fractious Private Frazer, with unexpected results. February 1975.
* Put That Light Out: Captain Mainwaring's platoon causes havoc in Walmington-on-Sea during an air-raid. From February 1975.
Snoad and Knowles reflect on how the cast took to re-recording the shows without cameras and discuss the changes that had to be made to make the TV scripts work.
The duo's association with Dad's Army continued with their spin off radio comedy series, It Sticks Out Half A Mile.
Producer: Martin Dempsey
Made for BBC 7 and first brodcast in November 2005.
DO TELL THEM PIKE: ARTHUR LOWE ON THE RADIO (320kbs-m4a/411mb/2hrs59mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 1st February 2020
The radio legacy of iconic British comedy actor Arthur Lowe – best loved as Dad's Army's very own Captain Mainwaring.
Arthur's friend, and Dad's Army co-star, Ian Lavender (Private Pike) is our guide over 3 hours:
* Desert Island Discs - Arthur Lowe:
Lost to the BBC archives, but saved by a listener's off air recording, Arthur Lowe's castaway choices heard for the first time since 1970. Arthur tells Roy Plomley about his childhood, his early acting days whilst serving in the Second World War, his time on ITV's Coronation Street, and his joy at being part of the BBC's Dad's Army team – then in its relative infancy.
* Dad's Army:
Ian chooses his favourite episode about the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon from the many radio adaptations.
* Billy's Last Stand:
From 1965, Arthur stars in a startling drama, the first play from Barry Hines (who later wrote the novel 'A Kestrel For A Knave' - filmed by Ken Loach as 'Kes') In this darkly comic tale, Arthur Lowe plays casual labourer Billy who becomes the target of the schemes of parasitic Darkly, played by 'The Men From The Ministry' star, Ronald Baddiley. First heard on the BBC Third Programme.
* With Great Pleasure:
Not heard since 1976, Arthur Lowe's own choice of favourite readings and sketches. Helped by Martin Jarvis, hear Arthur's take on one of his favourite writers, PG Woodhouse, as he plays the ultimate British butler, Jeeves.
Arthur Lowe died aged 66 on 15th April 1982.
Made for BBC Radio 4 Extra by Peter McHugh.
First broadcast in September 2015.