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The Curse of Dad's Army Strikes Again

Started by gilbertharding, June 27, 2022, 10:15:12 AM

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gilbertharding


Bad Ambassador

Not counting actors who played two obviously distinct characters, the only surviving credited recurring cast according to IMDb are Ian Lavender, Caroline Dowdeswell (Mainwaring's secretary Mrs King in the first series), Michael Knowles (Captain Cutts in the second series, and a couple of other characters later), Therese McMurray ("girl in the haystack" in a running joke in the first two series), Gilda Perry and Linda James (cinema ushers Doreen and Betty in a couple of episodes each, but not the same ones).

Taking it a step further, there are only three actors credited on more than one episode of Porridge who are still alive - Biggins, Tony Osoba and David Jason.

Replies From View

"The Curse of Dad's Army" being "death due to old age" I assume.

TheMonk

Quote from: Bad Ambassador on June 27, 2022, 11:30:14 AMTaking it a step further, there are only three actors credited on more than one episode of Porridge who are still alive - Biggins, Tony Osoba and David Jason.
Wow that hits home. I'm two thirds through a rewatch so it all feels fresh. The setting and brilliant writing and performances means it has dated so well (apart from the odd awkward bit of casual racism/ sexism.) Looking forward to the film then Going Straight after this.

dissolute ocelot

Talking of curses, I see from IMDb one of his roles was in the 1973 ATV Jimmy Tarbuck comedy series Tell Tarby, all of which is lost. I'm now imagining that show which must be one of the latest to be lost completely.

idunnosomename

A tragedy on par with the loss of the greater part of the canon of Sophocles

gilbertharding

Quote from: Replies From View on June 27, 2022, 12:19:13 PM"The Curse of Dad's Army" being "death due to old age" I assume.

Of course, yes.

I remember way back in the early 90s hearing about 'the curse of Dad's Army', which even then was obviously risible (based, probably, on the deaths of James Beck (44) and Arthur Lowe (66) and more tenuously Le Mesurier (71) rather than John Laurie (83) Arnold Ridley (88) and Clive Dunn (92)).

But I'm equally keen to preserve the old traditions which hold that Dad's Army is cursed.

Replies From View

He's dead

He's dead

He's still alive I think

Him, he's dead... he was actually the first one to die which isn't what you'd expect as he's actually quite young

Still alive

Dead



Like a procession of Henry VIII's wives wasn't it.

gilbertharding

...and of course the evergreen, "He's only in his 40s here, although he's playing an octogenarian, so... oh - he's dead now too."

idunnosomename

Of course all of the original actors in Sophocles' plays are dead too. And all the wives of King Henry VIII. makes you think

Elderly Sumo Prophecy

All the people who served in the Home Guard during WW2 are dead too.
🤔

Tony Tony Tony

Anyone would think they are doomed, all doomed.

Replies From View

Quote from: idunnosomename on June 27, 2022, 01:31:47 PMOf course all of the original actors in Sophocles' plays are dead too. And all the wives of King Henry VIII. makes you think

Not all the wives of Henry VIII otherwise the mnemonic about them wouldn't make sense.

Bad Ambassador

Quote from: Elderly Sumo Prophecy on June 27, 2022, 01:36:04 PMAll the people who served in the Home Guard during WW2 are dead too.
🤔

Really?

idunnosomename

Quote from: Replies From View on June 27, 2022, 02:12:35 PMNot all the wives of Henry VIII otherwise the mnemonic about them wouldn't make sense.
I am sorry but Anne of Cleves died in 1557, which isn't even long enough to see the black and white episodes of Dad's Army.

Replies From View

Quote from: idunnosomename on June 27, 2022, 02:24:57 PMI am sorry but Anne of Cleves died in 1557, which isn't even long enough to see the black and white episodes of Dad's Army.

Could have been the episodes that have since been wiped.  Nobody would be able to contradict her since they no longer exist.

imitationleather

Quote from: Bad Ambassador on June 27, 2022, 02:18:08 PMReally?

How many people who were middle aged or elderly during WW2 do you reckon are still knocking about?

Cold Meat Platter


Elderly Sumo Prophecy

Quote from: imitationleather on June 27, 2022, 06:25:44 PMHow many people who were middle aged or elderly during WW2 do you reckon are still knocking about?

I suppose there might still be some of the young soft ones still alive, like the lad with the scarf.


imitationleather

If Pike was still alive he'd be about 100 years old now.

If he is still going he'd better get in that garden and give me some fucking laps.

Billy

Quote from: Replies From View on June 27, 2022, 01:19:24 PMHe's dead

He's dead

He's still alive I think

Him, he's dead... he was actually the first one to die which isn't what you'd expect as he's actually quite young

Still alive

Dead



Like a procession of Henry VIII's wives wasn't it.

This is gloriously nostalgic of my father*, who would watch the show with me in the 90s and do exactly this - with an extra long "Deeeeeaaaaddd!" when Ridley appeared on screen.

*still alive

neveragain

I hope the church hall isn't double booked for his funeral.

lauraxsynthesis

Now just that bloke bumming Martin in Eastenders

jenna appleseed

(I may have told this story before but...) My gran would watch it every week and take angry offence on behalf of relatives of the actors seeing them being shown on tv now they're dead.

(post the IRA bomb scare that cancelled the Grand National, she'd watch things involving mass public gatherings like the Cenotaph and make comments about how terrible it'll be if they blew it up, almost like she wanted it to happen so she could enjoy doing some outraged tutting. - I think she'd stopped doing that by 9/11.)

eta: GHOST OF MY GRAN: 'Imagine what their families must feel seeing them on tv now that they're dead!'

Virgo76

Quote from: Elderly Sumo Prophecy on June 27, 2022, 01:36:04 PMAll the people who served in the Home Guard during WW2 are dead too.
🤔
Nope. The last surviving member does seem to be still alive. A Peter Blackburn (in his nineties).
Quote from: gilbertharding on June 27, 2022, 01:17:27 PMOf course, yes.

I remember way back in the early 90s hearing about 'the curse of Dad's Army', which even then was obviously risible (based, probably, on the deaths of James Beck (44) and Arthur Lowe (66) and more tenuously Le Mesurier (71) rather than John Laurie (83) Arnold Ridley (88) and Clive Dunn (92)).

But I'm equally keen to preserve the old traditions which hold that Dad's Army is cursed.
Janet Davies who played Mrs Pike, died when she was 59.
But, of course, it's obviously not really proof of a curse that most of the cast of a show essentially about a bunch of old men are dead 55 years after it was first broadcast.

What about the curse of We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story, the TV movie made in 2015?
Four of the cast have died already.
Paul Ritter, who played writer Jimmy Perry was 54.
John Sessions, who played actor, Arthur Lowe was 67 (similar to Lowe himself who was 66).
Roy Hudd (84) played musician Bud Flanagan.
Ralph Riach (86) played John Laurie.


dontpaintyourteeth

Quote from: Replies From View on June 27, 2022, 01:19:24 PMHe's dead

He's dead

He's still alive I think

Him, he's dead... he was actually the first one to die which isn't what you'd expect as he's actually quite young

Still alive

Dead



Like a procession of Henry VIII's wives wasn't it.

remember when I was a kid being confused that other people's families didn't do this over the opening credits. "He's dead. He's dead. He's not dead."

happened every week in my household

thenoise

Man who has been old since the 1960s in finally pegs it shock.

Alberon

A lot of shows or even sets of shows and films seem to have curses. Mainly according to newspaper and website writers.

Superman has a 'curse' mainly through one lead actor later committing suicide, Christopher Reeve's accident and Margot Kidder having mental health issues.

If any one TV show is really cursed though it's probably Babylon 5. The number of main cast members who have died young is well above average (especially compared to a contemporary show like DS9). Should give any potential cast members for the reboot pause for thought.

gilbertharding

Quote from: thenoise on June 29, 2022, 09:20:10 AMMan who has been old since the 1960s in finally pegs it shock.

As I say. I mean, that's kind of the joke.

There definitely was* a "Curse of Dad's Army" though, even though:

a) There is no such thing as 'curses'
b) The deaths were mostly the completely predictable ends of long lives.


* I didn't invent it.