History Trivia / DadsArmy

* CreatorsPest: David Croft wrote that Private Cheeseman was "irritating without being funny", and as an eccentric Celt, he was too similar to Private Frazer. Creator/JohnLaurie also disliked the character (in contrast to Croft, he was concerned that Cheeseman was getting ''too many'' laughs), and requested that he not return for the next season.

** Co-creator Jimmy Perry had hoped to play Walker [[DescendedCreator himself]], but was talked out of the role by David Croft. Perry did appear in front of the cameras during the first series, however, as comedian Charlie Cheeseman in "Shooting Pains".

** The ending of "Man Hunt" didn't have the German parachutist at first. The cast were unhappy with the episode's ending so Robert Aldous (who had a small appearance in the Christmas short "Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages" that was filmed on the same day) was quickly added in.

* RoleReprisal: Creator/FrankWilliams returned as TheVicar in [[Film/DadsArmy2016 the 2016 movie]]. The only other surviving member of the original series, Creator/IanLavender, played a brigadier.

* RoleReprisal: Creator/FrankWilliams returned as TheVicar in the 2016 movie. The only other surviving member of the original series, Creator/IanLavender, played a brigadier.

* RoleReprisal: Creator/FrankWilliams returned as TheVicar in the 2016 movie. The only other surviving member of the original series, Ian Lavender, played a brigadier.

** Creator/JanetDavies wasn't happy about Mrs. Pike's lessening appearances in the series or with how she wasn't asked to play the role for the radio adaptation. Creator/PamelaCundell also wasn't happy about missing out on the radio and thought that Creator/MollieSugden wasn't right in the role of Mrs. Fox, playing it too broad and not feminine enough.

* CreatorsPest: David Croft wrote that Private Cheeseman was "irritating without being funny", and as an exotic Celt, he was too similar to Private Frazer. Creator/JohnLaurie also disliked the character (in contrast to Croft, he was concerned that Cheeseman was getting ''too many'' laughs), and requested that he not return for the next season.

* DevelopmentHell: BBC executives were ''not'' confident that the public would react well to a comedy about UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and constantly tried to squash the project. Jimmy Perry and David Croft had to fight tooth and nail to even get a pilot approved and had trouble casting the role of Mainwaring -- their early choices refused to participate because of issues like the subject matter and the low salary[[note]]Creator/ArthurLowe, for example, was furious to learn he was getting paid less than his co-stars.[[/note]]. After the pilot was completed, the executives constantly asked for changes, with Perry and Croft having to walk a very fine line in order to make sure that the show would be transmitted in a reasonable time slot. To add to their woes, the pilot was allegedly nearly killed off by an early version's demographics testing saying that the sample audience didn't like the concept.

** According to some sources such as Creator/BillPertwee however, he did actually like the show, or at least became a lot fonder of it the more successful it became. His flip-flopping inspired Frazer's habit of lambasting Maninwaring's latest scheme, only to say 'he never doubted him for a moment' when it succeeded.

** Creator/IanLavender named "Ring Dem Bells" as one of his favourite episodes.

* OnSetInjury: During the filming of "Battle of the Giants!", Creator/BillPertwee lost control of the motorbike he was driving during a take, and he, Creator/FrankWilliams, and Creator/EdwardSinclair all ended up in a ditch.

* WorkingTitle: ''The Fighting Tigers''.

** It's noticeable when watching the series that much of the physical comedy tends to be inflicted upon Corporal Jones, Private Pike and Warden Hodges. These characters, not coincidentally, were also played by several of the younger members of the cast, who were thus able to withstand a lot more than their older colleagues would have been able to.

** In the 1975 Christmas Special "My Brother and I", Creator/ArthurLowe starred as both Captain Mainwaring and Mainwaring's estranged brother, Barry.

* RecastAsARegular: Joan Cooper was two different characters in as many episodes ("No Spring for Frazer" and "Time on My Hands"), as well as playing the [[TheOtherDarrin second]] Dolly Godfrey in Series 8 and 9.

* YouLookFamiliar:
** Creator/WendyRichard played Edith Parish in "The Two and a Half Feathers" and "Mum's Army", but was billed as Shirley in "The King Was in His Counting House" and "My British Buddy".
** Joan Cooper was two different characters in as many episodes ("No Spring For Frazer" and "Time On My Hands"), as well as playing Dolly Godfrey.

* RealLifeRelative:
** Pike's occasional girlfriend Ivy was played by Creator/IanLavender's then-wife in one of her appearances, the episode "My British Buddy".
** Creator/ArthurLowe's wife, Joan Cooper, [[TheOtherDarrin took over]] the role of Godfrey's sister Dolly towards the end of the show's run and played other guest roles during the course of the series.

*** Pike's quiet girlfriend, Ivy Samways, was played by Rosemary Faith in the Series 4 episode, "Mum's Army", and Suzanne Kerchiss (Creator/IanLavender's wife) two series later in "My British Buddy".

** Several parts were recast for Radio due to availability and money factors, most notably Graham Stark and Creator/LarryMartyn taking over as Walker after Creator/JamesBeck's death, Pearl Hackney playing Mrs. Pike instead of Creator/JanetDavies, and Creator/MollieSugden playing Mrs. Fox instead of Creator/PamelaCundell.

* ActingForTwo: In the 1975 Christmas Special "My Brother and I", Creator/ArthurLowe starred as both George Mainwaring and Mainwaring's estranged brother.

** The writers cleverly crafted various characters to be like the actors who portrayed them, giving them their own (exaggerated) character traits. Hence Mainwaring had Creator/ArthurLowe's pomposity and Wilson had Creator/JohnLeMesurier's carefree and absent-minded personality. Creator/CliveDunn was known as a waffler, which led to Jones' long winded and rambling monologues. Frazer received Creator/JohnLaurie's sharp tongue and dour manner: when they were making the first series, he bluntly told Jimmy Perry that the show was "a lot of rubbish" and "doomed". Frazer's rivalry with Godfrey reflected the real-life enmity between the actors. Frazer's tendency to change his opinions to fit the prevailing winds was apparently also inspired by Laurie, as several of his colleagues noted that his views on the show's quality tended to change the more successful it became.
** Creator/IanLavender was invited to choose Pike's scarf from Creator/TheBBC Costume Department. He chose his beloved Aston Villa's colours.

* CaliforniaDoubling: Although it's supposed to be set in Kent (as indicated by the platoon's cap badges) Walmington-on-Sea is believed to have been modelled on Bexhill-on-Sea, over the county border in Sussex. In fact the outdoor scenes were filmed in Thetford, Norfolk, which is not on the sea.
* CharacterOutlivesActor: When Creator/JamesBeck was taken into hospital, Walker got a WrittenInAbsence, leaving a note in his place on patrol to explain that he has gone to conduct "business" in London. Beck later died and Walker was never heard of again - at least on television, When the show was remade for radio other actors continued the role after Beck's death, and when the show got a radio sequel years after the end of its run, Walker was mentioned as alive and having returned to Walmington-on-Sea. He's also seen in the scene set in 1968 featuring several of the characters that opens the very first episode.

** According to some sources such as Creator/BillPertwee however, he did actually like the show, or at least became a lot fonder of it the more successful it became. His flip flopping inspired Frazer's habit of lambasting Maninwaring's latest scheme, only to say 'he never doubted him for a moment' when it succeeded.

** Creator/ArthurLowe's wife, Joan Cooper, took over the role of Godfrey's sister Dolly towards the end of the show's run and played other guest roles during the course of the series.
** Creator/IanLavender's wife played Pike's girlfriend Ivy in "My British Buddy".

** Several parts were recast for Radio due to availability and money factors, most notably Pearl Hackney as Mrs. Pike instead of Creator/JanetDavies and Creator/MollieSugden as Mrs. Fox instead of Creator/PamelaCundell.

** Pike's occasional girlfriend Ivy was played by Creator/IanLavender's then wife in one of her appearances, the episode "My British Buddy".

* TheDanza: Bill Pertwee as Chief Warden "Uncle Willy" Hodges.