Don't Tell Him Pike

November 7, 2012 12:27 PM

Actor Clive Dunn, best known for his role as Lance Corporal "Jonesy" Jones in Dad's Army, has died aged 92. A veteran comedy actor, Dunn was famous in the UK for his signature appearance in Dad's Army. Thanks to the BBC and endless repeats, he became well known outside the UK for his portrayal of the doddering Lance Corporal pressed back into service to defend Walmington-on-sea from an impending German invasion during WW2. The Home Guard based comedy had a large fan base.

There are a wide range of clips of his performances on the internet. Don't miss the Dad's Army movie which showed Dunn in his element.

Dunn was well known before he even set foot on the Dad's Army set from his work in the classic comedy series Hancock's Half Hour and The Tony Hancock Show. We also shouldn't forget his time as a pop star or a potato loving alien. But most importantly, don't panic.

Previously.
posted by arcticseal (23 comments total)

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Thanks for putting together this post. I actually am enough of an anglophile to be aware of Dad's Army but not enough to have seen it. But I have to say that it has to have my favorite premise for a show I've never seen. It's like the anti-Hogan's Heroes -- a WWII sitcom that actually seems ripe for comedy.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:37 PM on November 7, 2012

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Keeping Great Britain safe from Fuzzy-Wuzzies since '96.
posted by Jehan at 12:42 PM on November 7, 2012 [2 favorites]

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They don't like it up 'em!

Been watching the odd repeat of Dad's Army on early Sat eves BBC2 since it seems like forever... it's still very funny.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:46 PM on November 7, 2012

Clive was born in 1920, and Dad's Army launched in 1968, so he was 48 when he started playing Corporal Jones, and 51 when he recorded Grandad. Amazing how he was able to play so much older than he was.
posted by unSane at 12:49 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by scruss at 12:58 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by fight or flight at 1:09 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by Smart Dalek at 1:20 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by runincircles at 1:28 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by NordyneDefenceDynamics at 2:00 PM on November 7, 2012

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Thank you for putting together this post, I have such strong memories of watching Dad's Army with my granddad as a child, and he will be a part of many people's family history in the same way. Sad news indeed.
posted by Augenblick at 2:06 PM on November 7, 2012

Related, and hugely funny for those who get it.
posted by Decani at 2:34 PM on November 7, 2012 [4 favorites]

I've just remembered The Mary Whitehouse Experience sketch.

Not very respectful, I know. But the truth is that Clive Dunn, at 48 years old, was among the younger members of the cast.
posted by Jehan at 2:50 PM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

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posted by Flashman at 2:58 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by HandfulOfDust at 3:00 PM on November 7, 2012

I don't usually do this, but thinking about it he was a tiny but constant cultural figure for the whole of my life. So:

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posted by cromagnon at 3:53 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by motty at 6:07 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by andraste at 6:08 PM on November 7, 2012

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Thanks for saving us all from the Fuzzie-Wuzzies!
posted by monotreme at 8:20 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by Damienmce at 8:34 PM on November 7, 2012

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posted by hornet67 at 11:13 PM on November 7, 2012

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Don't panic mr Mainwaring! Don't Panic!

Dad's Army was one of the sitcoms that, together with MASH, I developed an unhealthy fascination with when going through a depressive phase at uni.
posted by MartinWisse at 1:17 AM on November 8, 2012

The first clip is sublime. By contrast consider the woeful American remake of the same gag The Rear Guard. Brits will watch this with their hands covering their eyes.
posted by epo at 3:31 AM on November 8, 2012

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posted by Mezentian at 5:04 AM on November 8, 2012