Broadcast to the Empire

"Broadcast to the Empire"
Dad's Army episode
Directed by	David Croft
Story by	Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Produced by	David Croft
Original air date	Monday 25/12/72 (recorded Sunday 26/11/72)
Running time	14 minutes

Broadcast to the Empire is the fourth (and final) Christmas Night with the Stars sketch of the British television comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Monday 25 December 1972.^[1] A radio version was also made, entitled Ten Seconds From Now (This was the last radio episode made).

Synopsis

The platoon are very excited as they have been chosen to take part in the BBC Radio Christmas Broadcast To Absent Friends, in which they are due to perform a short play about their duty as members of the Home Guard, just before the King's speech.

Plot

The platoon are excited by the broadcast, which they will be performing from the church hall where a microphone and radio speaker have already been set up. There is a great deal of excitement in the platoon, though the typically cynical Chief ARP Warden Hodges bets they will "make a right mess of it"; he then leaves to go and listen on the Verger's wireless.

During a run-through practice of the script, the BBC producer, Mr. Willerby Troughton-Maxwell (who is heard from Broadcasting House over the speaker), annoys Captain Mainwaring by telling him he doesn't sound like an officer, and suggesting that he and Sergeant Wilson switch parts. Mainwaring points out very firmly "I am the officer and he is the sergeant, and that's the way it's staying!" Meanwhile, Lance Corporal Jones irritates both Troughton-Maxwell and the BBC sound engineer present at the broadcast by continually banging on the microphone.

Sergeant Wilson has to speak with a Cockney accent which doesn't suit him too well. The rest of the men play-up to their usual roles. The BBC sound effects team are unable to make it to the broadcast because their van has broken down, and so the platoon are forced to imitate the required coastal noises (namely wind, waves and seagulls) themselves.

Later, the platoon is ready and waiting to go on the air, but strangely nothing seems to be happening; not even the BBC engineer knows what's going on. Hodges enters to ask "What happened to you lot?" and says that the programme is all over; he has just been listening to the King's speech and that "Old Mother Riley's Christmas Party is on now". Troughton-Maxwell apologises, revealing that a preceding broadcast from Hong Kong overran and the platoon's contribution has had to be dropped, because the BBC couldn't keep His Majesty waiting. The platoon take their revenge by all banging repeatedly on the microphone.

Notes

This sketch exists in the BBC Archives and was released on the BBC DVD Dad's Army - The Christmas Specials and can be found in the "Extras" menu.^[2]

References

↑ Pertwee, Bill (7 September 2009). Dad's Army (The Making of a Television Legend). Conway. p. 182. ISBN 978-1844861057.
↑ Dad's Army - The Christmas Specials. BBC. 12 November 2007.

Cast

Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Wilson
Clive Dunn as Lance Corporal Jones
John Laurie as Private Frazer
James Beck as Private Walker
Arnold Ridley as Private Godfrey
Ian Lavender as Private Pike
Bill Pertwee as ARP Warden
Peter Greene as BBC Engineer
Michael Knowles as Mr Willerby Troughton-Maxwell, BBC Producer

Dad's Army by Jimmy Perry & David Croft

Characters

Episodes

Adaptations

Merchandise

Other articles

Episodes

Series 1	The Man and the Hour Museum Piece Command Decision The Enemy Within the Gates The Showing Up of Corporal Jones Shooting Pains

Series 2	Operation Kilt The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker Sgt. Wilson's Little Secret A Stripe for Frazer† Under Fire

Series 3	The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones Battle School The Lion Has Phones The Bullet is Not for Firing Something Nasty in the Vault Room at the Bottom Big Guns The Day the Balloon Went Up War Dance Menace from the Deep Branded Man Hunt No Spring for Frazer Sons of the Sea

Series 4	The Big Parade Don't Forget the Diver Boots, Boots, Boots Sgt – Save My Boy! Don't Fence Me In Absent Friends Put That Light Out! The Two and a Half Feathers Mum's Army The Test A. Wilson (Manager)? Uninvited Guests Fallen Idol

Series 5	Asleep in the Deep Keep Young and Beautiful A Soldier's Farewell Getting the Bird The Desperate Drive of Corporal Jones If the Cap Fits... The King was in his Counting House All is Safely Gathered In When Did You Last See Your Money? Brain Versus Brawn A Brush with the Law Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel Time on My Hands

Series 6	The Deadly Attachment My British Buddy The Royal Train We Know Our Onions The Honourable Man Things that Go Bump in the Night The Recruit

Series 7	Everybody's Trucking A Man of Action Gorilla Warfare The Godiva Affair The Captain's Car Turkey Dinner

Series 8	Ring Dem Bells When You've Got to Go Is There Honey Still for Tea? Come In, Your Time Is Up High Finance The Face on the Poster

Series 9	Wake Up Walmington The Making of Private Pike Knights of Madness The Miser's Hoard Number Engaged Never Too Old

000!!Specials	Santa On Patrol Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages Cornish Floral Dance Battle of the Giants! Broadcast to the Empire My Brother and I The Love of Three Oranges

Episodes in italics are missing
† Episode has been reconstructed for release using animation.

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/12/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.