This is a list of primary and significant recurring and guest characters who were featured in Dad's Army, which ran from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. On 6 August 1973, James Beck became the first Dad’s Army actor to die in real life aged 44 from pancreatitis in Roehampton, followed by John Laurie on 23 June 1980 aged 83 from emphysema in Chalfont St. Peter, Arthur Lowe on 15 April 1982 aged 66 from a stroke in Birmingham, John Le Mesurier on 15 November 1983 aged 71 from cirrhosis of the liver in Ramsgate, Arnold Ridley on 12 March 1984 aged 88 after a fall in Northwood, Clive Dunn on 6 November 2012 aged 92 following complications from hospital operation in Faro, Portugal and finally Ian Lavender on 2 February 2024 aged 77 from bladder cancer in Woolpit. As of March 2024 onwards, there are now no surviving Dad’s Army principal cast members.
Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard[]
Captain George Mainwaring[]
Portrayed by Arthur Lowe (born 22 September 1915 in Hayfield, Derbyshire, England UK - died 15 April 1982 in Birmingham, England UK aged 66, from a stroke); Toby Jones in the 2016 film and Kevin McNally in The Lost Episodes.
Mainwaring (pronounced Man-er-ing) is the pompous - if essentially brave and unerringly patriotic - local bank manager. In the series pilot, Mainwaring appoints himself leader of his town's contingent of Local Defence Volunteers. Of the platoon, he and Joe Walker were the only adult members with no prior combat experience, and, therefore, had no medals - a fact which sometimes caused tension with the other members of the Home Guard. He did, however, serve in France, "during the whole of 1919—somebody had to clear up the mess." Although an ensemble piece, the series focused particularly upon Mainwaring, who has invested all his efforts into the platoon as a way of escaping from an unhappy marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of a Bishop, and his stalled career at the bank.
Sergeant Arthur Wilson[]
Portrayed by John Le Mesurier (born 5 April 1912 in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England UK - died 15 November 1983 in Ramsgate, Kent, England UK aged 71, from cirrhosis of the liver); Bill Nighy in the 2016 film and Robert Bathurst in The Lost Episodes.
Wilson is a diffident, upper-class bank clerk who works under Mainwaring at the bank. When Mainwaring forms the platoon, he appoints Wilson as his sergeant. His suave, understated social superiority, public school education and handsome looks led to a certain amount of jealousy on Mainwaring's part. During World War I, he fought in the Royal Artillery at Mons, Gallipoli and the Somme. In the last episode, he revealed that he had been a Captain.
Lance-Corporal Jack Jones[]
Portrayed by Clive Dunn (born 9 January 1920 in Brixton, London, England UK - died 6 November 2012 in Faro, Portugal, aged 92, after complications from hospital operation); Tom Courtenay in the 2016 film and Kevin Eldon in The Lost Episodes.
Jones is the oldest member of the platoon (born 1870). Jones was an "old campaigner" who had participated, as a boy soldier, in the campaign of Kitchener of Khartoum in the Sudan between 1896 and 1898, and also fought in World War I. By 1940, he worked as the town butcher, which occasionally enabled him to supplement his superiors' meat ration. Jones is leader of the platoon's first section. He has a story for every occasion, and will never hesitate in telling it, regardless of how long-winded or irrelevant it is. Despite being the oldest member of the platoon, Jones demonstrates an almost boyish enthusiasm for combat and is the first to volunteer for anything, no matter how ill-advised that may be. Jones caught malaria whilst serving in Africa ("Battle of the Giants"). He got over the main illness, but sometimes (though not often) he gets malarial chills. He tells Mainwaring not to worry because he says "I've been getting these chills for 40 years".
Private Joe Walker[]
Portrayed by James Beck (born 21 February 1929 in Islington, London, England UK - died 6 August 1973, in Roehampton, London, England UK aged 44, from pancreatitis); Beck, Graham Stark and Larry Martyn on radio, Daniel Mays in the 2016 film and Mathew Horne in The Lost Episodes.
Walker is a Black Market "spiv"" and the only fit, able-bodied man of military age in the platoon. His absence from the regular armed forces was due to a corned beef allergy, although it was implied that Walker had probably found a way to play the system. Mainwaring often turned a blind eye to his profiteering, as he could sometimes supply the platoon (and Mainwaring) with useful items. On more than one occasion, Walker's willingness to use underhand tactics allowed Mainwaring's platoon to triumph over rivals in the Home Guard, Army and ARP. He was disciplined several times by Captain Mainwaring for making jokes at inappropriate times.
Following James Beck's death on 6 August 1973 aged 44, he was written out of the show from Series 7 onwards.
Private Frank Pike[]
Portrayed by Ian Lavender (born 16 February 1946 in Birmingham, England UK - died 2 February 2024, in Woolpit, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England UK aged 77 from bladder cancer, less than 2 weeks what would have been his 78th birthday); Blake Harrison in the 2016 film and Tom Rosenthal in The Lost Episodes.
The youngest platoon member, Pike is a cosseted mother's boy and often the target of Mainwaring's derision ("You stupid boy!"). He refers to Wilson as "Uncle Arthur", and although never explicitly stated, it was often implied that Wilson and Pike's mother were having a relationship. It has also been occasionally suggested that Wilson is Pike's father. He frequently threatens to set his mother on Mainwaring whenever he is shouted at or forced to do anything he doesn't want to do. He works as a junior bank clerk, the lowest position at Swallow bank, subordinate to both Wilson and Mainwaring.
Private James Frazer[]
Portrayed by John Laurie (born 25 March 1897 in Dumfries, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, UK - died 23 June 1980, in Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire, England, UK aged 83, from emphysema); Bill Paterson in the 2016 film and David Hayman in The Lost Episodes.
Frazer is a dour Scottish coffin maker and a former Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy who fought at the Battle of Jutland, although his main duty was cooking. Frazer is tight with money, has wild staring eyes, and is known for issuing regular pronouncements of doom. In the early days of the war, Frazer was the keeper of a philately shop. Openly eager for more power within the platoon, he has led rebellions against Manwaring and is the only member of the platoon to act in a villainous way ("A Soldier's Farewell", "The Two and a Half Feathers"), though for the most part he is loyal and well-intentioned.
Private Charles Godfrey[]
Portrayed by Arnold Ridley (born 7 January 1896 in Walcot, Bath, Somerset, England, UK - died 12 March 1984, aged 88 in Northwood, Middlesex, London, England UK after a fall); Michael Gambon in the 2016 film and Timothy West in The Lost Episodes.
Godfrey, whilst not as old as Jones, is certainly the most frail member of the platoon and, as such, is the platoon's medical orderly. He served in World War I as a conscientious-objecting stretcher bearer, winning the Military Medal before becoming a tailor at the Army & Navy Stores. Godfrey is an amiable, vague, lifelong bachelor who lives with his sisters in an idyllic cottage, and is a martyr to his weak bladder, leading to many requests to be "excused". He is very loyal to Captain Mainwaring, except on one occasion when he took part in a plot to make Mainwaring's feet hurt.
Other Platoon members[]
In addition to the secondary members below, other known members of the platoon include Agnew, Bailey, Cullen-Jones, Day, Desmond, Elgood, Hancock, Hardcastle, Hastings, Hope, Locke, Lovekin, Macey, Meadows, Wiper and Woods.
Private Sponge[]
Portrayed by Colin Bean. A farmer, leader of the platoon's section two.
Private Thomas Bracewell[]
Portrayed by John Ringham. An upper-class buffoon who was an early member of the platoon.
Private Cheeseman[]
Portrayed by Talfryn Thomas. A Welsh journalist who later briefly joins the platoon.
Private George Clarke[]
Portrayed by John Cater. Private George "Nobby" Clarke joined the platoon briefly when he tried to dig up dirt about Jones' history in the Sudan. He was revealed to have had an affair with his commanding officer's wife and, when this was revealed in Jones' retelling of events, he fled Walmington never to return.
Non-platoon characters[]
ARP Warden William Hodges[]
Portrayed by Bill Pertwee. Hodges is the platoon's major rival and nemesis. An uncompromising, grumpy greengrocer by day, and Chief Air Raid Warden by night, he relishes teasing the platoon when they are caught in sticky situations. His nickname for Mainwaring is "Napoleon" and he once had a fling with Mrs. Pike. He is her landlord.
Mrs. Mavis Pike[]
Portrayed by Janet Davies. Pike's mother and Sergeant Wilson's apparent lover. She is fiercely protective of Pike and Wilson, to the point that she was accused of "mollycoddling" by Captain Mainwaring.
Reverend Timothy Farthing[]
Portrayed by Frank Williams. Vicar of St. Aldhelm’s Church. To help the war effort, he shares his church hall and office with Mainwaring's platoon, much to his dismay because he never gets to use it when he needs it.
Maurice Yeatman[]
Portrayed by Edward Sinclair. The local verger and head of the Seas Scouts group, Yeatman is often hostile to the platoon. Labelled a "troublemaker" by Jones, he is ridiculously loyal to the vicar, and his good friend Mr. Hodges.
Recurring characters[]
Beryl Yeatman[]
Portrayed by Olive Mercer. The Verger's wife runs the women's keep fit club and captains the women's netball team. She had an affair with Mr. Blewitt ("Everybody's Trucking").
Sidney Blewett[]
Portrayed by Harold Bennett. An elderly gentleman who has acted as a photographer, the Vicar's gardener and other positions around Walmington-on-Sea.
Mrs. Marcia Fox[]
Portrayed by Pamela Cundell. Corporal Jones's lady friend and eventual wife, described as a "flashy woman" by Captain Mainwaring. Her first name is Marcia ("Mum's Army"), although she later goes by "Mildred". Most people referred to her as "Mrs. Fox". She was married during the early days of the war, but is widowed and was known to date several men in addition to Jones, leading to him fearing he has lost her affections to Mr. Claude Gordon ("The Godiva Affair"). When, at Jones's prompting, Mainwaring raises the question of her apparently split affections between Jones and Gordon, Mrs. Fox misunderstands his purpose and, to Mainwaring's horror, thinks that he is propositioning her himself.
Mr. Claude Gordon[]
Portrayed by Eric Longworth. The town clerk, described by Wilson as a "silly bald-headed old duffer". Involved in administrative issues in the town, he has a penchant for saying things are "very nice".
The Mayor of Walmington[]
Portrayed by Fred McNaughton. Walmington's highest public official. He is generally straight-laced, but did take part, in full ceremonial dress, in a thrilling train chase ("The Royal Train"). He is known to have a habit of making long-winded speeches.
Shirley[]
Portrayed by Wendy Richard. Walker's recurring girlfriend and a cinema usherette. She is thought of as a bit of a "tart" and annoys Mainwaring by suggesting that he fancies her.
Janet King[]
Portrayed by Caroline Dowdeswell. A young blonde female employee at Mainwaring's bank.
Elizabeth Mainwaring[]
Captain Mainwaring's wife "hasn't left the house since Munich". Although not involved in the activities of the platoon, her presence is felt by her frequent telephone calls to her husband.
Dolly Godfrey[]
Portrayed by Amy Dalby and Joan Cooper. Private Godfrey's younger sister. Renowned for the quality of her upside-down cakes and cucumber sandwiches. Godfrey mentions her often.
Cissy Godfrey[]
Portrayed by Nan Braunton and Kathleen Saintsbury on television and Braunton and Joan Cooper on radio. Private Godfrey's other sister.
Colonel Pritchard[]
Portrayed by Robert Raglan. Captain Mainwaring's superior officer. A stern, serious man, he admires Mainwaring and frequently comments on Mainwaring's successes and warns people not to underestimate him.
Captain Square[]
Portrayed by Geoffrey Lumsden. Commander of the Eastgate platoon of the Home Guard and rival of Captain Mainwaring. He is sometimes referred to as "Corporal-Colonel Square", being a Corporal in the Home Guard and a former Colonel in the Army. At one point, he almost replaced Captain Mainwaring due to having weapons that proved to be out-of-date ("Command Decision"). He also serves as a magistrate and almost has the chance to send Mainwaring to prison ("A Brush with the Law").
Gerald[]
Portrayed by Don Estelle. A diminutive Lancastrian ARP Warden, he is a friendly, but slightly frustrating sidekick to Hodges. He plays cricket for the Wardens XI ("The Test").
Reg Adamson[]
Portrayed by Stuart Sherwin. An easygoing warden who is sometimes overpowered by Hodges' zeal and unscrupulous methods - particularly his vendetta with Mainwaring's platoon. He once gave evidence against Mainwaring ("A Brush with the Law").
Raymond[]
Portrayed by multiple actors. Referred to as "the boy Raymond" by Jones, Raymond helps Mr. Jones in his butchers shop. His job includes counting the coupons and helping prepare the meat.
Guest characters[]
Barry Mainwaring[]
Portrayed by Arthur Lowe. The long-lost brother of Captain George Mainwaring ("My Brother and I"). He and his brother apparently always clash due to their differing personalities, with Barry repeatedly referring to his brother as "po-face." He works in a joke shop and is an alcoholic.
Blodwen[]
Portrayed by Sally Douglas. Frazer's niece, a Land Girl, who he brings to the platoon dance ("War Dance").
Colonel Schultz[]
Portrayed by Alan Tilvern. Commander of an American advance party detachment posted in Walmington-on-Sea. After a fight between US troops and the Home Guard, Mainwaring is ordered to make a public apology.
Captain Stewart[]
Portrayed by Michael Knowles. A smarmy officer from the War Office who informs Mainwaring that his platoon have been picked for "special duties" (digging latrines and peeling potatoes).
Captain Ramsey[]
Portrayed by Fulton Mackey. A harsh, but fair, Scottish officer who runs a training course to test Home Guard units and assess whether they are 12-star material. His attempts to make the weekend a serious test of the men are frustrated (largely by the idiocy of Lance-Corporal Jones and a stray consignment of onions). He quickly becomes exasperated. Ramsey's favourite catchphrase appears to be "you haven't done very well", which is quickly amended when Mainwaring and his men pull off "the best bit of initiative I've seen in this whole war" for which he awards them the coveted 12-stars.
George Jones[]
Portrayed by Eric Woodburn. L/Cprl Jack Jones' father, he has a weakness to whisky and has been married three times. He continually argues with his son and calls him "Young Jack" and "Old Fool" ("Museum Piece").
U-Boat Captain[]
Portrayed by Philip Madoc. Commander of the crew of a captured U-Boat, bringing Mainwaring face to face with the Nazi enemy ("The Deadly Attachment"). A supercilious brute who is making a list of Britons who offend him to be brought to account "when we have won the war" which unsurprisingly get Mainwaring's gander up. He is also cunning, as when he tricks his captors by feigning illness. He presents Mainwaring with one of the platoon's most dangerous and deadly situations in the entire war, when he takes the entire platoon prisoner and plans to take them back to France with him, only to be foiled in the nick of time.
General Monteverdi[]
Portrayed by Edward Evans. Senior Italian officer in a POW camp who tries to defend the scruffiness and general laziness of the Italian detainees. Serving in North Africa, he was captured, apparently, because he refused to fight against the English. Mainwaring clearly does not think much of him. It is revealed that Monteverdi is complicit in Walker’s scheme to smuggle prisoners out at nights to work for him.
Mrs. Prentice[]
Portrayed by Brenda Cowling. An old friend of Godfrey, now in possession of her late husband's farm which needs harvesting. Mainwaring volunteers the platoon's services. In gratitude, she organises supper and potato wine for the platoon which leads to some high spirits. A widow, having spurned him to marry Mr. Prentice, Godfrey hints at a more intimate moment when he tells her he hasn't touched potato wine "since that night".
Captain Rodrigues[]
Portrayed by Alan Tilvern. A Spanish Civil War veteran who is only interested in "killing Nazis". He dislikes the platoon of "amateurs" and thinks Mainwaring should go back to running a bank. He is vicious and unpleasant, closer to a bandit than a Captain in the British army.
Mr. West[]
Portrayed by Robert Dorning. Bank Inspector from Head Office. Shocked at the irregular running of the Walmington-on-Sea branch. A pompous and highly-strung character.
Violet Gibbons[]
Portrayed by Jenny Thomas. An ATS girl to whom Pike is briefly engaged, much to Mainwaring's disapproval. She had previously worked at Woolworths, a fish and chip Ssop and, for a while, dated Private Walker. She appears at the platoon dance, where Pike announces their engagement. Looking bored and chewing gum she does not entirely appear to return Pike's unquestioning adoration and, much to everyone's relief, the engagement is quickly broken off.
E.C. Egan[]
Portrayed by Fred Trueman. A professional fast-bowler recruited by Hodges as an ARP Warden in an underhanded attempt to win the friendly cricket match between the Wardens and the Home Guard. However, he badly injures his shoulder after his first delivery and has to leave the field. In his absence, the Home Guard go on to win the match due to Hodges declaring early.
Lady Maltby[]
Portrayed by Mavis Pugh. A local aristocrat who lends the platoon her Rolls Royce for the duration of the war. She is socially acquainted with Sergeant Wilson, much to the irritation of Captain Mainwaring. Her late husband was a greengrocer.
Mrs. Grey[]
Portrayed by Carmen Silvera. A charming lady, recently arrived from London, who joins the platoon after it begins recruiting women ("Mum's Army"). She and Captain Mainwaring share a mutual affection that is cut short when she leaves Walmington-on-Sea unexpectedly.
Patrick Regan[]
Portrayed by J.G. Devlin. A suspected member of the Irish Republican Army, the platoon are ordered to arrest him, but only a few are available. Trouble comes when his "associates" come looking for him, leading to a brawl. Fortunately, Wilson proves to be handy with his fists.
Police Constable[]
Portrayed by Arthur English. A Walmington police constable deputed to arrest Regan. He came alone, as the rest of his station were busy playing a darts match with the Free French. He warns that Regan may be an "ugly customer", but Mainwaring ignores his advice.
General Menzies[]
Portrayed by Campbell Singer. A local commander. Visiting the platoon while Frazer is in temporary command, he mistakes him for Mainwaring ("If the Cap Fits..."). He invites his fellow Scot to a dress dinner to pipe in the haggis. Frazer hopes this will embarrass the English Mainwaring, but to everyone's shock Mainwaring had learned the bagpipes on his honeymoon, foiling Frazer's scheme.
Mr. Palethorpe[]
Portrayed by Jack Haig. Landlord of the Six Bells just outside Walmington. When the platoon, dressed as Nazis for the production of a film, enter the bar and demand to be served he is convinced the balloon has gone up and triggers an invasion alert.
Sir Charles McAllister[]
Portrayed by Campbell Singer. A distinguished Scottish politician. He is blackmailed by Frazer, who threatens to expose his unsavoury past, into choosing a different site for a proposed aerodrome, saving Godfrey's cottage ("Is There Honey Still for Tea?").
Mr. Bugden[]
Portrayed by Peter Butterworth. A harassed Walmington printer whose firm's error leads to Corporal Jones being interned as a dangerous Prisoner of War.
Mr. Rees[]
Portrayed by Edward Evans. The Welsh town clerk of Walmington ("Big Guns"). His administration appears to have preceded that of Mr. Gordon. Mainwaring's strained dealings with him appears to be typical of his relationship with small-town officialdom.
Mr. Sedgewick[]
Portrayed by Erik Chitty. Mild-mannered Walmington shoe-shop proprietor.
Sylvia Hodges[]
Portrayed by Jean Gilpin). Hodges' niece and a member of the ATS ("The Making of Private Pike"). She attracts the interest of both Wilson and Pike. She and Pike go on a date together to Eastgate cinema, during which they "borrow" Mainwaring's new staff car. Relations between them begin to disintegrate when the car breaks down on the way back - forcing them to spend the night together. This leads to some widespread assumptions, causing Wilson to now regard Pike as a "kindred spirit".