#bbc comedy

Remembering actor and playwright Frank Williams, who passed away June 26th, 2022, just short of his 91st birthday. He is remembered with enormous fondness by generations of fans as Timothy Farthing, the perpetually exasperated Vicar in the BBC’s Dad’s Army; on television, radio, stage, and in two feature films separated by almost half a century.

This is a clip from our complete tribute episode which was released to coincide with the first anniversary of Frank Williams' passing. His friend, leading television historian, author, podcaster and publisher, Oliver Crocker, joined us to share some personal memories of this incredibly talented, generous and exceedingly kind gentleman.

In this clip we sample some very special audio of Mr Williams himself, reminiscing about the adventures and misadventures of a working actor as a film extra, on live television, and in Dad's Army. This was part of a longer segment on the original episode, courtesy of Oliver's personal archive.

Find the full episode here, with additional notes and links to further reading, viewing and listening.

"ONE TRACK LOVER" - just wait til the chorus

Branded was a series 3 (1969) episode of Dad’s Army, in which Private Godfrey (Arnold Ridley) submits his written resignation to Captain Mainwaring, who is disinclined to accept it. (This is war, not Sainsbury’s!) Godfrey explains that he’d recently found himself unable to kill a domestic mouse, so therefore concluded that he would be no use to the platoon in combat. He also confides that he had been a conscientious objector in the Great War. Mainwaring is stunned and outraged, and is determined to humiliate Godfrey in front of the platoon. (I may not be able to tear his epaulets off physically, but by God I can do it verbally!).

Godfrey remains in the platoon pending a replacement, and in amongst the usual broad comedy there are moments that are deeply uncomfortable to watch, as he is ostracised by his friends, with Private Frazer (John Laurie) the most vocal and personally cruel.

The Walmington-on-Sea platoon join with the ARP Wardens for a training exercise that involves entering a smoke-filled hut, one by one, to rescue a straw-filled sack representing an unconscious casualty. Mainwaring is unhappy with the amount of smoke in the hut, and increases it to a dangerous level. He can’t resist a snide remark about Private Godfrey wanting to get out of the exercise, which Godfrey himself denies with his usual courtesy.

Mainwaring is the last one through, right behind Godfrey, but is overcome by smoke. When he fails to emerge from the other side, Godfrey reenters the hut and singlehandedly rescues Mainwaring, saving his life.

Godfrey is subsequently recuperating at home in bed, and a contrite and grateful Captain Mainwaring, along with the platoon, pay a visit. Mainwaring notices a picture on the wall, showing Private Godfrey in his Great War uniform and displaying the Military Medal. Godfrey’s sister explains that he had been a stretcher bearer at the Somme, and had gone out into no-mans-land under heavy fire to retrieve the wounded.

Amongst the apologies, Frazer unsurprisingly asserts, 'Speaking for myself, I never doubted you for a single minute'.

Captain Mainwaring’s discomfort at his own lack of medals is a theme that carries right through to the final episode. He asks why Godfrey never wore his medals, to which Godfrey replies that it would seem ‘rather ostentatious’.

“If I’d won the MM," Mainwaring replies, "I would have been so proud that I would have worn it, on my chest, for the whole world to see."

“That would have been all right, sir, because you look like a hero.”

And here Sergeant Wilson delivers the coup de grace to conclude the episode, “It just shows, sir, you can’t always go by appearances.”

Godfrey is appointed the platoon’s medic, for reasons that extended beyond the episode storyline. Arnold Ridley had fought on the Somme in the Somerset Light Infantry, and even more than 50 years on still suffered the debilitating effects of multiple wounds. He therefore struggled to parade with a rifle, so the Red Cross haversack was a useful compromise.

I've seen a few posts of the photos from Funny From The Fringe radio show podcast, but have yet to see a comprehensive post.

If you are unaware of what Funny from the Fringe was, it was a daily Radio 4 BBC podcast that was released for each day of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016 and 2017, recorded live on scene. It also includes some bonus episodes. It was hosted by Phil Ellis and in each episode he interviews and talks to a few comedians (exact number varies per episode, usually 2 or 3).

All episodes are available (and linked) on BBC, and is not region locked, so all countries should be able to access it, without a VPN. Although, the site will look different depending on if you're in the UK or not (because of iPlayer I think?).

Episodes are downloadable, straight from the site on each episode, or can be streamed.

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Day 1: Sofie Hagen and Mark Cooper-Jones

(Sofie Hagen pictured)

Day 2: Jake Yapp and Mae Martin

(Mae Martin pictured)

Day 3: Mark Watson and Ian D Montfort

(Mark Watson pictured)

Day 4: Nish Kumar and Fern Brady

(Nish Kumar pictured)

Day 5: Angus Deayton, Ellie Taylor and Harry Venning

(Angus Deayton pictured)

Day 6: Nick Mohammed, The Birthday Girls and a tour of the Blundabus

(The Birthday Girls pictured)

Day 7: Marcus Brigstocke, Lou Sanders and advice from the street performers of Edinburgh

(Lou Sanders pictured)

Day 8: David O'Doherty, Paul Foot, Sarah Callaghan and Comedy in the Dark

(David O'Doherty pictured)

Day 9: Jack Carroll, Tom Neenan, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and some spooky underground Edinburgh vaults

(Kiri Pritchard-McLean pictured)

Day 10: Mark Steel, Danielle Ward and a night out on the town in Edinburgh

(Mark Steel pictured)

Day 11: Susan Calman, BBC New Comedy Award winner Jethro Bradley and Richard Gadd

(Richard Gadd pictured)

Day 12: Andy Zaltzman, a thwarted haircut and Margaret Thatcher Queen of Game Shows

(Andy Zaltzman pictured)

Day 13: Jenny Collier, a singing taxi driver and a visit to the gym with David Longley

(Jenny Collier pictured)

Day 14: Spencer Jones, Liz Miele and a trip up the Scott Monument

(Spencer Jones pictured)

Day 15: Andrew Maxwell, Tez Ilyas and a visit to the fortune teller

(Andrew Maxwell pictured)

Day 16: Al Porter, Suzi Ruffell and an unsung Fringe hero

(Al Porter pictured)

Day 17: Phil Nichol, Jamali Maddix and Arthur Smith's Royal Mile Tour

(Phil Nichol pictured)

Day 18: Mark Thomas, Sophie Willan and Asian Network Big Comedy Night

(Sophie Willian pictured)

Day 19: Nina Conti, Loyiso Gola and Brennan Reece

(no guest picture, just one of the FFtF promo shots of Phil Ellis)

Day 20: James Acaster, Felicity Ward and Pokemon Hunting on The Meadows...

(James Acaster pictured)

Day 21: Kieran Hodgson, Edinburgh Comedy Award Newcomers and a late night kebab with Pat Cahill

(Kieran Hodgson pictured)

Day 22: Seann Walsh and Des Bishop plus Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominees

(Seann Walsh pictured)

Day 23: The Winners of this year's Edinburgh Comedy Awards are revealed

(Richard Gadd and Scott Gibson pictured)

Day 24: Phil signs off

(It was the same promo pic from earlier, so I have found another photo from the same shoot, from Alamy Stock, photographer unknown.)