It Sticks Out Half a Mile
Encyclopedia
It Sticks Out Half a Mile was a BBC Radio
sitcom created by Harold Snoad
and Michael Knowles as a sequel to the television
war
sitcom Dad's Army
, for which Snoad and Knowles had written radio
adaptations.
Captain George Mainwaring
(Arthur Lowe
) deciding to renovate a decrepit seaside pier
in the fictional town of Frambourne-on-Sea, only to find when applying for a bank loan that the manager of the local branch is his former chief cashier and Home Guard Sergeant Arthur Wilson
(John Le Mesurier
).
The pilot, recorded in 1981, was not used and Lowe died in April 1982, ending production. But Lowe's widow had enjoyed the show and persuaded the writers to start again with a new cast. The original pilot was eventually broadcast on BBC 7
.
), former ARP
warden and nemesis of Mainwaring's Home Guard unit, approaching "stupid boy" and former Home Guard Private Frank Pike (Ian Lavender
) with a proposal to renovate the pier at Frambourne. In order to finance this plan Pike has to approach bank manager Wilson (Le Mesurier), who just happens to be his "uncle" (publicly a friend of his mother's, but strongly hinted to the audience to be Pike's father), for a loan. Wilson suspects the only reason Hodges approached Pike was to get to the bank's money through him. Nevertheless, Pike and Wilson put aside their wartime quarrel with Hodges - more or less - and the renovation begins.
Some different actors were used for some of the minor parts, for example Mrs Fox, who was played here by Mollie Sugden
.
compilation entitled Some of Our Archives were Missing on 29 May 2004 and again on 17 June 2008 to kick off a rerun of the entire series.
The series proper was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4
on 13 November 1983 and ran for 13 episodes. It was subsequently repeated again on BBC Radio 2
, but an apparent mixup between different BBC
departments resulted in most of the original masters being wiped.
The series featured some of John Le Mesurier's last performances and many listeners were shocked to discover that the BBC was still wiping material as late as the 1980s.
The BBC's Treasure Hunt has unearthed off-air recordings of a great many shows that would otherwise have been lost, including It Sticks Out Half a Mile, and the digital radio archive channel BBC 7
has broadcast the recovered copies of the series. Some of these are of variable quality, but according to a message on the BBC 7 message board better quality versions have now been located.
. The BBC decided not to commission a series, so Knowles and Snoad took the concept to Yorkshire Television
, where a seven-episode series (now titled High & Dry) was made, with Bernard Cribbins
taking over Elphick's role. Richard Wilson and Vivienne Martin appeared in both versions.
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
sitcom created by Harold Snoad
Harold Snoad
Harold Edward Snoad is a British television producer and director.Beginning his career in the 1960s, he has worked on many comedy shows for the BBC, including the sitcoms Dad's Army, Are You Being Served?, Ever Decreasing Circles and Keeping Up Appearances...
and Michael Knowles as a sequel to the television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
sitcom Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
, for which Snoad and Knowles had written radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
adaptations.
The pilot
The original pilot episode, set in 1948, involved former bank manager and Home GuardBritish Home Guard
The Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
Captain George Mainwaring
Captain George Mainwaring
Captain George Mainwaring is the bank manager and Home Guard platoon commander portrayed by Arthur Lowe on the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army, set in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea during the Second World War...
(Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:...
) deciding to renovate a decrepit seaside pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
in the fictional town of Frambourne-on-Sea, only to find when applying for a bank loan that the manager of the local branch is his former chief cashier and Home Guard Sergeant Arthur Wilson
Sergeant Arthur Wilson
Sergeant The Honourable Arthur Wilson is a fictional Home Guard platoon sergeant and bank clerk portrayed by John Le Mesurier on the BBC television situation comedy Dad's Army....
(John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:...
).
The pilot, recorded in 1981, was not used and Lowe died in April 1982, ending production. But Lowe's widow had enjoyed the show and persuaded the writers to start again with a new cast. The original pilot was eventually broadcast on BBC 7
BBC 7
BBC Radio 4 Extra, formerly known as BBC 7 and BBC Radio 7, is a British digital radio station broadcasting comedy, drama, and children's programming nationally 24 hours a day. It is the principal broadcasting outlet for the BBC's archive of spoken-word entertainment...
.
The series
The new version involved Bert Hodges (Bill PertweeBill Pertwee
William Desmond Anthony Pertwee MBE is a British comedy actor. He is best known for playing the part of antagonist ARP Warden Hodges in the popular sitcom Dad's Army.-Early and personal life:...
), former ARP
Air Raid Precautions
Air Raid Precautions was an organisation in the United Kingdom set up as an aid in the prelude to the Second World War dedicated to the protection of civilians from the danger of air-raids. It was created in 1924 as a response to the fears about the growing threat from the development of bomber...
warden and nemesis of Mainwaring's Home Guard unit, approaching "stupid boy" and former Home Guard Private Frank Pike (Ian Lavender
Ian Lavender
Arthur Ian Lavender , better known as Ian Lavender, is an English stage, film and television actor, best known for his role as Private Frank Pike in the BBC comedy series Dad's Army.-Early life and career:...
) with a proposal to renovate the pier at Frambourne. In order to finance this plan Pike has to approach bank manager Wilson (Le Mesurier), who just happens to be his "uncle" (publicly a friend of his mother's, but strongly hinted to the audience to be Pike's father), for a loan. Wilson suspects the only reason Hodges approached Pike was to get to the bank's money through him. Nevertheless, Pike and Wilson put aside their wartime quarrel with Hodges - more or less - and the renovation begins.
Some different actors were used for some of the minor parts, for example Mrs Fox, who was played here by Mollie Sugden
Mollie Sugden
Isobel Mary 'Mollie' Sugden was an English comedy actress best known for portraying the saleswoman Mrs. Slocombe in the British sitcom Are You Being Served? from 1972 to 1985. She later reprised this role in Grace & Favour, which ran from 1992 to 1993...
.
Broadcast
Due to the death of Arthur Lowe, the original pilot was not broadcast. The master recording was apparently wiped, but co-writer Snoad kept a copy which he later returned to the BBC. A short excerpt was played on a documentary entitled Radio's Lost Property on 1 November 2003, with the complete programme heard on a BBC 7BBC 7
BBC Radio 4 Extra, formerly known as BBC 7 and BBC Radio 7, is a British digital radio station broadcasting comedy, drama, and children's programming nationally 24 hours a day. It is the principal broadcasting outlet for the BBC's archive of spoken-word entertainment...
compilation entitled Some of Our Archives were Missing on 29 May 2004 and again on 17 June 2008 to kick off a rerun of the entire series.
The series proper was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
on 13 November 1983 and ran for 13 episodes. It was subsequently repeated again on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, but an apparent mixup between different BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
departments resulted in most of the original masters being wiped.
The series featured some of John Le Mesurier's last performances and many listeners were shocked to discover that the BBC was still wiping material as late as the 1980s.
The BBC's Treasure Hunt has unearthed off-air recordings of a great many shows that would otherwise have been lost, including It Sticks Out Half a Mile, and the digital radio archive channel BBC 7
BBC 7
BBC Radio 4 Extra, formerly known as BBC 7 and BBC Radio 7, is a British digital radio station broadcasting comedy, drama, and children's programming nationally 24 hours a day. It is the principal broadcasting outlet for the BBC's archive of spoken-word entertainment...
has broadcast the recovered copies of the series. Some of these are of variable quality, but according to a message on the BBC 7 message board better quality versions have now been located.
Remakes
There were two attempts to adapt the show for television – without the Dad's Army characters. The first was a BBC pilot, Walking the Planks, starring Michael ElphickMichael Elphick
Michael John Elphick was an English actor. Elphick was known in the UK for his trademark croaky voice and his work on British television, in particular his roles as the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series Boon and later Harry Slater in BBC's EastEnders.Robust and ruggedly good-looking...
. The BBC decided not to commission a series, so Knowles and Snoad took the concept to Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
, where a seven-episode series (now titled High & Dry) was made, with Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active...
taking over Elphick's role. Richard Wilson and Vivienne Martin appeared in both versions.
Pilot
| No | Title | Recorded | First broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Loyal Support | 1981-07-19 | 2004-05-29 |
Series 1
| No | Title | Recorded | First broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 002 | The Business Proposition | 1982-09-11 | 1983-11-13 |
| 003 | The Bank Loan | 1983-02-19 | 1983-11-20 |
| 004 | Who Owned The Pier? | 1983-02-23 | 1983-11-27 |
| 005 | Inspecting The Piles | 1983-02-23 | 1983-12-04 |
| 006 | Pike In Love | 1983-02-19 | 1983-12-11 |
| 007 | The Friends Of Frambourne Pier | 1983-02-26 | 1984-12-18 |
| 008 | The First Meeting | 1983-03-05 | 1984-01-01 |
| 009 | Marooned | 1983-03-08 | 1984-01-08 |
| 010 | The Fancy Dress Night | 1983-05-20 | 1984-09-11 |
| 011 | The Builder | 1983-03-05 | 1984-01-15 |
| 012 | War Damage | 1983-03-08 | 1984-09-04 |
| 013 | The Pin Up Girl | 1983-03-15 | 1984-09-18 |
| 014 | Hidden Treasure | 1983-03-15 | 1984-09-09 |