Jimmy Perry
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Perry OBE
(born 9 September 1923 in Barnes, London
) is an English
writer
, scriptwriter, producer, author
and actor
, most famous for devising and co-writing the BBC
sitcoms
Dad's Army
with David Croft.
s: at Colet Court
and St Paul's School, which at the time were both based in Hammersmith
in West London (now in Barnes).
during World War II
. He also collaborated with Croft on It Ain't Half Hot Mum
, Hi-de-Hi!
& You Rang, M'Lord?
, where he joined the Royal Artillery Concert Party (It Ain't Half Hot, Mum). Demobbed and back in the UK, he trained as an actor at RADA
, spending his holidays working as a Redcoat
in Butlin's
Holiday Camps; the experience inspired Croft to create Hi-de-Hi. His grandfather had worked as a butler
, and Jimmy heard many anecdotes about life "below stairs", which served as a basis for You Rang, M'Lord?
Dad's Army character, mummy's boy Private Pike
, was based upon teenage Jimmy Perry, who said, "She didn't go so far as making me wear a scarf, but she came pretty near".
A solo effort, Room Service
written without Croft for Thames Television
in 1979 and High Street Blues (1989) co-written with Robin Carr "remain contenders for the title of worst British sitcom". At the end of the 1970s, Perry became involved as presenter in a BBC series called Turns, dedicated to films of nearly forgotten music hall
acts of the 1930s and 1940s.
s, Inverness cape and deerstalker
cap.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 9 September 1923 in Barnes, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, scriptwriter, producer, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, most famous for devising and co-writing the 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...
sitcoms
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
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...
with David Croft.
Education
Perry was educated at two independent schoolIndependent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
s: at Colet Court
Colet Court
Colet Court is a preparatory school for boys aged 7 to 13 in Barnes, London. It forms the preparatory department of St Paul's School, to which most Colet Court pupils go at the age of 13.-History:...
and St Paul's School, which at the time were both based in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
in West London (now in Barnes).
Life and career
Perry is credited with the original idea for Dad's Army, which was based on his experiences in the Home GuardBritish Home Guard
The Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
during World War II
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...
. He also collaborated with Croft on It Ain't Half Hot Mum
It Ain't Half Hot Mum
It Ain't Half Hot Mum was a British sitcom about the adventures of a Royal Artillery Concert Party, broadcast on the BBC between 1974 and 1981, and written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army...
, Hi-de-Hi!
Hi-de-Hi!
Hi-de-Hi! is a British sitcom that aired on the BBC from 1980-1988. It was set in a holiday camp during the 1950s and 1960s and was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who had written Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum. The title was the phrase used to greet the campers and in early episodes...
& You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang, M'Lord?
You Rang M'Lord? is a British television series written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Hi-de-Hi! It was broadcast between 1990 and 1993 on the BBC...
Sitcoms
Many of the sitcoms Perry co-wrote with Croft drew heavily on his personal experience: at 16 he joined the Watford Home Guard (Dad's Army); two years later he was called up into the regular forces, and was sent to Burma with the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, where he joined the Royal Artillery Concert Party (It Ain't Half Hot, Mum). Demobbed and back in the UK, he trained as an actor at RADA
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
, spending his holidays working as a Redcoat
Redcoats (Butlins)
Redcoat is the name given to frontline staff at Butlins holiday camps. A Redcoat may have many duties ranging from adult entertainer or children's entertainer to stewarding.-History:The first Redcoat was Norman Bradford...
in Butlin's
Butlins
Butlins is a chain of large holiday camps in the United Kingdom. Butlins was founded by Billy Butlin to provide affordable holidays for ordinary British families....
Holiday Camps; the experience inspired Croft to create Hi-de-Hi. His grandfather had worked as a butler
Butler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
, and Jimmy heard many anecdotes about life "below stairs", which served as a basis for You Rang, M'Lord?
Dad's Army character, mummy's boy Private Pike
Private Frank Pike
Private Frank Pike is a fictional Home Guard platoon member and junior bank clerk portrayed by Ian Lavender in the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army. He is frequently referred to by Captain Mainwaring as "stupid boy".- Personality :...
, was based upon teenage Jimmy Perry, who said, "She didn't go so far as making me wear a scarf, but she came pretty near".
A solo effort, Room Service
Room Service (1979 TV series)
Room Service was a 1979 Thames Television comedy series, notable as being written by Jimmy Perry without his usual writing partner David Croft. It and Perry's other work without Croft, High Street Blues "remain contenders for the title of worst British sitcom". The cast included Penelope Nice,...
written without Croft for Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
in 1979 and High Street Blues (1989) co-written with Robin Carr "remain contenders for the title of worst British sitcom". At the end of the 1970s, Perry became involved as presenter in a BBC series called Turns, dedicated to films of nearly forgotten music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
acts of the 1930s and 1940s.
Music
Although best known for his comedy writing, Perry has also experienced musical success, composing the signature tunes to all of the above comedy series. The most well-known of these, the theme tune for Dad's Army, "Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?", won the Ivor Novello Award in 1971 for Best TV Signature Tune.Theatre
During the early 1960s, Jimmy Perry was actor-manager at the Watford Repertory Theatre, a role (perhaps intentionally) emphasised by his penchant for heavy checked tweedTweed (cloth)
Tweed is a rough, unfinished woolen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture, resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is made in either plain or twill weave and may have a check or herringbone pattern...
s, Inverness cape and deerstalker
Deerstalker
A deerstalker is a type of hat that is typically worn in rural areas, often for hunting, especially deer stalking. Because of the hat's popular association with Sherlock Holmes, it is also a stereotypical hat of a detective.-Construction:...
cap.