The poignant moment Dad's Army icon Frank Williams knew hit BBC series was over
Dad's Army actor Frank Williams once revealed that he knew the iconic British comedy series had come to an end when he arrived at rehearsals
Behind the scenes on the set of Dad's Army
The late actor FFrank Williams claimed that he knew the series of Dad's Army was coming to an end when he arrived at the rehearsal and felt the atmosphere had changed.
The actor, who was best known for his role as the vicar Timothy Farthing in the military comedy series, sadly passed away two years ago at the remarkable age of 90.
His admission was made in his book Vicar to Dad's Army: The Frank Williams Story. The BBC sitcom was based on the experiences in the Local Defence Volunteers, also known as the Home Guard, during the Second World War.
Speaking of the realisation that series nine would be the last for the comedy sitcom, he penned: "Although no official statement was made, when I arrived in the rehearsal room there was a feeling that season nine would be our last."
He added: "I realised that had I been working in the West End, not only would I have been unable to do the location filming, but also I would probably not have been able to do the final season at all."
Frank continued: "While drawing the programme to a satisfactory conclusion, the writers did not want to make this series of Dad's Army too final."
But at the time, it was certainly touch and go if Frank would have been able to be part of the final series as he had auditioned for a theatre role titled Donkey's Years - but didn't make it past the audition stage.
The actor went on to claim that although the writers had set in mind that the series would be the last at that time, they had, however, left it open for the sitcom to be revived at a later date.
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Frank wrote: "None of us was killed off, nor was the Home Guard to be disbanded. Many of the cast's partners were invited to the last episode. "
He continued: "Joan Lowe, Marion Pertwee and Althea Ridley were all there as guests at the wedding reception when Corporal Jones (played by Clive Dunn) and Mrs Fox (Pamela Cundell) finally tied the knot."
He also claimed that the final shot which showed the platoon toasting all the me in the Home Guard was a special moment for the cast as it paid tribute to all the men in the real Dad's Army.
Recalling the final scene, he added: "It was a mark of the series that Dad's Army was able to take an affectionate look at it, and pay homage to, the original Home Guard. Although the programme is a comedy, there is always in the background that underlying determination to win through which was so much a part of the thinking of ordinary people during the war."
He went on to say: "The characters may be comic but they are also heroic." Frank recalled what it was like for the cast when they wrapped up the last episode. We were sad that such an enjoyable experience had come to an end but we felt it was good to finish while we were still on top."
