The Clive Dunn Discussion Thread

[Dave Homewood]

I think the Definitely Dunn series was based on his cabaret act that he used to regularly tour with in the 1970's and 80's, including to New Zealand.

[Andy Howells]

Was watching the programme Pop Charts Britannia on BBC Four last night which looked at the history of the British pop chart. It featured a very brief clip of Clive at No.1 on Top of The Pops from early 1971 so I thought I'd take a quick pic for posterity!

If you're interested the whole show is currently on the BBC iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nwfxs/pop-charts-britannia-60-years-of-the-top-10

[Dave Homewood]

Bootsy And Snudge
Cast members of the television comedy series Bootsy and Snudge pictured together on set in 1962. Clockwise from bottom left: Robert Dorning (1913-1989), Bill Fraser (1908-1987), Alfie Bass (1916-1987), Clive Dunn (1920-2012) and Patricia Clapton (?). (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)


Clive Dunn
Actor Clive Dunn posing with his wife Priscilla and mother Connie, after the investiture when he received his OBE, London, October 29th 1975. (Photo by Frank Barratt/Keystone/Getty Images)


A Night To Remember
From left to right: British actors Jimmy Edwards (1920-1988), Richard Wattis (1912-1975) and Clive Dunn (1920-2012) pictured together in a scene from the television drama 'A Night To Remember' in 1966. (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)


Clive Dunn and Richard Wattis In A Night To Remember
English actors Clive Dunn (1920-2012) on left, and Richard Wattis (1912-1975) pictured together in a scene from the television drama 'A Night to Remember' in 1966. (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty images)


VE Day Anniversary - Bill Pertwee and Clive Dunn - London
Actors Bill Pertwee (left) and Clive Dunn, from BBC comedy Dad's Army, entertain schoolchildren at the launch of the Inner London Education Authority's VE Day anniversary celebration. They are on board a fire engine used in Soho during the war. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)


Entertainment - National Egg Week Launch - London
Actor Clive Dunn joins Peggy Fenner, Parliamentary Secretary for the State of Agriculture, at the Savoy Hotel to launch National Egg Week. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)


Actor Clive Dunn in his role as butcher Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC television series Dads Army January 1973 (Photo by Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images)


PA NEWS 31/7/98 TO MARK THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST BROADCAST OF THE VINTAGE COMEDY SHOW 'DAD'S ARMY', ACTOR CLIVE DUNN JOINS A CAST REUNION AT THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM TO COINCIDE WITH THE RELEASE OF NEW AUDIO TAPES, BBC 2'S FIRST SERIES REPEAT AND A SIGNED 'DAD'S ARMY' FIRST DAY COVER. (Photo by Matthew Fearn - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)

[Alan Hayes]

Jan 10, 2016 10:29:02 GMT 12 Andy Howells said:

For those who may not be aware there are 9 minutes of Clive's appearance on Desert Island Discs free to download from the BBC website... enjoy!

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009ncwb

Just found this and other Desert Island Discs shows myself - well worth a reminder post!

[Dave Homewood]

Clive Dunn spent a considerable amount of his war in a POW 'camp' in two school rooms above a hairdresser's shop in Liezen, Austria. This is Liezen, wow what a gorgeous place. It looks like a film set!

[Alan Hayes]

I imagine his perspective upon the place was slightly different to our modern-day regard for the beautiful architecture and setting.

[Dave Homewood]

Absolutely. But it is a pleasant surprise to see it was not as bleak and deary as I'd imagined, reading his book.

[Alan Hayes]

Experience definitely colours perception.

[Dave Homewood]

I see from the listing on IMDb that the ten main cast members plus Janet Davies and Pam Cundell all appeared on Clive Dunn's This Is Your Life. I assume that someone must have dug this info out of ITV's records. Oddly no-one else is mentioned though. I'd really like to see this episode, so sad it was wiped.
www.imdb.com/title/tt0721549/?ref_=nm_flmg_slf_37

[Alan Hayes]

I'd assume that was the case, but it's not unknown for IMDB info to be inaccurate. And checking the records, sadly it's not been found. Still down as junked.

[Col]

I'm never sure if some clips are to be found elsewhere in the archives
of the messageboard. If so, apologies for reposting. No sound on this
short video clip featuring Clive and John.

[Col]

Clive again, this time as a pensioner at a pelican crossing - plus
a song from him at the end. Clive appears at 3:54 in the footage.

[Dave Homewood]

Those clips are new to me. The one with Jonesie and the Pelican Crossing is excellent. Does anyone have any idea of the dates of either clip?

[pault1963]

BFI dates it as 1977:

www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6db21516

[Col]

I knew Jones was slow, but you'd think he would have an idea on how to use the pelican crossing having been shown by Sgt Wilson three years previously when the whole platoon went into town to learn the drill! As the Germans would likely say 'those old Lance Corporals, they don't like it flashing!'

[Andy Howells]

Interesting never seen this one before! good find!

[jonboy]

Just got series 1 of Bootsie & Snudge from Amazon, its over 30 episodes long, Clive doesn't play a very big part but he talks like Jack Jones & mixes his works up the same..

[Andy Howells]

Well, theres a lot of the old man character that Clive developed in Old Johnson (from Bootsie and Snudge). Clive featured in several other films and TV shows during the 60s and many seem to be a variation on that character (which like other character actors of the period was probably how he was asked to play it).

Its interesting that when Dad's Army arrived Clive somehow managed to blur Jones with Johnson a bit. When he performed his hit Grandad, he was really performing it in his old man character (which had filtered into his cabaret act), whereas Jonesy even crossed over into this medium too (and even was referenced on Clive's 1970 album on some tracks!)

There is evidence of both characters as the years go on and usually Clive seemed to blur into both when he gave interviews in later life and then back to himself. A very funny and talented man.

[Dave Homewood]

His Grandad character in the series Grandad was basically just like Jones and Johnson too.

The only thing I've seen him in that I did not like was My Old Man.

[jonboy]

I believe My Old Man was based on a one off that Ronnie Corbett did in the series Seven Of One, Open All Hours & Porridge were part of that series..