David Croft Header

 

Born on September 7, 1922 in Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, England (UK).
Birth name: David John Sharland
Mother (Annie); Father (Reginald)
Spouse: Ann Callender (June 2, 1952-June 11th 2016)
Has 7 children; 3 daughters (Penny, Rebecca and Jane); 4 sons (Nick, John, Richard and Tim)
Got an OBE in 1978 for services to television.
Has title of Major.
Died September 27, 2011 at the age of 89.



(Click above to see service pamphlet)

 

 

 

TV Appearances

(2003-2008)"Comedy Connections"
(2008)Jonathan Ross Salutes 'Dad's Army'
(2008)50 Greatest Comedy Catchphrases
(2007)The Passing Years
(2007)'We Are the Boys..': Ian Lavender
(2007)Hitler: The Comedy Years
(2007)The Return of 'Allo 'Allo!
(2007)A Tribute to John Inman
(2007)'We Are the Boys..': Clive Dunn
(2006)'We Are the Boys..': Arthur Lowe
(2006)'We Are the Boys..': John Le Mesurier
(2006)'We Are the Boys..': John Laurie
(2006)The Ultimate Sitcom
(2006)Who Killed the Sitcom?
(2005)'We Are the Boys..': James Beck
(2005)'We Are the Boys..': Arnold Ridley
(2005)"Breakfast"- Episode from May 5
(2004)"Britain's Best Sitcom"- Dad's Army
(2003)The British Comedy Awards 2003
(2001)'Dad's Army': Missing Presumed Wiped
(2001)Wendy Richard: A Life on the Box
(2000)Don't Panic! The 'Dad's Army' Story
(1999)"Funny Turns"- John Inman
(1999)"Funny Women"- Mollie Sugden
(1999)"Laughter in the House: The Story of British Sitcom"

(1995)"This Is Your Life"- David Croft
Both images ©Thames Television International

(1995)Perry & Croft: The Sitcoms
(1939)Goodbye, Mr. Chips (Perkins-Greengrocer's boy)

Image in this section used with permission from:
http://www.bigredbook.info/


Official Website

http://www.davidcroft.co.uk/

Writer

(2008)Here Comes the Queen
(2007)The Return of 'Allo 'Allo!
(1997)"Selection Box"- Dad's Army
(1995)Perry & Croft: The Sitcoms
(1995-1997)"Oh, Doctor Beeching!"
(1994)The Best of 'Allo 'Allo!
(1994)Which Way to the War
(1989)A Night of Comic Relief 2
(1988-1993)"You Rang, M'Lord?"
(1982-1992)"'Allo 'Allo!"
(1980-1988)"Hi-De-Hi!"
(1980)"Oh Happy Band"
(1979)Beanes of Boston
(1977)Are You Being Served?
(1977-1978)"Come Back Mrs. Noah"
(1976)The Rear Guard
(1974-1981)"It Ain't Half Hot Mum"
(1972)"Birds in the Bush"
(1971)Dad's Army (Screen Play)
(1968-1977)"Dad's Army"
(1961)"The Eggheads"
(1953)Re-turn It Up (Co-wrote music and lyrics)
(1952)It's a Small World (BBC)

 

AYBS Role


Writer

(1992)The Best of 'Are You Being Served?'
(1992-1993)"Grace & Favour"
(1980-1981)"Are You Being Served?" (Australian Series)
(1972-1985)"Are You Being Served?"


Producer
(1992)"Grace & Favour"
(1992)The Best of 'Are You Being Served?'
(1977)Are You Being Served?
(1972-1981)"Are You Being Served?"


Director
(1979)"Are You Being Served?"- The Apartment

 

 

Producer

(1997)"Selection Box"- Dad's Army
(1995)"Oh, Doctor Beeching!"
(1995)Perry & Croft: The Sitcoms
(1994)Which Way to the War
(1988-1990)"You Rang, M'Lord?"
(1982-1989)"'Allo 'Allo!"
(1984-1987)"Hi-De-Hi!"
(1988)'Allo 'Allo! at the London Palladium
(1980)"Oh Happy Band"
(1977-1978)"Come Back Mrs. Noah"
(1968-1977)"Dad's Army"
(1975)Further Up Pompeii!
(1974)"It Ain't Half Hot Mum"
(1972)"Steptoe and Son"- Divided We Stand
(1972)"Comedy Playhouse"- Born Every Minute
(1970)"Up Pompeii"
(1968)"Hugh and I"
(1966)"Beggar My Neighbour"
(1965)"A Slight Case of..."
(1964)"World of His Own"
(1964)"Impromptu"
(1962)"Hugh and I"
(1955)"The Benny Hill Show"
(1961)"The Eggheads"
(1955)"This Is Your Life"

 

 

Executive Producer

(1984-1987)"Hi-De-Hi!"
(1972-1981)"Are You Being Served?"
(1995)"Oh, Doctor Beeching!"

Director

(1994)Which Way to the War
(1988-1990)"You Rang, M'Lord?"
(1986)A Portrait Special
(1984-1987)"Hi-De-Hi!"
(1982-1989)"'Allo 'Allo!"
(1980)"Oh Happy Band"
(1975)Further Up Pompeii!
(1973)Not Now Darling
(1972)"Birds in the Bush"
(1972)"Steptoe and Son"- Divided We Stand
(1970)"Up Pompeii"
(1968-1977)"Dad's Army"
(1959)"One O'Clock Show"

(1950's)"Benny Hill Show"

Composer

(1994)The Best of 'Allo 'Allo!
(1992-1993)"Grace & Favour"
(1988-1992)"'Allo 'Allo!"

 

Audio


Desert Island Discs Podcast

 

Archivist

(2007)"Comedy Connections"- It Ain't Half Hot, Mum

Consultant

(2002)"Nature"- Big Red Roos

Writer (Books)

Are You Being Served?
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Samuel French Ltd
Date Published: 3-20-2002
ISBN 13: 9780573019630
ISBN: 0573019630


Are You Being Served?
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Mayflower Books, St. Albans, Herts.
Date Published: 1976
ISBN-13: 9780583126014
ISBN: 0583126014


The Are You Being Served?: Stories "Camping In" and Other Fiascoes

Format: Book (66 pages)
Publisher: Bay Books
Publishing Date: Jan 2002
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0573019630
ISBN-13: 9780573019630


Are You Being Served?:A Celebration of Twenty Five Years
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Welcome Rain
Date Published: October 1998
ISBN-13: 9781566490429
ISBN: 1566490421


I'm free! : The Complete Guide to Are You Being Served? : 25 Years
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Orion
Date Published: 1999
ISBN-13: 9780752818665
ISBN: 075281866X


Allo' Allo!: The War Diaries of Rene Artois
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Gloucester
ISBN-13: 9780563206880
ISBN: 0563206888


'Allo 'Allo-A Play

Format: Book (73 pages)
ISBN-10: 0573018782
ISBN-13: 9780573018787
Publisher: Samuel French
Publishing Date: Jan 2000

'Allo 'Allo
Published: October 12th 1989 by BBC Books
Binding: Hardcover, 160 pages
ISBN: 0563208422
ISBN13: 9780563208426

Dad's Army
Publisher: Elm Tree Books
Publishing Date: Jan 1975
120 pages
Illustrated
ISBN-10: 0241892511
ISBN-13: 9780241892510


Dad's Army

Published: 2001 by Orion
Binding: Hardcover, 432 pages
ISBN: 075284153X
ISBN13: 9780752841533


Dad's Army

Published: April 16th 2004 by Samuel French Ltd
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 0573100144
ISBN13: 9780573100147


Dad's Army-The Complete Scripts
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Orion Publishing
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13: 9780752860244
ISBN: 0752860240


Dad's Army (Strip Cartoons)

Edition: 1st UK ed.
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Piccolo/Pan, London
Date Published: 1973
ISBN-13: 9780330237598
ISBN: 0330237594


Dad's Army: The Home Front: The Complete Scripts of Series 5-9

Binding: Hard cover
Publisher: Orion Publishing
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13: 9780752847436
ISBN: 0752847430


Dad's Army : Walmington goes to war : the complete scripts for series 1-4

Binding: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780752841533
ISBN: 075284153X


Dad's Army : The Lost Episodes
Binding: Hard Cover
Publisher: Virgin Books, London, United Kingdom
Date Published: 1998
ISBN-13: 9781852277574
ISBN: 1852277572


You Have Been Watching . . .: The Autobiography of David Croft
Edition: Illustrated.
Binding: Hard cover
Publisher: BBC Books
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13: 9780563487395
ISBN: 0563487399


Dad's Army: The Complete Scripts
Publisher: Trafalgar Square
ISBN-10: 0752860240
ISBN-13: 978-0752860244


Dad's Army Annual 1974

Binding: Hardback
Publisher: World Distributors Ltd (Manchester)

Dad's Army : A Celebration
Binding: Hardback
Publisher: Virgin
ISBN: 1-85227-694-0

Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1956)


Babes in the Wood

Cinderella

Writer(Plays)

(2000)'Allo 'Allo (London Palladium)

(1969)Ann Veronica (Cambridge Theatre, London)

(2008)Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes Stage Production Of Television Scripts (Hackney Empire Theatre, London, England (UK))

(2007)Deadly Attachment (Royal Command Performance)

(????)Godiva Affair (Royal Command Performance)

Performer (Plays)

(1962)The Gondoliers
(1962)The Mikado
(1961)No, No, Nanette
(1961)Rose Marie
(1961)White Horse Inn
(????)Wild Violets
(????)Belinda Fair
(????)The Belle of New York (Met his wife at the first rehearsal!)


Real Life Facts

His mother was a famous stage actress and theatrical producer/vocalist.

His father was a radio actor in Hollywood.

Started in 1939 as an air raid warden. In 1942 he served in North Africa (1st Army Royal Artillery). In 1944 he was a member of the Dorset Regiment that took him to Malaysia and India. Towards the end of the war he was a major with General Montgomery's staff at the War Office.

Started show-business in 1929 appearing in a commercial shown in cinemas.

 

Sang with BBC Show Band singers as well as a backup singer for many stars.

 

 

 

 

Awards

(1969,1970,+1971)Writers' Guild of Great Britain award for

Dad's Army Scripts
(1971)Society of Film and Television Arts award
(1982)Desmond Davis Award (BAFTA)
(1982)Lifetime Achievement Award
(1984)BAFTA award for "Hi-de-Hi"
(2003) Received Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Comedy Awards event.


BAFTA Awards

Best Light Entertainment
(1970)Nominated for Dad's Army

Best Light Entertainment Production
(1971) Dad's Army (With Team)
(1971)Nominated for Up Pompeii!

Best Situation Comedy Series
(1973)Nominated for Dad's Army
(1974)Nominated for Dad's Army

Best Situation Comedy
(1975)Nominated for Dad's Army
(1977)Nominated for Are You Being Served?

Desmond Davis Award
(1982) Lifetime Achievement Award

Best Comedy Series
(1982,1983+1985)Nominated for Hi-de-Hi!
(1986-1989)Nominated for 'Allo 'Allo!

Events

"Lunch with Frank Thornton" Sept 19, 2010 at Marriott Hotel near Regents Park

October 30, 2006 -Comic Heritage/Wendy Richard Luncheon
Grosvenor House Hotel/London w/Jess Conrad and Nicholas Smith