World ‘a less funny place’ after sitcom genius dies

TRIBUTES have been paid to comedy writer David Croft, the co-creator of TV sitcoms including Dad’s Army, It Ain’t Half Hot Mum and Are You Being Served?, who died yesterday aged 89.

His family said in a statement that he had died “peacefully in his sleep” at his home in Portugal.

The statement continued: “He was a truly great man, who will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing and loving him. We know that he would have been proud that you had all been watching.”

Mr Croft’s long-running partnership with Jimmy Perry was perhaps best known for their first co-creation, the home guard comedy Dad’s Army.

Set in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea, it ran for 80 episodes over nine years from 1968 to 1977, spawning a full-length feature film, a radio series and a stage show. Dad’s Army – the cast of which included Arthur Lowe as pompous bank manager Captain Mainwaring and Ian Lavender’s put-upon Private Pike – attracted millions of viewers, and continues to be regularly repeated.

Characters’ catch-phrases, such as “We’re all doomed”, “They don’t like it up ’em,” and “Stupid boy” have passed into common usage.

The writers’ partnership went on to be one of British television’s most successful, producing It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Hi-De-Hi and You Rang, M’Lord?

But Mr Croft also worked with Jeremy Lloyd on a string of other famous sitcoms, including Are You Being Served?, ’Allo ’Allo and Grace and Favour.

Last night, those who knew and worked with Mr Croft paid tribute to him, describing him as a comedy “genius”.

Former head of comedy at the BBC, Jon Plowman, said of the writer: “David was quite simply a genius who invented a whole genre of comedy that was all his own – mostly from his own experience.

“He wrote so much of the great comedy from the last 30 or 40 years, always impeccably cast with an ensemble of great character actors.

“Yet he was also a great encourager of new comedy as well. The world is a less funny place for his going.”

Melvyn Hayes, who starred in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, said: “The man was a genius. I was very privileged to have the opportunity to work with him. We worked together for quite a while before It Ain’t Half Hot Mum.”

He added: “He was a joy to work with. He was an actors’ director. He was someone you could talk to and who inspired you. He based his writing on truth. He had a great innings and was very successful at everything he touched. Dad’s Army is always on, somewhere in the world.”

The writer’s abiding influence on the current crop of comedy writers and performers was reflected in online messages of condolences.

Gavin and Stacey star James Corden tweeted: “David Croft has sadly passed away. What an incredible career he had. May he rest in peace.” Matthew Graham, co-creator of Ashes To Ashes, said Croft had “left an amazing legacy”, and comedian David Walliams described the death as “very sad news”.

Sherlock co-writer Mark Gatiss also paid tribute on Twitter, saying: “Flags at half mast in Walmington-on-Sea tonight. Farewell to the great David Croft.”