This Is Your Life: Clive Dunn

Clive DUNN (1920-2012)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Clive Dunn, actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while filming on Barnes Common in London, having been led to believe he was there to make a documentary on his beginnings in the entertainment world.

Clive, who was born in Brixton, south London, studied at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts and initially found work in minor film roles in the 1930s. During the Second World War, while serving with the 4th Queen's Own Hussars, his unit surrendered during the German invasion of Greece, and he spent four years as a prisoner of war in Austria.

He resumed his acting career after the war, working mainly in repertory theatre, before moving into television, appearing notably in The Tony Hancock Show in the mid-1950s and the sitcom Bootsie and Snudge in the early 1960s. In 1968 he was cast as Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army, a role which made him a household name.

programme details...

Edition No: 301
Subject No: 303
Broadcast date: Wed 24 Mar 1971
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 17 Feb 1971
Venue: Euston Road Studios
Series: 11
Edition: 19

on the guest list...

Cilla - wife
Mrs Dunn - mother
Jimmy Perry
Arthur Lowe
John Le Mesurier
John Laurie
James Beck
Arnold Ridley
Ian Lavender
Bill Pertwee
Frank Williams
Edward Sinclair
Janet Davies
Pamela Cundell
Hattie Jacques
David Bradford
Bill Fraser
Alfie Bass
Michael Derbyshire
Polly - daughter
Jessica - daughter

production team...

Researcher: unknown
Writer: unknown
Director: Margery Baker
Producer: Robert Tyrrell

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

The Good Life

the sitcom stars

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Clive Dunn is surprised by Eamonn Andrews for This Is Your Life

Clive Dunn recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in his autobiography, Permission to Speak...

...Jimmy Perry rang to say that the television people wanted to record his beginnings in the entertainment world.

As he had been born in the house opposite mine in Barnes would it be all right if they came one day to film him, with me dressed as Corporal Jones, on Barnes Common?

I agreed, but only if they would come and dress me up, take me from my home and deliver me back as soon as possible...

This was all agreed…

...the doorbell rang and in came the television people to make me up and dress me for the filming with Jimmy.

...we crept through the drizzle onto Barnes Common. Jimmy Perry said. 'This is really nice of you, Clive, when you're so busy. Now when I ask you what you think will happen if the Germans come, say anything that comes into your head.' It all sounded very informal, and we made our way to where the camera crew was set up.

The crew all smiled a greeting and the director said, 'Sorry about the weather, Clive, but it won't take long. We're all set up and ready to go.'

'Action,' shouted Jimmy Perry, asking his rehearsed question, and as I was halfway through my reply an extra dressed in battledress jumped up rather red in the face. I turned to him as I thought the poor man had gone berserk when he said. 'Corporal Jones – Clive Dunn – this is your life.' Contrary to what many people think, I was truly flabbergasted.

We all eventually repaired to the Euston Road Studios of Thames Television, where I was put in a little room and left alone for what seemed hours. Robin came to find me and I asked where the others were. Robin told me they were having a drink. 'I want one,' I said petulantly, and soon a bottle of white wine was brought. I drank most of it and gave a very relaxed, not to say slightly inebriated, performance.

I just managed to recognise my mother, who had a slight row with Eamonn Andrews over her age, and when Polly and Jessica appeared on the screen I said 'They're awfully pleasant. Who are they?' It was a rather 'showbizzy' affair heightened for me by the appearance of Hattie Jacques who suggested we sang once again, 'I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard'.

Cilla told me later that I had been so involved in rehearsals and preparing for the Palladium that I was unaware of another world around me, and she could have had three love affairs a day, let alone keep This Is Your Life a secret. The Dad's Army team turned up in uniform, all smiling but probably feeling disgruntled because they had been obliged to wear battledress for the occasion. David Bradford, my old wartime friend, Bill Fraser and Alfie Bass were also there.

In 1971, during 'drinks and food' after the transmission, all the participants were slipped a five pound note; no matter how grand a star they were, they were still obliged to accept this surreptitious payment. Today you get nothing; there's progress for you. Michael Derbyshire, my oldest friend, had taken the trouble to come along and rehearse his lines, only to be cut out of the whole thing by the editor.

Peter Nichols said, after it was shown on television, that it was so jolly and 'showbiz' and superficial that they knew no more about me afterwards than they had done before. That, my friends, is show business.

Series 11 subjects