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The archetypal pompous lower middle-class Englishman at war with his his own incompetence.Originally Posted by Tyke
He just cracks me up !
There's a clip doing the rounds at the moment from Dad's Army, where he's totally pissed after a night in the Officer's Mess and he's trying to negotiate the opening to his tent. Something about " Damn these revolving doors "
He was'nt a comedian in the true sense but he was funnier than most comedians. The only person I can liken him to, would be the much loved and sadly missed Simon Cadell.
BTW , on a totally different note. Does anybody find 'My Family' remotely funny ?
The archetypal pompous lower middle-class Englishman at war with his his own incompetence.
I always got the impression that he was a whisker away from laughing at his own pompous character. A fine actor with superb timing. The Dad's army cast were all top notch
His Mainwaring character has always reminded me of a British Oliver Hardy - pompous, self important and totally incompetent.
I dunno how he kept a straight face, marvelous actor.
No, I cant stand `my family`, close to the worse comedy ever only saved by `Men behaving badly and two pints of larger.........`
I dont know for sure but i read somewhere that Arthur Lowe was a bit overbearing in real life and always trying to get his wife in on the act literally. I think he is absolutely great, and yes i think his genius lies in the character of the pompous little fat man.
And to think John Le Mesurier was going to play Mainwaring and Arthur Lowe was going to play Sgt Wilson - thankfully,someone thought otherwise (I think it was David Croft). I repeat what I have said before,the cast of Dad's Army were the finest comedy ensemble of actors EVER in television.
Ta Ta
Marky B
Some of Arthur Lowe's comic moments were straight from Rob Wilton, especially Mainwaring's oft used reappearance from under a table with his glasses and hat skew-whiff. The expressions of polite and patient exasperation he used when listening to members of his platoon waffling on or going off at a tangent (in particular Corporal Jones) were priceless, and used to have me in stitches even before I was old enough to appreciate the characters fully. The storylines just seemed secondary and were there simply to weave these magical moments into place!
I'd agree that it's down to the ensemble cast. I didn't find Arthur Lowe that funny in 'Potter' but in Dad's Army he's surrounded by a diverse band of Home Guard; and a few of them are genuine character actors of note.And to think John Le Mesurier was going to play Mainwaring and Arthur Lowe was going to play Sgt Wilson - thankfully,someone thought otherwise (I think it was David Croft). I repeat what I have said before,the cast of Dad's Army were the finest comedy ensemble of actors EVER in television.
Ta Ta
Marky B
One of my favourite funny moments in Dad's Army;
The platoon is out on manouvres and one of them is injured. Mainwaring calls for a medic and Godferry eventually ambles up.
"What have you got " says Mainwaring
"Well, I've got some elastoplast and some ointment for wasp stings " says Godferry
"Good God this is a fighting unit, not a girl guides outing " shouts Mainwaring
.......absolutely brilliant ! you have to see it to appreciate it but it still has me rolling about and I've seen it 100's of times.
I remember hearing Arthur Lowe reading "Diary of a Nobody" on the Radio in the early 70s, and finding it hilarious.He was just using his Mainwaring voice, and he brought the whole thing alive (I subsequently read the book, and found it not nearly so amusing).
I reckon the thing that makes Captain Mainwaring so funny is that he is in a long line of these pompous incompetents in British fiction, such as Mr Pickwick and Mr Pooter.
I can almost hear the outcry BUT
I find Dad's Army only slightly less dull than Last of The Summer Wine.
Give me Men Behaving Badly over those two any time!
Croft and perry had this great gift of being able to work a big cast arthur was a superb actor as were all the cast.i think each of the members can be analysed at great length .dad's army was a favourite of my dad ,my sons ,and myself.and will properly we wathced by generations to come absoloutely marvelous
In my early days I used to work in a bank and one of the managers was very much like the character that he plays. For me, the reason why Dad's Army is so good is that all the characters are so absolutely believable.
BrianL
I thought there were four actors that made Dad's Army so superior. The sublime John Le Mesurier, Arthur Lowe, the set-pieces for Arnold Ridley and the amazing John Laurie.
The rest of the cast were average, or makeweights. The ARP warden, vicar and his chum, were perfectly dreadful. Pike and the spiv played the straight-man quite well, but were otherwise nothing special.
I was always amazed that so many of the plots were led by a Mr. Pastry impersonation that was as over the top as it was out of date. The follow-up series about the French Resistance demonstrated to me, that without the afore-mentioned quartet, the shows would have been crass slapstick, with no hint of true genius, which Dad's Army still possesses today.
I watched Dad's Army -The Movie, recently on TV and it struck me how Arthur Lowe was overdoing the 'accent'. Trying too hard. Amazing how insecure actors are; he had that character absolutely perfect on television, but when he was making a movie, he obviously thought he had to try harder!
Agree Mr. Pastry was funny and Clive Dunn wasn't.I thought there were four actors that made Dad's Army so superior. The sublime John Le Mesurier, Arthur Lowe, the set-pieces for Arnold Ridley and the amazing John Laurie.
The rest of the cast were average, or makeweights. The ARP warden, vicar and his chum, were perfectly dreadful. Pike and the spiv played the straight-man quite well, but were otherwise nothing special.
I was always amazed that so many of the plots were led by a Mr. Pastry impersonation that was as over the top as it was out of date. The follow-up series about the French Resistance demonstrated to me, that without the afore-mentioned quartet, the shows would have been crass slapstick, with no hint of true genius, which Dad's Army still possesses today.
I watched Dad's Army -The Movie, recently on TV and it struck me how Arthur Lowe was overdoing the 'accent'. Trying too hard. Amazing how insecure actors are; he had that character absolutely perfect on television, but when he was making a movie, he obviously thought he had to try harder!
The only thing I couldn't stand about Dad's Army was Jones airing of 'don't panic'
I think it was sometimes obvious that Clive Dunn was a youngish man trying to play older and this caused him to overact a bit. I don't think he is a disaster in it though.
I agree, the ARP warden was way over the top. He should have got an Oscar for over-acting !
The rest of the cast were average, or makeweights. The ARP warden, vicar and his chum, were perfectly dreadful.
Before he played Mainwaring, he played Leonard Swindley, a very similar character - a pompous, inept but decent man, who had difficulty in expressing emotion, but this time with a Northern accent.
A very clever and amusing actor for my money.
Over the years I have been compiling a very comprehensive list of all the TV, radio, film, stage and other appearances made by the actor Arthur Lowe. I intend to soon put this up on my website for others to use as a reference.
I still have some mysteries concerning some of the more obscure films he made, can you help to fill the blanks please?
The films I have problems with are below in bold, and the gaps I need filling listed beside them. Any help would be appreciated.
Until Tomorrow (1949) - needed - character name, genre, maker of the film
The Intruder (1949) - needed - character name, genre, maker of the film
The Wealth of the World (1949) - needed - character name, genre, maker of the film
Dan Dare (1952) - needed - character name
The Mirror and Markeim (1953) - needed - character name, genre, maker of the film
Death Keeps A Date (1954) - was this an alternate title for Final Appointment, which he appeared in in 1954 too? The title is similar in suggestion.
John Dark - (1955) I have a note that he appeared in a film of this name but cannot find any info on it. It may be wrong?
The Good Companions (1957) - was he in this film?
Table in the Corner (1956) - I have a note that he appeared in a film of this name but cannot find any info on it. It may be wrong?
The Black Tide (1956) I have a note that he appeared in a film of this name but cannot find any info on it. It may be wrong?
Dial 999 (1955) - I have a note that he appeared in a film of this name but cannot find any info on it. It may be wrong?
You're Joking of Course - (1963) - I have a note that he appeared in a film of this name but cannot find any info on it. It may be wrong?
A Whole Lot of Trouble (1969) - I have a note that he appeared in a film of this name but cannot find any info on it. It may be wrong?
Royal Flash (1975) - did Arthur pop up in this film?
Thanks for any assistance you can give.
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