Dad's Army News - February 2002

Compiled by Andy Howells

BBC To Release New Audio Tapes

4th March 2002 will see BBC Radio Collection release Volume 12 of Dad's Army Radio shows.

Entitled "Absent Friends", the episodes featured will be, No Spring for Frazer (Originally broadcast: 3.6.74), Sons of the Sea (Originally broadcast: 10.6.74), Brain Versus Brawn (Originally broadcast: 15.4.75) and Absent Friends (Originally broadcast: 13.4.76).

A New Book On John Le Mesurier

PRESS RELEASE

A magical memoir of Dad's Army star John Le Mesurier by the woman who knew him best

Some years after John Le Mesurier's death, his widow Joan re-read her carefully stored cache of John's letters - letters John wrote to her, and letters written to John from his closest friends. The vividness of his words brought back the happiness and heartache of their long marriage and inspired her to write this book - her own letter to a beloved husband.

Through her own recollections and his correspondence, Joan reveals the real John Le Mesurier, a man of kindness, charm and integrity. She describes how they first met when John, then a successful stage actor, was unhappily married to Hattie Jacques. It was Hattie - a wonderful woman who became a lifelong friend - who encouraged John & Joan's relationship. Their marriage lasted twenty-one years and survived Joan's affair with Tony Hancock. Although deeply hurt, John nevertheless welcomed her back.

Joan gives an insight into their remarkable life together, taking us behind the scenes on his many films as well as the hugely popular television series Dad's Army. And into the world of their relationships with actors such as Peter Sellers and Clive Dunn, and maverick Beatles publicist Derek Taylor.

Honest, touching, nostalgic, Dear John is a magical memoir of one of the greatest actors and gentlemen of his generation.

Joan Le Mesurier lives in Ramsgate, Kent and Portugal. She is also the author of Lady Don't Fall Backwards, a memoir of her life with Tony Hancock. Her home has two Comic Heritage plaques on the outside wall - one for Tony and one for John. Read www.dadsarmy.tv review of this book here

Lord Of The Rings

The Lord of The Rings will be The Saturday Play from January 5, 2002 for 13 weeks.

BBC Radio 4 first broadcast The Lord of the Rings in 1981 to huge public acclaim and you now have the chance to hear this superb serialisation in 13 weekly episodes, both online and on air, as the Saturday Play on BBC Radio 4 at 14.30 - 15.30 from 5 January 2002 on 92-95 FM and 198 LW.

This dramatisation retains a magic that has inspired many, including some of the cast and crew on the current film. It was headed by an incredible cast of Sir Michael Hordern as Gandalf, Sir Robert Stephens as Aragorn, John Le Mesurier as Bilbo and Sir Ian Holm as Frodo. Therefore, it is no surprise that Sir Ian Holm has now gone on to play Bilbo in the NewLine film version.

The radio production has been recognised by many fans as the definitive interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy to date, and whilst you’ll have to wait for the next episodes of the film, you can hear the whole trilogy on BBC Radio 4.