My Brother And I
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"My Brother and I" is the second
Christmas special Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared Christmas in literature, in literature and Christmas music, in music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth o ...
of the British television
sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
''. It was originally transmitted on Friday, 26 December 1975. The episode features
Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 37 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom ''Dad ...
in a
dual role A dual role (also known as a double role) refers to one actor playing two roles in a single production. Dual roles (or a larger number of roles for an actor) may be deliberately written into a script, or may instead be a choice made during produc ...
as his regular role of
Captain Mainwaring Captain George Mainwaring () is a fictional Home Guard captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In the 2016 film he is played by Toby Jones and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is pla ...
and as Mainwaring's estranged brother Barry.


Synopsis

Just as
Captain Mainwaring Captain George Mainwaring () is a fictional Home Guard captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In the 2016 film he is played by Toby Jones and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is pla ...
gives the go-ahead for a
sherry Sherry ( ) is a fortified wine produced from white grapes grown around the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is a drink produced in a variety of styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versio ...
party, his drunken brother Barry turns up to spoil the occasion.


Plot

As Mainwaring and the
platoon A platoon is a Military organization, military unit typically composed of two to four squads, Section (military unit), sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the Military branch, branch, but a platoon can ...
return from an exhausting route march, he discovers Wilson reading Pike's '' Hotspur'' comic. There is a letter written in Pike's handwriting hidden amongst the pages. Mainwaring reads it and is instantly disgusted. He convenes an impromptu
parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...
, where he confronts Pike about the letter, and asks Wilson to read it. It says that "the
Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting ...
will only spot any parachutists if they land in a
public house A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption Licensing laws of the United Kingdom#On-licence, on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the ...
", and that their section "made sure there were no parachutists in eleven pubs in two hours!" Mainwaring makes the platoon promise that he will not hear any more stories about his men drinking on duty. He goes on to say that he has offered to be the host for a sherry party for local civic dignitaries and army officers. Jones' section (with the exception of Frazer, who is "meeting" a client in
Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. It is also a non-metropolitan district, local government district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, bor ...
) volunteer themselves as stewards. When they leave, Mainwaring praises his men, declaring them "indispensable". Wilson asks if Mainwaring was harsh about the public house business, but Mainwaring does not think he was, and blames it on the way he was brought up, claiming every member of his family "knew when to stop". Meanwhile, in a train carriage, a drunken figure with more than a passing resemblance to Mainwaring downs a hip flask of Scotch. The train stops at Eastbourne, and Frazer joins the man in the carriage, and quickly learns that the drunken man is Mainwaring's
black sheep In the English language, black sheep is an idiom that describes a member of a group who is different from the rest, especially a family member who does not fit in. The term stems from sheep whose fleece is colored black rather than the more comm ...
brother Barry, and that he is on his way to Walmington to collect a half-hunter watch that, he claims, Mainwaring stole from him after their father's death. Frazer is more than happy to tell Mainwaring that his brother is in town. A few days later, Mainwaring tells Wilson that he is not ashamed of his brother, but he feels that Barry let his talents go to waste, while Mainwaring himself became a respected and trustworthy figure who can "look the world full in the face". Barry rings and Mainwaring declines the call, leaving it to Wilson. Mainwaring tells Wilson to tell Barry that he will meet him at the Red Lion Inn. When he gets there, he confronts Barry about the watch. Barry claims that their father intended to give him the watch for looking after him. Mainwaring scoffs at Barry's attempts to look after their father and refuses to hand over the watch. Barry blackmails his brother by saying that he will show him up at the sherry party if he does not. Mainwaring reluctantly hands over the watch, getting Barry's solemn oath that he will be out of Walmington on the 9:30 train. The party goes well until Barry unexpectedly arrives, wanting to apologise for his earlier behaviour, and gets into a lengthy chat with Chief Warden Hodges, the Vicar and the Verger. Pike drags him into the dressing room, giving him a whole bottle of sherry to placate him. Mainwaring arrives, and Hodges gleefully tells him that he had a chat with his brother. Mainwaring is shocked and asks Wilson, Frazer, Jones, Sponge and Pike to get him out as soon as possible. They try shoving Barry through the window, but he is too fat, so they carry him out in an empty cupboard. Wilson gives Mainwaring the watch that he retrieved from Barry, but Mainwaring's heart of gold allows him to give the watch back to Wilson, and he tells Wilson to give it back to Barry and wish him well.


Cast


Main

*
Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 37 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom ''Dad ...
as
Captain Mainwaring Captain George Mainwaring () is a fictional Home Guard captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In the 2016 film he is played by Toby Jones and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is pla ...
*
John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is probably best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation com ...
as Sergeant Wilson *
Clive Dunn Clive Robert Bertram Dunn (born Robert Bertram Dunn; 9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal ...
as
Lance Corporal Jones Lance Corporal Jack Jones is a fictional British Home Guard, Home Guard platoon lance corporal and veteran of the British Empire, first portrayed by Clive Dunn in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. His catchphrases are "Don't panic!", "Pe ...
*
John Laurie John Paton Laurie (25 March 1897 – 23 June 1980) was a Scottish stage, film, and television actor. He appeared in scores of feature films with directors including Alfred Hitchcock, David Lean, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier, generally p ...
as
Private Frazer Private James Frazer is a fictional Home Guard platoon member and undertaker, first portrayed by John Laurie in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. He is noted for his catchphrases "We're doomed!" and "Rubbish!" Characterisation It is men ...
*
Arnold Ridley William Arnold Ridley (7 January 1896 – 12 March 1984) was an English playwright and actor, known early in his career for writing the 1925 play '' The Ghost Train'' and later in life for the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army'' (1968–77 ...
as
Private Godfrey Private Charles Godfrey MM is a fictional Home Guard soldier, first portrayed by Arnold Ridley in the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. He is retired and was previously a tailor for the Civil Service Stores or the Army & Navy Stores. ...
*
Ian Lavender Arthur Ian Lavender (16 February 1946 – 2 February 2024) was an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in ''Dad's Army'', a BBC sitcom set during World War II, of which he was the last survivi ...
as
Private Pike Private Frank Pike is a fictional Home Guard private and junior bank clerk, first portrayed by actor Ian Lavender in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. He was appointed as the platoon's information officer by Captain Mainwaring in " The ...
*
Bill Pertwee William Desmond Anthony Pertwee (21 July 1926 – 27 May 2013) was an English actor and comedian. He is best remembered for playing Chief ARP Warden Hodges in ''Dad's Army'' and P.C. Wilson in '' You Rang, M'Lord?''. Early life Pertwee was bo ...
as ARP Warden Hodges * Frank Williams as The Vicar *
Colin Bean Colin Bean (15 April 1926 – 20 June 2009) was an English actor. He was best known for his role as Private Sponge in the BBC comedy series ''Dad's Army''. Early life Born in Wigan, Lancashire, Bean's father played football for local side Wiga ...
as Private Sponge


Guest

* Arthur Lowe as Barry Mainwaring * Penny Irving as Chambermaid * Arnold Diamond as Major-General


Production

This episode was recorded at the
BBC Television Centre Television Centre (TVC), formerly known as BBC Television Centre, is a building complex in White City, London, White City, West London, which was the headquarters of BBC Television from 1960 to 2013, when BBC Television moved to Broadcasting H ...
on 23 and 24 May 1975. Several wartime songs were included in this episode, including "We Must All Stick Together" and "A Room with a View". In a 2000 interview with writer
Graham McCann Graham McCann is a British author and historian who has written extensively on film and television stars and British comedy series. He is a former lecturer and fellow at the University of Cambridge where he taught social and political theory. McCan ...
,
Ian Lavender Arthur Ian Lavender (16 February 1946 – 2 February 2024) was an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in ''Dad's Army'', a BBC sitcom set during World War II, of which he was the last survivi ...
claimed that this episode was a "real eye-opener" to him, since he realised that the series writers were now comfortable enough to write about any topic (notably the conflict between
Captain Mainwaring Captain George Mainwaring () is a fictional Home Guard captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In the 2016 film he is played by Toby Jones and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is pla ...
and his brother Barry) even if it was not specifically related to the
Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting ...
or the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Lavender claimed that this episode made him realise that the series had "''really'' made it" and was "something special". Co-writer David Croft recalled that the episode was "very complicated" to complete, owing to Arthur Lowe's dual role as Captain and Barry Mainwaring. Lowe was required to complete his scenes first as one Mainwaring, then as the other, therefore having to deliver his lines without the reaction from another actor. These scenes, Croft claimed, were " technically quite difficult, particularly in those days" to complete. Croft later described Captain Mainwaring's brother, Barry, as a "lovely character" and expressed regret that the character did not appear in a further episode.


Broadcast

The episode, which originally aired at 6:05 pm on Friday, 26 December 1975, was watched by 13.6 million viewers, making it the least-watched Christmas special of the series. The episode was later repeated in 1976, New Year's Eve 1980, Christmas Day 1989, 1993 and 2000. This episode, along with " When You've Got to Go" and " Never Too Old", was adapted by David Benson and Jack Lane as radio episodes. These adapted episodes, along with several ''Dad's Army'' radio episodes, made up their touring stage show, ''Dad's Army Radio Hour'', later renamed ''Dad's Army Radio Show'', which toured throughout the UK from 2017 to 2021. Recordings of these three adapted episodes were subsequently released by
Big Finish Productions Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and radio drama, audio plays (released straight to compact disc and for download in MP3 and m4b format) based, primarily, on science fiction properties. These include ''Doctor Who'' ...
on CD in 2024.


Reception

In his 2001 ''
Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
'' book,
Graham McCann Graham McCann is a British author and historian who has written extensively on film and television stars and British comedy series. He is a former lecturer and fellow at the University of Cambridge where he taught social and political theory. McCan ...
claimed that this Christmas special "ended the year in style" for series eight, praising the "glorious ''tour de force''" of
Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 37 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom ''Dad ...
in his dual role as
Captain Mainwaring Captain George Mainwaring () is a fictional Home Guard captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In the 2016 film he is played by Toby Jones and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is pla ...
and his brother Barry. Speaking in the 2005 documentary ''We Are the Boys...:Arthur Lowe'', McCann later described the episode as being "great", hailing Lowe's dual role a "marvellous performance". A scene in this episode involving Captain Mainwaring and his brother Barry is considered to be one of the "great stscenes" in the series. In the 2007 documentary ''Dad's Army: The Passing Years'', Frank Williams described the episode as being "most wonderful", praising particularly the dual role of Lowe, which he described as being "absolutely brilliant".
Pamela Cundell Pamela Isabel Cundell (15 January 1920 – 14 February 2015) was an English character actress. She played Mrs Fox in the long-running TV comedy ''Dad's Army''. She was a descendant of Henry Condell, one of the managers of the Lord Chamberl ...
similarly praised Lowe's "smashing" performance as the drunk Barry, as did David Croft, who believed Lowe played the part of Barry "beautifully". In a 2018 article, television presenter
Alexander Armstrong Alexander Henry Fenwick Armstrong (born 2 March 1970) is an English actor, comedian, radio personality, television presenter, singer and farmer. He is the host of the BBC One game show ''Pointless'', and is a weekday morning-show presenter on C ...
considered this episode to be his favourite. Armstrong praised Lowe's dual performance, particularly a scene in which Lowe, as Barry, is drunk, which Armstrong regarded as "one of the funniest scenes – I think – that Croft and
Perry Perry or pear cider is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally in England (particularly Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire), parts of South Wales, France (especially Normandy and Anjou), Canada, Austral ...
ever wrote".


References


Citations


Works cited

* {{Dad's Army 1975 British television episodes British Christmas television episodes Dad's Army series 8 episodes Dad's Army special episodes