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| Row changed opening of Dad's Army | Row changed opening of Dad's Army |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A row between BBC bosses prompted a complete change to the opening titles of classic comedy Dad's Army, archive letters have revealed. | A row between BBC bosses prompted a complete change to the opening titles of classic comedy Dad's Army, archive letters have revealed. |
| BBC One's controller at the time, Paul Fox, ordered shots of refugees and Nazi troops to be removed from the sequence as he found them offensive. | |
| They were replaced with the now famous swastika-headed arrow sequence. | |
| The BBC's archives are marking the much-loved series' 40th anniversary by releasing documents and pictures. | |
| Michael Mills, the corporation's head of comedy at the time, expressed his "profound disquiet" and "shock" at changes to the title sequence. | |
| A memo in the archive revealed that Mr Mills thought it "right and essential" that viewers were shown the Nazi threat faced by the Home Guard. | |
| "I cannot help wondering whether we, in the comedy department, are controlled by different standards, i.e. clowns must stay clowns," he added. | |
| They reveal that Fox initially "felt uneasy" about the series but admitted he had been wrong when it became a hit. | They reveal that Fox initially "felt uneasy" about the series but admitted he had been wrong when it became a hit. |
| In a letter to Dad's Army's producer David Croft in 1970 he said: "You made an enormous success of it and like millions of others I am only sorry it has come to an end. Temporarily, I hope. | In a letter to Dad's Army's producer David Croft in 1970 he said: "You made an enormous success of it and like millions of others I am only sorry it has come to an end. Temporarily, I hope. |
| "Looking back to that first programme, I am glad to say you were right 100%. | "Looking back to that first programme, I am glad to say you were right 100%. |
| Breakthrough territory? | Breakthrough territory? |
| "Thanks to your persistence - and despite that title change - the show became a great hit." | "Thanks to your persistence - and despite that title change - the show became a great hit." |
| Croft's plan had been to illustrate the dangers faced by the elderly volunteers of World War II's Home Guard, the central characters in the show. | |
| However, at the time Fox was uneasy about whether the series was "advancing comedy's output in other areas" and asked: "Is this really breakthrough territory?" | However, at the time Fox was uneasy about whether the series was "advancing comedy's output in other areas" and asked: "Is this really breakthrough territory?" |
| The much-loved show ran from 1968 to 1977 and its popularity has endured to this day. | The much-loved show ran from 1968 to 1977 and its popularity has endured to this day. |
| Clive Dunn, Arthur Lowe and Ian Lavender starred in the series, co-created by Croft and Jimmy Perry. | Clive Dunn, Arthur Lowe and Ian Lavender starred in the series, co-created by Croft and Jimmy Perry. |
| As well as the internal BBC memos, the online archive also features a behind-the-scenes photo gallery and letters from the actors. | As well as the internal BBC memos, the online archive also features a behind-the-scenes photo gallery and letters from the actors. |
| Jonathan Ross will be hosting a one-off special to commemorate the 40th anniversary on BBC Two on Sunday, 3 August at 1900 BST (1800 GMT). |