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Vale: David Croft

Prolific UK comedy writer David Croft, best known for the sitcoms Dad's Army, Are You Being Served?, and Allo 'Allo! has died, aged 89.

Prolific UK comedy writer David Croft, best known for the sitcoms Dad’s Army, Are You Being Served?, and Allo ‘Allo! has died, aged 89.

He died on Tuesday at his holiday home in Portugal.

Croft served during World War II in North Africa, India and Singapore, rising to the rank of Major. When his military service ended he began working in the entertainment industry, as an actor, singer and writer, eventually settling as a TV producer. Several of his comedies had military settings, including It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, and Dad’s Army, written with Jimmy Perry. They also wrote Hi-De-Hi and You Rang, M’Lord?

Croft was a long-term writing partner of Jeremy Lloyd, whom he met while writing Dad’s Army. Together they wrote Are You Being Served?, ‘Allo ‘Allo and Grace and Favour.

Melvyn Hayes, who starred in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, paid tribute to Croft, saying: “He was a joy to work with. He was an actors’ director. He was someone you could talk to and who inspired you.

“He based his writing on truth. He had a great innings and was very successful at everything he touched. Dad’s Army is always on, somewhere in the world.”

A statement released by his family said, “He was a truly great man, who will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing and loving him. We know that he would of been proud that you had all been watching.”

Source: Yahoo

6 Responses

  1. Sadly we have lost the irreplacable icon of UK comedy writers and, because of the ravages of political correctness, we shall never see his like again. His memory will live on in the replays of his masterpieces whic continue to allow us to bask once more in the golden age of TV comedy.

  2. TV has lost an unsung hero! RIP David, you will be missed, thank you for all the laughs, I’m only 21 and I’d rather watch Dad’s Army or Are You Being Served? before any new comedy

  3. The best Comedy creator ever!!!!
    Allo! Allo! is still my favourite comedy of all time…
    There is no-one around today that is in his league, they are all a long, long way behind him!

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