David Croft 1922-2011

27 September 2011
Posted in TV

David Croft, one of the great British comedy writers and producers, has died at the age of 89.

(photo: Simon Denton/WGGB)

David Croft, a long-time member of the Writers' Guild and winner, with his co-writer Jimmy Perry, of a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, co-wrote (with Perry) some of the best-loved and most influential television sitcoms including Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Hi-de-Hi!

With Jeremy Lloyd he also wrote hugely popular sitcoms including Are You Being Served and 'Allo, 'Allo.

As Dennis Barker writes in an obituary in The Guardian, Croft 'did not need a marketing survey to tell him what would make audiences laugh. If he found a comedy idea or script funny, he reckoned that it might well amuse others.'

Croft was appointed OBE in 1978.

Many obituaries and tributes have been published, including in The Telegraph, The Radio Times, and on the BBC News website.

Gail Renard, Chair of the Guild's TV Committee, writes:

David Croft was one of Britain's greatest comedy writers and producers, a Guild member and a gentleman.

Dad's Army was originally written and broadcast 43 years ago and is still as loved today as it was then. How many other comedies will stand the test of time?

I dare say if David was starting today, he'd never have had the career he had. David wrote what he thought was funny, based on his experience... now there's a novel thought. Would Dad's Army, a show about geriatric men playing at soldiers even make it past a Readers' Room or committee today? Imagine the report:

It doesn't appeal to a young 20s -30s demographic. The setting is drab. No sex; no stars or a part for the current Flavour of the Month stand-up. Pass.

And Dad's Army wasn't the only series David Croft wrote. Any of us would be proud to base a career on Hi-de-hi! or Are You Being Served or any of his countless hits.

David made many millions laugh for decades and we’re all the better for it. My condolences to his family; including former Guild Chair (and my agent) Mike Sharland, and also to his long-time writing partner, Jimmy Perry.