The Army Game
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The Army Game was a British television series about life in National Service broadcast between 1957 and 1961 by Granada Television . Scripts were by writers including Sid Colin, Marty Feldman, and Barry Took. The programme proved to be immensely popular, possibly due to the fact that National Service affected everyone's lives at the time of the show's broadcast.
Personnel
The Army Game launched or revived the careers of a number of British comedy stars, among them:- William Hartnell as Sergeant Major Bullimore
- Bernard Bresslaw as Private Popeye Popplewell (Bresslaw's catchphrase 'I only arsked' originated here)
- Alfie Bass as 'excused boots' 'Bootsie' Bisley
- Bill Fraser as Snudge
- Charles Hawtrey as Private "Professor" Hatchett
Spin Offs & Inspiration
Elements of The Army Game turned up in Carry On Sergeant, notably Hartnell's Sergeant (albeit with a different name) and actors Hawtrey and Rossington. A film (I Only Arsked) was released in 1958 concentrating on Bresslaw's character and also included Hawtrey, Bass, Rossington and Medwin playing their Army Game characters. Fraser and Bass's characters also turned up in a spin-off Bootsie And Snudge. It is arguable that the show also inspired Home Guard comedy Dad's Army and Royal Air Force National Service comedy Get Some In.Trivia
A large number of principal cast members later appeared in Carry On Films and Doctor Who episodes.External links
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