- Whispers From Walmington Forum -

doomed_doomed · Civilian Joined: 12 Sep 2008 Posts: 1

Has anyone ever noticed in the episode 'Things that go bump in the night' Walker doesn't appear in it until the platoon are marching across country to get fuel when captain Mainwaring asks him to open the gate.

I realise that this is roughly the time he became i'll. Was the second part of this episode recorded first then followed by the scene inside the house of the dog training school?

I'd really like to know, Thanks
_________________
Signature will appear after member makes two posts

straycat · Verger Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 57 Location: USA

I think the outdoor location scenes had already been filmed before Jimmy Beck became ill and the studio scenes were done after he was seriously ill.

nunky · Civilian Joined: 18 May 2008 Posts: 8

Apparently the lines allocated to Walker were mostly said by Sponge when they realised James Beck wasn't going to be back for filming.

I believe he was still in hospital at the time.

jives11 · Town Clerk Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 31

I find this episode the hardest to watch. I should like it, it has a wonderful haunted house set, on a par with the end of the pier or the Town hall clock tower. But the fact that Walker is only in some external scenes casts something of a pall over the whole episode , despite great performances. That and rather too much reliance on gags about Pike getting soaked, but maybe they were to fill in for scenes of Walker eyeing up the silver ware Wink

_________________
"just you, me and a toasted cheese supper"

straycat · Verger Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 57 Location: USA

Dave Homewood · Posted: Sat 27 Sep 2008 23:12 pm Post subject:

For the xact timings of what happened with the recording of this episode and the illness and death of Jimmy Beck, take a look at my comprehensive Dad's Army Timeline here

http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Dads%20Army%20Timeline.html

straycat · Verger Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 57 Location: USA

Wow, extremely impressive work, Dave! It took true dedication to stick with all the digging that must have gone into compiling a timeline that detailed.

VERY hasty script revisions, then, for Things That Go Bump in the Night -- wth James Beck falling ill only the day before that episode was recorded!

I believe I once saw a latter-day interview with one of the DAers -- Clive, I think, or maybe Ian?? -- saying: When we were doing Things That Go Bump in the Night, we were all concerned about Jimmy, but we were all working under the assumption that he would recover from this. We thought he'd be back to work as soon as he was better. [That's paraphrased -- I don't have the exact quote.]

Dave Homewood · Posted: Sun 28 Sep 2008 23:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks Straycat, yes it was a lot of work and research.

That is quite true, everyone thought and hoped that Jimmy would be ok and would return to work. One thing that many people won't realise is that one of Jimmy Beck's best mates who throughout his illness sat by his bedside almost constantly was none other tha Larry Martyn, who later replaced Jimmy as Walker on the radio. They had been frinds for ages and lived in the same street.

straycat · Verger Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 57 Location: USA

If you've got to put in that much work on something, better it should be work on something you love -- as is clearly the case with you and DA.

As for the Larry Martyn info: I, for one, never knew that. Happy to hear Jimmy had a friend loyal enough to stick close in his final days.