Dad's Army's Ian Lavender said 'I'll take cast secrets to grave' before death
Ian Lavender said he would take secrets of his incredible time on Dad's Army to his grave just months before his sad death.
The veteran actor, who also appeared in EastEnders, has sadly died aged 77. Ian was best known for playing the hapless Private Frank Pike on the sitcom. Ian had been the only surviving member of the original cast, and said his fellow stars were always shocked the show had become such a huge hit.
Dad's Army aired between 1968 and 1977 but its popularity has endured with fans continuing to enjoy the repeats that continue to air on television. Ian said the camaraderie between the stars was like nothing he had ever experienced, with him enjoying a particularly close bond with John Laurie - best known for playing Private James Frazer.
Ian Lavender revealed he'd be taking cast secrets to the grave (Evening Gazette)Speaking to the Mirror last year, Ian said: "It was great fun. It was 10 weeks a year with wonderful people, all of whom became great friends. John Laurie (who played Private James Frazer) became a sort of grandfather figure. I adored him. I talked with John for so many hours. He said, 'There are things I've told you I've never told my wife or my daughter. You must promise me you must never tell anybody yourself'."
His death was announced on the Dad's Army social media account on Monday, February 5. A statement read: "We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of the wonderful, Ian Lavender. In what truly marks the end of an era, Ian was the last surviving member of the Dad's Army main cast.
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"His wonderful performance as Private Frank Pike will live on for decades to come. He leaves behind a legacy of laughter enjoyed by millions. We will dedicate this year's tour to his memory. Our thoughts and love are with Ian’s wonderful wife Miki, their family and close friends."
The cast became incredibly close over the yearsDespite the show being a huge success, Ian and his co-stars never thought it would take off. He said: "It was supposed to go out on BBC Two, but they decided to put it on BBC One. But none of us thought there was 10 years in it. When we were away filming, [co-writer] David Croft had a house and in the middle weekend there would be a dinner for what he called The Magnificent Seven, or the 10, as we became with vicar, verger, and air-raid warden.
"One night, John Laurie had the room. We were talking about how this [Dad's Army] shouldn't have been a success, nobody liked it. John said, 'It is quite amazing that this should've been a success. Just look at us.'"
Birmingham-born actor Ian was the last remaining main cast member from the wartime-set BBC show. He was best known for playing the hapless Pike, who frequently had run-ins with Captain George Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), calling him “Stupid Boy”, and who was looked after by Sergeant Arthur Wilson (John Le Mesurier).
Pike, the youngest member of the Home Guard troop and a bank clerk, would often refer to Wilson as Uncle Arthur as he was in a relationship with his overprotective mother Mavis Pike (Janet Davies).
Lavender also played Derek Harkinson, a gay friend of Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) in BBC One soap EastEnders from 2001 to 2005.
He returned to Walford in 2016 but left in 2017 after he became ill with sepsis, having previously battled cancer and a heart attack.
In the 1970s, Dad’s Army regularly attracted more than 18 million viewers, becoming one of the most-watched television programmes of its time. Royal Mail marked the 50th anniversary of the TV comedy classic Dad’s Army with a collection of stamps in 2018, featuring the main characters.
That same year, Lavender cleared up a long-standing mystery from the show during an interview with the Radio Times. When asking creator David Croft if Uncle Arthur was Pike’s father, Lavender said: “He looked at me and said, ‘Of course he is!’”
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