Ian Lavender dies at 77

 Ivan Lavender dies at 77.

The death of Ian Lavender marks the end of a generation of TV sitcoms the like of which may never be seen again. Lavender, who played Private Pike in the long running, much loved and immensely popular sitcom Dad's Army, was the last of the great and well drawn comedy characters that kept us entranced for so many decades. 

Back in 1968 Jimmy Perry and David Croft were looking for an original take on the life changing and tempestuous events that so completely devastated not only all of Britain but the entire globe. The Second World War would probably have been considered the last subject for a spot of light hearted fun and ridicule but Perry and Croft thought otherwise and Dad's Army was certainly not just a vehicle for cheap jokes about Hitler or Churchill.

But it worked and worked successfully and consistently despite the withering critics and doubters. Private Pike was a simple, wimpish, downtrodden, childish and emotionally vulnerable character who almost felt as if the world seemed to be ganging up against him. But Lavender's beautiful portrayal of a young soldier in Captain Mainwaring's well drilled and disciplined army was a complete joy to behold. Lavender was depicted as  charmingly naive and persistently picked upon by those who dismissed him as some weak, lily livered man with no backbone.

Private Pike frequently sought the approval and validation of John Le Mesurier's often pompous and dispassionate Captain Wilson. Le Mesurier's character was a snobbish, toffee nosed, cold and aloof man who could never quite express his emotions and almost felt quite repressed. Pike loved his uncle though and, with scarf around his neck and a pleasantly engaging manner, just seemed very content and always looking to prove his point in any heated argument.

During the 1970s BBC One produced a similarly gentle and inoffensive comedy hero who just wanted to please people around him and just ingratiate himself  with those who thought of him as a failure in life and buffoon. Michael Crawford's memorable Frank Spencer was just the most endearing of sitcom characters who never seemed to get it right and was always pleading with wife Betty to accept him for who he was. Crawford's mannerisms and protestations of innocence when criticism just seemed to be aimed at him were typical of British comedy at the time. Lavender likewise was just part of the same furniture.

Who of course will ever forget the famous prisoner of war sketch in Dad's Army when Pike, facing Mainwaring - Arthur Lowe, was questioned by a German officer? After a series of interrogations from the Philip Madoc character, Pike launched into a frivolous song about Hitler at which point Mainwaring who had insisted that Pike not reveal his name, accidentally spilled out Pike's name at which point hilarity from the studio audience ensued.

We may never see the likes of Ian Lavender again in a sitcom that captured the hearts of a nation who suddenly began to see the Second World War in a completely new light. And now you suspect, the BBC, in its infinite wisdom, will show yet more repeats of Dad's Army ad infinitum. The irony now though is that from time to time, the Beeb are now showing the early black and white episodes. But the legend of Dad's Army will continue to heighten our consciousness of the most inhumane, violent and destructive period of the 20th century. Pike though was the young squaddie who just wanted to be respected and never excluded by polite company. Ian Lavender- how could we ever forget you? Pike was everybody's friend.