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Dad's Army Star Bill Pertwee
Bill Pertwee played air raid warden Hodges in 1970s TV sitcom Dad's Army. Photograph: Dave Hogan/Getty Images
Bill Pertwee played air raid warden Hodges in 1970s TV sitcom Dad's Army. Photograph: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Bill Pertwee, star of Dad's Army, dies aged 86

This article is more than 10 years old
Actor who played air raid warden Hodges in 1970s sitcom died peacefully with his family around him, his agent said

Dad's Army star Bill Pertwee died on Monday at the age of 86.

The actor, who was best known for his role as the air raid warden Hodges in the classic 1970s comedy, died peacefully in his sleep, according to his agent Meg Poole. The actor had been ill over Christmas and was at a home in Cornwall at the time of his death.

Pertwee's argumentative character was well known for his frequent wartime cry of "Put that light out!"

Poole said: "Anybody who was in Dad's Army was very well known. If you're in Dad's Army, which has never been off the television in one way or another, they've been repeated endlessly by the BBC, they're repeated endlessly on digital channels and people watch it and it's still getting incredibly good ratings."

In 1989 Pertwee wrote a book about the making of the series called Dad's Army: The Making of a Television Legend, which was republished in 2009 for the show's 40th anniversary celebrations.

He also wrote an autobiography, A Funny Way to Make a Living, and Promenades and Pierrots: One Hundred Years of Seaside Entertainment. Pertwee received an MBE for charitable services in 2007.

Several other Dad's Army stars have died recently, including Clive Dunn last November and Philip Madoc last March.

As well as starring in Dad's Army, Pertwee appeared in three Carry On films, Carry on Loving (1970), Carry on at Your Convenience (1971) and Carry On Girls (1973).

Pertwee's son Jonathan said: "He would give everything a go. He was very dedicated to the people around him and he was very dedicated to his charity work.

"But also he was very humble about the whole thing … He'd say 'marvellous, isn't it, to be in this business', because he said 'I'm not really a proper actor', but he was extraordinarily versatile."

Jonathan said Dad's Army was very important to his father. He loved it. He loved the people in it, it was a big part of his life and he used to have a lot of fun with Clive and John Le Mesurier and Frank Williams and all of them. They just had a great bond."

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