Bill Pertwee
An English comic actor immortalized as the pompous, blustering warden who endlessly tormented Captain Mainwaring in the classic sitcom 'Dad's Army'.
1926–2013 (age 87)·English actor·Birthday: July 21·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bill Pertwee was a character actor whose face and voice became a familiar, hilarious fixture in British comedy for generations. Though he worked steadily in film, radio, and television, his legacy was cemented by a single, perfectly pitched role: Chief ARP Warden Hodges in the beloved BBC series 'Dad's Army'. With his perpetual scowl, bristling mustache, and furious cry of 'Put that light out!', Hodges was the perfect foil to the Home Guard platoon, a petty official whose authority was as inflated as his ego. Pertwee played the character's blustering indignation with impeccable timing, making him a villain audiences loved to hate. Beyond Walmington-on-Sea, he was a stalwart of the British entertainment scene, a warm presence on game shows, a pantomime dame, and a reliable supporting player in countless shows, embodying a particularly English breed of comic irritation.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bill was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 70
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 80
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2013Died at 87
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the iconic character Chief ARP Warden Hodges in all 9 series of the classic BBC sitcom 'Dad's Army'.
- Reprised his role as Hodges in the 1971 film adaptation of 'Dad's Army' and the 1983 stage show.
- Had a long-running role as P.C. Wilson in the BBC comedy series 'You Rang, M'Lord?'.
- Was a frequent guest on BBC radio comedy shows and panel games throughout his career.
Did You Know?
He was a cousin of the actor and writer Jon Pertwee, who played the Third Doctor in 'Doctor Who'.
During World War II, he served as a Bevin Boy, conscripted to work in coal mines rather than military service.
He was an accomplished after-dinner speaker and wrote an autobiography titled 'A Funny Way to Make a Living'.
He made a cameo appearance in the Beatles' film 'A Hard Day's Night'.
“Put that light out! Don't you know there's a war on?”
