Museum Piece

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1 TV Episode
2 Radio episode

[edit] TV Episode

002 - Museum Piece
Script	Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Director	David Croft
Producer	David Croft
Recorded	Monday 22/4/68
Original transmission	Wednesday 7/8/68 7.00pm
Series	One
Length	30 minutes
Original Viewing Figures	6.8 million
Preceded by	The Man and the Hour
Followed by	Command Decision

Museum Piece is the second episode in the first series of the British comedy series Dad's Army, originally transmitted on Wednesday 7 August 1968.

[edit] Synopsis

Mainwaring and Wilson come up with an idea for getting the platoon some much needed weapons: "Operation Gun Grab". The plan is to requisition any firearms from the local museum of Historic Army Weapons - but to do so the platoon must first find a way to outwit the 88-year old caretaker, who happens to be the father of Lance Corporal Jones.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

It is not long after the platoon's first parade, and Mainwaring and Wilson discuss a recent exercise which involved crossing a 'demolished bridge' to cross a river. Unfortunately, Pike fell in, flat on his face! Mainwaring confides in Wilson that he doesn't think he has the unthinking obedience required to make an efficient fighting unit, and is sure that one of his men told him to "get stuffed"!

Wilson asks Mainwaring about the weapons situation, and Mainwaring reluctantly informs him that it will be a further six weeks before the weapons and uniforms arrive, so they must make do with one shotgun, seventeen carving knives, Jones' assegai, and Bracewell's number three iron! They receive a letter from the Peabody Museum of Historical Army Weapons, informing them that they'll have to close their account for the duration because the curator has joined the navy.

Mainwaring's ears prick up at the name of the museum, and deduces they might be able to use some equipment that could be used by his Local Defence Volunteers. Wilson isn't so sure, but Mainwaring organises "Operation Gun Grab", and tells Miss King to write a letter to give to the caretaker in charge.

On parade, Jones informs Mainwaring that he won't be able to get anything from the museum, because the caretaker in charge is Jones' 88-year-old father! True to form, the cantankerous old man refuses to let the platoon in, so they decide to try force, using scaling ladders and battering rams, but to no avail. When they try to scale the museum, George Jones puts a dampener on their plans by soaking them in cold water!

Mainwaring decides to take a more tactical approach, and Jones says a bottle of whisky will do the trick. Walker gives Frazer, who will be disguised as an ARP Warden, the bottle to tempt him with, if he doesn't respond to Frazer's insistence that there's a light showing.

All goes well, and the platoon sneak into the museum. Jones finds a halberd and breastplate, Pike and Walker find an elephant-shooting musket, and Godfrey finds a case of .303 carbines, which unfortunately are being used by ENSA! The platoon prepare to leave, defeated, until Jones and Walker find a Chinese rocket gun, and wheel it back to the church hall.

Their driver, a boy scout is asked by Jones and Walker to try and get it going. Mainwaring calls the duo over and says that he praises their initiative, but the weapon is too antiquated - even for them! As they prepare to make petrol bombs, the boy scouts gets the weapon working, and it fires rockets everywhere! Mainwaring may have to change his tune!

[edit] Notes

The exterior of the museum was actually Oxburgh Hall, a National Trust property in Norfolk.

[edit] Cast

Cast	Characters
Arthur Lowe	Captain Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier	Sergeant Wilson
Clive Dunn	Lance Corporal Jones
John Laurie	Private Frazer
James Beck	Private Walker
Arnold Ridley	Private Godfrey
Ian Lavender	Private Pike
Janet Davies	Mrs Pike
Caroline Dowdeswell	Janet King
Leon Cortez	Henry, the Milkman
Eric Woodburn	George Jones the Museum Caretaker
Michael Osborne	Boy Scout

[edit] Radio episode

002 - Museum Piece
Script	Harold Snoad & Michael Knowles
Producer	John Dyas
Recorded	Thursday 7/6/73
Original transmission	Monday 4/2/74 6.15pm
Series	One
Length	30 minutes
Original Viewing Figures	1.1 million
Preceded by	The Man and the Hour
Followed by	Command Decision

[edit] Synopsis

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Cast

Cast	Characters
Arthur Lowe	Captain Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier	Sergeant Wilson
Clive Dunn	Lance Corporal Jones
John Laurie	Private Frazer
Ian Lavender	Private Pike
James Beck	Private Walker
Eric Woodburn	George Jones