Star was pompous, prudish and vain

Dad's Army star Arthur Lowe was as pompous, prudish and vain as his Captain Mainwaring character, a new biography claims.

He had a strained relationship with all his fellow cast members, was tight-fisted with money and was a right-wing bigot, according to author Graham Lord.

Lowe was so upright that frequently vetoed ad-libbed lines from other Dad's Army co-stars, especially Clive Dunn, if he considered them vulgar. Though a desire to keep the best lines for himself may also have been a factor, according to the new book, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail.

He had a chip on his shoulder about John Le Mesurier's public school education and his laxadasical approach to life, exactly mirroring the tensions between Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson.

The sitcom's creators Jimmy Perry and David Croft played up that relationship, and often included Lowe's real outpourings into the script - including the famed putdown to Private Pike: "Stupid Boy."

He was also a creature of habit and would always eat well, a full English breakfast, a sandwiches for elevenses, a full lunch, cake in the afternoon and a lavish evening meal.

Lowe's biogted attitude came to the fore when he was recognised by around 70 West Indian bus conductors during filming in a London Transport depot. Flustered, he fled their friendly attention, muttering "fucking cannibals" once out of earshot.

Lowe died of a stroke in 1982, aged 66.

Arthur Lowe: A Life That Led To Mainwaring is published by Orion on September 26, priced £16.99. Click here to pre-order a copy from Amazon for £13.59.

* Graham McCann's definitive story of the Dad's Army phenomenon is released in paperback today for £7.99. Click here to order from Amazon at £6.39

Published: 2 Sep 2002