Jimmy Perry, the creator of Dad's Army, has died. He was 93.
Along with producer David Croft, former actor Perry was behind one of television comedy's greatest hits.
Tributes have been flooding in on social media. Jack Dee tweeted: "RIP Jimmy Perry. Amazing contribution to British telly. Watched Dad's Army only yesterday. Still as funny as when I watched it as a kid."
Miranda Hart tweeted: "Thank you Jimmy Perry for your work. You made our world a funnier and brighter place. RIP"
Mick Hucknall tweeted: "Bless you Jimmy Perry. We could do with your warm heart + humour in these troubled times. Thank God for Dad's Army on A Saturday night RIP"
Richard Osman made a reference to Croft's famous "don't tell him Pike" line: "When St. Peter asks for Jimmy Perry's name he's got a great gag lined up"
A number of contemporary comedy writers also paid their respects. Simon Blackwell tweeted: "Sad news. To create comedy that generations of people genuinely love is rare, and he managed it time and again."
Fellow writer Kevin Cecil wrote; "RIP Jimmy Perry, one of this country's greatest ever sitcom writers."
Comedy writer David Quantick wrote: Jimmy Perry lived to appreciate the incredible longevity and adaptability of Dad's Army. RIP."
And writer Pete Sinclair tweeted: "Sad news. Dad's Army was superbly written. RIP Jimmy Perry..."
Nigel Farage also chipped in:" Sad news. Jimmy Perry created and co-wrote the fantastic Dad's Army, my favourite comedy of all time
On Facebook comedian and comedy historian Andre Vincent wrote: "Sad to hear the passing of yet another legend...Jimmy Perry you genuinely will be sadly missed."
As well as Dad's Army, Perry and Croft were also responsible for It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi and You Rang M'Lord?
Perry was born in London in 1923 and was in the Home Guard himself in World War 2. He drew on his experiences to come up with the idea for the sitcom starring Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier.
He also wrote the theme tune to Dad's Army, Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?, which many thought was an original WW2 song. Perry won the Ivor Novello Award in 1971 for Best TV Signature Tune. The story of the making of Dad's Army was told in the BBC drama We're Doomed last year. Read a review here.
Perry wrote the sitcom Room Service and co-wrote High Street Blues, but he will be best remembered for the enduring antics of the Home Guard. In 2002 Perry wrote his autobiography, entitled A Stupid Boy.
