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Jimmy Perry was born in London in 1923. By the age of 25 he had been a member of the Home Guard, called up into the regular forces and sent to Burma with the Royal Artillery, travelled the Indian subcontinent, entertaining the troops, been a Red Coat at Butlins and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts - the experiences from all of which went into the creation of his much-loved comedies which include Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot, Mum and Hi-De-Hi! Jimmy has won numerous awards throughout his career including the Writers' Guild Best Comedy Script three years running from 1969 to 1971, the Writers' Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 and the Comic Heritage award in 1998. He received the OBE in 1978 and is still entertaining the nation with his one-man show.
Jimmy Perry is the creator of Dad's Army, It Ain't Half Hot, Mum, and Hi de Hi - Sunday evening comedy classics all. This is his splendid autobiography, told with much wit and in a delightful style. Reading it is like whiling away a pleasant afternoon with a favourite uncle, listening to the stories of his youth. Perry jumps back and forth without apology, from his early days to his showbiz successes and back again: his tales of the distant past spark off memories of more recent events, and vice versa. This is hardly surprising. Perry's wartime experiences included a stint in the Home Guard: the inspiration for Dad's Army. He was in the Combined Services Entertainment in Delhi: leading to It Ain't Half Hot, Mum. Back in civvy street, he spent time as a Red Coat at Butlins, hence Hi de Hi. Perry's life directly influenced his comedy writing, and those he met inspired many familiar characters. He tackles all his subjects unabashed - from public school to losing his virginity, from D-Day to Burma to RADA. Some accounts are laugh-out-loud funny, with sharp observations on British foibles such as class and snobbery. The autobiography is very well presented, with plenty of photographs and documents from Perry's life and surroundings. It's a lovely piece of memorabilia in itself, and would serve well as a present for fans or contemporaries of this highly talented comedy writer. Even those who are not devotees of his work will find much to amuse and entertain in this highly enjoyable autobiography. (Kirkus UK)
