No Spring for Frazer

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"No Spring for Frazer" is the thirteenth episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Thursday 4 December 1969.

Plot[]

Mainwaring is preparing to march the platoon over to the recreation ground for a lecture on field craft. Wilson enters the office, informing him that Pike and Jones are ready for him to inspect their rifles, and Frazer is ready with the Lewis Gun. Mainwaring inspects Jones' rifle, and reminds him not to leave sausage skins in the magazine again. He also reminds Pike not to let his mother clean his rifle with a bath brick. Frazer is relieved to not have to clean the Lewis Gun again for three weeks, but Mainwaring notices that the butterfly spring is missing, and Frazer surmises that it is in his workshop.

Mainwaring marches the platoon to Frazer's workshop and Frazer searches for the box where he keeps his tools, believing the spring is there, but it has gone. Mainwaring asks him what the box was like, and is shocked to learn that it is shaped like a coffin. Frazer tells him that when he was young, he used to learn how to make coffins and dentistry on the Isle of Mingulay. He remembers that Mr Drury, an undertaker, would probably have taken it, so the platoon head there.

Mr Drury is in a bit of a rush, and doesn't stop to talk to Frazer and Jones. They confront his secretary, Miss Baker, who confirms the use of the coffin. Frazer asks if it is still there, but Miss Baker confesses that it is now occupied by a Mr Horace Blewitt. Jones and Frazer are shocked, and are even more shocked to learn that his brother Sidney wanted him to rest in peace on his dining room table.

Jones and Frazer worm their way into Mr Blewitt's house, and Jones distracts Mr Blewitt while Frazer searches the coffin. Mr Blewitt tells Jones that his brother came home after buying best end of neck from Jones, looked at it, and cried: "Look at that! All bloody bone!" after saying which, he collapsed and died from the shock. Jones accuses Mr Blewitt of accusing him of "doing in" his brother, and drags Frazer out of the house in indignation before he has had a chance to fully inspect the coffin.

Mainwaring rings GHQ about spare springs, but none are in stock. Walker's friend who makes safes can't help them because he's in prison. So, Mainwaring decides that they should return to Mr Blewitt's house, and break in after Mr Blewitt has gone to bed. However, when Jones and Frazer climb into the dining room via the kitchen window, they are shocked to learn that the coffin lid is screwed down. They attempt to unscrew the coffin lid, but they are interrupted by Mr Blewitt coming down the stairs, and quickly make their exit.

Next morning, while Frazer's officiating Horace's funeral, the platoon arrive at the churchyard, just as the procession arrive at the grave. They stick a "Danger! Unexploded Bomb" sign in the ground, and warn the Vicar and the mourners that there's an unexploded bomb in the churchyard. However, it is just a ruse to clear the graveyard. Later, Jones' section arrive at the grave to retrieve the spring. Jones reluctantly climbs inside to check, but they are interrupted by the Verger, who has come to fill in Horace's hole. However, they are unable to remove Jones from the grave, so the Verger is understandably surprised when the earth he digs into the grave is flung back in his face.

The Verger confronts Mainwaring and Jones' section, who manage to cover up the whole thing until he leaves. Mainwaring admits he must report Frazer to GHQ for court-martial but, just in the nick of time, Frazer discovers the butterfly spring in his trouser pocket.

Notes[]

1. This is the first episode to show Frazer as a coffin maker, who later in the series is revealed to be a Funeral Director.
2. This was the first appearance in Dad's Army of Arthur Lowe's wife, Joan Cooper, who played Godfrey's sister Dolly in later episodes.

Cast[]

• Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring
• John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Wilson
• Clive Dunn as Lance Corporal Jones
• John Laurie as Private Frazer
• James Beck as Private Walker
• Arnold Ridley as Private Godfrey
• Ian Lavender as Private Pike
• Edward Sinclair as The Verger
• Frank Williams as The Vicar
• Harold Bennett as Mr Blewitt
• Joan Cooper as Miss Baker
• as Mr Drury

Radio episode[]

In the TV series, Frazer's profession had previously been given as keeping a philatelist's shop, and only later is it shown that he is or has become an Undertaker. Thus, Mainwaring and Wilson are surprised that he has coffins in his possession, with Wilson saying they are "an extraordinary thing to collect."

This dialogue is retained in the radio edition, but is followed by an additional observation from Wilson that "we all knew you were an Undertaker". Frazer goes on to explain that he makes coffins for his own use as well as supplying Mr Drury.

Further reading[]

• Croft, David; Perry, Jimmy; Webber, Richard (2000). The Complete A-Z of Dad’s Army. Orion. ISBN 0-7528-4637-X.

External links[]

• "No Spring for Frazer" at BBC Online
• "No Spring for Frazer" at IMDb