David Croft (TV producer)

David Croft OBE
Croft in May 2011
Born	David John Andrew Sharland (1922-09-07)7 September 1922 Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, England
Died	27 September 2011(2011-09-27) (aged 89) Portugal
Other names	David John Croft
Occupation	Writer, producer, director, actor
Years active	1939–2011
Spouse(s)	Ann Callender (m. 1952–2011, his death)
Children	7
Parent(s)	Reginald Sharland Annie Croft
Awards	British Comedy Awards 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award Writers' Guild of Great Britain 1969 Best Comedy Script Dad's Army 1970 Best Comedy Script Dad's Army 1971 Best Comedy Script Dad's Army Desmond Davies award (1981)
Website	www.davidcroft.co.uk

Major David John Croft OBE (born David John Andrew Sharland; 7 September 1922 – 27 September 2011) was an English writer, producer and director. David Croft is particularly noted for producing and co-writing a string of popular BBC sitcoms with Jimmy Perry and Jeremy Lloyd including Dad's Army, Are You Being Served?, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Hi-de-Hi! and 'Allo 'Allo!.

Croft was born into a showbiz family: his father, Reginald Sharland (1886–1944), had a successful career as a radio actor in Hollywood, and his mother, Annie Croft (1896–1995), was a famous stage actress. His first public appearance was at the age of seven, when he was seen in a commercial which aired in cinemas. After that, his acting career in films "began and ended" with his uncredited appearance as Perkins in the film Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939).

Croft was educated at two independent schools: at Durlston Court Preparatory School in Swanage, followed by Rugby School in Warwickshire. At Durlston Court, he overlapped with the school's only other distinguished old boy, Tony Hancock (b. 1924). The boys attended Sunday services at St.Aldhelm's Church, and Croft later gave that name to the church in Dad's Army. He enlisted in the Royal Artillery in 1942. He served during the Second World War in North Africa, India and Singapore. After contracting rheumatic fever in North Africa, was sent home to convalesce and then underwent officer training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.