Mrs Fox

Mrs Fox
Dad's Army character
First appearance	The Lion Has Phones
Last appearance	Never Too Old
Portrayed by	Pamela Cundell (television) Mollie Sugden (radio)
Information
Occupation	Housewife

Mrs Marcia Jones (previously Fox) is a minor character, played by the actress^[1] Pamela Cundell^[2] in Dad's Army, a situation comedy depicting life in wartime England that ran between 1968 and 1977 on BBC TV. In the first episode in which she appears^[3] she is seen queueing for meat at Jones the Butchers.

The amorous, larger than life Mrs Fox (Pamela Cundell) gives her matronly attentions freely to the platoon's men and she eventually marries the elderly but eligible Corporal Jones. (Lance Pettit, Museum of Broadcast Communications)

As with many of Jones's ladies, on producing her ration book, she receives an extra sausage, much to the chagrin of another shopper, the actress Olive Mercer (herself later to join the cast as the wife of Mr Yeatman, the verger). In return, Jones receives an enormous wink that sets the tone for much of what was to follow as the role develops. Marcia (later on, Mildred) Fox is an ebullient woman, whom we assume loses her husband early on during the war^[4]. By The Big Parade, transmitted exactly a year later^[5] she is referred to as a widow. What followed was a long running saga in which Corporal Jones wooed Mrs Fox, often with hilarious consequences^[6]. Whenever he seems to be making progress a setback occurs: for example the arrival of American servicemen turns the heads of the Walmington women ^[7]. Victoria Wood points out^[8] that part of Dad's Army's success came from its ability to juxtapose comedic situations such as the rivalry between various ladies of the town to play Lady Godiva ^[9] and the exploration of far deeper, more complex emotions^[10] between older people. As the series drew to an end co- creators David Croft and Jimmy Perry debated whether to marry off Jones and his "Merry Widow"^[11]. This finally came to pass during the last ever episode of the series, much to the delight of a massive television audience^[12]. Cundell now in her eighties, still makes appearances at fan forums^[13] and, occasionally, on local TV and radio programmes^[14]. Mollie Sugden played the role in the radio series.

References

1. ^ See warm appreciation in fellow cast member Bill Pertwee's Dad's Army - The Making of a Television Legend (Sutton, Foreland 1989) ISBN 1972699286
2. ^ Cundell's professional CV
3. ^ The Lion has phones Series 3, Episode 3 (originally transmitted on 25th September 1969)- in which she is credited as one of the "Ladies in butcher's queue"
4. ^ In that opening scene she quite clearly states that her husband "...will have his little bit of brisket, you know." S3,E3(ibid)
5. ^ Series 4, Episode 1 as stated in Complete A-Z of Dad's Army (Webber, Ed)London, Orion 2000 ISBN 0752818384
6. ^ Dad's Army. The Story Of A Classic Television Show McCann, G London, Fourth Estate 2001. ISBN 1841153087
7. ^ My British Buddy Series 6 E2 8th November 1973
8. ^ 28 May 2000 BBC1 Don't Panic! The Dad's Army Story, a 50-minute documentary researched and hosted by Victoria Wood ( repeated by BBC2 on 28 December 2001)
9. ^ The Godiva Affair Series 7, Episode 4: 6th December 1974
10. ^ For example, Captain Mannering's feelings for Mrs Gray ( Carmen Silvera) in Mum's Army ( S4, E9 )
11. ^ See their Dad's Army (Sphere 1976) ISBN 0722104065
12. ^ On line biography
13. ^ Dad's Army Appreciation Society web-site
14. ^ Appearance in Norfolk