The show is a spin-off of The Army Game, a sitcom about soldiers undertaking national service, and follows two of the main characters (played by Alfie Bass and Bill Fraser) after they returned to civilian life.

Bass and Fraser acted together in minor roles in the 1956 comedy film Jumping for Joy starring Frankie Howerd and possibly developed a friendship from that point.

Those that wrote for the 1960–63 episodes were Marty Feldman, Barry Took, John Antrobus, Ray Rigby, David Cumming, Derek Collyer, Peter Miller, James Kelly, Peter Lambda, Stanley Myers, Tom Espie, Jack Rosenthal, Harry Driver, Patrick Ryan, John Smith and Doug Eden.

[3] The series established the reputation of actor Clive Dunn as a player of old men in comedies, leading to his more famous role as Corporal Jones in Dad's Army, along with release of a hit single, "Grandad" in 1971.

[5] Bootsie and Snudge are de-mobbed from their national service and are employed as handyman and hall porter respectively at the Imperial, a Pall Mall gentleman's club run by hot-headed secretary Hesketh Pendleton.

Ten years later, and the positions have reversed as Bootsie wins £1 million on the Football pools and Snudge – an employee of Permapools – becomes his self-appointed financial adviser.