David Lodge (actor) programmes (a running gag being that in each episode he or Spike would mention his role in "The Cockleshell Heroes"). He was very prolific during the 1950s, and in 1958 alone, he appeared in ten films. He appeared in a 1969 episode of "Randall and Hopkirk Deceased" ("Who Killed Cock Robin?"), and continuing with his military-type roles, appeared alongside Windsor Davies as Company Sergeant-Major Sharp in an episode of "It Ain't Half Hot Mum" in 1976. He also appeared with Windsor Davies (although they are not in the same scene) in Carry On England. Lodge played the role of drunk
Don Estelle Pickfords man in one episode (1969) and an ARP Warden called Gerald in three more (1970). He eventually landed the role of Gunner "Lofty" Sugden in the British sitcom, "It Ain't Half Hot Mum" which was first broadcast in 1974 and ran until 1981. Windsor Davies often took the micky out of Lofty in the episodes. The character was given the ironic nickname of "Lofty" because of Estelle's short stature. Estelle had a powerful tenor voice, and had a Number 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1975 with a semi-comic version of "Whispering Grass", followed by a cover