Morecambe & Wise: Greatest Moments

Last updated

Morecambe & Wise: Greatest Moments was a compilation programme originally aired on 2 December 2007 on the UKTV network channel UKTV Gold and featured clips, interviews and home move footage, culminating in the showing of the "best" sketches from their programmes. [1] It featured contributions from several of their guest stars such as Cliff Richard, Edward Woodward, Bruce Forsyth, Francis Matthews, Michele Dotrice and Elton John whom Eric always referred to as "Elephant John" as well as interviews with both Joan Morecambe and Doreen Wise, the latter's first appearance on a show of this kind. There were also chats with writer Eddie Braben, co-star Ann Hamilton and fans Armstrong & Miller among others. The show was narrated by Liza Tarbuck, daughter of comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and gave the following as the choice of "best" sketches from to duo:

The show highlighted the high regard in which the pair are still held by the viewing public and their peers despite having last worked together in 1983 and many of the guest stars featured now being largely unknown to the youth of the twenty-first century. Their appeal had further been secured by the release of their first three series of BBC shows and the associated Christmas Specials on DVD earlier in the year. Also, as part of the anniversary celebrations for BAFTA earlier in the year, contemporary comedians Armstrong & Miller has recreated their famous making the breakfast scene, re-igniting interest in them.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Wood</span> British comedian (1953–2016)

Victoria Wood was an English comedian, actress, lyricist, singer, composer, pianist, screenwriter, producer and director. Wood wrote and starred in dozens of sketches, plays, musicals, films and sitcoms over several decades and her live comedy act was interspersed with her own compositions which she performed at the piano. Much of her humour was grounded in everyday life and included references to activities, attitudes and products that are considered to exemplify Britain. She was noted for her skills in observational comedy and in satirising aspects of social class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Cryer</span> British writer, comedian and actor (1935–2022)

Barry Charles Cryer was an English writer, comedian, and actor. As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory Bremner, George Burns, Jasper Carrott, Tommy Cooper, Ronnie Corbett, Les Dawson, Dick Emery, Kenny Everett, Bruce Forsyth, David Frost, Bob Hope, Frankie Howerd, Richard Pryor, Spike Milligan, Mike Yarwood, The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Morecambe</span> English comedian (1926–1984)

John Eric Bartholomew, known by his stage name Eric Morecambe, was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise formed the double act Morecambe and Wise. The partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984. Morecambe took his stage name from his home town, the seaside resort of Morecambe in Lancashire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Des O'Connor</span> English comedian, singer and television presenter (1932–2020)

Desmond Bernard O'Connor was an English comedian, singer and television presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernie Wise</span> English comedian (1925–1999)

Ernest Wiseman,, known by his stage name Ernie Wise, was an English comedian, best known as one half of the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, who became a national institution on British television, especially for their Christmas specials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morecambe and Wise</span> Comedy double act

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, known as Morecambe and Wise, were an English comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984. They have been described as "the most illustrious, and the best-loved, double-act that Britain has ever produced".

Clodagh Rodgers is a retired singer from Northern Ireland, best known for her hit singles including "Come Back and Shake Me", "Goodnight Midnight", and "Jack in the Box".

Michael Terence Aspel is a retired English television presenter and newsreader. He hosted programmes such as Crackerjack, Ask Aspel, Aspel & Company, Give Us a Clue, This is Your Life, Strange but True? and Antiques Roadshow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold (British TV channel)</span> British pay television channel launched 1992

Gold is a British pay television channel from the UKTV network that was launched in late 1992 as UK Gold before it was rebranded UKTV Gold in 2004. In 2008, it was split into current flagship channel Gold and miscellaneous channel, W, with classic comedy based programming now airing on Gold, non-crime drama and entertainment programming airing on W, and quiz shows and more high-brow comedy airing on Dave. It shows repeats of classic programming from the BBC, ITV and other broadcasters. Every December, from 2015 until 2018, the channel was temporarily renamed Christmas Gold. This has since been discontinued, although the channel still continues to broadcast Christmas comedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Corbett</span> Scottish comedian and writer (1930–2016)

Ronald Balfour Corbett was a Scottish actor, broadcaster, comedian and writer. He had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the BBC television comedy sketch show The Two Ronnies. He achieved prominence in David Frost's 1960s satirical comedy programme The Frost Report and subsequently starred in sitcoms such as No – That's Me Over Here!, Now Look Here, and Sorry!.

Liza Tarbuck is an English actress, comedian, and television and radio presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vic and Bob</span> British double act

Vic and Bob, also known as Reeves and Mortimer, are a British double act consisting of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. They have written and starred in several comedy programmes on British television since 1990, with Reeves having made his first TV appearance in 1986. They have often been referred to as the modern day Morecambe and Wise.

<i>Two of a Kind</i> (British TV series) Morecambe & Wise comedy show for ATV 1961–68

Two of a Kind is an early TV series for comedy duo Morecambe and Wise. It ran from 1961 to 1968 produced by ATV for the ITV network.

<i>The Morecambe & Wise Show</i> (1968 TV series) British television comedy sketch series (1968–1977)

The Morecambe & Wise Show is a comedy sketch show originally broadcast by BBC television and the third TV series by English comedy double-act Morecambe and Wise. It began airing in 1968 on BBC2, specifically because it was then the only channel broadcasting in colour, following the duo's move to the BBC from ATV, where they had made Two of a Kind since 1961.

Bring Me Sunshine was originally a three-part retrospective in tribute to Eric Morecambe and was hosted by the comedian and author Ben Elton, who is a big fan of Morecambe and Wise; the first episode was screened on 14 May 1994, which would have been his 68th birthday and featured interviews with many people who had guest starred in The Morecambe & Wise Show during its run from 1968 to 1977 and also had a host of memorable clips from the shows. Those interviewed included John Thaw, Roy Castle who died a few months afterwards, Diana Rigg as well as comments and tributes from modern day double acts Hale & Pace and Fry & Laurie.

Fools Rush In is a 1973 documentary that was made as part of the Omnibus series and followed the popular double act of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise whilst they were rehearsing one of the programmes for transmission on their BBC programme; it was to become the seventh episode of their seventh series and was broadcast on 16 February 1973 with guest stars Anita Harris and Anthony Sharp, both of whom appear in the documentary which is filmed in a fly-on-the-wall style. The programme is an insight into how the popular duo honed their material and how they run through bits of "business" with the guest stars, adding and subtracting material as they go. The sketches featured are also shown at the recording stage giving the viewer an insight as to how they developed from the page to the screen. Interviews are also included with the two stars and director John Ammonds who is also present at the script read-throughs.

Bring Me Morecambe & Wise is a five-part television documentary series that goes behind the scenes of one of Morecambe and Wise acts. The series was first shown on UK television station Gold in November 2012. The first of five sixty minute shows aired on 21 November 2012.

Running Wild was a comedy sketch show originally broadcast by BBC television, the first TV series by English comedy double-act Morecambe and Wise. The first attempt by the pair at a television series, it aired for a single series of six episodes in 1954. Running Wild was Morecambe & Wise's first collaboration with Ernest Maxin, who subsequently worked with the duo on their second BBC television show.

References

  1. Sellers, Robert; Hogg, James (2011). Little Ern: The Authorized Biography of Ernie Wise. Pan Macmillan. p. 3. ISBN   978-0-283-07150-8.