Morecambe and Wise: In Their Own Words

Last updated

Morecambe and Wise: In Their Own Words
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original release
Network BBC One
Release2008 (2008)

Morecambe and Wise: In Their Own Words is a television documentary introduced and narrated by Jonathan Ross. It aired on BBC One on New Year's Day 2008, featuring clips telling the story of the rise to fame of the comedy double act Morecambe and Wise. It featured many previously unseen archive clips of the double-act from their days in variety as separate acts, through to their final shows for Thames Television prior to Eric Morecambe's untimely death at the age of 58 in 1984. Included within the show was one of his last interviews from Gloria Hunniford's Sunday, Sunday programme. As well as the usual clips of their work (mostly drawn from their years with the BBC with some earlier and later footage) there were transcripts of correspondence unearthed from the BBC's records and these were read by impressionist Jon Culshaw throughout the programme.

Related Research Articles

<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">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 sudden death in 1984. They have been described as "the most illustrious, and the best-loved, double-act that Britain has ever produced".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Davies</span> Welsh comedian, actor and musician (1937–1977)

Ryan Davies was a Welsh comedian, actor, musician, singer, and songwriter. Though his career lasted just 11 years, he became widely known in Wales through his work with Ronnie Williams as the comedic double act Ryan and Ronnie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Double act</span> Pair of comedians whose act is based on their uneven relationship

A double act is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act, often highlighting differences in their characters' personalities. Pairings are typically long-term, in some cases for the artists' entire careers. Double acts perform on the stage, television and film.

<i>Night Train to Murder</i> 1984 British television comedy film by Joseph McGrath

Night Train to Murder is a one-off 1984 feature-length British TV comedy drama, directed by Joseph McGrath and starring Morecambe and Wise. It was the last work that Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise worked on together before Morecambe's death in 1984; he was in poor health at the time of filming. It was written as a pastiche of the works of writers including Agatha Christie and Edgar Wallace and is set in 1946, featuring Morecambe and Wise ostensibly as 1940s versions of themselves.

<i>Two of a Kind</i> (British TV series) Morecambe & Wise comedy show for ATV 1961–1968

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.

Janet Webb was an English actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bring Me Sunshine</span> 1966 song by Arthur Kent and Sylvia Dee

"Bring Me Sunshine" is a song written in 1966 by the composer Arthur Kent, with lyrics by Sylvia Dee. It was first recorded by The Mills Brothers in 1968, on their album My Shy Violet. In the UK, the song is associated with the popular comedy duo Morecambe & Wise, after it was adopted as their signature tune in their second series for the BBC in 1969.

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.

<i>The Morecambe & Wise Show</i> (1978 TV series) British television comedy sketch series (1978–1983)

The Morecambe & Wise Show is a comedy sketch show originally produced by Thames Television and broadcast on the ITV network. The second show to be broadcast under the title, it was the fourth and final television series by English comedy double-act Morecambe and Wise, and saw their return to ITV after their successful nine-year association with the BBC.

The Morecambe & Wise Show refers to a number of television and radio programmes starring the British comedy double act Morecambe and Wise.

Eric, Ernie and Me is a 2017 television film based on the relationship between British television double-act Morecambe and Wise and their writer Eddie Braben. It starred Stephen Tompkinson as Eddie Braben, Mark Bonnar as Eric Morecambe and Neil Maskell as Ernie Wise. It was written by Neil Forsyth. The one-off drama premiered on BBC Four on 29 December 2017.

References