The Best of Morecambe & Wise

Last updated

The Best of Morecambe & Wise is a compilation programme broadcast on BBC1 on Christmas Night in 1978 in direct competition to the duo's brand new show which was being shown at the same time on Thames Television.

Prior to its broadcast the BBC had publicised the programme heavily as "the very best of" and "at their peak" in an effort to win viewers from the commercial station. Their departure from the BBC had been greatly publicised and allegiances were tested to their limits with the general public feeling very much in "ownership" of the partnership who had entertained them every Christmas Night since 1969. The programme was made up from highlights of their 1976 and record-breaking 1977 shows and has since been repeated under the title of Morecambe & Wise at the BBC for subsequent broadcasts.

See also

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 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">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">Angela Rippon</span> English television presenter (born 1944)

Angela May Rippon is an English television journalist, newsreader, writer and presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Cotton</span> British television producer and executive (1928–2008)

Sir William Frederick Cotton was a British television producer and executive, and the son of dance band leader Billy Cotton. The television and radio presenter Fearne Cotton is related to him, as he was her paternal grandfather's cousin.

Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared in literature and in music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth of material, with both adaptations of Christmas novels, in the forms of Christmas films, Santa Claus films, and Christmas television specials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Baker (broadcaster)</span> English broadcaster

Richard Douglas James Baker OBE RD was an English broadcaster, best known as a newsreader for BBC News from 1954 to 1982, and as a radio presenter of classical music. He was a contemporary of Kenneth Kendall and Robert Dougall and was the first reader of the BBC Television News in 1954.

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

Night Train to Murder is a 1984 British comedy television film, 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. 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>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 a gala concert held at the London Palladium on 28 November 1984 in the presence of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in aid of the British Heart Foundation and was held in memory of the comedian Eric Morecambe who had died the previous May after many years of heart problems. It was hosted by Eric's long-time partner Ernie Wise and featured a host of personalities all paying their tribute to Morecambe. The show began with a dance routine, the theme for the whole evening's music being "sunshine" the dancers were accompanied by You Are The Sunshine Of My Life which was followed by the big entrance of Ernie Wise who first spoke, and then sang the duo's signature tune. This was an emotive moment for Wise and one that showed how big a part Morecambe had played in his life. Other stars that appeared over the course of the evening were:

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.

<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.

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" sketch from their programmes. 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:

<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.

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.