"Thames Television. So enormous became Morecambe and Wise's popularity that their Christmas shows were essential viewing in the United Kingdom. Always broadcast at peak time on Christmas Day, these increasingly lavish affairs provided some of the most memorable moments in the series. For example, ""Grieg's Piano Concerto"" with André Previn, ""Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"" with Shirley Bassey and Glenda Jackson's medley of Hollywood tunes all came from the same Christmas Show in 1971. The show was known for introducing newsreader Angela Rippon's legs to the world in 1976. This (along with the 1972 special) were the only Christmas shows"
"Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an iconic 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. The show was a significant part of British popular culture, and they have been described as ""the most illustrious, and the best-loved, double-act that Britain has ever produced"". In a list of the 100 Greatest"
"Eric Morecambe John Eric Bartholomew, (14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984), known by his stage name Eric Morecambe, was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise formed the award-winning 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. He was the co-star of the television series ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"", which for one Christmas episode gained UK viewing figures of over 27 million people. One of the most prominent comedians in British popular culture, in"
"Triangle"". Morecambe and Wise are considered by many to be one of the UK's all-time favourite comedy acts. John Ammonds was also central to the duo's most successful period in the 1970s. As the producer of the BBC TV shows, it was his idea to involve celebrity guests. He also perfected the duo's familiar dance, which was based on a dance performed by Groucho Marx in the film ""Horse Feathers"". Ernest Maxin started choreographing the musical numbers in 1970, and succeeded John Ammonds as producer of the BBC TV shows in 1974. Maxin, who won a BAFTA for the Best"
"Morecambe and Wise, Ken Dodd and Spike Milligan. The programme was hosted by Leonard Sachs. The show eventually became so popular that the waiting list for tickets had to be closed, when it rose to a total of 25,000 people. Colehan was also involved in other major television successes. Colehan had the idea in 1963 of making a TV version of Jimmy Savile's popular Radio Luxembourg show ""Teen and Twenty Disc Club"". He produced the pilot which later became ""Top of the Pops"". In August 1966, Colehan brought ""It's a Knockout"" to the screen which ran for 16 years under"
"Morecambe & Wise: Greatest Moments 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"
"principal address delivered by Dickie Henderson. There was a private cremation service at Garston. His ashes were later returned to the church for burial in the Garden of Remembrance. Eric Morecambe John Eric Bartholomew, (14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984), known by his stage name Eric Morecambe, was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise formed the award-winning 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. He was the co-star of the television series ""The"
"The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968 TV series) The Morecambe & Wise Show was 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. ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" was popular enough to be moved to BBC1, with its Christmas specials garnering prime-time audiences in excess of 20 million, some of the"
"his ""Band Waggon"" radio show, billed as Britain's Mickey Rooney. Gradually, Wise and Morecambe formed a close friendship, and, in 1941, they began their comedy double act, which was to last until Morecambe's death in 1984. They made their debut together as ""Bartholomew and Wise"" on Thursday 28 August 1941, at the Liverpool Empire. A change of name followed in the autumn: after agreeing that the combination of their respective places of birth—Morecambe and Leeds—would make the act sound too much like a cheap day return, they settled on ""Morecambe and Wise"" During World War II, Morecambe was a Bevin"
"The Morecambe & Wise Show (1978 TV series) The Morecambe & Wise Show was 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. In January 1978, Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, just over four weeks after the broadcast of their successful 1977 Christmas Show on BBC1, which attracted an audience of just over 28m, announced that"
"Cyrano De Bergerac (sketch) Cyrano De Bergerac (1977) was the final ""play"" made as part of ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" (1968) and featured in their final festive edition originally broadcast on Christmas Day 1977 on BBC1, achieving the highest ever terrestrial viewing figures of over 28,500,000 people. The play starred Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise, Penelope Keith and Francis Matthews, with cameo appearances from Valerie Leon, Paul Eddington and Richard Briers (the latter two in a reference to their appearance with Keith in the situation comedy ""The Good Life"", which was hugely popular at the time. The plot was (very!)"
"Morecambe's wife Joan. Bring Me Morecambe & Wise 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. In the series, people close to the duo are interviewed about their shared experiences during the 1970s and 1980s. The series also showcases never-before-seen sketches and routines from the double act and clips from some of their earliest TV performances, as well as an"
"Arthur Tolcher Arthur Tolcher (9 April 1922 – March 1987), born Arthur John Stone-Tolcher in Bloxwich, Staffordshire, England, was a virtuoso British harmonica player and child star who started his career in the British Music halls in the 1930s. He appeared at the London Palladium at 15 and was an early friend and colleague of Morecambe and Wise. Tolcher was managed by his mother Beatrice (""Beef""), who knew Eric Morecambe's mother well. When the double act became successful, Eric and Ernie did not forget their friend and he appeared for many years in their TV shows. He would come onstage"
"been repeated or made commercially available in any format. However, the segment of Bruce Forsyth's piano playing and dancing was used in a compilation programme ""Heroes Of Comedy"" made in 1994 for Channel 4. Bring Me Sunshine (1984) Bring Me Sunshine was a gala concert held at the London Palladium on 28 November 1984 in the presence of the 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 Morecambe's long-term partner Ernie Wise"
"Ernie Wise Ernest Wiseman, (27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), 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. Ernest Wiseman, born in Bramley (a district of Leeds) to Harry and Connie Wiseman (née Wright) who married in St Thomas Stanningley, was the eldest of five children, and changed his surname (as did his future partner) to go into show business. He attended Thorpe Infant and Junior School, and then East Ardsley"
"1971 Morecambe and Wise sketch that featured conductor André Previn. Previn was told that the booked guest, Yehudi Menuhin, had cancelled because he was ""opening at the Argyle Theatre, Birkenhead in Old King Cole"". A large, decorative stone sign that was once attached to the Argyle Theatre's exterior was moved to the Williamson Art Gallery for preservation, prior to demolition. The inscription on the sign read: """"Argyle Theatre Of Varieties. Two Performances Nightly""."" A department store car park now occupies the site and a play, ""Argyle Remembered"", was written to commemorate the theatre. Argyle Theatre The Argyle Theatre was a"
"Bring Me Morecambe & Wise 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. In the series, people close to the duo are interviewed about their shared experiences during the 1970s and 1980s. The series also showcases never-before-seen sketches and routines from the double act and clips from some of their earliest TV performances, as well as an interview with Eric"
"largest in British television history. After their 1977 Christmas show Morecambe and Wise left the BBC and signed with Thames Television, marking their return to the ITV network. The ""Morecambe & Wise Show"" title (or close variations thereof) continued to be used for many of these ITV shows. In early 1968, Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise were due to begin negotiations over a new contract with ATV. The duo had starred in their successful television series, ""Two of a Kind"", since 1961, which had proven a significant ratings success for ITV. However, the series was still broadcast in black and"
"Green, were brought in to deal with the scripts. Meanwhile, Cotton recruited John Ammonds to serve as the new show's producer. Ammonds was an experienced producer/director of light entertainment on the BBC, and had worked with Morecambe and Wise on their radio series, ""You're Only Young Once"" in the 1950s. The first episode of ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" was broadcast on BBC2 on 2 September 1968 and, initially, showed little difference to their previous series on ITV. Bill Cotton's plan was to allow Morecambe and Wise to become comfortable with their new surroundings before implementing his plan to extend"
"Morecambe and Wise: In Their Own Words 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"
"many of his public engagements. Morecambe took six months off, returning for a press call at the BBC Television centre in May 1969. In August of that year, Morecambe and Wise returned to the stage at the Bournemouth Winter Gardens, and received a four-minute standing ovation. Morecambe suffered a second heart attack in March 1979 and underwent bypass surgery in June. Morecambe took part in a charity show, hosted by close friend and comedian Stan Stennett, at the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, on Sunday 27 May 1984. His wife Joan, who was in the audience, recalled that Morecambe was"
"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. The Best of Morecambe & Wise The Best of Morecambe & Wise was 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"
"British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, ""The Morecambe and Wise Show"" was placed 14th. In September 2006, they were voted by the general public as number 2 in a poll of TV's 50 Greatest Stars. Their early career was the subject of the 2011 television biopic ""Eric and Ernie"", and their 1970s career was the subject of the television biopic ""Eric, Ernie and Me"" in 2017. In 2013, the two were honoured with a blue plaque at Teddington Studios where their last four series were recorded. Morecambe and Wise's"
"Bring Me Sunshine (1984) Bring Me Sunshine was a gala concert held at the London Palladium on 28 November 1984 in the presence of the 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 Morecambe's long-term partner Ernie Wise and featured a host of personalities all paying their tribute to the much-missed comedian. The show began with a dance routine, the theme for the whole evening's music being ""sunshine"" the dancers were accompanied"
"and ""Double Six"". In 1961, Lew Grade offered the duo a series for the London-based ITV station ATV. Entitled ""Two of a Kind"", it was written by Dick Hills and Sid Green. An Equity strike halted that show, but Morecambe and Wise were members of the Variety Artists' Federation, then a separate trade union unaffiliated with Equity. Green and Hills later appeared in the series as ""Sid"" and ""Dick"". The sixth Morecambe and Wise series for ATV was planned from the start to be aired in the United Kingdom as well as exported to the United States and Canada. It"
"of television variety programming, rather than televising stage based variety. As part of this, he sought to sign up acts that could adapt to the demands of working on television, which required a huge amount of material. In 1953, Morecambe & Wise made an appearance on the television show ""Stars in Blackpool"", which led to them meeting Waldman, who started forming plans for the duo to headline their own television series. However, although the duo had performed in Southern England on the variety circuit, their broadcasting career had largely taken place in Northern England, which led BBC producers to suggest"
"in Bloxwich for many years. In 1965, he became godfather to Anthony, the grandson of his and his Mother's next door neighbours in Broad Lane. Tolcher, who was a lifelong and devout Roman Catholic, died in March 1987. Arthur Tolcher Arthur Tolcher (9 April 1922 – March 1987), born Arthur John Stone-Tolcher in Bloxwich, Staffordshire, England, was a virtuoso British harmonica player and child star who started his career in the British Music halls in the 1930s. He appeared at the London Palladium at 15 and was an early friend and colleague of Morecambe and Wise. Tolcher was managed by"
"It is a long-held popular myth that the 1977 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show, which attracted 21.3 million viewers (often erroneously quoted as 28 million) was a record for a single light entertainment broadcast in Britain. The ""Mike Yarwood Christmas Show"", which immediately preceded Morecambe and Wise on Christmas Day 1977, actually received a slightly larger audience of 21.4 million. This means that Yarwood, not Morecambe and Wise, holds the record for the biggest audience of a single UK light entertainment broadcast. Yarwood was the subject of a ""This Is Your Life"" special, presented by Eamonn Andrews on 31 May"
"the death of Tom Sloan in May. In this position, Cotton was responsible for overseeing the production of a whole series of popular and iconic comedy programmes, including ""The Morecambe and Wise Show"" (1968–77), ""Monty Python's Flying Circus"" (1969–74), ""The Two Ronnies"" (1971–87), ""Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game"" (first run 1971–77) and ""Look: Mike Yarwood"" (1971-76). Cotton's era was generally seen as the most eclectic in the history of BBC Light Entertainment, with programmes such as ""Morecambe and Wise"" becoming icons of British popular culture and drawing huge audiences, while the more subversive ""Monty Python"" provided a more cutting-edge,"
"town of Morley, West Yorkshire where he won a talent contest in 1936. The statue was commissioned by the Morley Murals Committee and funded by Doreen. Ernie Wise Ernest Wiseman, (27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), 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. Ernest Wiseman, born in Bramley (a district of Leeds) to Harry and Connie Wiseman (née Wright) who married in St Thomas Stanningley, was the eldest of five"
"Bring Me Sunshine ""Bring Me Sunshine"" is a song written in 1966 by the composer Arthur Kent, with lyrics by Sylvia Dee, and first performed by American artists in the late 1960s. In the UK, the song is synonymous with the popular comedy duo Morecambe & Wise, after it was adopted as their signature tune in their second series for the BBC in 1969. Professor of Critical Musicology at the University of Leeds, Prof Derek B Scott, argues that the song is influenced by the Viennese popular style. He writes: Although the second verse was often performed by an orchestra"
"in ensuring that each successive show topped the last; indeed, in some years, there would be no series so that the full attentions of writer, producer and stars could be focused on the Christmas show. By 1977, Morecambe and Wise were the most important parts of the BBC's entertainment schedule. That year, they had again not done a series to focus on the Christmas show, which ended up gaining just over 28m viewers. However, just over a month later, in January 1978, an announcement was made that the duo had elected to leave the BBC, having signed a contract with"
"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: There was also a sequence in which the guests of honour were announced and appeared on stage, these included the following guest stars, fans and celebrities: The programme was filmed live and televised on ITV on Christmas Day of that"