Talk:Eric Morecambe

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Americans unfamiliar?[edit]

I take great exception to the comment that Americans are unfamiliar with Morecombe and Wise. Okay, maybe most Yanks have never heard of them, but when I was a kid they hosted a summer TV variety show called The Picadilly Palace which was shown in the States. My family and I found them hilarious and I've been a fan ever since. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.236.201.175 (talk • contribs) 04:27, 30 July 2005

Still doesn't detract from the point made, that most Americans are unfamiliar with the pair.--Crestville 20:40, 30 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Picadilly Palace was the last series of the ATV shows. They filmed it in colour along with the B/W cameras for the UK market. So somewhere the is a colour version of the last ATV series! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.151.62.56 (talk) 20:24, 29 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Sudden death?[edit]

This article only obliquely mentions Morecambe's "sudden death". It should be explicitly described — when (after a gig?), where, and how. Based on the Last words quote Dbiv just added to Wikiquote [1], it sounds like a noteworthy passing. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 03:55, 23 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Done & Done--Crestville 10:37, 23 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Excellent job, Crestville! You didn't just fix the proximate problem, you fleshed out the entire topic and thoroughly sourced it! I'm glad we have you at both Wikipedia and Wikiquote. ~ Jeff Q (talk) 15:14, 5 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Oh, ta very much--Crestville 14:46, 21 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

We give the date of death but not the date of the performance after which he collapsed. He's in Category:Deaths onstage, but I want to assure myself it fits the time restrictions applying to that category. For example, if he died a week or even two days after collapsing, there's no way he'd belong in that category. -- Jack of Oz ^{[your turn]} 13:05, 21 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I've re-worded the description of his death slightly to account for the fact that he died in hospital a few hours after collapsing on the stage. I just thought the original sentence made it look as though he died immediately on collapsing. 88.151.27.236 (talk) 21:57, 23 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Princess Anne?[edit]

I don't remember Princess Anne ever appearing on the M&W show. What's the source for this? Miche 10:15, 21 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Frank Zappa[edit]

The statement that Eric was a fan of Frank Zappa has not been verified and is probably untrue. It has been tagged since June 2007 and I propose that it should be removed.Paul210 (talk) 17:25, 9 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Eric Morecambe's chauffeur, Mike Fountain, appears to confirm that Eric did like Frank Zappa in the interview he gave to the Morecambe & Wise fansite, www.ericandern.co.uk (http://www.ericandern.co.uk/pages/interview5b.asp).McHugh (talk) 00:46, 17 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]

What's My Line[edit]

I seem to remember it was actually Ernie who was a panellist on this show around the time Eric died. (He was good, he seemed almost telepathic.) Eric appeared as a special guest star, only a few weeks before he died, he looked awful. PatGallacher (talk) 02:24, 19 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I can't assist on this question; but as a lifelong fan of M&W I would like to say that I'm still rather upset at how ill Eric looked in 'Night Train to Murder'... Pfistermeister (talk) 04:56, 19 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

During the run of What's My Line, I think that they alternated appearing on a weekly basis. The only time one of them didn't appear was when filming clashed with Eric's funeral, so of course Ernie didn't appear. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.148.122.248 (talk) 18:27, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Jewish?[edit]

Was he born Jewish and if so should he be listed under English Jews?pertuk--217.44.226.179 (talk) 15:15, 7 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I assume you mean Ernie. This have been mentioned loats of times. Some people believe his real surname was Weiseman and not Wiseman. This question was put to Doreen Wiseman who confirms its an old question and untrue. The Wiseman name and family are on the Leeds 1901 census. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.151.62.56 (talk) 20:23, 29 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

His mother was called Sadie, a common Jewish name, rare otherwise. Does anyone know her maiden name and family ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Excelis4 (talk • contribs) 19:09, 9 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Sadies name was actually Sarah... Sarah Elizabeth Robinson... This is mentioned in Graham McCanns book.. page 21 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Spicksparkle (talk • contribs) 20:47, 22 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Eric's real surname was Bartholomew- a common name around Morecambe. As his family were cockle-fishermen, it is definite that he wasn't Jewish. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.65.174.22 (talk) 17:53, 2 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Conservative?[edit]

Even though he sent a message of congratulations to Margaret Thatcher, I don't think this proves that he was a supporter of the Conservative Party, so I think it should be removed. There's a quote from Eric himself in Gary Morecambe's book Funny Man on page 150 which states that he is not politically motivated, and that he is unconcerned which party is in power as long as they push for as little tax as possible. 88.151.27.233 (talk) 18:45, 11 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

That sounds like he was a Conservative supporter. (92.7.25.251 (talk) 09:01, 14 September 2012 (UTC))[reply]

I believe he and Ernie Wise were both present at the Conservative Party's 1983 pre-election "showbiz" rally (the same one where Kenny Everett joked about Michael Foot's infirmity). 141.92.129.41 (talk) 14:12, 28 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Des O'Connor Joke[edit]

In the BBC section of the Eric Morecambe page there is reference to the joke when Des asks Morecambe and Wise if he can sing on their show. Eric replies; 'Sing on our show?', You can't even sing on your own show!'. Does anyone know which episode that came from? It isn't on the Christmas shows in 1975, 1976 or 1979. Thanks. 132.185.161.100 (talk) 10:48, 21 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

origin of stage name[edit]

The article says nothing about the origin of his stage name. However, there is a famous hymn tune, Morecambe. WilliamSommerwerck (talk) 23:49, 13 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Statue In Morecamabe[edit]

Apparently somebody tried to steal the statue at the weekend and the council had to take it down, waiting for further details. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.107.176.47 (talk) 19:01, 13 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Writing Career[edit]

Can something be added by Erics (tragically cut-short) writing career? He had at least three books published. I will add a section, if someone more knowledgeable can flesh it out — Preceding unsigned comment added by 160.9.42.63 (talk) 11:27, 7 November 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Picture[edit]

Why are the only pictures of Eric photos of statues / busts and not pictures of his actual face? If someone could find a suitable photo, this would be appreciated

A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for speedy deletion[edit]

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for speedy deletion:

Eric Morecambe.jpg

You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. —Community Tech bot (talk) 21:22, 5 August 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Death in lead section[edit]

I suggest that both Morecambe's health, and his sudden death at the age of 58, are notable and that brief details belong in the lead section as well as in the article main body. Martinevans123 (talk) 13:19, 15 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

~~Not really. The lede is only a summary of his life and career. Les Dawson's article does not mention his death in the lede. (86.149.119.138 (talk) 15:15, 15 May 2020 (UTC))~~ Block evasion by User:HarveyCarter. Binksternet (talk) 15:27, 15 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Other Comedians Exist. As it was a long-standing part of the lead section, I think you ought to have waited to reach consensus here before removing that sentence for a third time. That's how WP:BRD is meant to work? Martinevans123 (talk) 15:23, 15 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Film role questioned (section With Thames Television)[edit]

...a working relationship that led to a follow-up in 1981 for Paramount Pictures titled Late Flowering Love in which Morecambe played an RAF major.

I have raised an end of sentence citation need over this, as the film is unarticled, also -appreciate it would take investigation of the plot of the film and its setting, the RAF (Royal Air Force), formed in 1918, only had the rank of major in existence for little more than a year before the present RAF ranking system was devised that superseded the use of army ranks previously employed by its predecessor formation the Royal Flying Corps. 'Major' at that point became superseded by the present rank title of Squadron Leader. If his service was in say, WWII, then the "major" rank is anachronistically incorrect.Cloptonson (talk) 19:03, 3 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]