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John Eric Bartholomew OBE (14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984), better 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 of a heart attack in 1984. Eric took his stage name from his home town, the seaside resort of Morecambe in Lancashire, England. He is best remembered for the television series The Morecambe & Wise Show, which for its Christmas episodes gained UK viewing figures of over twenty-eight million people.
The duo's reputation enabled them to have a number of prestigious guests on the show, including Angela Rippon, Princess Anne, Cliff Richard, Laurence Olivier, John Mills, the Dad's Army cast, Glenda Jackson, Tom Jones, Elton John, The Beatles and even former Prime Minister Harold Wilson. 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 of a heart attack in 1984. Eric took his stage name from his home town, the seaside resort of Morecambe in Lancashire, England.
He is best remembered for the television series The Morecambe & Wise Show, which for its Christmas episodes gained UK viewing figures of over twenty-eight million people.
The duo's reputation enabled them to have a number of prestigious guests on the show, including Angela Rippon, Princess Anne, Cliff Richard, Laurence Olivier, John Mills, the Dad's Army cast, Glenda Jackson, Tom Jones, Elton John, The Beatles and even former Prime Minister Harold Wilson.
Early life & childhood career
Eric Morecambe was born to George and Sadie Bartholomew. Sadie was determined to see her only child make a success of his life, and took work as a waitress to raise funds for his dancing lessons. Eric did not enjoy these lessons at the time, although they were to come in handy during his later life. In 1940, Morecambe left school at the age of 14. During this period, Eric Bartholomew won numerous talent contests, most notably in Hoylake in 1939, the prize for which was an audition with Jack Hylton.
Also present was another young talent named Ernest Wiseman, already a familiar voice from Arthur Askey's radio series Band Waggon. This was the first meeting of what was to become one of the United Kingdom's most loved comedy partnerships, although it was to be a further two years before they would team up. Three months after the audition, Hylton invited Eric to join a revue called Youth Takes A Bow at the Nottingham Empire, where once more he encountered Ernie. The two soon became close friends, and with Sadie's encouragement started to develop a double act.
Bartholomew & Wiseman" After the war – and a chance reunion in London, where Sadie once again encouraged them to work together – Morecambe and Wise began to make a name for themselves on stage and radio, before managing to secure a contract with the BBC to make a television show. However, Running Wild (1954), their first series, was a critical failure
| VITAL STATS | Eric Morecambe Information:
| | Eye color:blue/grey | | Height: 5' 8½" (1.74 m) | | Nickname(s): | | Notable feature(s):glasses | | Education:he left school at the age of 14. | Family:parents-George and Sadie Bartholomew,wife
| | Resides in:lived in Harpenden | | Religious affiliations: | | Political affiliation: | | Personal interests/hobbies:He was a lifelong fan of Luton Town Football club & he was a keen bird watcher | | Charities/Causes: | Other:A larger-than-life statue of Eric, created by sculptor Graham Ibbeson, was unveiled by the Queen at Morecambe in 1999 and is surrounded by inscriptions of many of his favourite catchphrases and an exhaustive list of guest stars who appeared on the show; it is one of the most visited attractions in the north-west and stands proudly in the centre of the promenade of the resort.
In 1999 Eric Morecambe was voted the funniest person of the 20th century in a British internet poll; Eric pulled in 26% of the votes, beating his contemporary performer Tommy Cooper and Monty Python member John Cleese to the coveted position. Other popular comedians cited in the list included Les Dawson, Benny Hill, Milton Berle, Jack Benny and many other legendary performers
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With the BBC (1968-1978) The first series of The Morecambe and Wise Show was a success before Morecambe's heart attack. Though now a popular television star, Morecambe felt himself to be placed under a great deal of pressure. As Wise was, at that stage, very much a basic straight man, Morecambe felt the job of making Hills' and Green's writing sparkle was firmly on his shoulders.
Death Five months after the Christmas special, Morecambe took part in a show hosted by close friend and comedian Stan Stennett at the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire on a Sunday evening. His wife, Joan, who was in the audience, recalled that Morecambe was "on top form".
He recounted and joked to the audience about the tales of his childhood, his career, the influence of his mother, Sadie, his time as a Bevin Boy, about Tommy Cooper and the tragic way he had died.
Ironically Morecambe said he would hate to die like that, in what were the final hours of his own life. He even discussed his open heart surgery five years earlier, a topic from which he would often derive humour. | | |
