- 7 months ago
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00:00The camera's over there. Oh, is it?
00:08Morecambe and Wise were one of the best-loved comedy acts in British television history.
00:12We're a partnership, aren't we? So, so, so. On the jaw.
00:17Their on-screen chemistry took them to the top of their profession.
00:21I'm going home. Thank you very much.
00:30But less well-known is that their remarkable journey was chronicled by home movie footage that Eric and Ernie filmed themselves.
00:47Shot in the 1950s and 60s, Morkman Wise's lost films recorded their lives off-screen, whether it was their friendship, their life at home.
01:00Or their travels around the world.
01:06It's archive kept by their wives and families for decades, most of it unseen by the people Eric and Ernie filmed. Until now.
01:16I've never seen this footage before, and this is absolutely amazing.
01:25Remarkable clips that captured comedy history in the making.
01:28That's it, that's it, that's it, that's it.
01:32I feel so sick.
01:37Always brought tears to me, Aj, now.
01:38Throughout their 40-year career, Eric and Ernie meticulously recorded their lives in show business.
01:58From photographs to audio recordings, programs of the first shows they played together, to tickets from their travels around the world.
02:08Everything was kept.
02:09But the most incredible items in their treasure trove of mementos are dozens of reels of home movie footage, rediscovered earlier this year.
02:23Most of them belonging to Eric Morecambe.
02:25It's just marvellous, really, to see it again, isn't it?
02:36Isn't it fabulous?
02:37Absolutely fabulous.
02:40For the first time, Eric's wife, Joan, and their children, Gail and Gary, can watch the amazing footage that has been left behind.
02:48I had long forgotten, and it was a complete shock to me, to find that there was so much footage.
02:58Because now it's fantastic that he took so much stuff.
03:06Absolutely extraordinary.
03:07Oh, and Dad's in this a lot.
03:13You can see him being mischievous already, Dad, can't you?
03:15He just always had this twinkle in his head, didn't he?
03:17Yeah, it was...
03:18He always had to start acting.
03:21What's he eating?
03:22A penis.
03:22A penis, I think.
03:29I can remember I used to have to carry all the things that went with the camera.
03:33Yes.
03:34I was always the one...
03:35That was your job.
03:35The camera.
03:37You know, isn't it funny with Dad, and all the filming that he did, I don't ever remember seeing him get the camera out.
03:46I don't remember ever being told that we were about to be filmed.
03:56It was very much just normal family life that he wanted to capture.
04:01Eric Bartholomew and Ernest Wiseman met as teenagers in 1939.
04:08Within two years, they had formed a double act.
04:11By the early 1950s, the newly named Morecambe and Wise were regulars on the variety circuit.
04:19What are you going to call yourself?
04:20How about Elsie?
04:21Are you going to call yourself?
04:22Are you going to call yourself?
04:23Are you going to call yourself?
04:24No!
04:25But this young duo were about to become a foursome.
04:27Their home movies recording the start of two lifelong love stories.
04:32Beginning in 1952, when Eric met beauty queen and actress Joan Bartlett at a theatre in Edinburgh.
04:39I met Eric purely by accident, because someone had dropped out of a show, so I went up on the train to join it.
04:48And yeah, so that was how it happened, you know.
04:50Eric met me, and he said to her, that's the girl I'm going to marry, which I'm sure nobody believed, but actually it was perfectly true.
05:07After that, it was all a bit whirlwind, and he was determined he was going to get married, and we were married, you know, a year later.
05:13Oh, mum and dad. I mean, it's just extraordinary, their relationship, I think.
05:28He totally admired her. He always thought she was the most beautiful thing that he'd ever seen.
05:34He had her right up on a pedestal, and I do say quite rightly that she was on this pedestal, because she was remarkable.
05:43Dad always knew that mum was fundamental to his success.
05:52Without your mother, we'd have none of this, he'd say.
06:00Yeah, it was romantic, but it wasn't soppy, you know.
06:05Although, mind you, having said that, we used to send each other cards.
06:08And they're somewhere here, and I'm hoping my family don't find them before I find them, because they were very personal to us.
06:20Eric had met the perfect partner in Joan.
06:23Meanwhile, Ernie's earliest home movie films show the love of his life, dancer Doreen Glythe.
06:29Ernie and Doreen had been sort of going together on and off for about seven years, a long time.
06:36But he never actually reached the point of marrying.
06:43I think it was really Eric so suddenly marrying me.
06:47So I think then that did spur Ernie on.
06:50So they did, they married about a week later.
07:01Ernie and Doreen were the perfect couple, and they got on well together, and never had an argument.
07:08And she was lovely, she helped him.
07:11She was the back room person who sent him off to work happily.
07:15Early on in their marriage, the couple decided that they wouldn't have children,
07:26and Doreen devoted herself to life on the road with her new husband.
07:30Doreen was very keen that she should always travel with Ernie.
07:34Ernie really did rely on Doreen almost completely, so it seemed to work fine for them, you know.
07:42And they did travel an awful lot, and they made the most of it.
07:53I think they've been all over the world.
07:55So a great, great life for them.
08:03Ernie took his camera on every trip, each foreign adventure captured on celluloid.
08:12Meanwhile, Ernie would use his to record the very beginnings of family life.
08:22Married life, really, it was very difficult at the beginning,
08:25because Ernie went straight into pantomime,
08:28and we never bargained on the fact that I was going to fall pregnant right away.
08:33Ernie was the natural choice as godfather to Eric's daughter, Gail,
08:43a role he took to with typical humour.
08:54Despite performing both evenings and matinees,
08:57Eric revelled in his role as a new father,
08:59spending as much time as possible with his little girl.
09:04Oh!
09:07Eric took so many pictures of Gail,
09:10all the time he was taking pictures of her.
09:13Isn't that lovely?
09:14And she had a bonny baby.
09:16Certainly had cheeks.
09:17Well, I think we both so doted on Gail.
09:30Just absolutely idolised this little baby.
09:33But there again, terribly hard.
09:35We didn't always have hot running water.
09:37I can remember having to light a boiler to get hot water,
09:40and so having to do that about six o'clock in the morning, you know.
09:43I can remember bathing her originally in, like, a tin bath.
09:49Yes, not the height of luxury,
09:51but somehow you just accepted it.
09:53It was the way things were.
09:54You didn't complain, you know, just got on with it.
10:00Eric Morecambe's earliest home movie footage
10:02coincides with the arrival of Gail,
10:04but he also took his new camera to work.
10:07In December 1953,
10:17a year before they made their television debut,
10:20Morecambe and Wise were booked to appear
10:21at the Sheffield Lyceum,
10:24playing the robbers in the pantomime
10:25Babes in the Wood.
10:28This footage is now the earliest known
10:30moving images of Eric and Ernie.
10:31Co-star and comedian Stan Stennett
10:39shared the duo's love of home movies
10:41and filmed the pair with Eric's camera
10:43while they were on the stage.
10:47In the 50s, it was all about cine cameras.
10:50It was the in thing,
10:52and of course, you've got to remember as well
10:54that Eric and Ernie were brought up
10:56on going to the cinema,
10:57so the idea that you could actually have
10:59your own cine film
11:01meant that you could obviously
11:02see your family growing up
11:04and your holidays
11:05and, in this case, pantomime seasons.
11:09This is absolutely wonderful footage
11:11from a real bygone age.
11:18That is the most astonishing thing I've seen
11:21because normally when you see pantomime footage,
11:24it's usually pathy news.
11:29To see Freddy's sails the day making up,
11:33he's doing it privately for Eric.
11:35He's just doing a silly little skit.
11:37That's a piece of treasure
11:38which I do hope ends up preserved for eternity.
11:42Playing the parts of the babes in Sheffield
11:58alongside Morecambe and Wise
11:59were two local girls,
12:01Yvonne Saunderson
12:02and Valerie Spedding.
12:05We first met Eric and Ernie
12:08at the first rehearsal.
12:10We walked in very hesitantly,
12:12Yvonne and I,
12:13sort of edging each other,
12:15thinking,
12:15this is it.
12:20It was very difficult
12:21not to start laughing
12:23when Eric and Ernie
12:24started telling jokes.
12:27You know,
12:27they used to say stupid things to us,
12:30trying to make us laugh,
12:31but we wouldn't
12:32because it was a serious scene
12:34when we were crying,
12:35when we were lost in the woods.
12:41When they really got famous,
12:44you could brag and say,
12:46I worked with them
12:47and it was a wonderful feeling
12:50and some people would say,
12:52oh, you haven't,
12:53but I did
12:53and that's the difference.
12:58Over 60 years have passed
13:00since Valerie and Yvonne
13:01worked with Morecambe and Wise.
13:04The Sheffield Babes
13:07lost touch
13:07after the production,
13:09but today
13:10they're meeting again
13:11on the very stage
13:12they shared with Eric and Ernie.
13:22It's a dream come true.
13:23It is, it is.
13:26I'm going to cry.
13:28Oh, it's fantastic.
13:34She'll be back in this wonderful theatre.
13:40Do you remember the time
13:41when I lost my voice?
13:42Yeah.
13:43He stood at the front,
13:44did Morecambe and Wise,
13:45but Morecambe was saying,
13:47I've had enough.
13:48And he stands in front
13:49and he goes,
13:50right, lights.
13:51He gets all the lights on,
13:52do you remember?
13:53Oh, yeah.
13:53And he got them all
13:54looking under the seats.
13:56They don't know
13:56what they're looking for.
13:57And they looked under the seats
13:59and they said,
13:59I'm sick of it.
14:01He said,
14:01she's lost your voice
14:02and we can't find it anywhere.
14:04I know.
14:04And that has always stayed with me.
14:06Just, it's, it's here.
14:17That's all you can say.
14:19Um, it just takes your breath away.
14:23And it's all the memories now.
14:25Yes.
14:25I can be stood there
14:26waiting for Morecambe and Wise
14:28to come to us.
14:34It's just brought it all back.
14:36After 63 years.
14:41Will you shut up about that?
14:46The cine film has left
14:47an incredible record
14:48of the 1953 pantomime.
14:51Now, for the first time,
14:53we're on.
14:54Valerie and Yvonne
14:54can see themselves
14:55on stage with Eric and Ernie.
14:59Oh, there he is.
15:00That's Ernie.
15:01Ernie.
15:06Absolutely.
15:14That's it.
15:14That's it.
15:15That's it.
15:16That's it.
15:17Oh, I feel so sick.
15:19Oh, I feel so sick.
15:23Oh, it's brought tears to me eyes now.
15:34Oh, isn't it?
15:38It seems strange watching it now.
15:40Oh, that's wonderful.
15:49Do you know,
15:50never in this lifetime
15:52would you think
15:52to come back all these years
15:53and see something like that,
15:55would you?
15:56Never?
15:57No.
15:57This was the only time
16:01Valerie and Yvonne
16:02would work with
16:03Morecambe and Wise.
16:05But pantomime
16:06would prove a key booking
16:07for Eric and Ernie
16:07each year,
16:09working as part of a team
16:10both on and off stage.
16:19Stan, Stan,
16:20and Dad without his glasses,
16:23looking a bit blind.
16:25On the wing,
16:26he's played left wing.
16:27Charity football matches
16:34between theatres
16:35were quite common
16:36in the 50s.
16:38And my dad,
16:39being a big, big football fan,
16:41he would have obviously
16:42made sure that there was
16:43a Babes in the Wood
16:44football team.
16:45And they would challenge
16:46then another local theatre
16:47to play a game
16:49on a Sunday
16:50when obviously
16:50everybody had the day off.
16:58Enjoying it.
16:58Look at this.
16:59This is real, real football.
17:00Look, he's really got into it.
17:02Whoa.
17:03He's the one with the red socks.
17:04Yeah.
17:07Well, cool.
17:07Good cross.
17:08Yeah, it was quite good,
17:09wasn't it?
17:14The football matches,
17:16they were all big
17:16social occasions.
17:18And you met the other
17:21members of the show business
17:23family,
17:23your show business family.
17:25We were like
17:25we were like
17:26brothers and sisters.
17:28They were very good,
17:29good fun,
17:29good fun.
17:35Do you not think
17:36that you were filming?
17:37You're probably filming.
17:37Someone else must be filming.
17:38Well, I did have to swim
17:39because I got shouted off
17:40of,
17:41I was going on
17:42on the pitch.
17:43And they were saying,
17:43get off,
17:44get off the pitch.
17:46So I evidently
17:47got carried away
17:48and ending up in there.
17:51So I got shouted
17:52out to get off the pitch.
17:53That's hilarious.
17:55I once said to him,
18:03did you ever consider
18:05being a professional footballer?
18:06Because his dad
18:07was supposed to have been
18:08and they were all
18:09very sporty
18:10on his father's side.
18:12And he just looked at me
18:14and he said,
18:14two problems, Gail.
18:17Both feet.
18:21So he clearly
18:22didn't think
18:22he would make it.
18:22He didn't think
18:23he'd make it, yeah.
18:24No, he wasn't
18:25into that league,
18:26I don't think.
18:29A great fan
18:30of the beautiful game,
18:31Eric was in his element
18:32on the pitch.
18:37In the 1950s,
18:38Eric and Ernie's winters
18:39were taken up
18:40by Panto.
18:42But the spring
18:42heralded the beginning
18:43of another vital part
18:45of their working lives.
18:46and wherever they went,
18:49their cameras went with them.
18:51If a Viratia's got
18:52a good summer season
18:53and a pantomime,
18:55you were having
18:56a wonderful year.
18:58The summer season
18:58did start in April or May
19:00and finish in November.
19:02A long, long season.
19:03It's hard to appreciate
19:10what a special thing
19:11summer season was,
19:12not just for the punters,
19:14but also for the performers.
19:16The British seaside
19:17was booming back then.
19:19In those days,
19:20they had what they call
19:21wakes weeks,
19:22when a town
19:23or a city
19:24would just close down
19:25for the week
19:26and everybody
19:28would go on holiday.
19:28We did enjoy
19:32summer seasons
19:33very much,
19:34but once
19:35I had children
19:36of school age,
19:39it became a case of
19:40Eric would go down
19:42to wherever it was
19:43and then when the children
19:44broke up from school,
19:46I had a little car
19:47of my own
19:47and I would drive them down
19:49and that was lovely.
19:55Summer seasons
19:56were very important
19:57in our lives
19:58as kids together.
19:58It became more
20:00of a family holiday,
20:01funnily enough.
20:02My father actually
20:03could join in
20:04the fun of it
20:05and then just do
20:06that nasty business
20:06around about 6 o'clock
20:07where he had to go
20:08and do a show
20:08and then come back.
20:14But for us
20:15as a family unit,
20:16we just simply
20:17transplanted ourselves
20:18from a home
20:19to another home
20:21and it was all
20:21rather fun, really.
20:26Funny thing was
20:27with Eric and Ernie
20:29was that in the 50s
20:30they were not
20:31household names
20:32in the way
20:32that we'd think
20:33of comics today.
20:35But actually,
20:36for the course
20:37of that summer,
20:37they would really
20:38be in the spotlight
20:39and they would be
20:39expected not just
20:40to perform in the show
20:42but to get out
20:42and sell the show.
20:43certainly both Eric
20:51and Ernie,
20:51they got roped in
20:53for judging
20:54beauty competitions
20:55and you always had
20:57that.
20:57That was a feature
20:58at the seaside.
21:00Look at the high heels
21:02with the swimming
21:02costumes.
21:10Little would they know
21:11that we're sitting here
21:12watching them
21:13and their youth.
21:13Now I know.
21:18One of the very nice
21:20things was when
21:21there was a huge
21:22garden party
21:23and all the showbiz
21:25people working
21:26in Blackpool
21:26and there were many.
21:28They would all go
21:29to the garden party.
21:34It was a chance
21:35to meet all your friends,
21:36all the other turns,
21:38a chance to look
21:39at the stars
21:40and say,
21:40wow,
21:41she's beautiful.
21:43It was a chance
21:43to see all the big names.
21:45So yeah,
21:46it was a great
21:46social occasion.
21:53In 1958,
21:55four years after
21:56their first attempt
21:57at television
21:57had failed,
21:59Eric and Ernie
21:59were appearing
22:00in summer season
22:01at the Morecambe
22:02Winter Gardens.
22:03On the bill
22:04was a spectacular
22:05line-up featuring
22:06stars of stage,
22:08radio and television.
22:13Joining them
22:14in the chorus
22:14was an 18-year-old
22:15dancer who would
22:17soon have Eric
22:17and Joan to thank
22:18for a key turning
22:19point in her life.
22:24We were very fond
22:25of Fiona Castle
22:26and we sort of
22:27took her under
22:27our wing a bit
22:28and then of course
22:29it was Eric and I,
22:31well Eric mainly,
22:32that introduced
22:32Fiona to Roy Castle.
22:38It was one of those
22:39weekends when I was
22:40staying with them
22:41and Roy happened
22:42to come on the television.
22:43I thought he was
22:44so brilliant.
22:45So in a silly moment
22:46I said to Eric,
22:47oh, if ever you do a show
22:48with Roy Castle,
22:49can I come along
22:50because I'd love
22:50to meet him?
22:51I think he's so talented
22:52and all I got was,
22:54oh, all right, love.
23:00And it was probably
23:01two or three years later
23:03and Eric rang me
23:05at the theatre
23:05and said,
23:06hey, I'm doing
23:06a television with Roy,
23:07do you want to come along?
23:08It's on a Sunday.
23:09And so I went with
23:11Eric's wife,
23:13with Joan
23:13and Eric took me
23:15into Roy's dressing room
23:16and I was so excited
23:17about this
23:18and it was the worst
23:20moment of my life
23:21because Eric just said,
23:23Roy, this is Fiona,
23:24she's in love with you
23:25and then left.
23:27Thank you, Eric.
23:28Oh.
23:31We got married
23:32a year later
23:33and Eric felt
23:35so responsible
23:35for what he had done
23:37that he used to
23:38ring us every month
23:39to make sure
23:39we were still
23:40speaking to one another.
23:47It's been over
23:48five decades
23:49since the summer season
23:50Fiona shared
23:51with Eric and Ernie
23:52in this theatre.
24:07This brings back
24:08so many memories
24:09from such a long time ago.
24:11It's nearly 60 years
24:13since I was here.
24:17We always share
24:1850-50.
24:20We haven't got 50,
24:21we've got one.
24:24They were very well-known
24:25in those days
24:26but it was before
24:27they became very famous
24:28with lots of television shows.
24:30Why don't you come on
24:31at the same time as me
24:32and then you'll know
24:32what I'm talking about.
24:33We'll have to keep repeating it.
24:34Ah, but you've got
24:35those short,
24:35fat, little hairy legs
24:36that go like that up there.
24:39There was always
24:39a wonderful chemistry
24:41between Eric and Ernie.
24:43They seemed to know
24:44what they were both
24:46capable of doing
24:47in different ways.
24:49They were brilliant.
24:50Two shows a night,
25:01six days a week.
25:02Time off was rare.
25:03But on one occasion
25:05the company took a trip together
25:07to Keswick
25:07in the Lake District,
25:09all filmed by Eric
25:10on his cine camera.
25:20Oh my goodness,
25:21that's me.
25:23Was I ever that young?
25:31I've never seen
25:32this footage before
25:33and this is
25:35absolutely amazing.
25:42We all went out
25:43for a day
25:43as a sort of treat.
25:45The whole company
25:46was very special
25:49in those days
25:49to do anything
25:50that was not just
25:52the work that we had to do
25:54so it was lovely.
25:58There's Ernie
25:59pretending to be
26:00the driver of the bus.
26:02And there we were,
26:04the old dancers
26:04there at the back.
26:09There's Joan,
26:10I can see her.
26:12Semperini
26:13making a fool
26:14of himself.
26:19Some lovely memories.
26:20But Eric and Ernie's
26:28double act
26:28was soon to be seen
26:29in sunnier climes
26:30than the seaside towns
26:31of northern England.
26:33In 1958,
26:35with their television careers
26:36already seemingly behind them,
26:39Morkman Wise
26:39took their comedy
26:40and their cameras
26:41to the other side
26:42of the world.
26:43Oh, look at this.
26:52Is that a Sydney
26:53harbour bridge?
26:56He did.
26:57And you were away
26:58for six months.
26:59Three months in Sydney,
27:00was it?
27:01And three months in Melbourne.
27:02Three months in Melbourne.
27:02Yeah.
27:02A telegram come
27:10from Eric and Ernie's agent
27:12and I think
27:13there was a bit
27:14of a dilemma
27:15over their future.
27:16But then that came
27:17and of course
27:18that was like
27:19pennies from heaven.
27:22That was extraordinary.
27:24And to go to Australia,
27:25I mean,
27:26you know,
27:27the other side
27:27of the world.
27:28A trip of a lifetime.
27:36We would never
27:36have been able
27:37to go there otherwise
27:38if it wasn't
27:39that work took us there.
27:40But it was a mixed blessing
27:41for you, wasn't it?
27:42Because you did find it
27:44difficult to leave
27:45Gary and I.
27:45At first,
27:46I wouldn't go
27:47and Eric said,
27:48well, if you don't come,
27:49I don't go.
27:50We don't do the work.
27:52So you're put on the spot
27:53then, you know.
27:56I was very upset
27:57and also, you know,
27:59on the mobile phones.
28:00Now, you'd always
28:00be in touch.
28:02But then we used
28:03to sort of have
28:04an arrangement
28:04whereby we rang
28:05at a certain time
28:06to be able to have
28:07a quick word with you.
28:10A postcard sent
28:11by Joan to Gale
28:12from San Francisco
28:13reads,
28:15I'm glad we didn't
28:16bring you dear
28:16as it feels like
28:17we've been travelling
28:18for weeks
28:18and are still only
28:19halfway to Australia.
28:21We are at the airport
28:22now waiting for a plane
28:23to Honolulu
28:24and it is late at night.
28:26We do miss our two
28:27lovely children.
28:29Hope you're looking
28:29after Gary for me, dear.
28:31I had a fantastic
28:33six months
28:35with my grandparents
28:36and I remember
28:38that I had a dress
28:40which my grandmother
28:41had said
28:42I couldn't wear
28:43because they were
28:45going to keep it.
28:46It was going to be
28:46very special
28:47and I could wear it
28:48when mum and dad
28:49came back.
28:51And this particular day
28:53she said,
28:55Gail, do you want
28:55to go and try
28:55that dress on?
28:56Let's see if it still fits.
28:58And I went and put
28:59the dress on
28:59and what feels like
29:01not very long afterwards
29:02mum and dad walked
29:02in through the front door.
29:09I could have wept
29:10when I came back
29:11and thought
29:11they've grown that amount
29:13since I've been gone,
29:14you know.
29:19Before the tour began
29:20Eric and Ernie
29:21treated themselves
29:22to brand new
29:23Super 8 cameras.
29:25The home movie footage
29:27shot by the pair
29:27documents their
29:28extraordinary trip
29:29around the world
29:30in an age
29:31when foreign travel
29:32was a luxury.
29:40You dressed up
29:41to go on a plane then.
29:43Now everyone puts on
29:45something for comfort,
29:46an old pair of jeans
29:47for them.
29:47But you dressed up,
29:48you were going on a flight
29:49so you put your nice
29:51clothes, your smart
29:51clothes on.
29:56Eric was very excited
29:57about going abroad
29:59and working abroad,
30:00slightly nervous
30:01as to how they would do.
30:03But no, actually
30:04they were welcomed,
30:05you know, like royalty.
30:14Look at that mum.
30:16Incredible, isn't it?
30:17That's beautiful, isn't it?
30:19This is a test match,
30:22isn't it, in Australia?
30:24Oh, wow.
30:25Yeah, that's a test match.
30:26We got hooked on it.
30:28We went more or less
30:29every day to watch cricket.
30:31Yeah, absolutely got hooked
30:33on it, got so excited
30:34with it.
30:35And this was a test match,
30:37was it?
30:37I loved it, yeah.
30:37I loved the test match.
30:38This was the days when
30:39Richie Benno was playing
30:39for Australia.
30:40Wow.
30:41Half of the England side
30:44back to our flat
30:47and cooked them roast turkey.
30:50You're amazing.
30:51So I presume it must have been
30:52crisp, I don't know,
30:53but all I know is
30:53I cooked them a roast turkey dinner.
30:55On their journey home
31:03from their Australian tour,
31:04Eric and Joan
31:05and Ernie and Doreen
31:06took in the sights
31:07of New Zealand,
31:09Fiji,
31:09Los Angeles
31:10and Las Vegas.
31:11It's only through
31:18Eric and Ernie's work
31:20that we ever got the chance.
31:22We would never in our lifetime
31:23have had the chance
31:24to go abroad like that,
31:26you know.
31:26So we had a lot
31:28to be grateful for
31:29and we certainly made
31:33the most of it.
31:34We really did.
31:35Not many young men
31:40who have been brought up
31:41in very, very humble backgrounds
31:43end up sort of
31:44seeing the world,
31:45you know,
31:45Australia, New York,
31:47everywhere.
31:48Well, it's nice to know
31:49that I've done it all.
31:50MUSIC PLAYS
31:50Within two years
32:00of their trip
32:01to the other side
32:01of the world,
32:02Morecambe and Wise
32:03were back on TV
32:04with their first series
32:05for ITV,
32:07Two of a Kind.
32:09You are a funny man,
32:10aren't you?
32:10I am, yes.
32:12I'm very tall as well.
32:13Yes, the feet are
32:13on the floor, you are there.
32:14LAUGHTER
32:14But they harboured
32:20even more ambitious plans
32:22to become stars in America.
32:28During the 1960s,
32:30Eric and Ernie,
32:31along with their wives
32:32and cameras,
32:32made regular trips
32:34across the Atlantic
32:35to appear on the nation's
32:36most-watched entertainment series,
32:38The Ed Sullivan Show.
32:48Ed Sullivan was the host
32:50of this huge show in America.
32:52If you got an offer
32:53from Ed Sullivan,
32:54you didn't turn it down.
32:55He was over here
32:59looking for talent
33:00to take to America.
33:01He was always looking
33:02for new faces.
33:04And it was him,
33:05him,
33:06that said to Eric and Ernie,
33:09you know,
33:09would you like to come over
33:10and work in America?
33:14Morkman Wise would appear
33:15on The Ed Sullivan Show
33:16a dozen times
33:17over five years,
33:19stopping off for holidays
33:20on their way back
33:21from New York.
33:25It was very exciting,
33:27very different,
33:28terribly noisy.
33:29We did do the sightseeing stuff,
33:31which was lovely.
33:32Actually seeing the home movies
33:42and seeing all the different places
33:44that they went to,
33:46that's actually quite
33:46an eye-opener for me
33:47because as a child,
33:49your parents have gone away.
33:51You've gone to live
33:51with somebody else.
33:53You don't actually think
33:54about what they're doing.
33:57And now I look at it
33:58and I think,
33:59my goodness me,
34:00I mean,
34:00they did see
34:01a huge amount
34:02of the world.
34:06The glamour of those days
34:08when you look at that footage
34:09of New York,
34:10it's unreal, isn't it?
34:11All these big coats
34:12and scarves
34:13and hats
34:13and it's just extraordinary.
34:15Yeah,
34:15a real time gone.
34:19But despite their many visits,
34:21Morkman Wise's breakthrough
34:22in America proved evasive,
34:25leaving Eric and Ernie
34:26with opposing views
34:26on the next step
34:27of their career.
34:30Ernie always wanted
34:32to make it in the States.
34:34As a kid,
34:34he was described
34:35as an ex-Mickey Rooney
34:36and he had a dream
34:37of becoming that.
34:39And for him,
34:40going on the Ed Sullivan show,
34:41going to America
34:42was all his dreams
34:43come true.
34:44Eric wasn't so keen.
34:47His view was
34:48they'd worked extremely hard
34:50to get it to a point
34:53where it was really
34:54beginning to take off
34:55in this country.
34:56You know,
34:57why would they want
34:58to start all over again
34:59somewhere else?
35:02Conquering America
35:02proved the only difference
35:03of ambition
35:04Eric and Ernie
35:05would have
35:05during their whole career.
35:07But even so,
35:08their friendship
35:09never faltered.
35:11The relationship
35:12between those two men,
35:13it was a great affection,
35:15but Eric was always saying,
35:16he's not the best
35:17straight man in the business,
35:19best one I'll ever have.
35:20He was always making remarks
35:21like that in front of Ernie.
35:23It was lovely.
35:27Dad and Ernie
35:27always look so happy.
35:29Yeah,
35:29always smiling
35:30and always laughing.
35:33Ernie always laughed
35:34at everything Eric did
35:36and Eric always laughed
35:37at everything Ernie did.
35:38So they were great,
35:39you know,
35:40great appreciative society
35:42among themselves.
35:43They both appreciated
35:44each other's work.
35:48And they were closer
35:49than brothers.
35:51For me,
35:51seeing the footage
35:52of Eric and Ernie,
35:53I didn't realise
35:54just how close it all was
35:55and that they were
35:55just laughing constantly.
36:01Their relationship
36:02was just phenomenal,
36:03absolutely phenomenal.
36:04And I find it very moving,
36:06actually,
36:06with the footage
36:07because seeing them so young,
36:09you know,
36:09these are guys
36:10in their 20s,
36:10early 30s
36:11and already on
36:12an amazing journey,
36:13to be honest,
36:14and a long way to go yet.
36:16But just seeing them
36:17having fun doing it.
36:19Their relationship
36:20offscreen,
36:21they had separate lives.
36:23People thought
36:24they lived in each
36:24other's pockets
36:25and they both said,
36:27no,
36:28we don't want that.
36:30They led very different lives,
36:32these old friends.
36:41Ernie's home movies
36:42show another side
36:43to the showman on stage.
36:44At home in Peterborough,
36:47he enjoyed a simple life
36:48with his wife
36:49and his dog.
36:53Ernie was completely different
36:54off stage
36:55to when he was on.
36:56When he was at home,
36:57he liked to be,
36:58you know,
36:59just quiet
37:00and do what he wanted
37:01and do some reading
37:02and go on his boat
37:03and that sort of thing.
37:04He was a man
37:14that had a life
37:15apart from show business.
37:18He would enjoy himself
37:20with the rest of us.
37:22Ernie was very friendly,
37:32very,
37:32most affable.
37:34It was just
37:35what you saw you got.
37:37He used to walk up
37:38and down the street
37:38signing autographs
37:40and he was switched off
37:41from being on the stage.
37:50He would never turn down
37:52anybody
37:52for an autograph
37:53or a picture.
37:55He was a lovely man.
37:59Ernie
37:59was not
38:01an extrovert.
38:05He would be
38:06quite quiet
38:07and come to life
38:08when somebody spoke to him
38:09but Ernie
38:10wasn't a man
38:11going,
38:12you know,
38:13it's me.
38:14Ernie was.
38:14You know who I am.
38:15No, not remotely.
38:21Ernie
38:21was very,
38:22was a very astute
38:23personality
38:25and mind.
38:30It was always
38:31a pleasure
38:31to be with
38:32and work with.
38:38There's Ted
38:44and Doreen,
38:45yep.
38:48This was
38:49Stephen's
38:50christening.
38:51That's right,
38:52Stephen's christening
38:52and of course
38:53Ernie
38:53was godfather.
38:57Jackie
38:57Hockridge
38:58and her husband
38:58Edmund
38:59had met
38:59Ernie
38:59during summer
39:00season
39:01in Torquay
39:01in 1961.
39:03They became
39:04lifelong friends
39:04and next-door
39:05neighbours.
39:06Ernie
39:11was responsible
39:12for getting us here.
39:13We were saying
39:14that we were
39:14looking for a house
39:15and Ernie
39:17said,
39:17well there's
39:18a lovely house
39:18going next door.
39:20I said,
39:20we don't know
39:21anything about
39:21Peterborough.
39:22I don't know
39:22about that.
39:23He said,
39:23well why don't
39:23you come
39:23and spend
39:24a weekend?
39:25So we went
39:27and spent
39:27a weekend
39:28with them
39:28and we went
39:29out to supper
39:30that night
39:30and the guy
39:31burst into
39:32the restaurant
39:33and said,
39:33I accept
39:33your offer
39:34and we said,
39:34what offer?
39:36Ernie had
39:37evidently
39:37been in
39:38and said
39:38we pay
39:39so-so
39:40such and such
39:40and such
39:40and such
39:40and unbeknown
39:42to us
39:42and we went
39:43back to
39:43Manchester
39:44thinking,
39:45wow,
39:46we bought
39:46a house
39:47in Peterborough.
39:49He was so funny
39:51Ernie
39:51because he was
39:51so proud
39:52of his cars
39:53and the one
39:54thing we would
39:54say,
39:54oh he's
39:55washing his
39:56car again.
39:56well we used
40:02to have
40:03an occasional
40:03party here
40:04and so did
40:06Dorian and Ernie
40:07we used to
40:07go into each
40:08other's house
40:08for dinner
40:09or something
40:09like that
40:10just for a bit
40:10of fun
40:11there were times
40:12when we'd have
40:12a party
40:13and Dorian
40:13used to be
40:14a dancer
40:14and I used
40:15to be a dancer
40:15so we used
40:16to have a
40:16dance around
40:18just impromptu
40:19you know
40:20it was always
40:21a lot of fun
40:21of course
40:22yeah
40:22it's lovely
40:25to see it
40:26actually
40:26it is
40:27oh goodness
40:29me
40:29while Ernie
40:38enjoyed life
40:38in suburban
40:39Peterborough
40:39Eric's family
40:41movies
40:41shot at home
40:42in Hertfordshire
40:42reveal a quieter
40:43side to the
40:44more extrovert
40:45of the pair
40:45the side he
40:46shared with
40:47his son
40:47Stephen
40:48who the
40:48Morecambe's
40:49adopted
40:49in 1973
40:50we both
40:57had a
40:57passion
40:58for trail
40:59fishing
40:59and
41:00we spent
41:01many a
41:01time down
41:02on the
41:02river
41:02test
41:03we'd go
41:06out for
41:07the whole
41:07day
41:07we had
41:08some
41:08really
41:09good
41:09quality
41:10times
41:10father
41:11and son
41:11times
41:12and he
41:12enjoyed
41:13it
41:13he really
41:14did
41:14you could
41:15see it
41:16in him
41:16that he
41:16was
41:16totally
41:17relaxed
41:17he liked
41:21the peace
41:21and quiet
41:22and I
41:23mean the
41:23house here
41:24situated in
41:24the countryside
41:25he would
41:26sit here
41:26with binoculars
41:27bird watching
41:28he got really
41:30quite good at
41:31identifying all
41:31the birds
41:32then we would
41:33walk do the
41:33slow walk
41:34across the
41:35farmland
41:35where he could
41:36see the
41:37more birds
41:37and everything
41:38so yeah
41:38it was just
41:39his time
41:39to take
41:40it easier
41:41I think
41:44he really
41:45enjoyed
41:45taking
41:45photos
41:46you know
41:46taking
41:47stills
41:48and that
41:48I do
41:49remember
41:49more as
41:50a child
41:50this constant
41:51having to
41:51pose
41:52for a
41:52photo
41:52then you
41:59say well
41:59let's take
42:00one of you
42:00and you
42:01say okay
42:01just a
42:02minute
42:02he'd find
42:03a false
42:04moustache
42:04and he put
42:05a tea
42:05cozy
42:05on his
42:06head
42:06and he
42:07stand
42:07there
42:08and he
42:08had
42:08the
42:09china
42:09chicken
42:10and he
42:10just
42:10standing
42:11there
42:11smiling
42:11you
42:12think
42:12I
42:12didn't
42:13want
42:13to
42:13take
42:13a
42:13picture
42:13of
42:14you
42:14I
42:15don't
42:15know
42:16I've
42:16got
42:16any
42:16of him
42:17just
42:17being
42:17normal
42:18even
42:21offstage
42:22Eric
42:22Morecambe
42:23could never
42:23stifle the
42:24entertainer
42:24in himself
42:25for long
42:25at home
42:26his children
42:27and their
42:28friends
42:28proved the
42:29perfect
42:29audience
42:29my
42:34father
42:35when he
42:35was
42:35around
42:36children
42:37it
42:40just
42:40brought
42:40out
42:40the
42:41seven
42:42year
42:42old
42:42in
42:42him
42:43it
42:46is
42:46honestly
42:47true
42:48that in
42:48the
42:48summer
42:49there
42:50would
42:50be
42:50a
42:50knock
42:51at
42:51the
42:51door
42:51after
42:52tea
42:52in
42:52the
42:52evening
42:53and
42:54there
42:54would
42:54be
42:55a
42:55child
42:55there
42:55is
42:57Mr.
42:58Bartholomew
42:58playing
42:59tonight
42:59and
43:00we
43:01played
43:01hours
43:02and
43:02hours
43:03and
43:08all
43:08my
43:08friends
43:09would
43:09come
43:09to
43:09play
43:10with
43:10him
43:10which
43:12is
43:12extraordinary
43:13I
43:14don't
43:14think
43:14I
43:14realised
43:15it
43:15at
43:15the
43:15time
43:16I
43:16might
43:16not
43:16have
43:16liked
43:17it
43:17at
43:17the
43:17time
43:17but
43:17now
43:18I
43:19realise
43:19completely
43:20that
43:20the
43:20entertainment
43:21was
43:21playing
43:22with
43:22dad
43:23my
43:31father
43:31loved
43:31it
43:31when
43:32all
43:32the
43:32kids
43:32in
43:32the
43:33area
43:33got
43:33together
43:33and
43:34went
43:34off
43:34on
43:35bikes
43:35he
43:38would
43:38want
43:38to
43:38join
43:39in
43:39really
43:39he
43:40would
43:40just
43:40be
43:40a
43:40child
43:41himself
43:41what
43:52I
43:52hadn't
43:52anticipated
43:52it
43:53would
43:54still
43:54be
43:54like
43:54that
43:54one
43:54is
43:54in
43:55my
43:55twenties
43:55still
43:56kind
43:56of
43:57wanting
43:57to
43:57join
43:58in
43:58and
43:59that's
43:59lovely
43:59and
43:59they're
44:00my
44:00greatest
44:00memories
44:01Neighbours and childhood friends of Gary and Gail were Erica and Amanda Kilburn
44:10They grew up around Eric's playfulness and great sense of fun
44:14and alongside his own children he often filmed their adventures
44:18We're about three houses away and of course as kids you want to play with other kids in the neighbourhood so we ended up going down to the Morecams and meeting Eric and Joan whom we call Mr. and Mrs. Bartholomew and their children Gail and Gary
44:36seeing if they had better toys than us seeing if they had better toys than us or not
44:39We had an awesome childhood we were gone from dawn to dusk we'd play in this thing we'd make forts we'd make houses and as kids it was absolutely incredible
44:57Mrs. Bartholomew was great she was so homey friendly welcoming nice excellent cook you know took care of us
45:09Very kind
45:10Yes
45:11Mr. Bartholomew he was just hysterical he was always funny he was always doing things
45:15There was always a little comment
45:16There was always something going on it was a lot of fun
45:19I remember him with that cine camera a lot quite a lot walking around with it
45:27But you know he never wanted us to not be natural
45:30So there was never any in it's like oh can you redo that again ride your bikes past me again while I get that shot
45:36He got what he got and I think he loved that
45:39Erica and Amanda have never seen any of the footage that Eric recorded
45:46But today along with Gary and Gail they can look back on a family holiday to the Norfolk Broads that they shared with the Morecans
45:57Who's that it's you oh my god what you're wearing again
46:08I look like a boy what was with that I hate to get my hair cut I'm about what 10 so I'm 13
46:15That's about 80 years ago then
46:17Oh America
46:23Oh very glad
46:24Excuse me that was the style thank you back then
46:30The jeans are great up to the navel
46:34There's Gary
46:40You look amazing
46:43That's a great shot
46:56Look at your mum and dad isn't that nice
46:58Oh it is lovely
46:59Yeah
47:00Isn't that nice
47:00My mum will like this
47:02That's so young is that
47:03Great to see footage with dad in it that isn't work related though
47:12I think it was very important to dad to make it look good
47:18Yeah and to focus on people
47:20Yeah
47:20He enjoyed that
47:21And he was very good at it really
47:23I think he was
47:24But the funny thing was he couldn't go out of a room with me without looking at me
47:34And I'd be you know rolling my eyes and like oh
47:37And he'd just say you'll miss me you'll miss me when I'm gone
47:41Yeah
47:41And somehow that was always the theme
47:44Yes as if somehow I've done the films and there's the TV shows
47:49And he did ask me to watch
47:51He did say you will watch
47:52Weren't you
47:53Amazing
48:01Boat trips, days out
48:13And family picnics
48:15All were recorded by Eric
48:19But the Morecans and their camera
48:23Also ventured further afield for their holidays
48:26Dad loved going on holiday didn't he
48:34He did love going on holiday
48:35He loved going to Portugal didn't he
48:37Well that actually was his favourite
48:40From the time that I was about 12 I think
48:47We had a villa in Portugal
48:48And he absolutely loved going to Portugal
48:51That was his second home
48:53Dad would never have gone on holiday without packing his camera
48:56Would he?
48:57Oh I think that would be essential
48:58We went over to Portugal because it gave Eric a little bowl tour
49:07And it gave the kids wonderful holidays
49:11Eric was never a sand and sea person
49:20So invariably he would sit on the veranda
49:24You know in his shorts and his hat
49:26And to have his little portable typewriter
49:29And he'd sit there planning the next Christmas show
49:32He would stay at the villa
49:36While we'd all go down to the beach
49:38And I know that when he was then on his own in the villa
49:41That's when he would be doing a lot of thinking about the shows
49:44He would play music and get ideas
49:46I think he used to even write stuff down
49:49Ideas for sketches
49:50And then we'd come back from the beach
49:53And he'd talk about what he'd been doing
49:56I've got tonsillitis again
50:01Yes, we must have been on holiday
50:03You're in bed ill
50:04Yeah, as soon as the sun came out
50:06It's funny, isn't it?
50:07It's really weird
50:07He's a little short shorts
50:16And I love the fact that he's got his socks on still
50:19Socks and sandals
50:21Never took his socks off, did he?
50:22He's typically British, you see
50:23You always wear your socks
50:24I think the longest stint we ever did was a month
50:33And I can remember thinking that I thought that might drag
50:36But it went by in an absolute blink of an eye
50:39I can't imagine that he was ever still on the beach
50:44I don't remember him ever sunbathing in my life
50:47No
50:47It's funny how dad would never learn how to swim
50:51When we got him waist deep into our swimming pool
50:55That was an achievement
50:56Yeah
50:56The footage has brought back many memories of childhood
51:04Definitely and the family environment
51:06Because a lot of that footage is completely fresh and new
51:10To me, I've not seen it before ever
51:12So seeing us all sort of having a laugh really
51:15And playing on the beaches
51:16And my father messing around like he did
51:18And my mother involved
51:19It's wonderful
51:21Because it does trigger that feeling
51:22Of, oh yeah, it might have been 50 odd years ago
51:25But yeah, it was great, wasn't it?
51:27And you do remember it
51:28It does come back
51:28Eric and Ernie's home movies captured an era
51:52When Britain was still discovering the two men
51:54Who would soon write their own chapter in television history
51:57The world misses me
51:59Nobody misses you
52:00The world misses me
52:01Who misses you?
52:02I'll tell you who misses me
52:03I'll tell you who misses me
52:04Who?
52:05My missus misses me
52:06But the archives hold one last surprise
52:13An audio reel containing Eric's personal commentary
52:17To some of his footage
52:18Recorded in his study at home
52:20This is the first time his family have heard it
52:23This is a movie with sound
52:30And then the rains came
52:37He's still acting
52:38He's doing a story again
52:40There's nothing she can say about this one
52:45Is there?
52:53Gail and Gary
52:54On a rainy day
52:58Oh, isn't that incredible?
53:03Absolutely amazing
53:05Ah
53:07Now this looks interesting
53:10I had absolutely no idea that Dad had put sound on any of his films
53:16No idea at all
53:18Gail in the lead
53:20Luckily we went with them
53:22Otherwise you'll never know what they get up to
53:23That's unbelievable
53:27It's amazing hearing Dad's voice on this
53:29Yeah
53:29Incredible
53:30He must have told us what to do
53:34There she is
53:42I wish there was more of his voice
53:44I'd love to have heard him in some of the other clips
53:47With an out of focus zoom
53:49Wow
53:52That's incredible
53:54Just that bit
53:55That's absolute magic
53:56Extraordinary
53:56God, wouldn't he be thrilled
53:58He would be very thrilled at the watching
54:00I think that's probably the most staggering thing of the whole footage
54:04Because when you put the man's voice to it
54:06As well as a camera that he's filmed with
54:08Suddenly you've got the man there again
54:10And that's, you know, that kills off all those years in between
54:13And suddenly it's immediate
54:14And we're back there ourselves
54:15All this filming
54:24It's incredible
54:26Absolutely
54:26And he probably did it for this very reason
54:28Well it certainly is a perfect record
54:30You could never have got the same from just still pictures
54:33Could you?
54:35But it's a fantastic
54:36Sort of
54:37That was amazing
54:38History also
54:39Right through
54:40Our lives in a way, you know
54:42Fantastic history
54:44Amazing
54:45Absolutely amazing
54:45I think the filming now
54:59It shows people
55:00Who only see Eric
55:02As a comedian
55:04Know that he has a family
55:05But I think it certainly shows people
55:07Just how much he was involved
55:10You know
55:10How much
55:11It was this other side
55:13And
55:14I wouldn't have changed anything
55:15For the world, you know
55:17He might have died young
55:26But he got an awful lot into his life
55:29Well he always said, you know
55:30When he felt a bit
55:31Doubtful of his future
55:34He always said
55:35Nobody wants to grieve for me
55:37I've had a wonderful life
55:39Oh
55:40Always said that
55:40I've had a wonderful life
55:42He said that days before he died
55:43Yes, I remember
55:44Well he certainly loved his way through
55:47An awful lot of it, didn't he?
55:49And filmed his way through
55:50Yes
55:50I had no idea
56:03That they'd filmed all this stuff
56:05Actually when they were doing
56:07Pantomime
56:08Or doing the live shows
56:10On the variety circuit
56:11And to me
56:14It was very moving
56:15It was quite kind of emotional
56:16Eric and Ernie
56:24Just made everybody smile
56:25Through their years
56:27On TV
56:28And on stage
56:28And you know
56:30I think we're all very lucky
56:31To have had them
56:31I think people
56:39Will be surprised
56:40To see a different Eric and Ernie
56:42To see such a joyous Eric and Ernie
56:44That are clearly
56:45Yes, they might be performing
56:47But they're only performing
56:48For home footage
56:49It's not for anything else
56:50Other than a bit of fun
56:51Yeah, absolutely brilliant
56:56To see that
56:56See that difference
56:57They were unique
57:05I don't think anybody has
57:07The same sense of humour
57:08And the way of doing things
57:11That they did as a couple
57:13People tell me
57:24Well, you're very lucky
57:25Because you've got all the programmes
57:26And you see your father
57:27On the programmes
57:28But that isn't Dad
57:30That is Eric Morecam
57:32Whereas this film
57:35These films
57:36They're just Dad and Ernie
57:39You're not seeing
57:41Morecambe and Wise
57:42And for me
57:44There's a huge difference
57:47That is Eric Morecambe
57:50Transcription by CastingWords
58:21Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan are ready and waiting.
58:24I'd love to see some deer and badgers.
58:27Spring Watch is next.
58:29One of Shakespeare's greatest plays with modern-day themes,
58:32families, power and greed,
58:34an A-list cast in King Lear at 9.30.
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