Morecambe & Wise

Contents: the opening scene sees Dave Prowse as Ernie's bodyguard "Cosmo" fresh from his fame as Darth Vader in the Star Wars films, and also features a new sketch set in a Chinese Restaurant which is something of a return to form; Anthony Chinn, Raymond Mason and Fiesta Mei Ling also star.

Content: the sequence that features Hannah Gordon re-uses material from her previous appearance on a BBC show, only the song at the end changes, and the sketch with Hugh Paddick as the "fellow writer" is directly copied from a previous BBC incarnation too. Only the nature of the comedy in this sketch have dated it somewhat, with stereotypical allusions to homosexuality – although Morecambe's jibes are good natured and largely inoffensive. Frank Coda also features.

Content: the sketch featuring Terry Wogan is largely a re-hash of a routine done with Cliff Richard some years earlier although there are updates, and the production number at the end is different. However, Morecambe appears to be in good health and he is clearly relishing the opportunity to be performing again. A good start to a fine series.

The only BBC show that Eric and Ernie made (save for series one) that wasn't penned exclusively by Eddie Braben. Instead, established writers Barry Cryer and John Junkin (among others) were drafted in to create what became another iconic show, with The Sweeney stars John Thaw and Dennis Waterman in the play, Elton John in the Won't You Play A Simple Melody? routine and, Angela Rippon's legs! The opening credits were a comic strip presentation, whilst closing credits had baby photographs of all the stars.

Diane Solomon, Maggie Fitzgibbon, Champagne

The Karlins, Vincent Zarra, Ann Hamilton, Steven Payne, Norman Percival, The Geraldine Yates Dancers

Jackie Darnell, Kenny Ball, Allan Cuthbertson, Ann Hamilton, The Geraldine Yates Dancers

Lena Zavaroni, The Spinners, Ann Hamilton, Allan Cuthbertson

Michele Dotrice, Frankie Vaughan, Patrick Moore, Tammy Jones, Jenny Lee-Wright, David Prowse

Gilbert O'Sullivan, Dilys Watling, The Vernons, Peter O'Sullevan, Arthur Tolcher, Clare Russell, Eve Blanchard

The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Wilma Reading, Jo Rowbottom, Aimee Delamain, Grazina Frame, Roy Sampson, Arthur Tolcher

Ludovic Kennedy, Wilma Reading, Allan Cuthbertson, Gordon Gostelow, Anita Tibbles, Arthur Tolcher

André Previn, Magnus Magnusson, Wilma Reading, Mrs Mills

Hannah Gordon, Mary Travers, Christopher Neil, Anthony Sharp, Raymond Mason, Christine Shaw, Hatti Riemer

Wilma Reading, Springfield Revival, Allan Cuthbertson, Ann Hamilton, Jan Rossini

Mr Memory, Soap advert, Pretty baby song, Greeting card poetry, Northwest frontier of India 1890 This programme was the subject of a documentary made by the BBC's Omnibus team entitled Fools Rush In which traced the production of a Morecambe & Wise show from its inception at the script read-through stage, through to the filming of the final product. It featured a scene set in 10 Downing Street which was closely followed in the documentary, with music from Anita Harris. The show was written by Eddie Braben, as was the majority of their output, and he is featured on the accompanying documentary being interviewed, as is producer John Ammonds among others.

Not all the shows concluded with a play What Ern Wrote and this is one notable case; instead there is a riotous scenario with Ernie deciding to get healthy, appearing at the flat with a large box of supposed health foods which were in vogue at the time. Eric fishes out a tin of "Sugar-Raspa" which of course turns out to be an asparagus tin upside down (!) before they both visit the associated shop, run by Frank Williams, at the time famous for playing the vicar in Dad's Army.

Fresh from his appearance in the BBC's own adaptation of Casanova in which he played the title role, Frank Finlay appears in the play Lust Of London which centres around the main characters of Casanova and (of course!) Moveova with long-time collaborator Ann Hamilton providing the love interest. With music from Design and Wilma Reading who sang I Don't Know How to Love Him the show concluded with the usual appearance by the guest stars and Janet Webb.

This show featured The Mighty Kong as the closing play and featured the actress Susan Hampshire as the love interest; the comedically crude special effects including a chimpanzee wreaking havoc on a terrible scale model city (complete with biplane on string!) is a memorable moment, and the blue-screened apes at the back of the set are also one of their most fondly-recalled scenes. Fame & Price sang You Are My Sunshine and the show closed in the familiar way, with Bring Me Sunshine and an appearance from the amply-proportioned lady who comes down at the end.

The inured bird, Getting a violin for the Harpenden String Quartet, The Harpenden String Quartet, Bully on the bench, Nelson, Lulu introduction, Dance routine with Lulu, Summer in the garden with Percy Edwards / bird calls

Respected thespian Robert Morley appears in The Curse Of Tutankhamen in which it is discovered that the mighty king took some unusual items to his grave including a fan belt and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps! It is also revealed that his had a sister (Tutantesi, a parody on Two-Ton Tessie) who is revealed to still be alive and played by none other than Janet Webb otherwise known as the lady who comes down at the end.

The series opened with a visit from pop star Cliff Richard to the pair's fictional flat, interrupting Eric's painting of his model Spitfire; whilst Ernie tries valiantly to be "hip" and "with it" sporting a terrible purple-flared trouser suit and red kaftan, the scene concludes with the three appearing as sailors for one of their most memorable routines based on The Fleet's In Town ending with Morecambe stepping off the ship and notable for the Playschool parody mid-way through.

Eric receives a threatening letter; Top Of The Form; Fruitcake; Autographed banana; Escape From Stalag 54

Eric buys a painting; ten years hence - life in 1981; Record contract; Gardeners' world

Doom and disaster; Submarine; Whistling; Bobo the glove puppet; Accident at work; The Legion Of The Lost

Eric's new tape recorder; the book shop: The Language Of Birds; The House Of Terror

Sketches: Eric’s replacement, Monks; no talking, The Connoisseurs: antiques, Milk, Falling dream, Coming-and-going illness, Jewellery shop, Boarding ramp, The fellow writer

Sketches: Arthur Lowe meets Janet Webb, Marriage guidance, Ernie Wise sings, Going up to the flat, The facts of life, Out with baby, Piano: whizzing creature, Pulpit: accordion, Play introduction, Monty On The Bonty

Sketches: Piano: sixty seconds, Employment office, Shoes, Impressing Flora Robson, Flora Robson, Queen Elizabeth The First Of England part one, Draughts, Talking doll

Health food, Contagious disease, Underwear shop, Miss Holiday resort, Nina’s cake, Monks: pay day, Writing in bed

Fox hunting, Record shop: bird calls, Visiting Eric’s parents, Three in a bed, Boarding house, In the park with baby, Telephone clock, Barbers shop, Frankie Vaughan’s son, Monks: sign posts, Pregnant lady calls for Ernie

This Is Your Life, Moon landing, It’s over between us, Eric Porter’s dressing room, Tarzan’s last adventure, Six weeks to live, Bill-posting, The glove puppet, Monks: 007, Wuthering Heights

Ernie gets with it Playing in the park Ernie takes a bath Window-cleaning See you at seven Visiting Fenella Fielding Monks: feeding the birds Bowling Fenella Fielding stars in the Ernie Wise play "Nelson And Lady Hamilton"

Ernie’s award, Ernie leaves, Passing the joke, Buskers, Monks: the epilogue, Routine with Nina, Ian Carmichael introduction, Frankenstein’s Monster

Ern the baggy pants comic Ticket clipper In bed: the secret of long life Monks smoking The world’s strongest man Lost voice Record shop Ernie is getting married

The musical guests are Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen, Bobbie Gentry and Vince Hill. Ernie is sick and then Eric and Ernie play tortoises. Peter Cushing stars as King Arthur in the final sketch "King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table".

Music: --The Moody Blues - ""Fly Me High"" & ""Really Haven't Got the Time"" --Tommy Leonetti - ""Once Upon A Time"" and ""This is the Life"" --Millicent Martin - ""Light Another Cigarette"" Comedy: --Morecambe and Wise spoof Hollywood westerns and musicals. Aired 22-Jul-1967 (US - ""Piccadilly Palace"" ABC-TV, colour) Aired 14-Jan-1968 (UK - ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" ATV, b/w)

Music: --Frankie Avalon - ""I Could Write a Book"" & ""What Is This Thing Called Love?"" --The New Vaudeville Band - ""If I Had a Talking Picture of You"" and ""Finchley Central"" --Millicent Martin - ""Window Wishin'"" Morecambe and Wise comedy segments: --A version of Grieg's Concerto in A Minor --Impressions of Samson and Delilah, Julius Caesar Aired 15-Jul-1967 (US - ""Piccadilly Palace"" ABC-TV, colour) Aired 31-Dec-1967 (UK - ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" ATV, b/w)

Music: --Manfred Mann - ""Ha Ha, Said the Clown"" & ""Just Like a Woman"" --George Maharis - ""Baby Has Gone Bye-Bye"" & ""All Right, OK, You Win"" --Millicent Martin - ""Singin' in the Rain"" & ""Make It Easy on Yourself"" Morecambe and Wise comedy sketches: --The duo play figures on a Greek vase --A look at English village life Aired 01-Jul-1967 (US - ""Piccadilly Palace"" ABC-TV, colour) Aired 10-Dec-1967 (UK - ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" ATV, b/w)

Music: --The Hollies - ""On a Carousel"" & ""Stop, Stop, Stop"" --Tom Jones - ""That Old Black Magic"" and ""Detroit City"" --Millicent Martin - ""Fever"" and ""Eleanor Rigby"" Morecambe and Wise comedy sketches: --A pie throwing demonstration --The problems of the nearsighted Aired 27-May-1967 (US - ""Piccadilly Palace"" ABC-TV, colour) Aired 12-Nov-1967 (UK - ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" ATV, b/w)

Music: --The Small Faces - ""I Can't Make It"" & ""All or Nothing"" --Bobby Rydell - ""The Impossible Dream"" & ""The Joker"" --Millicent Martin - ""The Day the Circus Left Town"" (with the Paddy Stone Dancers) Morecambe and Wise comedy sketches: --A parody of Adagio dancers --A spoof of a popular soap opera Aired 03-Jun-1967 (US - ""Piccadilly Palace"" ABC, colour) Aired 22-Oct-1967 (UK - ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" ATV, b/w)

Music: --The Kinks - ""Dandy"" & ""Well-Respected Man"" --Engelbert Humperdinck - ""Release Me"" and ""Country Girl"" --Millicent Martin - ""Call Me"" Comedy: --Morecambe and Wise take a flight in a model airplane. --Morecambe and Wise do a ventriloquist act. Aired 29-Jul-1967 (US - ""Piccadilly Palace"" ABC-TV, colour) Aired 1-Oct-1967 (UK - ""The Morecambe & Wise Show"" ATV, b/w)

--Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames

--Jackie Trent

--Lulu --Paul & Barry Ryan

Joe Brown & His Bruvvers

The King Brothers

Patsy Ann Noble

Guests: Acker Bilk Jackie Trent

The Viscounts

--The Beatles - ""I Want To Hold Your Hand,"" ""All My Loving"" & ""This Boy"" --In a comedy segment, the Beatles sing ""Moonlight Bay"" with Morecambe and Wise.

Kenny Ball

--The Raindrops

--The King Brothers

--The King Brothers

--The King Brothers

--The King Brothers

--Joe Brown

Clyde Valley Stompers

Chris Barber and Otilie Patterson

Acker Bilk

This show marked in some ways the fact that Morecambe & Wise were no longer a prime asset; it was the first time in their television careers that their festive offering had not been broadcast on Christmas Night, the schedulers opting instead for 23 December. This was also because, until 1982, Thames Television only operated from Monday at 9.25am until Friday at 7pm; as Christmas Day fell on a Friday, London Weekend Television (LWT) held the franchise to broadcast that evening. The guest list was nonetheless impressive with Ralph Richardson heading up a stellar list, Suzanne Danielle doing a Razzle Dazzle routine with the boys, a re-hash of the BBC health food shop routine, now featuring Valerie Minfie, and the obligatory play, which was Julius Caesar, a thinly covered remake of the popular BBC sketch Antony & Cleopatra from ten years earlier. This show saw M&W use technology more to gain laughs with blue screen techniques being used in some sketches.

A collection of some oof your favourite sketches from an irreplaceable comedy partnership, including: Anthony and Cleopatra Monty on the Bounty The meeting of Byron and Keats Eric being well and Truely Laquered The classic Singing in the Rainn sketh.

The final BBC Christmas Show attracted audience figures of 28.5 million, a record that has still to be broken; this was also the first time that Christian names were used in the opening titles, the "boys" having become something of a national institution by this stage. The following opening sequence features a parody of Starsky and Hutch, in which the comics star as 'Starkers' and 'Krutch', driving through the streets in a red Mini Clubman emblazoned with the same white vector stripe as seen on the TV crimefighters' Ford Torino. Boasting the longest guest list of all their shows, the casts of both Dad's Army (which by that time had finished its run) and The Good Life all appeared, as did Elton John (eventually!), and the classic There Is Nothing Like A Dame routine featuring a host of BBC news presenters. Angela Rippon also reprised her high-kicking role from the previous Christmas show and Angharad Rees struggled against the blizzards to duet with Ernie.

The only BBC show that Eric and Ernie made (save for series one) that wasn't penned exclusively by Eddie Braben. Instead, established writers Barry Cryer and John Junkin (among others) were drafted in to create what became another iconic show, with The Sweeney stars John Thaw and Dennis Waterman in the play, Elton John in the Won't You Play A Simple Melody? routine and, Angela Rippon's legs! The opening credits were a comic strip presentation, whilst closing credits had baby photographs of all the stars.

The musical guests are Diane Solomon, Brenda Arnau, Des O'Connor and Diana Rigg. Eric and Ernie go to the psychiatrist. Des O'Connor has trouble singing. Diana Rigg stars as Nell Gwynne in Ernie's latest play called 'Nell Gwynne'.

This was the only year that the duo were with the BBC that no festive programme was made and there was a decrease in their output after this time. Instead of a brand new show the pair were instead interviewed by Michael Parkinson who also introduced some of their most memorable clips from previous shows. Again, the programme was broadcast on the evening on 25 December but, other than the interview, there was no new footage available. Their slot was filled by the Mike Yarwood Show and the interview shown at 11.20pm.

By this time, an established running gag was the fact that our intrepid duo could not get stars to work with them, and this show features four cameo appearances from Yehudi Menuhin, Rudolf Nureyev, Laurence Olivier and André Previn all making excuses not to appear. Perhaps the most memorable is Lord Olivier who pretends to be a Chinese Laundry attendant over the telephone! Vanessa Redgrave joins in the Latin American Extravaganza, and the Napoleon & Josephine play, with music (suitably interrupted!) by John Hanson. The other memorable scene from this show is Hannah Gordon's effort to sing the song The Windmills of Your Mind used in the film The Thomas Crown Affair against a wind generator with "help"...

No series was produced in 1972 with the duo concentrating on a high-quality spectacular for Christmas Night, by this time their show had become a staple part of festive viewing and the pressure was on to deliver the goods. Braben had suffered a breakdown and was not producing material for some time, but they bounced back with another successful show. This show is a curious mix, showing that the by now established formula worked. For instance, the ridiculing of a guest singer by providing backing vocals and/or dancers is featured twice here, once with Vera Lynn and once with Jack Jones in what are basically similar routines. Also, there are two "plays", one with Pete Murray in the Great War epic Dawn Patrol and of course, the Prince Albert spoof at the conclusion of the show.

Considered by many to be their finest hour, the festive edition for 1971 contains several all-time classics such as Shirley Bassey singing Smoke Gets in Your Eyes whilst the boys re-arrange the scenery, with Bassey memorably ending with Eric's boots on, the Hollywood Melody with Glenda Jackson and the BBC newsreaders and, of course, André Previn conducting Eric's rendition of Greig's Piano Concerto (by Grieg!). The BBC's other headlining star Dick Emery also makes a brief but memorable cameo appearance in the opening spot of the show. Bassey also sang Diamonds Are Forever which of course had been the titular song to the James Bond film of the same years' release.

The second seasonal offering saw the return of recurring guest star Peter Cushing who still hadn't been paid (a joke that was to continue well into their Thames Television days); also starring was William Franklyn who, at the time, fronted an advertising campaign for Schweppes lemonade with his "Shhh, You Know Who..." tagline. Much comedy was drawn from this, especially in light of the fact that the BBC was forbidden to advertise products. He appears in one of the duo's legendary plays at the end of the show in which the Three Musketeers are parodied. Well-known actor Edward Woodward also sang The Way You Look Tonight rather than appearing within a sketch has he had done in previous appearances.

The musical guests are Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen, The Pattersons, Nina van Pallandt and Frankie Vaughan. Ernie starts the show dressed as a hippy. Eric and Ernie visit Fenella Fielding who is to star in Ernie's play about Lord Nelson.