Morecambe and Wise: the Show What Paul Merton Did

# Bring me sunshine

# In your smile

# Bring me laughter

# All the while, bring me fun

# Bring me sunshine

# Bring me love, sweet love

# Bring me fun, bring me sunshine

# Bring me love! #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Thank you, thank you very much. Thank you.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Have we got a show for you tonight?

Have we got a show for them tonight? Yes, we have. Fantastic.

Morecambe and Wise were at their peak 30 years ago

and the best of their comedy is as funny now as it was then.

Tonight we'll be looking at some of their best remembered moments

as well as more obscure pieces that nevertheless deserve to be recognised as the classics they are.

Take a look at this.

-I've got to tell you.

-What?

-There's been a mistake.

-Where?

-Have you got my pants on?

-I've got your trousers on.

-Well what are you doing wearing my trousers?!

It was nothing to do with me! We had a quick change, you were too quick!

-Let's go off and get changed.

-Come here.

I wish you wouldn't do this. It's murder.

-We haven't got time for that!

-Why not?

We've got to do the show in two minutes.

-Get them off now and change. Come on.

-You can't take 'em off.

-Go on. I'm suffering as it is.

-Well, you can't take 'em off in front of the ladies and gentlemen.

What are we going to do? We've got the wrong...

-I've got it.

-What?

-I've figured it out.

You stay here and leave everything to me.

-Do as you're told.

-All right.

Ladies and gentlemen, as you know...

-Are you doing it now?

-Yeah, I'm telling 'em.

-I can't hear a word.

...this is a special production...

-What's going on back there?!

-More than what's going on in front, I'll tell you that!

-Charming.

-You ready?

-Yes. The things you say.

-Look at that.

-What?

-See?

-What?

-Right, see that?

-Yes.

-Now as far as they're concerned...

-Yeah.

They think that I'm wearing a full suit.

-But I'm not.

-You're not?

-Because I've got that.

That?

-That, a spare leg.

-A spare leg?

-Now, what I want you to do...

-Yes.

-If you will...

-Yeah.

-Is whip a spare leg into there.

-I haven't got a spare leg!

-Well, don't just stand there, find one!

-Find one?

-Yes.

-All right, wait a minute.

-I'm sorry about this.

Won't take very long. Are you ready?

-Yes.

-Now what he's going to do, I hope, is he's going to whip a spare leg into there.

Put his spare leg into there, that's what he's done.

-Henry.

-Yes?

-Is that it?

Right.

He's missed it, look.

-Are we in?

-Yes.

-Now.

-Look at me when I'm so close. Now.

-What?

You should now have another spare leg.

Another spare leg for me.

-I've got one there.

-Have you got one?

-Yes.

Well, drop it on the floor. There's a good lad.

-Are you ready?

-Yes.

-There we are.

-Yes.

-Now then.

Take it all easy, nice and casual, relaxed, you see what I mean.

Now, you turn round.

It doesn't matter which way we turn, we've got our own suits on.

-Right.

-So we can start the show now and walk off very slowly.

-Why?

-It brings the tears to my eyes.

LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE

That was Eric and Ernie in 1970 and it demonstrates

their remarkable physical timing and just how well they worked together.

That understanding can only be developed by years of performing in front of a live audience.

That was partly the secret of their success. They started very young.

They were both child performers, Ernie toured the clubs of Leeds with

his dad when he was just seven years old. Here he is as Charlie Chaplin.

And here is a caricature of Eric Bartholomew, which was Eric Morecambe's real name.

When the boys were 12 years old, they formed a double act.

Soon there were separated by World War Two but a chance meeting reunited them.

We weren't working together and I joined the circus as a straight man

to a comedian, who I didn't know and when I got there it was Ernie.

I was a straight man to Ernie.

Throughout the 1950s, they built their reputation as a live act.

Although they made a disappointing television series in 1954 called

Running Wild, they never stopped working as a live variety act.

They were never shy about their influences.

Did you ever consciously base the act on any other act?

Abbott and Costello was our original.

I've got records at home of Ernie and I, of early broadcasts, where we were, "I'm a bad boy, ooh."

-You're the manager?

-Yes.

-You know their names?

-I'm telling you their names.

-And who's out first?

-Yes.

-When?

-Who.

-The guy out first.

-Who.

-First.

-Who.

-The guy on first.

-Who is on first.

-What are you asking me for? I'm asking you!

-I'm telling you.

You ain't! I'm asking you who's on first!

-That's it.

-Tell me.

-Who.

-First base.

-That's his name.

-Whose name?

-Yes.

-Tell me!

-That's the man's name.

-Whose name?

-Yeah.

-Well then, tell me!

-Who is on first.

-Why are you asking me?!

Other influences were much closer to home.

Here's veteran comedian Sandy Powell in the 1970s.

Every man to his own trade. I'm talking to my little friend.

Now tell me, sonny, was your father a soldier?

Oh no, he was a... MUMBLES

Yes, I don't eat meat either.

And when he joined the Army...

I'd said, I don't eat meat either.

-Meat?

-No.

-We're not talking about meat, we're talking about his father!

I know, well, he said his father was a vegetarian.

No, no, what he said...

Here is Eric and Ernie's version.

And what are you going to do for us tonight, Charlie?

Well, first of all I thought I'd tell you a few jokes.

-Take all my clothes off and show you my bare...

-Just a moment, just a moment, just a moment.

I can see your lips moving.

Eh?

I said, I can see your lips moving.

Well, of course you can, you fool!

Because it's me who's doing it for him.

He can't do it on his own, he's wood!

That's my hand there, you know!

I'm working with an amateur!

You're not, er...

God, that's murder.

You're not supposed to move your lips.

Ventriloquists don't move their lips. I mean, that's the whole idea.

When the dummy talks, you keep your mouth shut.

Hello, Charlie. How are you?

SILENCE

Tonight, we have a glittering parade of guest stars direct from stage, screen and Job Centre.

To discuss with me the finer points of Morecambe and Wise's oeuvre... Can I say that, oeuvre?

They're looking it up, ladies and gentlemen, a very warm welcome to Mr Eddie Izzard.

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

-Eddie, you're a big fan of Morecambe and Wise, hopefully.

-Yeah.

Yes, good. Now, you're known... I don't want put you in a box, but you're known as a surrealist comic.

-Yeah.

-Do you mind being called a surrealist?

-I think it's great.

I think that's, I mean, we share...

You did everything on your show that I would have hoped to have done.

So just going off on wild flights of fancy, fantasies, is very influenced by Python.

I always thought Eric Morecambe was doing stuff that was just out of

the box and in stand up terms, he was just going in different directions.

It's beautiful.

To carry on the ventriloquist theme from the clip, here's a bit of Eric and Ernie being quite surreal.

We did a thing about a year, 18 months ago,

a thing called Oggy. We had the enormous dummy, a 12-foot dummy.

I was this ventriloquist with a 12-foot dummy.

I think we went through that once.

Yes. When you get a piece like that, it's got to play with the audience.

You depend on what your audience give you for a thing like that.

-What do you call him?

-Pardon?

-Call him?

-Oggy.

-Oh...

-Oggy, and he's solid oak.

-Solid oak?

-Yeah, I made him myself.

-You know that big clearing...

-Yeah.

-In Epping Forest...

-Mm.

-It's him.

-No!

-600 squirrels without homes now.

-No!

-And his pockets are full of nuts.

-No!

-Can you work it?

-Pardon?

-I said, can you work it?

-How do you mean?

-How do you mean?

-Make it talk!

-I've never tried because when he's up straight you see...

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-..I can't get my hand up his thing.

-You know, the thing that you've got to pull to make his mouth work.

-The strings at the back?

That's a bit of a strain for me, you see. Yeah.

-Well, you'll have to do something about it.

-What can I do?

-Sit on that chair.

-Lovely.

-Let him lean on me. That's it, that's fine. OK.

Get your hand around the back.

-Wait a minute, he's getting a bit heavy for me!

-Easy, easy.

He's lost his bottom jaw!

APPLAUSE

So, although they were very meticulous about rehearsing,

in scenes like that there's a lot that you can't rehearse because of the dummy.

but when I asked you about the way that you work on stage, because you ad-lib a lot?

-Yes.

-What's your working method?

Working method for an individual - it's interesting because they're a double act

and I was a double act beforehand and my individual method for improvising,

is keep the gate open and you talk and then you just keep talking -

slightly different to group improvising, where you have to talk and then shut up.

In the double act it's very interesting - they're doing physical situation comedy,

cos I was a street performer and notice that bit

where he says to Eric, "Can you get it working?"

And he goes, "You what?" "Can you get it working?"

He's just looking for angles where he can get double entendres,

something he can play, go off at a different angle.

He finds that more fun, you can see, he thumps him, or he...

It's just beautiful and we as an audience are watching Eric,

just waiting to see what can you find. We want him to find stuff.

Yes, repeating the line - when he's not sure whether the audience heard it the first time, he says,

"What was that?" so you say it again to make sure the laugh is there.

-Yeah, yeah.

-The thing about them as well was their training, being on stage from a very early age,

is that when things went wrong, they just continued.

They didn't stop cos in theatre, when things go wrong, you can't stop. You have to carry on.

I haven't seen that interview, the first one you did there.

They seemed so relaxed together. They really did get on, didn't they?

Yes, we'll talk about that later on, but yes, the standard interview

question from the journalist would be at the time, "Do you two get on?"

and they would say, "We have our own families."

"Oh, so you're not with each other 24 hours a day?"

Hoping there would be some sort of rift between them, but there never was.

Mentioning ad-libbing there, we've got a couple of examples...

Although they learned the script meticulously, sometimes they'd forget it.

Let's have a look at them getting out of difficulty.

-Hey, now listen, I tell you.

-No, listen. I tell you what.

If I promise to do that play properly, that one there,

no messing about, how does that grab you?

-This play?

-Yeah.

-Ha!

Ha!

I bet you couldn't do that again!

Can't you see what would happen if I told the public all about you?

Hundreds of people would follow you all over the place trying to touch you.

Would they?

-You know, we've missed a gem out...

-We haven't, have we?!

It doesn't matter though.

No...we can do it next year.

Following me about all over the place, touching me, the people.

-Touching you all over the place?

-I wouldn't say that!

No, it's not people touching you all over the place...

-Did I say it wrong?

-No, you said it right, got a good laugh.

-Yeah. Would you like to go off and come on again?

-No!

Nobody can advertise on the BBC.

Even Lord Hill can't say what kind of pipe tobacco he smokes.

And no wonder! It's mine!

He's known along the powers of corridor...

-..Corridors of power.

-Corridors of power,

-don't forget he walks backwards.

-Yes, he does.

-That was quick!

I think maybe where the paper hat just lands on his head there is

an extraordinary happy accident you sometimes get in comedy, isn't it?

It is beautiful and you watch, Ernie looks off stage,

they're just gonna relax and go with it.

They know these are golden moments and I think they were the only people doing it,

everyone else was trying to do a funny show.

They're actually trying to do a show that's sort of OK and then things just keep breaking up.

-I think their focus is very much on the live audience that's there.

-Yeah.

You saw it in the ventriloquist sketch, if you noticed it,

but when the doll's leg goes over the side,

you actually see that they're actually on a wooden stage, two foot up.

Cos they said they felt happier walking on a wooden stage.

One thing I wanted to ask you about, one of their great

ambitions, which they never really achieved, was they wanted to make it big in America.

But they never really did that. They played the Ed Sullivan Show

a lot of times and made good impact on that but they'd fly back home.

-You've had some degree of success in the States...

-A big degree!

-A big degree!

LAUGHTER

-No...

-Sorry, I'm...!

APPLAUSE

Research told me it was "some"!

The interesting thing is, no-one actually knows.

I could say, "I'm just so major in America..." No-one actually knows.

-I didn't know Morecambe and Wise had been there and done 18 shows.

-You've done very well there.

What have you done that they didn't do?

I just went there and stayed there till they gave in!

This was the trick, I analysed it, I'm very military with my approach...

..transvestite with a career - you've kind of got to be.

So I worked out that if you did a TV series, it would fail,

you could do a film it could fail, the clubs, you could get lost.

Go to New York and just play a small theatre over and over again

until the New York Times gave you a big thumbs up and that was the technique I used.

I did the north face of the Eiger route, which I prefer cos it's real grassroots stuff.

In one of your films, Ocean's 13, you mention Morecambe and Wise?

That's actually the writer, Steven Soderbergh.

That's Steven Soderbergh being a Brit fan.

There's a number of people who are into our comedy from way back.

They mention it like...

What is it? "As big as Morecambe and Wise", some reference to that

which looks like it's coming from me. It's coming from him.

Well, Eddie, thank you very much for helping look at some of those clips.

-Ladies and gentlemen, Eddie Izzard!

-APPLAUSE

One of the many acts that knew Eric and Ernie well during the 1950s was the legendary, Bruce Forsyth.

I recently had the chance to ask him about those days.

-Bruce, thank you very much for joining us in this tribute to Eric and Ernie.

-My pleasure.

You knew Morecambe and Wise in the 1950s before they became particularly famous?

Yes, I worked on the bill with Eric and Ernie several times.

I always saw their potential.

They were always one of the acts I would always stand on the side and watch their timing.

I always admired the way they bounced off one another.

There was a stardom there, although it was years before they got their big break.

There seems to be a thought and a feeling as well, that in the 1950s,

there was still quite a big American influence in what they were doing,

they were big fans of Abbott and Costello and there was that fast, cross-talk act

and the pushing - was that something you remember them being like?

Er, yes and of course the big double act of the time, British double act

who were quite American in their style, was Jewel and Warriss.

-Yes, yes.

-You know their name?

-Yes.

-Good, well done.

-Ben Warriss and Jimmy Jewel.

-Yes - do you want to do for the car?

-Yeah!

-You've already won!

Jewel and Warriss were the biggest double act of the 1950s.

Funnily enough, in showbusiness in those days, there was only room for one big double act.

There were never... To be really big in this country, there was only one big double act and Jewel

and Warriss were the double act for years and years and years until Eric and Ernie came on the scene.

As television was coming in and developing through the mid-50s,

was there a feeling that television was the enemy of the variety act?

Oh yes, oh yeah, you could be...

I mean, I was advised so much before I got the job at the Palladium that if you

went on television too much, that you could be finished

because your stage act would be seen or people would get too used to you.

They used to call it over-exposed.

-I've never been over-exposed!

-Have you not?

-No.

-There's still time!

-I've been accused of it!

-Haha!

I've been accused of it but never actually came to a court case.

A few years after that, you were headlining at the Palladium and they were a supporting act for you?

-Mid-60s, '64 something like that?

-That's right, yeah.

It was when I did a show called Every Night At The Palladium

and I was the full top of the bill and underneath was Eric and Ernie,

Teddy Johnson and Pearl Carr. And it was during that season that Eric and Ernie,

their new series started on television.

They'd get a nice applause when they came on. But when the television series started,

after two or three weeks, they really got into the people

and the people had got to love them in that two or three weeks

and they were looking forward to the rest of their series.

The applause that they got when they came on was incredible.

That's when I knew that Eric and Ernie were gonna be big time at last.

PLAYS PIANO BADLY

-Ah, now, if you could stand there, yes.

-No...

You're playing all the wrong notes!

No, I'm playing all the right notes.

They're not necessarily in the right order.

The wonderful Bruce Forsyth there.

In 1968, Eric and Ernie signed to the BBC.

After their first series here, Eric suffered a heart attack.

Convinced that Morecambe and Wise would never return to TV,

Sid Green and Dick Hills, their then writers, signed to do their own show with ATV.

Eric and Ernie needed new writers

and they came in the shape of one man.

A man who wrote the golden age of Morecambe and Wise.

It's an honour to have him here this evening.

Will you please welcome, Mr Eddie Braben!

Thank you very much.

Eddie, before we start, I believe this is a bit of an emotional return to the BBC studios for you?

Yes, it's overwhelming, really.

It's 31 years since we were last here recording the last Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show.

APPLAUSE

When did you first see Morecambe and Wise on stage?

I hesitate to say this but I was 15, 16.

They were at the Liverpool Empire

and I went along with 1,200 other people.

The place was packed, not a seat to be had and they were awful.

They were dreadful.

They were about 19 or 20 and they were learning.

People were sitting there saying, "Who are they?"

Nobody had ever heard of Morecambe and Wise.

In fact they were so far down the bill, I thought they were the printers.

LAUGHTER

Years later when we spoke about this, they said,

"Yes, but we were learning." You've got to learn somewhere, you know.

You mentioned what they were like before you started work,

let's have a look of a clip and this is when they were working for ATV from 1966.

Well, we can do all our little jokes, can't we?

No, Dicky will be the same size as me and I'm tired of looking up at you all the time,

you give me a pain in the neck!

You don't do a lot for me, you know that, don't you?

I can bend down to your size, look.

-There...

-You can't walk about like that.

Yes, I'll show you, it looks good.

-Announce me...

-Ladies and gentlemen, Eric Morecambe.

What's wrong with that?

LAUGHTER

-It's good.

-You look like Groucho Marx!

Nah, it's silly. You can't do that, no.

Oh, what about you - stand up on your toes.

You'll get up to my height then.

Stand up on your toes, go on. On your toes, stand up on your toes!

I am standing on my toes!

-You're not, are you?

-Yes.

You must have tiny, little toes.

I've got little, short, fat, hairy ones!

There's quite an aggressive thing going on between them there?

What it didn't show was the warmth, the affection and the charm of these two men which I saw right away.

Did you think, if I can get that warmth that they do...

Yes. If I can get the warmth and the affection and make it funny, it might work.

We might have something special.

-And it did work, and it was special.

-Absolutely!

One of the ideas you had some difficulty in persuading them

was the bed sequences where they would be in bed together?

I could never, ever understand why they wouldn't have the bed scene.

Nobody was keen on... I was so naive.

I couldn't seen anything wrong with two men being in bed!

I really couldn't see anything wrong!

-I mean, just a few minutes ago, we saw two men sharing a pair of trousers.

-Yeah.

LAUGHTER

That's called the credit crunch!

APPLAUSE

This is the first bed sequence that Eddie wrote.

This, er, anybody's place?

-Do you mind if I, er...?

-No.

-Eric Morecambe.

-Ernie Wise.

-How are you?

Thanks for inviting me into your bed.

Yeah...

It's been a grand day for it, hasn't it?

-A grand day for what?

-Well, it all depends what you've been doing.

Do you fancy a rehearsal?

Pardon?

-Do you fancy a rehearsal?

-No, no, I'm too tired, really.

Hey, I've got next week's script, it's very funny.

Have they sent us the wrong one again?

I don't want to say anything but the bed's moving again.

LOUD LAUGHTER

The finest props in the country, these.

I'll tell you something else as well. That was a lovely mental picture you showed there.

There was another element you brought as well - as well as making

the warmer couple on screen, you expanded Ernie's role greatly with making him a playwright.

I made Ernie the pompous author.

-What was his reaction to that?

-He was overjoyed.

-Was he?

-He was thrilled but he said, "At last, I've got something I can really get my teeth into.

"I can do something with this part. I can perform." And he did.

Eric said to me after one particular sketch, I said to Eric, I said, "Ernie was good."

He said, "For God's sake don't tell him."

He was good. Being the pompous author.

And also gave Eric something to bounce off. He would say to Ernie...

Ernie's writing the play, "Another belter?"

"Not really, struggling with this one."

"Ern...

"Words fall from your pen like pearls from a broken necklace.

"You could be another George Bernard Priestley."

"Shaw." "Positive."

LAUGHTER

I can't tell you what an honour it is to be talking to you.

-It's absolutely wonderful.

-The other line he said,

"Ern, you could be, you could be another Bronte sister."

"I can't sing."

"No, but you've got the legs for it."

We were talking about the plays. let's have a look at a selection of some what Ernie wrote..

-Sir Eric...

-What a fine actor this boy is.

-No, it's a girl.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

-You could have fooled me from here.

-You must be glad to be back from your travels.

-Got a cold?

I must ask you, Sir Eric,

tell me about your doings?

Well...

Do I tell him or do I just get up and go?

What did His Majesty ask you?

-MOCK ACCENT:

-He wants to know about me doings.

-SHOUTS:

-What news of Carlisle?

-They won 3-1!

I sit alone

and the firelight flickers.

And I think of you

in your navy blue cardigan.

How dare you, sir!

I said, "cardigan."

-I said, "cardigan", didn't I?

-Get out of this house.

Father, have you no mercy?

"And I think of you in your navy blue cardigan."

-You dirty devil!

-Out!

Now. It's all beginning to make sense.

You realise what this means, don't you?

Well, they'll never get away with it.

Of course, it's a long shot but it might just work.

Anyway...

Forensic will tell us.

# Hold you in my arms... #

-Hey! What do you think of it so far?

-Rubbish!

This deadly serpent will put an end to my misery

by biting me on the breast!

-Could I have a word with you, please?

-Yes.

-Is it all official?

-Yes, it's all in the play,

-the snake comes out of the basket and bites her on the breast.

-Fine.

-Oh, end it for me now.

-Ready when you are.

-Comedies are notoriously short-lived...

-Yes.

What's funny last week isn't funny this week,

but every so often something comes along like Morecambe and Wise which becomes timeless

and we can say for certain that 30 years after the event Morecambe and Wise are as funny as they ever were.

It's an extraordinary achievement and it must be gratifying that you played such a large part in this

and to see stuff that you worked so hard on all those years ago still getting huge laughs.

It's overwhelming to be quite honest.

To realise, which I didn't realise then because I was so involved in everything,

how important it was to so many people.

But now, I can see it now and I can appreciate it now, but I couldn't appreciate it then.

You wrote the show for many, many years

and I suppose one of the keys to coming up with that amount of material was to find a running gag,

a situation that you can come back to in sketch form, week in and week out.

-The one I'm thinking of is the two monks.

-I'm glad you've said that - they were my favourites as well.

-Were they?

-I really enjoyed the two monks, yes.

-Eric and Ernie liked them because they didn't have to learn any words.

-Yes!

Let's have a look of an example of one of Eddie's and Eric and Ernie's two monk sketches.

BELL RINGS

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-Ladies and gentlemen, Eddie Braben!

-Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

A regular feature of Eric and Ernie's show was the musical interlude and why should tonight be any different.

Here are the two boys with singer Nina, one half of Danish calypso sensation Nina and Frederik.

Now, could we take it from the top, Nina, the Banana Boat song.

Right. # Day... #

Hold it, son.

-Before we go any further...

-Yes?

I can't find the hole to blow down these.

-I can't find the hole to blow down these?!

-Neither can I.

You don't blow them, you shake them!

Now there's a novelty.

-Are we ready, Nina?

-Yes.

-Can we take it from the top?

-Right.

-Right. Let's go now, Banana Boat song.

# Day, me say day-o... #

-Is she all right?

-Yes.

-Oh.

-# Come and me wan' go... #

-Oh!

-Oh!

-# Come, mister tally man tally me banana... #

-Oh!

-# Daylight come and me wan' go home... #

-Oh!

-You're not...

-That's The Boat Song. Has she forgotten the words?

-Have you forgot the words?

-No, I haven't.

Because we can have them written for you on a card in Danish,

in bacon rind to make you feel at home.

-Listen...

-Yes.

-You are not making a sound.

At one point I was definitely overdoing it.

They are supposed to go like this, now let me show you.

HE RATTLES MARACAS

-You are good.

-Try it again.

-Thank you.

-Ready when you are, Nina.

-Right.

-# Work all night on a drink of rum... #

-Oh!

-# Daylight came and we wan' go home... #

-Oh!

I must be honest, I'm having trouble with mine.

-This is terrible!

-I think she's doing quite well.

Not Nina, you!

-How do you fancy a tambourine?

-I'll eat anything.

This isn't... What happened then?

Not a lot.

If you'd have dropped it...

This is a tambourine. HE RATTLES TAMBOURINE

-How does he do it?

-Now, can we try it once again?

-Ready when you are, pally!

-All right.

-Thank you, Nina.

-# It's a six foot, seven foot eight foot bunch... #

-Oh!

-# Daylight come and we wan' go home... #

-Oh!

-# Six foot, seven foot eight foot bunch... #

-Hold it, son.

You are not getting it right, are you?

HE RATTLES

Do that again.

HE RATTLES

Now the hand.

ERIC'S HAND RATTLES

-A one...

-Just a moment, son.

SLEIGH BELLS JINGLE

RATTLING

ERIC REPEATS ALL HIS SOUNDS

-Have you quite finished?

-There's not a lot left to shake.

A one, two... a one, two, three, four...

-# Come, mister tally man tally me banana... #

-Oh!

Ladies and gentlemen, the guest stars keep coming. Will you please welcome Mr Jack Dee!

APPLAUSE

-Thank you.

-Jack, welcome. What are your earliest memories of Morecambe and Wise?

-My real early memory was the paper bag trick...

-Oh, yes.

..and being obsessed with that and wanting to know how to do it.

Of course, my brother mastered it straight away and I couldn't.

-Is your brother older than you?

-Four years younger.

-Oh, right!

-I was giving you an out.

-Yeah.

He's five years older in my defence,

-but I've always loved the simplicity of that. It's perfect.

-Did you ever master it?

-Yes.

-Have you brought a brown paper bag with you?

-I did, and if you'd like, I could...

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

It's not an ordinary paper bag, obviously. It's a special one.

I paid quite a lot for it.

-On eBay?

-eBag.

Here we are. The only thing I haven't got is an invisible ball.

I've got an invisible ball here, I think...

-Shall I give it a bounce?

-OK, please.

There we go.

APPLAUSE

I think it's only fair we should see Eric and Ernie doing it as well. Here's Eric Morecambe.

Hey-hey!

With the world of comedy we grew up working with in comedy clubs and stuff,

you've a bare stage, you haven't got the theatrical curtains.

A lot of their sketches that have the theatrical curtains are very strong -

it gives you a chance to see something quickly emerge from behind.

Yeah, it's a great device because you've got the curtain and there's tension

because you know something's gonna happen, Eric's gonna turn up and come from it.

I don't think anyone else would have got away with doing that so often,

you wouldn't have had the patience to watch it,

but because you knew Eric was gonna turn up, it was such a clever, simple device.

Let's have a look at a couple of examples of some of the curtain gags they did.

-You've got a dog?

-Yeah.

-What sort is it?

-Siberian puddle maker.

-Have you seen him?

-No.

-I'll go get him for you.

No, don't bother. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to take a trip...

Come on, let's have him.

-Crikey! Don't bring him on here!

-Oh!

LAUGHTER DROWNS SPEECH

You can't see the dandruff.

-You can see nothing.

-Look, hold it!

Hold it, hold it, hold it. Hold, hold, hold...

Be careful now, Mr Wise is annoyed.

When half a star gets annoyed, watch out.

When we started off we both used to be in solo stand-ups, but double acts are a different thing.

How important do you think Ernie was to the relationship?

You know, really important. I think what Ernie brings...

Eric Morecambe is such a powerful comedy engine as it were

and to have Ernie there as something to bounce off was really, really important.

Ernie's not just a straight man, he had a straight agenda all the time.

That's what I always loved about it.

What he had to say was sufficiently interesting.

I'd think, "I would like to see this play." Then Eric would come in and undermine it.

I think that was what made Eric Morecambe work so well against that.

-Yes, because Eric's reaction has to depend on a solid base that Ernie is setting out.

-Yes.

In the domestic scenes they do, when the two of them are sitting around the coffee table

and looking out of the window and all that stuff,

-I always had the desire to be one of those people knocking on the door.

-It would've been lovely.

To be part of the scene all of a sudden would have been fantastic, yeah.

And the people that worked on the show said they were welcoming and made you feel good.

Let's have a look at a couple of those domestic settings.

The first one, I think, features Fenella Fielding.

I don't know what it is about this lovely little fellow,

but whenever I see him something deep down inside of me goes...

-I adore elderberry wine.

-You haven't tasted elderberry wine until you've tasted my elderberry wine.

Now...

it might turn your teeth a little black, but you can spit the pips anywhere.

That was Glenda Jackson there. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Jack Dee!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

The sketch Eric and Ernie considered the best we've seen in an earlier version - Grieg's Piano Concerto -

but the man who helped to make it the masterpiece it is was Andre Previn.

I recently spoke to him in London.

How did you first get contacted by Morecambe and Wise to appear on their show?

Well, they had a kind of a permanent producer,

but he was a great friend of John Culshaw who was the head of BBC Two for a while

and who was a very famous classical music director and producer.

He knew me very well and he called up and he said,

"I don't suppose you'll say yes, but do you know who Morecambe and Wise are?"

I said, "Of course I do." He said, "Well, they would like you to be a guest on the show."

As soon as I found out it wasn't a send up I said, "I'd love it."

Let's give a warm welcome to the principle conductor from the London Symphony Orchestra, Mr Andre Previn!

-You were the conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.

-Yes.

-A serious musician, serious composer.

-Yes.

Some people would have thought I've got everything to lose by appearing on The Morecambe And Wise Show.

Oh, no, no, that wouldn't have occurred to me. It's...

To work with great people in whatever discipline they happen to be is always a treat.

I was really looking forward to it.

Eric was very sweet. He told me later that he was worried about things like timing and all that,

but the first time I read a joke he thought, "We're home and dry."

Does a musician's timing help in comedy timing? It's about rhythm...

I have known a lot of unfunny musicians, trust me.

And a lot of comedians who can't play instruments?

Yes. But, er...

they made life very easy. I was just having a good time.

-Were you aware something special was happening while you were doing it?

-No.

No, no, I didn't think that... The fact that it's been played, how many times? Almost every year.

It's been voted by people on this show -

-their favourite Morecambe and Wise sketch is the Andrew Preview...

-Yeah.

-Say hello to Mr Preview.

-Mr Preview, how are you?

I do assure you, Mr Preview...

-Privet.

-Er, Previn.

-Don't go, Mr Preview.

-Privet.

-Previn.

Believe me, you're in for a surprise, Mr Preview.

-Previn!

-Privet!

One of the reasons it's considered perhaps their greatest moment

is because you, principle conductor with the LSO, being grabbed by the collar,

-being told he's playing the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order.

-That's a great joke.

It's your bemusement which is that extra ingredient in the whole thing which makes it a very special piece.

To be with Eric and Ernie was a great flattery. I loved it.

Grieg by...with him and him.

MUSIC PLAYS

Great!

ERIC PLAYS A DIFFERENT TUNE

Something wrong with the violins?

-No, there's nothing wrong with the violins.

-That's only your opinion.

-What were you playing just then?

-The Grieg Piano Concerto.

ERIC CONTINUES PLAYING WRONG TUNE

But-but...you're playing... you're playing all the wrong notes.

I'm playing all the right notes,

but not necessarily in the right order.

I'll give you that. I'll give you that, sunshine.

Our thanks to Andre Previn there.

Of all the guest stars that ever appeared on The Morecambe And Wise Show,

no-one created a bigger impact than our next guest of this evening.

-Let's see her in action.

-A report on the economy has just come through from Number 11 Downing Street.

The Chancellor's statement reads as follows,

"There may be trouble ahead,

"but while there's moonlight and music and love and romance..."

# Let's face the music and dance

# You were meant for me

# I was meant for you

# Nature fashioned you

# And when she was done

# You were all the sweet things

# Rolled into one... #

Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Angela Rippon!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Lovely to see you.

-Angela, that's probably one of the most famous moments in British television.

-So I'm told, yes.

It was lovely standing in the wings waiting to come on to see Andrew Preview and the boys in the band

because I've always felt that is the funniest of all of the sketches they did.

-One of the things I like when you watch it again is the musicians reactions in the background.

-Yes.

Because the famous conductor is being roughed up a bit.

-But Andre just stood there with that wonderful deadpan face.

-Yes.

He was the perfect straight man for that gag. He was just wonderful.

It's interesting you should say that because the two bits of advice Eric gave to him,

he said, "First of all, if we ad lib, listen to what we're saying, but secondly don't find it funny.

"Whatever we do, keep it straight," cos you get that extra laugh with the look of bemusement, there's horror.

If he was laughing, you'd lose so much.

-He did it brilliantly.

-He did it absolutely brilliantly.

To put your appearance into context, now we're used to seeing newsreaders popping up in jungles or whatever.

For want of a better word, the celebrity is no longer seen in one situation.

-Boy, what did I start.

-Yes!

So you're a serious newsreader in 1976 when you first did that, how were you first approached?

As it happens, so very often, just by a telephone call.

I got a call from Ernest Maxim, their producer,

who said the boys would like you to be on their Christmas show.

I think it took about 10 minutes for me to come down off the ceiling

because at that time they were at the top of their profession.

They were the two most famous men on television, the two funniest men on television.

I was at that time quite well known because I was reading the 9 o'clock news so I had quite a high profile

and they'd started this tradition of having someone do something out of the box

as a guest at the very end of their major Christmas shows.

They had Glenda Jackson doing the famous bit with Cleopatra.

They had Andre doing the thing with Andrew Preview.

-Famous people, but not doing what they're famous for?

-No, completely out of the box.

Ernest Maxim was one of the two main producers they had at the BBC. John Ammonds being the other one.

These two guys were very, very important to the whole career of Eric and Ernie, weren't they?

Very much so and I mean the great thing about Ernest Maxim,

I always felt he was Gene Kelly personified.

You know how Gene Kelly, a wonderful American dancer, had a particular way of moving when he was dancing.

Ernest had been a dancer and is, and was, a great choreographer.

It was wonderful working with him because he was great for the guys because neither of them were...

-they were hoofers.

-Yes.

-And Ernie, particularly, was a hoofer,

he was a good tap dancer, and Eric sort of joined in.

I think Ernest Maxim was brilliant for them because he choreographed to their strengths

and did what made them look good.

So when we actually came to do the routine, that was what he did.

Let's have a look at some of Ernest Maxim's routines put together for Morecambe and Wise.

MUSIC PLAYS

# There is nothing like a dame

# Nothing in the world

# There is nothing that you can name That is anything like a dame... #

# I'm singing, just singing in the rain

# I'm dancing in the rain

# Da-da-da, da-da-da

# La-de-da, de-da-dee-da

# I'm happy again

# I walk down the lane

# With a happy refrain

# Just singing and dancing in the rain... #

STRIPPER MUSIC PLAYS

LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE

What were they like when you got to meet them and worked on the routine?

-What were your immediate impressions?

-That was the great thing about them.

I'd never met them up until then, obviously.

I think the wonderful thing about Eric and Ern was that,

although they were such great stars, they were fab people.

They were just as lovely in real life, if you like,

away from their act as they were when they were performing.

The great thing about them was, even though their Christmas show got the biggest audiences of the year,

they made you, as someone who was appearing in their show, feel as if you were the most important person.

They seemed to have a great affinity with the female guests particularly. Have a look.

MUSIC PLAYS

I can't get down there, I suffer from vertigo.

-She suffers from vertigo.

-Does she?

-That's wind, isn't it?

-Heights!

-As well?

-Yes. You get down there...

-If I could...

-Yeah, and I'll come down and she'll climb down.

Yes. Fine. I'm sorry about this.

-I can't climb down there in this dress.

-My hand, my hand...

-Where is it?

-It's where it shouldn't be!

I can't get down there in this dress.

Do something with the dress, love.

-It's been specially made.

-Yes, I realise.

-If you just climb down here...

-I don't like heights at all.

We're in, don't worry. Can you get that leg down?

I'll hold onto anything that...

-Dignity at all times.

-Yes.

I'm sorry.

I'm trying a little. This one...

There. Lovely. Oh!

Yes, fine, are we in now?

-Got you.

-Lovely.

-Argh!

-Don't look.

There we are. We got it made. I don't think...

Keep smiling.

# Smoke gets in your eyes

# So I chaffed them and gaily laughed

# To think they could doubt my love

# Yet today my love has flown away

# I am without my love

# Now laughing friends deride

# Tears I cannot hide

# So I smile and say

# When a lovely flame dies

# Smoke gets in your eyes

# So I chaffed them... #

After you made your appearance on the show I imagine the public reaction would have been quite strong

because as a newsreader it would be assumed that you didn't have legs, you'd be walking around on casters.

What was the reaction?

Yes, it was pretty intense because, I suppose, up until then

newsreaders had been very much within their box,

being very serious and quite right too because news is a serious business.

I think that Eric and Ern, they realised that it was possible

to take people out of the straitjacket of what they were particularly known for

and give them an opportunity to show that they had another side to their character and nature.

In fact, to this day, I still get people shouting, "Ang, show us your legs!"

People literally come up to me, I think, two, three, five, ten times a week

and ask the perennial question - what was it like to work with Morecambe and Wise?

I don't know how many times I've been asked that question over the last 30 years.

Hundreds, thousands of times.

People very often now, because it's such a long time ago, say, "You must get fed up of being asked this."

Actually, no, I don't. I take it as an enormous compliment because I think they were comic geniuses.

Neither of them are with us now. They were lovely guys. They were wonderful to work with.

They were as funny off screen as they were on.

They were gentlemen, they were lovely, lovely people.

The magic of video tape means we can look back at it

and the selections we've shown tonight have got as big a laugh as they did back in the '70s.

-They will never die.

-Timeless genius.

Ladies and gentlemen, Angela Rippon!

At the end of every show, Eric and Ernie would finish on a song,

the best loved of which was Bring Me Sunshine.

Of all the times they've sung it, this is my favourite because I think this looks like a second take.

Have a look as Eric walks forward and shakes his head.

Somebody has definitely forgotten the lyrics because that explains their unique delivery. Have a look.

# Bring me sunshine

# In your smile

# Bring me laughter

# All the while... #

-In this world where we live...

-# In this world where we live...

# There should be more happiness... #

So much joy... # So much much joy you can give

# To each brand new bright tomorrow

-# Make me happy... #

-Though the years...

# Through the years... # Never bring me, never bring me...

-# Never bring me... #

-Any tears...

-# Any tears... #

-Let your arms be as warm.

-Pardon.

# Let your arms be as warm

# As the sun from up above

# Bring me fun, bring me sunshine Bring me love! #

Ching-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling! Ya!

From all of us here, thank you for watching.

And, thank you, Eric and Ernie.

# Bring me sunshine

# In your smile

# Bring me laughter

# All the while

# Bring me fun, bring me sunshine bring me love sweet love

# Bring me fun, bring me sunshine

# Bring me love! #

Now, there's a novelty!