Ernie Wise Biography Quotes 5 Report mistakes

Early Life and Beginnings
Ernie Wise, born Ernest Wiseman in 1925 in Yorkshire, England, grew up in an era when live variety entertainment dominated popular culture. A natural performer from a young age, he found early opportunities on the variety circuits that crisscrossed Britain. Those venues emphasized timing, craft, and the ability to win over audiences with clarity and economy of movement, skills he absorbed instinctively. As a teenager he was already seasoned by regular stage work, gaining a reputation for professionalism and poise that would become his hallmark.

The changing world of the 1940s, with wartime touring and scarcity of resources, shaped his practical approach to show business. He learned to adapt material to any crowd, to keep the pace brisk, and to value fellow performers and backstage crews who made the shows possible. That pragmatic grounding prepared him for a partnership that would define the rest of his life.

Finding Eric Morecambe and Shaping a Double Act
Wise met a kindred spirit in Eric Morecambe, born Eric Bartholomew, another fast-rising talent from the North of England. They formed a double act, more than a pairing of convenience: their contrasting temperaments and complementary skills fused into a distinct comic identity. Wise, tidy and assertive, cultivated the role of the brisk, would-be sophisticate who claimed cultural authority and literary ambition; Morecambe, quicksilver and mischievous, punctured pretension with a sideways glance or a well-timed aside. Together they built a rhythm that audiences recognized at once.

Their early work on stage and radio sharpened the edges of this chemistry. They endured setbacks, including an early television series that failed to land, but they treated each disappointment as rehearsal for the future. The duo continued refining their act, turning missteps into in-jokes and elevating the humble mechanics of variety into a shared language with their public.

Breakthrough and Television Mastery
As television matured in Britain, Wise and Morecambe rose with it. They captured national attention with series that balanced fast-paced sketches, musical interludes, and the warmth of a recurring domestic world. Wise stood at the center of this world as the self-assured author of "the play what I wrote", an endlessly ambitious project that always needed star guests and always went a little awry. The construction allowed him to lead the action while inviting Morecambe to nip at his heels, a structure that foregrounded their trust and timing.

Television specials, particularly their Christmas programs, turned into communal events. The invitation list of guests broadened the show's appeal: classical conductor Andre Previn famously sparred with their mock-concert routines; Oscar-winning actor Glenda Jackson gamely upended her serious image; newsreader Angela Rippon danced in a way that surprised millions; and singers such as Shirley Bassey played along with affectionate cheek. Des O'Connor, a recurring butt of their good-natured jibes, became a running gag and later collaborator, showing how the duo's humor encompassed friends as well as sketches. The closing theme, Bring Me Sunshine, and the sight of Wise and Morecambe dancing offstage in step, became part of national memory.

Craft, Writers, and Producers
Behind the effortless charm of Wise's performances stood a rigorous attention to craft and a circle of collaborators. Writers were crucial. In earlier television outings, teams like Sid Green and Dick Hills helped sculpt a clean, quick sketch style. Later, writer Eddie Braben deepened the characterization, sharpening Wise's tidy vanity and giving Morecambe's mischief more emotional shading. Braben's scripts allowed the duo to fold showbusiness itself into the comedy, turning rehearsals, celebrity cameos, and backstage bustle into subject matter.

Producers and directors also shaped the feel of the programs. John Ammonds at the BBC helped refine the balance of music, patter, and visual spectacle, giving Wise the platform to move between straight man, ringmaster, and comic in his own right. The pair's shift between broadcasters broadened their audience even further, while preserving the intimacy of their world. Through it all, Wise displayed a methodical professionalism that held the machinery together: clear diction, precise cues, and an actor's instinct for sightlines and camera.

Personal Life
Offstage, Wise married Doreen, a dancer he had met through the world of variety. Their enduring partnership provided continuity amid the relentless pressures of touring and taping. Friends and colleagues often remarked on Wise's measured temperament and loyalty, qualities that helped sustain one of the most demanding schedules in British entertainment. He valued privacy, but was generous with time and encouragement, especially to young performers who sought guidance on timing, breath, and the difference between a laugh and a warm smile.

After Eric Morecambe
The death of Eric Morecambe in the mid-1980s marked a turning point in Wise's life. He mourned a partner whose presence had become second nature, and he faced the question known to many double acts: what does one do with a lifetime of shared timing when half of it is gone? Wise chose to keep working, taking roles in theater, appearing on talk shows, and bringing a gentle geniality to public appearances. He wrote about his experiences, reflecting on the technique of the straight man and insisting that the role is not a foil so much as the engine that keeps comedy moving. His attitude remained gracious; he never stopped crediting the contributions of writers, producers, musicians, and the crews who made the lights go up.

Final Years and Legacy
In the 1990s his health declined, and he died in 1999. Tributes poured in from across British culture, not only from fellow comedians, actors, and musicians who had shared the stage with him, but from viewers who had grown up measuring their winters by a Morecambe and Wise Christmas special. Many remembered his easy authority at the center of chaotic glory: the way he could sell a line with a raised eyebrow, anchor a scene even as it collapsed into silliness, and then glide into a dance step as if to tidy the mess he had just created.

Ernie Wise's legacy extends beyond nostalgia. He refined the art of the straight man for television, giving the role texture and pride of place. By embracing writers like Eddie Braben and collaborating closely with producers such as John Ammonds, he demonstrated how ensemble artistry produces enduring work. The recurring images that frame his memory tell a story: Wise in a dinner jacket introducing a doomed masterpiece; Wise beaming beside Eric Morecambe as a celebrity guest steps awkwardly into their world; Wise and Morecambe dancing off into the wings, promising more sunshine. Those moments embody a peculiarly British mixture of craft, civility, and mischief. For countless performers who followed, the standard he helped set remains both a beacon and a challenge: make it look simple, and never let the audience see the hard work underneath.

Our collection contains 5 quotes who is written by Ernie, under the main topics: Witty One-Liners - Husband & Wife - Marriage - Travel.

• Wikipedia