Book description
Even though they are the most famous comedy double act Britain has ever
seen, until now there has never been a biography of Ernie Wise. Seen by
some as just the straight man in the partnership, in fact 'Little Ern'
was regarded by his peers as a great comedian in his own right. It took
no ordinary talent to be the perfect foil for the genius of Eric
Morecambe, and to be his friend, business partner and co-performer for
nearly forty years. Morecambe's personality flared with ego and
insecurity, and theirs was a personal relationship that had to be
nurtured as carefully as were their on-screen personas. Nearly thirty
years after their last appearances, the pair still dominate the
landscape of British comedy, and are loved and revered as ever. With the
cooperation of Ernie's widow Doreen, and drawing on unpublished material
from the family archive as well as interviews with friends, Robert
Sellers and James Hogg have shifted the spotlight sideways to examine
for the first time the true and patient genius of one of the greatest
entertainers of his generation. Robert Sellers is the author of the
bestselling
Hellraisers
series and has written more than ten books on popular culture. James
Hogg previously collaborated with Robert Sellers on What's the
Bleeding Time
, the biography of James Robertson Justice, and has both contributed to
several books and acted as a consultant to television productions, all
regarding British comedy.
