1. John Eric Bartholomew, known by his stage name Eric Morecambe, was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise formed the double act Morecambe and Wise.
27 Facts About Eric Morecambe
1. 2.
Eric Morecambe took his stage name from his home town, the seaside resort of Eric Morecambe in Lancashire.
3.
Eric Morecambe was born at 12.30pm on Friday, 14 May 1926 at 42 Buxton Street, Morecambe, Lancashire to George and Sarah Elizabeth "Sadie" Bartholomew.
4.
Three months after the audition, Hylton invited Eric Morecambe to join a revue called Youth Takes a Bow at the Nottingham Empire, where he met Ernest Wiseman, who had been appearing in the show for some years as "Ernest Wise".
5.
Wise joined the Merchant Navy, while Eric Morecambe was conscripted to become a Bevin Boy and worked as a coal miner in Accrington from May 1944 onwards.
6.
Theatre critic Kenneth Tynan stated, Braben made Wise's character a comic who was not funny, while Eric Morecambe became a straight man who was funny.
7.
Eric Morecambe suffered a second heart attack at his home in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, on 15 March 1979; this led to a heart bypass operation, performed by Magdi Yacoub on 25 June 1979.
8.
At that time, Eric Morecambe was told he only had three months to live.
9.
Eric Morecambe increasingly wanted to move away from the double act, and into writing and playing other roles.
10.
In 1981, Eric Morecambe published Mr Lonely, a tragicomic novel about a stand-up comedian.
11.
Wallace and Eric Morecambe were halfway through filming a fourth film when Eric Morecambe died.
12.
Eric Morecambe married Joan Bartlett in Margate, Thanet, Kent, on 11 December 1952.
13.
Joan Bartlett Eric Morecambe died on her 97th birthday on 26 March 2024.
14.
Eric Morecambe was the nephew of the rugby league player John "Jack" Bartholomew.
15.
Alongside various other celebrities, Eric Morecambe sent a message of support to Margaret Thatcher after she won the 1979 general election, wishing her luck during the 1979 European election campaign.
16.
Eric Morecambe suffered a near-fatal heart attack late on 7 November 1968 after a show, while driving back to his hotel outside Leeds.
17.
Eric Morecambe had been appearing with Wise during a week of midnight performances at the Variety Club in Batley, Yorkshire.
18.
Since the beginning of the week Eric Morecambe noticed he had pains in his right arm but thought little of it, thinking the pains were tennis elbow or rheumatism.
19.
Eric Morecambe was rescued by a passerby as he stopped the car.
20.
At the second one, Eric Morecambe admitted himself and a heart attack was immediately diagnosed.
21.
Eric Morecambe was due to appear at the London Palladium with his partner Ernie Wise on 18 November 1968 but had to miss the performance as he was recovering in hospital.
22.
Eric Morecambe stopped doing summer and winter seasons and reduced many of his public engagements.
23.
Eric Morecambe took six months off, returning for a press call at the BBC Television Centre in May 1969.
24.
Eric Morecambe suffered a second heart attack in March 1979 and underwent bypass surgery in June.
25.
Eric Morecambe took part in a charity show, hosted by close friend and comedian Stan Stennett, at the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, on Sunday 27 May 1984.
26.
Eric Morecambe rushed back onto the stage to join them and played various instruments making six curtain calls.
27.
Eric Morecambe's ashes were later returned to the church for burial in the Garden of Remembrance.