Rare Morecambe and Wise footage unearthed for new documentary

British comedy legends Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise are set to be the subject of a three-part documentary presented by Jonathan Ross on UKTV channel Gold.

The series, Morecambe and Wise in America, will document the comedy pair’s attempts to crack the American market over a five year period in the 1960’s.

It will feature an hour of up to now unseen in the UK footage of their US performances as well as commentary from the likes of Glenda Jackson, Nicholas Parsons, Millicent Martin and Dame Diana Rigg.

“The discovery of this footage amounts to a treasure chest of essential new material for any comedy fan. We hope Gold viewers will be as enthralled by the on-stage routines and off-stage revelations in these shows as we have been,” Gerald Casey, Gold’s channel director said.

“As a fan of both Morecambe & Wise and vintage American TV, it’s been a real joy to discover all this footage of their performances in the States in the Sixties.

“I’m looking forward to telling the story for Gold’s viewers of how Eric and Ernie’s work in America became a tantalising foretaste of their very best shows here in Britain,” Jonathan Ross said of hosting the Gold series.

The documentary will include Morecambe and Wise’s appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show – which is often credited for enticing Beatlemania in the US – and will show how the American audiences took a while to warm up to their distinctly British comedy style.

“The footage of Morecambe & Wise working on American television in the Sixties is fascinating, because to begin with the audiences don’t quite know what to make of them.

“But Eric and Ernie established themselves very quickly, and performed some wonderful routines that British viewers will never have had the chance to savour before,” said Executive Producer Mark Wells.

The series will air in December, just in time for Christmas.

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