Eric and Ernie cut their comedy teeth in the variety shows of
the 1950s and the occasional BBC series before becoming the hugely
popular TV comic duo who made Christmas Day their own in the 1970s
The Morecambe and Wise Show first appeared on ATV
in 1961 and transferred to BBC2 in 1968. Its success lay in sticking
to the pair's theatre origins complete with their appearance through
the curtain and closing song - the ubiquitous "Bring Me Sunshine".
The cast list became a who's who of showbiz with
The Beatles, Elton John, Glenda Jackson and the constantly derided
Des O'Connor, queueing up to give Ernie a break as the butt of Eric's
jokes.
Their crowning glory was the 1977 Christmas Special
for which the Queen supposedly delayed Christmas Dinner at the Palace
to join the audience of 27 million viewers, a record to this day.
