Eric Morecambe interview (1982)

Eric talks to Gloria Hunniford about the early days of his career

[@tonymcvann4504]

Just two years before he died love him and Ernie so much Christmas is never the same without them!

[@JohnBailey-ux9vv]

Eric and Ernie, lovely guys and great comedic timing. No foul language or smut. They often did sketches in a double bed together, but it just seemed perfectly normal back then.

[@TheMrB]

Such a beautiful man. His talent was beyond compare. Just think, 50 years on and he is still making us laugh. I loved him so much as a child. ❤

[@Leongoldfarb]

He hadn't mastered that genius timing when he was a child!!

[@andynightingale7335]

How great to see him speaking face to face about his life. Seemed a lovely bloke behind the stage persona. RIP Eric

[@nigeldewallens1115]

I really miss those two! Thank you for the fun you gave us all back then! Sigh!

[@stormhawk3319]

No exaggeration but when Eric Morecambe died, the country went into national mourning. We’d lost our best loved comedian.

[@Dukes-nt1er]

YES.......I WAS 18......AND REMEMBER THE 11TH HOUR TRIBUTE PROGRAMME BRING ME SUNSHINE HOSTED BY MICHAEL PARKINSON SHOWN LATER THAT EVENING......YES.....A BLOODY SHOCK......YES...I CRIED....AND SO DID MY FATHER.....I REMEMBER ERNIE WISE...NOT HAVING SLEPT....ON TV-AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING......THAT TOOK GUTS......ALL 40 YEARS AGO.......WHERE HAS THAT TIME GONE.............AMAZING......R.I.P LEGEND.

[@BernardFitzsimons-hx1sk]

That's a massive exaggeration.

[@astroboirap]

no it didn't, it was just another day

[@stormhawk3319]

@@BernardFitzsimons-hx1sk you’re a little & large fan

[@stormhawk3319]

@@astroboirap and you’re a cannon & ball fan

[@Steve-gc5nt]

Hard to believe its been 40 years 😢

[@tomdmann]

Great interview, I like how open and honest he is. Sometimes comedians of his generation hide behind their act when giving interviews, but great that he showed us who he really was.

[@ericking4219]

Unbelievable I opened this today May 26th 2024! Still fantastic performer.

[@paulc180]

my birthday 26th

[@the8ctagon]

Why is it unbelievable, given that the video was only uploaded 12 days ago as I write this?

[@paulc180]

@@the8ctagon anniversary of his passing

[@the8ctagon]

@@paulc180 But the video was only uploaded on 23/05/2024 in anticipation of the anniversary of his death, so it is far from "unbelievable" that the KZbin algorithm should have suggested this new video a few days later. Nothing mystical is going on here.

[@rafflesxyz4800]

Noooooooooooooo. Never?

[@lorraineadams2024]

The wonderful Eric Morecambe. The first time I have seen him interviewed/just as 'himself '. A true National Treasure.

[@stev1963hit]

LTFC's greatest ambassador & a true gem of a man COYH Eric!

[@ianhowlett4682]

2:30 “I’d like to know, though, where all those critics went!” Perfect!

[@stephenbarrette610]

There are many people that you could call a national treasure, but Eric and Ern are very, very high up that list. I am now very old, so I remember the 1960s shows on ITV with Dick Hills worry and Syd Green as writers, (and of course the magical 70s BBC shows.) And I saw them live back in the 1970s and Eric did his paperbag gag, (you just click your fingers obviously) and it was magical. But ‘that’s easy for you to say’ they were both brilliant lovely people.

[@mpf6514]

Thanks for sharing - I’ve never seen this before. He seems much more serious here. Perhaps it’s because he’s without Ernie?… I imagine this is actually very similar to what the show was like in Tewksbury on the night he sadly passed away - an interview, where he’s prompted to reminisce. God bless him anyway. 40 years, and now reunited with his lovely Joan.

[@johntaylor6345]

Eric Morecombe was a genius. As a family we watched the Morecombe and Wise Christmas show every year. It was bloody funny. Eric getting a hold of Andre Previn then slapping him on both cheeks was hilarious. Even his orchestra laughed. Classic TV.

[@PSUK]

We always watch the Christmas show as a family as well. My late dad used to cry with laughter at Eric and Ernie’s jokes and sketches! Christmases were never the same somehow after he died.

[@paulweir5031]

A pity that you couldn't spell his name, seeing as how you were such a fan.

[@PSUK]

@@paulweir5031 a pity that KZbin will always have a pedantic twat

[@brucethomas5123]

Paul weir ,just what the internet needs,a pathetic pedant

[@badllama8090]

Large formative part of my growing up and humour during my childhood, what a fantasttic pairing they were, sadly sadly missed!👏👏👏👏🍻🍻

[@NicholasRichmond-dn8qh]

Happy times on telly in a country we were all happy to be British. Mum and Dad like this 😊

[@nicholasturner4552]

As you said people were happier I agree

[@ipklondonuk]

The great man himself

[@clownjaneymacandalioopsjan4731]

Love the energy eric - ⚡️⚡️

[@npc3po301]

A lot of folks these days don't get M&W, they only know comedians who hone 'tight 5's' with killer punchlines which is fine even tho it's a culture that eats itself as it has to increasingly shock or overstep lines in order to stand out in the competition (early Frankie Boyle etc.), but M&W was a totally different creature, watching them was more like visiting a fun relative or friend, comfort in familiarity

[@simontaylor2319]

Mrs Batholomew died only a few weeks ago in our home town of Harpenden (village really). at the age of 96, packed out with celebs, just as at Eric's funeral. Eric & Ernie were, at one point, Joint Presidents of the British Beer Mat Collectors Society (in the 70s) - now not a lot of people know that?

[@the8ctagon]

Would you like to correct the surname above? It's missing an R.

[@davidjames9014]

@@the8ctagonWhat? Are you serious????

[@the8ctagon]

@@davidjames9014 Deadly serious.

[@tonypetts6663]

Still do the paper bag/invisible ball trick to this day for my grandkids.

[@DeepakVerma-cd4fe]

Exactly 40 years today we lost Eric, I really miss u Eric u were my favourite comedian, I miss’ Ernie to

[@tarakb7606]

Forty years already! He is very much missed.

[@Tigerwoods663]

Brilliant, simple !!

[@johnbatch9276]

Gloria was magnetic she was so attractive 😊

[@lesleywild8706]

Those were the days between good times and bad when the country still had something to enjoy.

[@ashleyhyne7027]

An interview before google. Researchers were totally lost.

[@janmcdonald3896]

Thank u 4 posting this

[@michaelrawson6261]

There were very few, if any Englishmen as funny as this wonderful man! Tommy Cooper maybe. One of the secrets of comedy is an ability to have the crowd roaring themselves hoarse before you've uttered a word... take a look, the very embodiment of that ability is right there, talking to the lovely Gloria!!!

[@user-wb3uc4oe2b]

Sad loss , such a funny man and so natural too . RIP ERIC

[@delboyd72]

Will miss those two , every Xmas waiting to see their special .

[@shaunswift2738]

Ever the funny man, he was brilliant.

[@walterfrog2840]

pure class

[@markjones2879]

He was only around 56 at this point - when you see how men looked of that age then, compared with now, it was a very diferent time. Smoking pipes, horned rimmed glasses, blazers, etc. Mid fifites was considered quite old in those days, where as now its considered quite young.

[@WILLIAM1690WALES]

I am glad Gloria Hunniford became more professional after this interview to get some of the basics wrong however whether it is her or her researches It is so unprofessional, but Eric was so class the way he handled it because he was a class guy.

[@CookingAroundTheWorld]

She actually sounded quite bitchy when Eric contradicted per poorly researched statements. The man is comedic royalty.

[@WILLIAM1690WALES]

@@CookingAroundTheWorld approximate Morecambe and Wise Christmas special 1977, was actually watched apparently by 27 million British people absolutely amazing?

[@bletheringfool]

I worked with a guy who had known her for years and he didn't get on with her said she was a complete b1tch. Of course I only have his word for that but I have heard others says similar. She didn't like to admit she had made a mistake or that the information was wrong. As if Eric needed to be corrected on his own life!

[@CookingAroundTheWorld]

@@bletheringfool could not agree more. the way she sulked and rushed him onto another topic after she had made a complete mess of the previous topic, told the story.

[@johnrider5701]

Taken from us far soon.

[@seanbonella]

RIP ERIC & ERNIE

[@ysgol3]

Aw, Eric is so lovely here, sometimes he could I reckon be annoying in interviews, but here he clearly wanted a proper talk. Of course the ghastly Gloria hadn't prepared properly so the chance of the sort of wonderful conversation he, according to so many witnesses, had with Stan Stennett on stage the night he died in 1984, which was very very unfortunately not recorded, was missed.

[@gaskellr44]

I thought the same, that she was a bit wooden, as I feel she should have ridden along with his banter, instead of just concentrating on her own line of questioning, and also, the possible incorrect info she had on him.

[@johnking5174]

2:18 - In fact, Eric kept the cutting of that statement about their first BBC show in the 1950s, he kept that cutting in his wallet until the day he died according to his son Gary.

[@Fcutdlady]

Loved Eric Morcambe . Would love to know how he did the bag trick !

[@nicholasdavies6264]

Hi, the bag trick was hilarious! As he throws the invisible object up in the air his fingers on the bag flick it and it sounds like something dropping into the bag. 😂

[@Brittunculi]

Clicked his fingers

[@petermcbride4542]

My mum loved the both of them

[@mpwheatley]

One of the few people whose death announcement I can remember. I think the others were John Lennon, Lord Mountbatten, Princess Diana & The Queen. His death was quite a loss to the country.

[@seamusoflatcap]

A bigger loss than Lennon

[@anthonyfrew1571]

Eric and Ernie - the nation's uncles -

[@jimosullivan1389]

Glorious Honeypot...I am sure it was !

[@Mrlaurens1987]

Why not the complete interview?

[@B2Unit]

any chance of doing tape source videos like this as 50fps?

[@martinplatt5928]

Isn't this interview just wonderful. Him and Ernie.....well along with Laurel and Hardy and Abbott and Costello they were the greatest British double act EVER! Don't mention Des O' Connor!

[@ShannonFreng]

My favourite M&W skit was when they go to meet Eric Porter, in his dressing room, so Ernie could ask Porter if he'd appear in his play (in a sense, a 'play within a play'). Morecambe and Porter were the perfect class foils to each other, with Wise having to act as uncomfortable mediator, all the while, fearing Morecambe would ruin it all--classic!: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJXcZmmJlt50massi=fHCLOdeiDymud6tQ

[@growlerthe2nd712]

ARSENAL! 🤣

[@stevepearson8681]

I remember watching E&E as guests on a kids saturday morning show, swop shop or something. They were answering questions from the kids. One of them asked Eric 'What colour underpants do you wear?' After a short silence Eric said 'white, erm yes white' but then he said 'well their a bit grey at moment the wife's on holiday. None of the kids got it (thank god) but I swear I saw the camera shake.

[@alanhaggart6971]

I recall that show - another kid asked "what would you be if you weren't making people laugh for a living?" and quick as a flash Eric answered "Mike & Bernie Winters"! Genius.

[@composedlight6850]

long time ago

[@gnamp]

I'd never realised quite how unpleasant Gloria Hunniford is.

[@CookingAroundTheWorld]

I thought she was quite bitchy.

[@aaropajari7058]

Luton Towns greatest son!

[@michaelharrison1867]

Both should have been knighted.

[@knockedoutloaded279]

Wud they have done more things .final film 84

[@dacrlit]

Yes, Gone Fishing presented by Eric Morecambe, 1985 to 1999. Ernie Wise's presents the Golden Greats of Cinema. 1985 to 2000.

[@traceya9615]

​@@dacrlitIt's lovely of you to think of something like that. Wish it could have happened. ❤

[@markmewordz6860]

I thought it was December 1981 when he passed.

[@ClassicBritishTelly]

May 1984,

[@JokkeHimSelf]

So he is the inspiration for Kinky John??? ;P

[@BigAL0074]

Terrible research.

[@michaelharrison1867]

28th May.

[@terrytownsend5583]

Black American singer!

[@ChillToMusic87]

Correct.

[@stevek3036]

That woman was pretty dam nasty - continual put downs?

[@CookingAroundTheWorld]

She was really bitchy.

[@seanbonella]

gloria knows nothing...so fake

[@grahamegaw-mc3bw]

IS THIS KNOCK NORTHERN IRELAND DAY OR WHAT? NOT TO MENTION THE SLAGGING OF EAMONN HOLMES, A MAN IN A WHEELCHAIR.

[@the8ctagon]

​@@grahamegaw-mc3bwIf you people from Northern Ireland want respect, then you should try not to be so daft-headed, and also work on making your accent sound less comical, smh.

[@tiberseptim560]

Every Christmas there on its starting to get boring move on the BBC

[@paulweir5031]

They are or they're, not there.

[@traceya9615]

You're boring already, pal!

[@user-nd5fz5jd9o]

Two ronnies were funnier

[@davidholgate123]

'It's'... 'they're' and please learn to use full stops or a comma!

[@MarkStevens8899]

Still a million times funnier than Mrs Brown's Boys .

[@gordonmckenzie926]

A very boring man