This boy’s a fool…
Monday 12th October 2009, 10:27AM BST.
They made it look effortless, so it’s surprising to learn that Morecambe and Wise suffered from the same doubts and fears as the rest of us.
Ernie Wise certainly wondered if he’d chosen the right career, as a recently-rediscovered letter shows.
Back in the early 1950s Ernie was so worried about this performances and personal troubles that he wrote to Eric suggesting that they go their separate ways.
“I am not satisfied with my work,” he wrote, “I have lost a lot of zip and it will take time to regain it. I can’t keep you waiting around for me.”
One can imagine Eric, having read the letter and placed it back in its envelope, calmly going round to Ernie’s home, grabbing him by the collar, slapping him on both cheeks and telling him to pull himself together.
Whatever he did, it certainly worked. They carried on and the rest is entertainment history.
Still, it just goes to show that all of us, even the greats, have our moments of doubt; moments when we wonder if we should stick at it or throw in the towel.
Often it’s best to simply keep calm and carry on.
Still, it does make you think. I wonder if modern comics experience the same sensation — of a whispering voice at their ear telling them that they’re not funny and that they should jack it in.
That said, there’s a few I could mention who should listen to it.
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I’m so glad they carried on – the kitchen sketch is still hilarious to this day!
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