As an long lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show from 1968 has amazed the son of Eric Morecombe who hopes more classic shows could follow
The son of late comedy legend Eric Morecambe is amazed at the discovery of long-lost 1968 episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show and hopes more missing shows could still surface.
The newly discovered episode first aired on BBC2 in colour on 16 September 1968, was then repeated in 1969 on BBC1 in black and white – but was feared lost forever until a copy from a deceased “industry professional” turned up.
That found its way to Film Is Fabulous, a charitable trust for rare film collections that recently returned two long-lost Doctor Who episodes to the Beeb.
Gary Morecombe, son of late Eric, is thrilled told the Radio Times: “It’s really amazing. I mean, how do they find these things? It’s usually me who finds them.”
Five years ago Gary was clearing the attic when he unearthed a missing 1970 edition of the Morecambe and Wise show which aired on BBC2 Christmas Day 2021. Now he hopes further classic episodes will turn up: “I thought that would mark the end of anything turning up, but now I just don’t know. What next?”
The discovery aligns nicely with celebrations for Eric Morecombe’s centenary year as he was born on May 15, 1925.
“And what timing!” said Gary. “Fantastic that it should happen right now, this being his centenary year. How can you not celebrate 100 years! My sister and I have a whole week planned up in Morecambe of unveilings, attendances and Q&As.”
The Morecambe and Wise Show broke viewing figure records in the 1960s and 1970s when millions tuned into watch their double act.
Gary felt nostalgic viewing the missing episode: “I would’ve been 12 then and probably caught this one.”
Several editions of Eric and Ernie’s initial colour series remain lost. This latest find is a monochrome “telerecording” on film as FIF head John Franklin explains: “This is a ‘cutting copy’ made for technical review within the BBC, and was probably later stored in cupboards by staff – just like the recent Doctor Whos. These aren’t items that have come back from overseas sales.”
Delighted with the episode, which airs this month, he added: “There’s a stand-out sketch at the end set in a nudist camp. It’s absolutely hilarious.”
Besides Eric & Ernie the half-hour variety show features a vocal trio, the Paper Dolls, and actresses Jenny Lee-Wright and Ann Hamilton, who were show regular.
The show’s writers were Sid Green and Dick Hills, “so that’s very embryonic in terms of what they later did with Eddie Braben,” said Gary.
Eric Morecombe died in 1984 but he will entertain a new generation later this year when his children’s book, The Reluctant Vampire becomes a BBC series.
Gary Morecombe added: “We’ve got the wonderful Lenny Rush starring in it and the Gibbons brothers, Neil and Rob, who’ve done a lot of Alan Partridge, came in and wrote their own scripts but they did it without ‘losing Eric’ – which is a fantastic achievement.”
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