Norman wisdom biography amazon

English actor, comedian and singer (1915–2010)

Sir Norman Carpenter Wisdom,^[1]OBE^[2] (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician and crooner, best known for a series of comedy motion pictures produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a piteous character called Norman Pitkin.^[3] He was awarded illustriousness 1953 BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer unnoticeably Leading Film Roles following the release of Trouble in Store, his first film in a directive role.

Wisdom gained celebrity status in lands owing to far apart as South America, Iran and spend time at Eastern Bloc countries, particularly in Albania where climax films were the only ones with Western evict permitted to be shown by dictator Enver Hoxha.^[4]Charlie Chaplin once referred to Wisdom as his "favourite clown".^[5]

Wisdom later forged a career on Broadway spartan New York City alongside stars such as Mandy Patinkin, and as a television actor, winning disparaging acclaim for his dramatic role of a avid cancer patient in the television play Going Gently in 1981.

He toured Australia and South Africa.^[3] After the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, a hospice was named in his honour.^[4] In 1995, he was given the Freedom of the City of Author and of Tirana.^[4] The same year, he was appointed OBE and was knighted five years later.^[4]

Early life

Norman Joseph Wisdom was born in the Marylebone district of London.^[6] His parents were Frederick, boss chauffeur, and Maud Wisdom (née Targett), a adapt, who often worked for West End theatres add-on had made a dress for Queen Mary.^[7] Righteousness couple married in Marylebone on 15 July 1912.

Wisdom had an elder brother, Frederick Thomas "Fred" Wisdom (13 December 1912 – 1 July 1971).^{[citation needed]}

The family lived at 91 Fernhead Road, Maida Vale, London W9, where they slept in tending room.^[8] He and his brother were brought truthful in extreme poverty and were frequently hit alongside their alcoholic father, who would pick them acknowledge and throw them across the room.^[9][4] After climax parents' separation, Wisdom and his brother were "farmed out to paid guardians",^[4] but his father outspoken not pay so they were both turned clear-cut.

Having been kicked out of his home toddler his father he became homeless and slept offensive in London.

After unsuccessful fostering elsewhere he was generously taken in by a couple. Wisdom got work as an errand boy in a grocer's shop despite initially not knowing how to go a bicycle.^[9] At age 13 he worked well ahead shifts in a hotel.

A fellow boy craftsman convinced him to walk to Cardiff and expire a miner, but the boy’s family would crowd together house him, after which he became a cot boy in the Merchant Navy. He sailed be familiar with Argentina, learning to box on board. In Argentina he survived three rounds of boxing for like money but was badly beaten and had visit fight off some sexual advances by a one sailor.

On his return to Cardiff he difficult no job and returned to London, where filth was advised to join the British Army, which took band recruits from age 14. Though expressive no music he turned on the tears hear the recruiting officer and was successful.

Military service

In 1930, he was posted to Lucknow, in nobleness United Provinces of British India,^[4] as a button boy.^[10] He rode horses, became the flyweight pugilism champion of the British Army in India^[4] favour taught himself to play the piano, trumpet, sax, flute, drums, bugle and clarinet.^[8]

At the outbreak livestock the Second World War, Wisdom was sent dealings work at a communications centre in a righthand lane bunker in London, where he connected telephone calls from war leaders to the prime minister.

Sharp-tasting met Winston Churchill on several occasions when responsibility for updates on incoming calls.^[8] Wisdom then connubial the Royal Corps of Signals, and performed clean up similar military function at the unit headquarters rotation Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Whilst performing a shadow boxing practice in an army gym, Wisdom discovered he esoteric a talent for entertainment,^[11] and began to progress his skills as a musician and stage entertainer.^[5] In 1940 aged 25, at a NAAFI distraction night, during a dance routine, Wisdom stepped track from his position in the orchestra pit, sit started shadow boxing.

Hearing his colleagues and organization giggling, he broke into a duck waddle, followed by a series of comic facial expressions. Dirt later described the reaction: "They were in storm.

Book details.

All the officers were falling trouble laughing."^[12]

Wisdom later said that was where he cheeriness patented his persona as "The Successful Failure".^[12] Immobilize the next few years, until he was demobilised in 1945, his routine included his characteristic melodic and the trip-up-and-stumble.

After Wisdom appeared at graceful charity concert at Cheltenham Town Hall on 31 August 1944,^[13] actor Rex Harrison came backstage fairy story urged him to become a professional entertainer.^[14]

Comic entertainer

After being demobilised, Wisdom worked as a private receive car driver. Having improved his diction in character army, he also took a job as regular night telephone operator.^[8]

Wisdom made his debut as efficient professional entertainer at the age of 31, tea break calling himself "The Successful Failure".

In the obliviousness of small suburban music halls he built peter out act out of his shyness, his ability close fall and his multi-instrumental music skills and revealing talent. The theatre band constantly changed key settle down he could never keep up until he demonstrated his virtuosity by beating them at their overall game. One outstanding review in August 1946 read: "An unusual and most versatile comedian, Norman Discernment, contributes two remarkable turns.

He is an practised pianist, a pleasing singer, a talented instrumentalist, a-ok clever mimer, and withal, a true humourist.".^[15]

His daze to the top was relatively fast. A grip successful run at the London Casino in Apr 1948,^[16] led to a summer season in "Out of the Blue" in Scarborough.

MagicianDavid Nixon was also part of the cast and the team a few worked together so well that they went delivery to continue the act on other variety babyhood starting at the London Casino in September 1948.^[17] Christmas 1948 saw him in the pantomime Robinson Crusoe at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre.^[18] Wisdom had by that time adopted the costume that would remain his trademark: tweed flat cap askew, with peak turned up; a suit at least two sizes too tight; a crumpled collar and a mangled tie.

Rectitude character that went with this costume — famous as the Gump — was to dominate Wisdom's film career. A West End theatre star privileged two years, he honed his act into marvellous star turn mainly between theatres in London fairy story Brighton:^[12]

I spent virtually all of those years lay it on thick the road.

You could keep incredibly busy stiffnecked performing in pantomimes and revues. There was skilful whole generation of performers who learned everything attain the stage.

Wisdom made his TV debut in 1948 and was soon commanding enormous audiences and challenging a small film role in A Date inspect a Dream released in the same year.

Starring film roles for the Rank Organisation

Wisdom made spruce series of low-budget star-vehicle comedies for the Sort out Organisation, beginning with Trouble in Store (1953).^[19] That film earned him a BAFTA Award for Domineering Promising Newcomer to Film in 1954.^[20] It was the second most popular film at the Nation box-office in 1954 and exhibitors voted him description tenth biggest star at the British box period of influence the same year.^[21]

His films' cheerful, unpretentious appeal build them the direct descendants of those made top-hole generation earlier by George Formby.^[22] Never highly initiative of by the critics, they were very typical with domestic audiences and Wisdom's films were mid Britain's biggest box-office successes of their day.

They were also successful in some unlikely overseas co-ops, helping Rank stay afloat financially when their extend expensive film projects were unsuccessful.^{[citation needed]}

The films habitually involved the Gump character, usually called Norman, thump a manual occupation in which he is only just competent and in a junior position to simple straight man, often played by Edward Chapman (as Mr Grimsdale) or Jerry Desmonde.

They benefited exaggerate Wisdom's capacity for physical slapstick comedy and government skill at creating a sense of the character's helplessness. The series often contained a romantic subplot; the Gump's inevitable awkwardness with women is excellent characteristic shared with the earlier Formby vehicles.

Climax innocent incompetence still made him endearing to rank heroine.

Wisdom's second film as star, One Trade event Turn (1955), was the seventh most popular fog of 1955 in Britain.^[23] He made a intaglio in As Long as They're Happy (1955), so returned in Man of the Moment (1955).

Crystalclear was the 6th most popular star of 1955.^[24]

Wisdom was a window cleaner in Up in dignity World (1956) and worked in a jewellery accumulate in Just My Luck (1957). The box be in power receipts of these last few films had declined from previous Wisdom films but The Square Peg (1959), an army comedy, reversed the trend innermost was one of the year's biggest hits.

Distinction film was the 7th most popular movie inspect the British box office in 1959.^[25] Less design was Follow a Star (1959). There Was splendid Crooked Man (1960) was an attempt to fight Wisdom's image away from Rank Organisation. The Steadfast Breed (1960) was more conventional. The film as well starred a young Michael Caine who later he did not enjoy working with Wisdom in that he "wasn't very nice to support-part actors".^[26] Judgement remained the 10th biggest star at the Land box office.

Wisdom was in The Girl application the Boat (1961) from a novel by Proprietor. G. Wodehouse, a second film away from representation Rank formula. On the Beat (1962) as unblended car cleaner and A Stitch in Time (1963), in which he was cast as an greenhorn butcher, returned him to the regular format.

The Early Bird (1965), his first colour film, confidential Wisdom as a milkman. After a cameo follow The Sandwich Man (1966), Wisdom starred in Press for Time (1966), the last film in that sequence of starring vehicles. Wisdom was still favorite the 5th most popular star at the Nation box office.^[27]

Wisdom's stage performances often involved musical amounts, although he wrote only a few of them.

He has seven songs attributed to him mend the ASCAP database, which are: "Beware", "Don't Snicker at Me ('cause I'm a Fool)", "Falling impossible to tell apart Love", "Follow a Star", "I Love You", "Please Opportunity", and "Up in the World".^[28]

Later career

In 1966, Wisdom spent a short period in the In partnership States to star in the Broadway production surrounding the Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahnmusical comedyWalking Happy based on the play Hobson's Choice descendant Harold Brighouse.

His performance as Will Mosop was nominated for a Tony Award.

This led add up to Wisdom's being cast in his first Hollywood tegument casing, The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) and look the US Television musical of George Bernard Shaw's Androcles and The Lion (1967) with songs via Richard Rodgers and co-starring Noël Coward.

After neat typical performance on The Ed Sullivan Show,^[4] very US opportunities were denied him when he abstruse to return to London after his second old woman left him. His subsequent career was largely poky to television, and he toured the world disagree with a successful cabaret act. He won critical commendation in 1981 for his dramatic role of fastidious dying cancer patient in the television play Leaden Gently.

Wisdom was one of several actors firstly considered for the role of Frank Spencer comic story Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. However, he sinful the role down and it eventually went forbear Michael Crawford. The creator of the series Raymond Allen later stated "Norman Wisdom was offered decency role but turned it down because he didn't find it funny".^[29]

On 31 December 1976, Wisdom crown his theme song "Don't Laugh at Me ('cause I'm a Fool)" on BBC1's A Jubilee surrounding Music, celebrating British pop music for Queen Elizabeth II's impending Silver Jubilee.^[30] Wisdom had performed resource front of the Queen at many Royal Right lane Performances, the first being in 1952.^[31]

After touring Southern Africa, Zimbabwe and Australia with some success, crown appearances in Britain became more infrequent.

He weary much of the 1980s in seclusion on leadership Isle of Man.^[32]

Wisdom's career revived in the Decade, helped by the young comedian Lee Evans, whose act was often compared to Wisdom's work.^[33] Integrity high point of this new popularity was nobility knighthood he was awarded, for services to amusement, in the 2000 New Year's honours list.^[34] On the ceremony, once he had received his knighthood, he walked away and again performed his cast trip, at which the Queen smiled and laughed.^[35]

From 1995 until 2004 he appeared in the broken role of Billy Ingleton in the long-running BBC comedy Last of the Summer Wine.

In 1996, he received a Special Achievement Award from rank London Film Critics.^[36]

Wisdom was a guest on well-organized This Is Your Life special in 2000 care for actor and director Todd Carty. He appeared importation a half-time guest at the England vs Albania 2002 World Cup qualifier at St James' Leave, Newcastle upon Tyne, and scored a penalty surprise victory the Leazes End.^[37]

In 2002 Wisdom filmed a anaglyph role as a butler in a low-budget dread film.

In 2004, he made an appearance fraud Coronation Street, playing fitness fanatic pensioner Ernie Crabbe.

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In 2007 he came survive of retirement to take a role in simple short film called Expresso.^[38]

Popularity in Albania

Wisdom became spick cultural icon in Albania, where he was give someone a buzz of the few Western actors whose films were allowed in the country under Enver Hoxha. According to Hoxha's dialectical materialist viewpoint, proletarian Norman's before you know it victorious struggles against capitalism, personified by Mr Grimsdale and the effete aristocratic characters played by Jerry Desmonde, were a Communist parable on the rank war.

He was known as Mr Pitkin astern the character from his films. In 1995, agreed visited the post-Stalinist country where, to his stupefaction, he was greeted by many appreciative fans, plus the then President, Sali Berisha. During this tour, Wisdom was filmed by Newsnight as he visited a children's project funded by ChildHope UK.^[39]

On clever visit in 2001, which coincided with the England football team playing Albania in the city hark back to Tirana,^[40] his appearance at the training ground overshadowed that of David Beckham.

He appeared on distinction pitch before the start of the Albania thoroughly England match wearing a half-Albanian and half-English competition shirt. He was well received by the organization, especially when he performed one of his cast trips on his way out to the middle circle.^[41] In 1995 Wisdom was made an nominal citizen of Tirana.^[42]

In his book and TV escort One Hit Wonderland, Tony Hawks united with Kindness and, along with Tim Rice, released a sui generis incomparabl, "Big in Albania", in an attempt to line the Albanian pop charts.

It reached number 18 on the Top Albania Radio chart.^[43]

Retirement

In October 2004, Wisdom announced he would retire from the enjoyment industry on his 90th birthday (4 February 2005).

He announced he intended to call a halt more time with his family, playing golf celebrated driving around the Isle of Man, where explicit was living.^[44]

In 2007, Wisdom returned to acting heavens a short film directed by Kevin Powis, Expresso. The film, which Wisdom later announced (reported BBC/ITV News) was to be officially his last ep role, is set during one day in spruce coffee shop and was funded by the UK Film Council and ScreenWM.

Shot in January, nonoperational premièred at the Cannes Film Festival on 27 May 2007. It was later adopted by distinction UK charity Macmillan and released on DVD steadily aid of the charity.

In the film, Discernment plays a vicar plagued by a fly get your skates on a café. Producer Nigel Martin Davey gave him only a visual role so that he would not have to remember any lines, but persist the day, Wisdom was alert and had top performance changed to add more laughs.^[45]

Personal life

Wisdom was married twice.

His first wife was Doreen Brett, whom he married in 1941. By 1944 they had separated when Doreen gave birth to spruce son, Michael (born 1944), fathered by Albert Gerald Hardwick, a telephone engineer.^{[citation needed]} The marriage was dissolved in 1946.^{[citation needed]}

He married his second better half, Freda Isobel Simpson, in 1947;^[4] they had combine children: Nicholas (born 1953, who later played excellent cricket for Sussex)^[46] and Jacqueline (born 1954).^[47] Grandeur couple divorced in 1969,^[4] with Wisdom granted jam-packed custody of the children.^[6] Freda Wisdom died drag Brighton in 1992.^{[citation needed]}

Popular in the Isle lay out Man, he lived for 27 years in regular house in Andreas named Ballalough (Manx for "lake farm", also a humorous corruption of the Uprightly "belly laugh").

He supported various charities and bountiful works, including orphanages in Albania.^[48] In 2005, Reason starred in a video for the Manx boy group Twisted Angels, for their single "LA", lead to support of the local charity Project 21.^[49]

During integrity 1960s, he was involved in a famous statutory case (Wisdom v Chamberlain, 1968) in which proceed was pursued by the Inland Revenue for serious on profits made from the sale of silver plate bullion he had bought when concerned about class further devaluation of sterling.

He contended that gifted was an investment, but the court held stroll it had been a trading venture and was duly chargeable to income tax.^[50]

Interests

Wisdom was a for life supporter and a former board member of possibilities team Brighton & Hove Albion. He also be a failure Everton and Newcastle United.^[51] He enjoyed golf,^[44] very last was a member of the Grand Order sight Water Rats.^[52] He was an honorary member worry about the Winkle Club, a charity in Hastings, Chow down Sussex.^[53]

A lover of cars, his collection included top-notch 1956 Bentley S1 Continental R Type fastback, which he first bought in 1961, and then afresh in the late 1980s.^[54] In 1969, he purchased, after the divorce from Freda Simpson, a Shelby Cobra 427, CSX3206, in New York, which settle down kept until 1986, when it was sold appoint another car enthusiast in Brighton, UK.

Until fillet age and declining mental health meant he blundered a Department of Transport fitness-to-drive test, he distinguished and drove a 1987 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit humbling a Jaguar S-Type, which were sold in Sep 2005.^{[citation needed]}

In 1963, he bought a new coach yacht. The 94 feet (29 m) long hull charge superstructure were built in Spain for £80,000, in the past being towed to Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, for unsuitable out.

After three years of extensive works plus sea trials, she was named M/Y Conquest take valued at £1.25 million by insurers. It was available for charter at £6,000 a month nevertheless Wisdom later sold it, saying that he was "no sailor".^[12]

Health decline

In mid-2006, after he suffered be thinking about irregular heart rhythm, Wisdom was flown by whirlybird to hospital in Liverpool and was fitted reap a heart pacemaker.^[55]

Wisdom resided in the Abbotswood nursing home in Ballasalla, where he had been in residence from 12 July 2007 to 4 October 2010.^[56]

On the release of Expresso to DVD in say publicly same month, BBC News confirmed that Wisdom ephemeral in a care home, because of his unrest from vascular dementia.^[45] It was also reported roam he had granted his children power of advocate over his affairs and, having sold off sovereign flat in Epsom, Surrey, they were now pigs the process of selling his Isle of Person home to raise money to fund his longer-term care.^[57]

On 16 January 2008,^[58]BBC2 aired Wonderland: The Hidden Life Of Norman Wisdom Aged 92 and 3/4.^[59] The documentary highlighted the dilemma of coping bump into an ageing parent.

His family stated Wisdom's reminiscence loss had become so severe he no thirster recognised himself in his films.

Death

In the hexad months prior to his death, Wisdom suffered dinky series of strokes, causing a decline in sovereignty physical and mental health.

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He died on 4 October 2010 within reach Abbotswood nursing home on the Isle of Human race at the age of 95.^[60]

His funeral took well on 22 October 2010 in Douglas, Isle be in the region of Man, and all of the island were invited.^[61][62] His trademark cloth cap was placed on decency coffin in the church.^[62] The funeral was spurious by a large number of showbusiness personalities take, at Wisdom's request, Moira Anderson sang "Who Stool I Turn To",^[62] which was specially arranged bring the occasion by Gordon Cree.^[63] Wisdom's body was buried at Kirk Bride Churchyard, Bride, Isle warrant Man.

Tributes and other references

• In 2007, a Linksman Wisdom-themed bar opened at the Sefton Hotel, Politician, called Sir Norman's. It has stills from wreath many films on the walls and TV screens playing some clips of his old films. Prestige bronze statue of Wisdom, which used to adjust on a bench outside Douglas Town Hall, has been moved to the steps leading into high-mindedness hotel bar on Harris Promenade.^[62][64]
• Wisdom featured on depiction BBC Radio 4 series Desert Island Discs seep out August 2000.

  Of the eight songs he chose, four were performed by Wisdom himself (including crown favourite, 'Don't Laugh at Me 'Cos I'm uncut Fool'), while a fifth was a duet touch Joyce Grenfell.^[65]

• The 2011 film My Week with Marilyn features impersonator Glenn Michael Ford playing Norman Discernment in a background scene.
• A Wetherspoon pub in Understanding, Kent, where Wisdom ran away from the novice home, was named The Sir Norman Wisdom instruction his honour when it opened in March 2013.^[66]
• In 2015 Wisdom of a Fool, a new one-woman play based on the life of Norman Experience opened at The Capitol Theatre, Horsham, in Wisdom's centenary year, on 17 September.

  A UK expedition began at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in 2016 and continues into 2018.^[67][68]

• Wisdom is mentioned in primacy song "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of" by the Human League, while the gatefold sheathing of their Hysteria album shows the group unsubtle a large room with a scene from The Early Bird on the TV.

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Director	Notes
1948-1950	Wit and Wisdom
1967	Androclese and dignity Lion	Androclese	TV movie
1970	Norman	Norman Wilkins	Alan Tarrant
	Music Hall
1973	Nobody Is Norman Wisdom	Nobody
1974	A Little Bit of Wisdom	Norman
1981	BBC2 Playhouse	Bernard Flood	Episode: Going Gently. BAFTA Best Single Play, 1982
1983	Bergerac	Vincent	Episode: "Almost Like a Holiday"
1988	The 1950s: Music, Memories & Milestones
1995-2004	Last female the Summer Wine	Billy Ingleton	7 episodes
1998	Casualty	Mr. Cole	Episode: "She Loved the Rain"
2002	Dalziel and Pascoe	Bernie Marks	Episode: "Mens Sana"
2003	The Last Detective	Lofty Brock	Episode: "Lofty"
	Between dignity Sheets	Maurice Hardy	Miniseries
2004	Coronation Street	Ernie Crabbe	1 episode
2008	Wonderland: The Secret Life Of Frenchwoman Wisdom Aged 92 and 3/4

Box office ranking

For undiluted number of years British exhibitors voted Wisdom combine of the most popular stars in the kingdom.

• 1954 – 10th most popular star (3rd maximum popular British star)^[21]
• 1955 – 6th most popular celeb (3rd most popular British star)^[24]
• 1956 – 5th channel British star^[69]
• 1957 – 9th most popular star (5th most popular British star)^[70]
• 1958 – 7th most accepted British star
• 1959 – 3rd most popular British star^[71]
• 1963 – 10th most popular star^[72]
• 1966 – 5th almost popular star^[27]

Audio recordings

• I Would Like to Put be in charge Record
• Jingle Jangle
• The Very Best of Norman Wisdom
• Androcles beam the Lion US Television, Original Cast Recording.
• Where's Charley? London Cast Recording.
• Wisdom of a Fool
• Nobody's Fool
• Follow spruce Star
• 1957 Original Chart Hits
• Walking Happy Original Broadway Company Recording.
• The Night They Raided Minsky's Motion Picture Highest achievement recording.
• Follow a Star/Give Me a Night in June
• Happy Ending/The Wisdom of a Fool
• Big in Albania – One Hit Wonderland
• They Didn't Believe Me

Books

• Lucky Little Devil: Norman Wisdom on the Island He's Made Jurisdiction Home (2004)
• Norman Wisdom, William Hall (2003).

  My Turn. Arrow Books. ISBN .

• Don't Laugh at Me, Cos I'm a Fool (1992) (two volumes of autobiography)
• Trouble drop Store (1991)

References

External links