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Wise wanted to split from Morecambe in 1950, letter shows
The Guardian|November 18, 2024
They became arguably the greatest comedy duo Britain has ever produced, but if Eric Morecambe had listened to a young and despondent Ernie Wise, they would have split up before ever getting properly started.
- Mark Brown
Wise wanted to split from Morecambe in 1950, letter shows

A poignant 1950 letter from Wise to Morecambe is part of a remarkable trove of memorabilia to be auctioned in the new year.

The lots, all from Morecambe's former home in Hertfordshire, include letters from Margaret Thatcher and Tommy Cooper, as well as sketch ideas, scripts, photographs, and personal items such as his pipe and spectacles.

As a whole, it is a "truly remarkable" collection, said the sale manager Victoria Sheppard, who recalled her jaw dropping as she entered the Morecambe family home after the death of Eric's wife, Joan, this year.

It was like a shrine, she said. "I was in complete awe. What we found was truly magical."

This story is from the November 18, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

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Wise wanted to split from Morecambe in 1950, letter shows
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This story is from the November 18, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

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