4th Estate

Graham McCann

The dual biography of the great British comedy double-act and the rise and fall of mass audience television by the respected biographer of Cary Grant .

Following the success of Cary Grant – A Class Apart, Graham McCann has now created an intricate portrait of Eric Morcambe and Ernie Wise, possibly the most famous Bristish comedy double-act of all time. This book charts the progress of the duo from a conventional working class music hall act to a mass-audience television team to a national institution. From northern working men’s clubs at the beginning of their career to the 1977 Christmas special that had an audience of 28 million, Morecambe and Wise were a double act continually changing the dynamics of their relationship to reflect their influences and their times. Their shows were like nostalgic reflections on a century of popular entertainment, an entertainment that was inclusive to a wide audience and paid homage to the past.

McCann’s study is also an investigation in the background of mass audience entertainment from which Morecambe and Wise rose. Morecambe & Wise is the definitive biography of one of the most-loved double acts as well as a history of their times.

Reviews of Morecambe and Wise

- ‘A gorgeous plum pudding of a biography.’ Daily Telegraph
- ‘Graham McCann’s expert biography shows how a good writer can make fascinating the lives of two people who, effectively did nothing but work and die. Intensely moving.’ David Hare, Guardian
- ‘McCann’s book is destined to become required reading for a new generation of nervous non-committal reading for a new generation of nervous non-committal light-entertainment executives, as well as an enlightening behind-the-scenes document for the curious fan.’ Stewart Lee, Sunday Times
- ‘So funny that the reader laughs out loud.’ Sunday Independent
- ‘McCann’s impeccably detailed biography is both a celebration and a lament.’ The Times