Ernie Wise - Queen Street, Morley, Yorkshire, UK.
N 53° 44.625 W 001° 35.999
30U E 592330 N 5955921
Ernest Wiseman was a British comedian best known as part of a double act, Morecambe and Wise.
Waymark Code: WMD8ZG
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/06/2011
Views: 5
Ernie Wise was born Ernest Wiseman on 27 November 1925. He changed his name when he went into show-business.
His early career was as a solo artist on stage and later on radio.
Together with his comedy partner Eric Morcambe, Ernie Wise performed as one of the UK's favourite double acts. For many years 'The Morecambe and Wise Show' was a Saturday evening staple on British TV. He worked with Eric from 1941 through to 1984.
Morecambe and Wise also performed on radio and stared in a number of films most notably 'That Riviera Touch'.
Ernie was usually seen as the straight man of the duo and was taunted by Eric about his 'short, fat, hairy legs'. They are not depicted on this statue. It is however erected within a stone's throw of the New Pavilion Theatre, where Ernie performed early in his career - in fact, as a boy.
Ernie was also the first person in the UK to make a mobile telephone call:-
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Ernie Wise died from heart failure and a chest infection in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire on 21st March 1999.
The pose here is of Ernie as a song and dance man, something that he took into his partnership with Eric (see link below). This tribute is stone and perhaps chunkier that Ernie was in life. It is a little larger than life sized, being 7 feet tall. There is no plinth and is 'planted' into a flower bed.
Ernie plays the part of Gene Kelly in "Singin' in the Rain".
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There was some controversy surrounding this statue. It was delivered and unveiled late and although it was originally hoped that this would be a bronze, as was that or his partner Eric (WMCTDH), but an application for a £38,000 grant from the lottery fund was turned down and the £8,000 cost of this version, created by local artist Melanie Wilks was met by Ernie's wife Doreen. Many locals critisised the appearance not thinking that it was a very good likeness. Mrs Wiseman is quoted as saying: "I think it's great, I think Melanie's done a wonderful job. No statue ever looks like the person, let's face it......"
Information from Wikipedia and BBC.co.uk.