Sir Norman Wisdom dies aged 95

[Bangyai]

Sir Norman Wisdom, the comedian and actor, has died at the age of 95.


By John Bingham
Published: 10:38PM BST 04 Oct 2010
26 Comments


HRH the Queen meets Sir Norman Wisdom after the state opening of Isle of Wight Parliament


The veteran entertainer, who had continued performing well into his eighties, had suffered a series of strokes and had begun to lose his memory.

He passed away peacefully at Abbotswood Nursing home on the Isle of Man with his son, Nick, and daughter, Jacqui, by his side.



Second only to Charlie Chaplin as one of the most consistently successful British screen comics of the 20th century, he will be remembered as one of the heroes of the country’s film industry.
Chaplin himself once told him: “You will follow in my footsteps.”
But his own description was more modest. He described his brand of comedy as being for children aged from three to 93.
His slapstick portrayal of the clumsy down-at-heel comic hero Norman Pitkin proved to have truly universal appeal, making him a star, as well known in South America and Albania as in Britain.
At the age of 80, he was mobbed in Albania by thousands of ecstatic fans who knew him as “Pitkini”.
"I don't know why I'm so popular here,” was his modest response.
“They must be raving mad.”
He was wryly surprised on one trip to Iran to occasion to be followed by children whose only English was his catchphrase “Mr Grimsdale!”
At the height of his career in Britain even the glamour of James Bond could not compete at the box office with the appeal of Pitkin’s ill-fitting suit and flatcap.
Last night Johnny Mans, his manager and agent for 30 years, hailed him as a “legend and a true friend”.
“He was just a complete one-off, an absolute genius, his comedy timing nobody could match,” he said.
Phil Day, his publicist, added: “I have never met anyone in the profession who didn’t like him, right up to royalty.
"I’ve been with him with members of the Royal family and the hairs on the back of my neck have stood up at things he’s said.
"I can’t think of anyone else who could get away with it.”
Sir Tim Rice, the composer, added: “He was a brilliant slapstick comedian and I still look on his films with a warm smile."
"They were delightful and typical of their age. He was extremely good at what he did.”
Born into poverty in London in 1915, his childhood career included a spell as as an errand boy for Lipton’s Tea and as a cabin cabin boy on a ship to Buenos Aires.
His first musical break – of sorts – was when he joined the Army as a teenage bandsman and was sent to India where he learnt to play 11 instruments and perfected his comic timing falling off horses at will.
Making his name in musical theatre in the late 1940s, his big break into the world of films came in 1953 with Trouble In Store.
A string of hits followed before he moved into television. But even in what passed for retirement he continued to entertain.
He played his last show at the Theatre Royal in Norwich in 2004, aged 86.
Even at the nursing home, he will be remembered for entertaining the other guests on the piano until recently.
In a statement issued by the home last night, his family said that there had been a general decline in his health in recent months, amid a series of strokes.
“He had maintained a degree of independence until a few days ago,” they explained.
“However, over the last few days his condition rapidly declined.
“He was in no pain or distress and peacefully passed over at 18.46 on October 4.”

Sir Norman Wisdom dies aged 95 - Telegraph

[Bangyai]

Thanks for the memories ;

[nidhogg]

^ God rest, and sleep well Norman.

[spikebs4]

a very funny man and a gentlman .. had to fend for himself from the age of 12yrs old .. goodnight pipkin .......

[harrybarracuda]

Funny how his comedy will always be remembered and will always make people laugh, unlike the complete most poop modern comedians try and pass off as "comedy".

[The Gentleman Scamp]

95 is not bad going at all, sleep well mate.