Morecambe and Wise were far superior to the two Ronnies. They never had to resort to cheap racist jokes and their humour could be watched by everyoer in the family. I love them.
Morecombe and Wise were stand-up/slapstick comedy....of the vaudeville/concert hall genre. The Two Ronnies were actually thrown together on the David Frost Show (you'd all know that of course) and were more of the comedy sketch/parody type comedy. Both were brilliant in their own field though both were quite different. The Two Ronnies were very much of the television age, M&W managed the cross-over from stage to radio to television. Morecombe and Wise did sight gags, The Two Ronnies were more of a word-play thing. Ronnie C's monologues in the arm-chair were classic.
Yes in the traditional sense The Two Ronnies were not a double act. Their show was a combination of sketches and individual slots. M and W were welded together more or less since childhood with Ernie the traditional straight man to Erics comedy-though Eddie Braben gave Ernie his own comedy role with the plays wot he wrote etc.
An incredibly talented writer, actor and performer. Eric Morecambe is not even close to being in the same league.
Sometimes it's hard to believe that Arkwright from Open All Hours and Fletcher from Porridge were played by the same man.
I was always a massive fan of his. A true master of his art.
I am certainly not going to disagree with you regarding Ronnie Barker -his work and legacy speaks for itself. However the two were very different. Ronnie Barker said himself that he needed a script to be funny, and he was not at ease being interviewed where he could come across quite stilted. Eric on the other hand was one of those rare characters who made people laugh(obviously not everybody) simply by walking onto a stage.
I totally disagree. The best ever was Bob Hope. The best ever in the UK was Bob Monkhouse.
Each to their own, but I don't rate Bob Hope that highly. Bob Monkhouse was talented enough and often underrated, but he wasn't in the same league as Dave Allen - not even close to it.
I am certainly not going to disagree with you regarding Ronnie Barker -his work and legacy speaks for itself. However the two were very different. Ronnie Barker said himself that he needed a script to be funny, and he was not at ease being interviewed where he could come across quite stilted. Eric on the other hand was one of those rare characters who made people laugh(obviously not everybody) simply by walking onto a stage.
I think that's the difference. Ronnie Barker was a comic actor, whereas Eric Morecambe was a performer. This doesn't make one better than the other. Ronnie Barker could and did tackle a wide variety of different characters in a way Eric Morcambe could never have done. Eric Morecambe could improvise on the spot in a way Ronnie Barker apparently found very difficult.
Picking which one is better is like picking whether you prefer strawberries or raspberries. All down to personal taste.
I think that's the difference. Ronnie Barker was a comic actor, whereas Eric Morecambe was a performer. This doesn't make one better than the other. Ronnie Barker could and did tackle a wide variety of different characters in a way Eric Morcambe could never have done. Eric Morecambe could improvise on the spot in a way Ronnie Barker apparently found very difficult.
Picking which one is better is like picking whether you prefer strawberries or raspberries. All down to personal taste.
Each to their own, but I don't rate Bob Hope that highly. Bob Monkhouse was talented enough and often underrated, but he wasn't in the same league as Dave Allen - not even close to it.
I agree. Bob Hope never made me laugh much.
Bob Monkhouse was indeed underrated, but Dave Allen puts both of them to shame.
Each to their own, but I don't rate Bob Hope that highly. Bob Monkhouse was talented enough and often underrated, but he wasn't in the same league as Dave Allen - not even close to it.
Bob Monkhouse was great at stand up. Dave Allen had to sit down.
Morecombe and Wise were the best duo, fantastic shows. I've the impression though that their wives were not great buddies.
I was fortunate enough to work on some of their shows in the 'old days' and this was the case. the two wives were very different characters. Doreen was a very cheerful, friendly and down to earth person.
I think the shows do seem rather dated now, what seems to have been lost in the passage of time is the sense of warnth that they radiated. They were not always laugh out loud funny, but the shows were like having old friends round.
I didn't rate Bob as a stand up. From the bits I've seen, he never seemed to have that natural flow that the greats have. He knew a hell of a lot of jokes but I don't think stand up was his greatest talent.
He was a quiz show host second to none, and, according to all reports, one of the most generous men in show business.
Bob Monkhouse was quite a underrated actor IMO he was in the very first Carry On film (Sargent) I often have thought he should have been in more of them
Quite simple really. Their style of comedy was very, very successful. It wasn't crude, rude or lewd. It wasn't "quirky", "gentle" or any of the other adjectives that mean "grindingly unfunny". The gags were reliable, famiily-friendly and delivered with great skill and excellent timing.
It's very easy to be dismissive of "old stuff". If it wasn't written this year, it must be old, tired and irrelevant - whereas "new" programmes are bound to be fresh, original and contemporary. As it turns out, human nature doesn't change very much. What was funny in silent movies might lack polish and technological finesse, but it still has the core, basic ingredients of humour that modern shows still rely on.
Sadly, today there's too much TV, with not enough money being spread too thinly to make "blockbuster" shows. Plus the BBC has mostly given up on comedy - they just don't seem to have any enthusiasm for it any more and there just isn't that much comedy talent around, either. Even if there were to be some, the humour would still be largely the same as it was in the 70's or 1920's. Only the faces and props would be different.
They haven't really given up on comedy, there are still plenty of sitcoms and panel games on the BBC.
I was fortunate enough to work on some of their shows in the 'old days' and this was the case. the two wives were very different characters. Doreen was a very cheerful, friendly and down to earth person.
I think the shows do seem rather dated now, what seems to have been lost in the passage of time is the sense of warnth that they radiated. They were not always laugh out loud funny, but the shows were like having old friends round.
Well the newest show they did will be 29 years old, so they will look dated now. Yet the warmth of the humour and the guests in a play wot I wrote are always the most memorable, not forgetting the ultimate stunt they carried out when millions of viewers thought Angela Rippon was announcing a major disaster, only to reveal it was part of a musical act when the desk was pulled away. This really was clever stuff.
I hahev really only seen clips of many Morecambe and Wise sketches - did they normally do spoofs like other comedians?
I have seen one clip of a spoof from their very early ITV series where they are taking off the early Gerry Anderson series Supercar - Eric is Mitch the Monkey and Ernie is Mike Mercury (they both have visible strings!). But in their late series I have only seen clips of Eric and Ernie as themselves.
I agree that it was different with The Two Ronnies in how they had separate careers. Ronnie Barker was very talented and I agree about the way he could play so many different characters. Ronnie Barker could look so different with some of the characters he played in The Two Ronnies, but I don't think Ronnie Corbett could somehow look as different in the many parts he played.
Of course, people have said about Ronnie Barker that it was hard to believe that Arkwright and Fletcher were played by the same person.
Good comedy is subjective. I love Miranda, Him & Her and Mongrels, for example.
TBH I have not liked any comedy since One Foot In The Grave ended
unless it was a continuation or spin off to a show from before than e.g Green Green Grass (Which I though was watch able but nowhere near as great as OFAH)
Bob Monkhouse was quite a underrated actor IMO he was in the very first Carry On film (Sargent) I often have thought he should have been in more of them
Bob Monkhouse did a very good turn in a Jonathan Creek episode
Comments
Neither did the Two Ronnies
Yes in the traditional sense The Two Ronnies were not a double act. Their show was a combination of sketches and individual slots. M and W were welded together more or less since childhood with Ernie the traditional straight man to Erics comedy-though Eddie Braben gave Ernie his own comedy role with the plays wot he wrote etc.
I am certainly not going to disagree with you regarding Ronnie Barker -his work and legacy speaks for itself. However the two were very different. Ronnie Barker said himself that he needed a script to be funny, and he was not at ease being interviewed where he could come across quite stilted. Eric on the other hand was one of those rare characters who made people laugh(obviously not everybody) simply by walking onto a stage.
Each to their own, but I don't rate Bob Hope that highly. Bob Monkhouse was talented enough and often underrated, but he wasn't in the same league as Dave Allen - not even close to it.
I think that's the difference. Ronnie Barker was a comic actor, whereas Eric Morecambe was a performer. This doesn't make one better than the other. Ronnie Barker could and did tackle a wide variety of different characters in a way Eric Morcambe could never have done. Eric Morecambe could improvise on the spot in a way Ronnie Barker apparently found very difficult.
Picking which one is better is like picking whether you prefer strawberries or raspberries. All down to personal taste.
Agreed. I dont think you can compare the two.
I agree. Bob Hope never made me laugh much.
Bob Monkhouse was indeed underrated, but Dave Allen puts both of them to shame.
Bob Monkhouse was great at stand up. Dave Allen had to sit down.
I was fortunate enough to work on some of their shows in the 'old days' and this was the case. the two wives were very different characters. Doreen was a very cheerful, friendly and down to earth person.
I think the shows do seem rather dated now, what seems to have been lost in the passage of time is the sense of warnth that they radiated. They were not always laugh out loud funny, but the shows were like having old friends round.
I didn't rate Bob as a stand up. From the bits I've seen, he never seemed to have that natural flow that the greats have. He knew a hell of a lot of jokes but I don't think stand up was his greatest talent.
He was a quiz show host second to none, and, according to all reports, one of the most generous men in show business.
They haven't really given up on comedy, there are still plenty of sitcoms and panel games on the BBC.
Compared with ITV.
Well the newest show they did will be 29 years old, so they will look dated now. Yet the warmth of the humour and the guests in a play wot I wrote are always the most memorable, not forgetting the ultimate stunt they carried out when millions of viewers thought Angela Rippon was announcing a major disaster, only to reveal it was part of a musical act when the desk was pulled away. This really was clever stuff.
I have seen one clip of a spoof from their very early ITV series where they are taking off the early Gerry Anderson series Supercar - Eric is Mitch the Monkey and Ernie is Mike Mercury (they both have visible strings!). But in their late series I have only seen clips of Eric and Ernie as themselves.
I agree that it was different with The Two Ronnies in how they had separate careers. Ronnie Barker was very talented and I agree about the way he could play so many different characters. Ronnie Barker could look so different with some of the characters he played in The Two Ronnies, but I don't think Ronnie Corbett could somehow look as different in the many parts he played.
Of course, people have said about Ronnie Barker that it was hard to believe that Arkwright and Fletcher were played by the same person.
Good comedy is subjective. I love Miranda, Him & Her and Mongrels, for example.
TBH I have not liked any comedy since One Foot In The Grave ended
unless it was a continuation or spin off to a show from before than e.g Green Green Grass (Which I though was watch able but nowhere near as great as OFAH)
Bob Monkhouse did a very good turn in a Jonathan Creek episode