Jonathan Ross’s new documentary Morecambe & Wise in America will focus on the iconic double act of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, and their attempts to break America.
Airing this Christmas on Gold, the three-part documentary will feature over an hour’s worth of footage never seen before in the UK. Ross explores the duo’s working relationship and a series of trips they made to appear on one of the USA’s largest variety shows, The Ed Sullivan Show.
The pair were watched by as many as “60 million people” on The Ed Sullivan Show which was also credited with helping The Beatles crack America.
“As a fan of both Morecambe & Wise and vintage American TV, it’s been a real joy to discover all this footage of their performance in the States in the Sixties,” said Ross. “I’m looking forward to telling the story.”
Executive producer Mark Wells added, “The footage of Morecambe & Wise working on American television in the sixties is fascinating, because to begin with the audience don’t quite know what to make of them. But Eric and Ernie established themselves very quickly.”
Morecambe & Wise in America will feature the comedy duo’s own photographs and home movies, their first appearance on TV in colour, as well as guest stars Glenda Jackson and Nicholas Parsons.
Morecambe & Wise in America will air on Gold in December.
