We Interview Joan Morecambe - page 3

Interview

Continued…

How did Gail and later Gary react to touring and summer seasons?
When they were young they didn’t realise what was actually happening. They probably thought it was just one long holiday. They loved summer season at Blackpool or Morecambe. Being one of the acts we got a lot of free things like tickets to theme parks, just so Eric and Ernie would go there.

It was difficult for me more than them I suppose; it was like having two separate lives. I had to keep two timetables. The children had theirs, when to get up, when to eat, when to go to bed, then I had Eric’s which was totally different.

Did you take your parents?
Yes, both our parents often joined us, along with friends and family. Some of those times were probably the happiest for Eric’s parents. Coming from the North, which in those days were pretty grim, they hardly ever had holidays. So finding themselves in a posh resort with handfuls of free tickets must have seemed like a dream.

Sadie was very intelligent considering the lack of education then. She could write a well written letter and always read historical novels. She had a great memory too; she always remembered facts from the books she read.

Summer seasons and touring shows soon turned to radio and eventually television. After appearing as guests on shows like the Palladium and Winifred Atwell, they eventually got their own series, Running Wild. How did they see this, was it their big chance?
No, they never saw it as their big chance or make-or-break. Yes they were very excited about having their own show, but I don’t think it was everything to them. The press made it worse and built it up, probably in preparation to knock it down later. Remember they had a very successful career on the stage and radio so this was just like something new to try.

Eric and Ern liked the idea of moving into television but made the mistake of thinking that they should do what other people tell them. They thought that the television people knew what they were doing and with them being the new boys, they better follow.

I think they knew the things they were doing wasn’t showing them off to best affect, and it wasn’t written to show off their talent. It was just a comedy show that happened to have Morecambe and Wise in it.

They went by the script, unlike later in life when Eric and Ernie would add and edit things. They were new and didn’t want to seem pushy.

Was Running Wild as bad as people think it was?
No. It was corny, it was old fashioned, but it was still funny.

The press, it seemed, were waiting for someone to pounce on, and they choose this show. They probably didn’t care which show they went for it was just unluckily that one.

They wanted to trash something and the only other star at the time was Bob Monkhouse. Bob was the blue-eyed-boy, could do no wrong, so they turned on Eric and Ernie.

Eric was gutted more than Ernie about the backlash, but they got over it quickly. Very soon afterwards they played a theatre in Manchester and absolutely brought the house down. To be honest Eric would rather have not done a series at first. He was new to television; he didn’t know it as well as he did live work. He would have preferred to do more guest slots, test the water, get to know this new medium before plunging in.

After Running Wild you decided to go to Australia, leaving Gail and Gary with Eric’s parents in Morecambe. Was that a difficult decision?
Yes, very much so. What made it slightly easier was the fact that Morecambe had become their second home now. Because we always tried to stay there if we were close enough, plus the summer seasons, meant they were used to it.

At first I said I wouldn’t go and leave the children for six months. It was Eric who said he could not go away for six months without me, he just couldn’t do it. I often think it would have been best if had turned it down. Transport then was totally different from today; it took us a full week just to get there with all the stop-overs.

Didn’t you nearly drown in Australia?
Yes, and Eric never knew about it until much later when we came back. I kept it very quiet. I was swimming and had to put my arm up for the lifeguard to come and get me. I was being carried out by the tide but didn’t panic; I just signalled I needed help.

I didn’t tell anyone, I just carried on as normal. It was about 20 years later that Eric found out. We were at a party somewhere and in conversation I just mentioned this event, much to the surprise of Eric. He had no idea for all those years.

The tour was not Eric and Ernie’s was it, it was Winifred Atwell’s.
Yes that’s right, but do you know we had awful trouble getting Winifred into Australia. It seems strange today that you might not get into a country because of your colour, but we really had to struggle to get her in.


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