Two of a Kind

Book Review from 2021

Over the past years we have been blessed with many books about Morecambe and Wise. Some great, some good and some not so good. It was with a deep breath that I took a look at one of the latest books, Two of a Kind by Paul Burton.

We are invited to follow a journey "that led the duo to find not only success, but also love and admiration in equal measure from the public, their peers and even royalty"

Published by Fantom Publishing and released in 2020, this is another book that charts the career, lives and legacy of Eric and Ernie from their early days to present day.

The book runs to 253 pages with a few pages given over to black and white photographs. It is small to hold, a hard back in almost paperback size. Having read all the other books on Morecambe and Wise, this reviewer sat down ready to spot and jump on some of the common mistakes that are littered throughout many of the books. Where Ernie was born and when they met are commonly mis quoted. What a genuine surprise this book was though.

We are welcomed into the book by a quote from Sir Bill Cotton, a forward by Suzanne Lloyd recalling her time on That Riviera Touch and an opening chapter from the author, Paul Burton. Pulling no punches, he is straight in with the famous letter that nearly broke the act up. That would have been a short book!

First, we have Ernie's early days. He was born first so this makes sense. This is followed by Eric's childhood. We are then treated to a well written and accurate run through of their early days and how they met. More importantly Ernie's birth place and the year they met are correct!!

Before you know it, you have travelled through the early years and heading straight for stardom.

This is a very accurate book that goes into just enough detail to give you all the facts with some extras that sometimes get glossed over. It was pleasant surprise to see Gus Morris get a mention. A comedian that Eric said he enjoyed his time with and learnt a lot about timing.

The chapters a nice and short which makes this an easy read if you wish to dip in or out. It also makes is a fast paced read if you want to sit down for an evening.

All areas of the boys' careers are covered in enough detail to keep you interested. There are some very interesting quotes from articles of the time that make great additions to the stories being told.

The book covers the passing of Eric and Ernie and then continues to cover their legacy that has continued to the present day. If I was to be picky I would say there is a slight reliance on listing guest stars for the TV shows, which after a while did seem to be a way of filling out certain pages. This is really my only complaint, but may be of interest to other readers.

Overall, I would say this is a great book and well worth a read. It was so good I read it twice! I will leave the last quote to Gail Morecambe…

"I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is absolutely full of little gems and interesting facts. It really leaves nothing out of their working life and is affectionately written. Highly recommended." - Gail Morecambe, Eric Morecambe's daughter

© morecambeandwise.com 2021


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