Nice to See It, to See It, Nice

Book Review from 2009

This book is classed as an autobiography. So, why do I hear, is it in the book section of this site?

The book, as the title suggests is about growing up in the 70s and what was on the TV. The Sweeney, Gandstand, Fawlty Towers, Benny Hill and other shows you’ve probably forgotten.

Where this book fits into this site is the final chapter. Simply called “Eric and Ernie”. The front cover of the book shows 3 children suitable dressed for the 70s watching a black and white portable showing an image of Eric and Ernie.

It is hard not to talk about 70s TV without mentioning them. Here Brian Viner gives them an entire chapter. Running to 7 pages it opens with a controversial passage from A. A. Gill, a TV critic from the Sunday Times. In it, it is suggested that perhaps the only reason the Morecambe and Wise show was so successful was that there were no real alternatives. In an era of 3 channels it was either M&W, some choir singing, a poor foreign cartoon or Boggle with your grandma!! It was thin pickings and we should be grateful for what we had.

It is an interesting and maybe valid argument, but as Brian Viner goes on to say, it does not take away from the fact that Morecambe and Wise were comic genius’s. The fact that very few could make us roar with laughter just by an of hand comment about a speeding ice-cream van.

There is a bit about the Stripper and Grieg sketch’s and the move to Thames.

One interesting bit is the revelation that the 1977 Christmas show is not the most watched program ever. It is the 2nd most watched series. It comes behind Eastenders (Den and Angie Divorce). There are also other one offs such as the moon landings and the funeral of Princess Diana to name 2. It is though the highest rated Entertainment show, as I refuse to believe Eastenders is Entertainment!!!!!!!!!!!

Towards the we return to the autobiography part and how the author has grown up and more interested in pubs than the Christmas Radio Times.

This books definitely for a serious hard core collector! Best best would be go to your local library and borrow a copy!


© Morecambeandwise.com 2009


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