Back and Better Than Ever
1969 Article
They are back
I confess I feared for the change. Too many TV artists, memorably Tony Hancock, have found a chill switch of popularity when their source of material moved on.
It did not happen last night. In fact though you cannot call this sophisticated stuff, there was a distinct swing for the better.
Traditions
Their first joke was when Eric asked if he could be allowed to kiss a girl in the new series. Said Ernie: "You kissed one in the last show and look what happened." What happened has not been enough to take any thing out of this splendid couple.
There is still in Morecambe one of the best-timed most superbly oriented comics in the business. As a tortoise emerging from a six month hibernation with a hangover and a sex mad wife, he took us right back to the old tradition of Morecambe and Wise. The material is not brilliant but it never was: it is so well executed that the rest of the bawdier TV humour seems pale and vulgar beside it.
One thing is certain, Morecambe is really back on the ball, getting away with anything, still full of ferocious ad libs. Certainly not swamped even by star guests like Peter Cushing and Kenny Ball.
The style of these two brilliant purveyors of nonsense remains as robust as ever. Music hall plus. I was worrying about the switch of writers. I wonder with these two if scripts are really necessary. I think they could be funny reading through the London telephone directory.
A measure of the affection from the audience was reflected in the cheers on their first entrance together after so long. The noise rivalled the Covent Garden audience reception of the Bolshoi Ballet, another triumph last night for BBC2.
How lucky we are to have one TV channel which will bring such immaculate programmes into the home – and will not hesitate to snatch extra 15 minutes when such a distinguished ballet company will go on and ill them with such strength and dignity – and in colour, such beauty.
© Daily Express 1969