Norman Wisdom Biography (1925?-)

Born February 4, 1925 (some sources say 1915, 1918, or 1920), in London, England; married Freda Simpson, October 1947 (divorced, 1969); children: Nicholas, Jacqueline. Addresses: Contact: Johnny Mans Productions, Ltd., The Maltings, Brewery Rd., Hoddeson, Hertfordshire EN11 8HF, England. Official Norman Wisdom Fan Club, 115 Ranworth Ave., Hoddeson, Hertfordshire EN11 9NS, England.

Nationality
British
Gender
Male
Occupation
Actor, comedian, writer, producer, songwriter
Birth Details
February 4, 1925?
London, United Kingdom

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Appearances
  • Shadow boxer, A Date with a Dream, Grand National, 1948
  • Norman, Trouble in Store, Republic, 1953
  • Norman, One Good Turn, General Films, 1954
  • Norman, Man of the Moment, Group, 1955
  • (Uncredited) Guest, As Long as They're Happy, Rank, 1955
  • Norman, Up in the World, Rank, 1956
  • Norman Hackett (and his own father), Just My Luck, Rank, 1957
  • Norman Pitkin and General Schreiber, The Square Peg, Rank, 1958
  • Norman Truscott, Follow a Star, Rank, 1959
  • Norman Puckle, The Bulldog Breed, Rank, 1960
  • Davy Cooper, There Was a Crooked Man, Lopert/United Artists, 1960
  • Norman Pitkin and Giulio Napolitani, On the Beat, Rank, 1962
  • Sam Marlowe, The Girl on the Boat, Knightsbridge, 1962
  • Norman Pitkin, A Stitch in Time, Zenith, 1963
  • Norman Pitkin, The Early Bird, Rank, 1965
  • Father O'Malley, The Sandwich Man, Rank, 1966
  • Norman Shields, Emily Shields, Wilfred Shields, and Sir Wilfred Shields,Press for Time, Rank, 1966
  • Chick Williams, The Night They Raided Minsky's (also known as The Night They Invented Striptease), United Artists, 1968
  • Timothy Bartlett, What's Good for the Goose (also known as GirlTrouble), National Showmanship, 1969
  • Himself, To See Such Fun, 1977
  • (In archive footage) Himself, The 1950's: Music, Memories & Milestones, 1988
  • Arthur Clutten and Maurice Rigby, Double X: The Name of the Game (also known as DoubleX and Run Rabbit Run), New World International, 1992
  • Where On Earth Is ... Katy Manning Because She'd Really Like to Know! (also known as Where On Earth Is ... Katy Manning), Reeltime Pictures, 1998
  • Film Work
  • Associate producer, What's Good for the Goose (also known as Girl Trouble), National Showmanship, 1969
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • Norman, Wit and Wisdom, 1948
  • Norman, Wit and Wisdom, 1950
  • Norman, ATV, 1970
  • Music Hall, 1970
  • Nobody, Nobody Is Norman Wisdom, ATV, 1973
  • Norman, A Little Bit of Wisdom, ATV, 1974-1976
  • Episodic
  • Vincent Parkin, "Almost Like a Holiday," Bergerac, 1983
  • Himself, Clive Anderson Talks Back, 1993
  • Billy Ingleton the demon pianist, "The Man Who Nearly Knew Pavarotti," The Last of the Summer Wine, 1995
  • Mr. Cole, "She Loved the Rain," Casualty, BBC1, 1998
  • Himself, It's Only TV ... But I Like It, 2000
  • Himself, "Todd Carty," This Is Your Life, NBC, 2000
  • Also appeared as himself in episodes of This Is Your Life and TV-AM.
  • Specials
  • Norman, Wit and Wisdom, 1948
  • "The Norman Wisdom Show," Saturday Comedy Hour (three specials), BBC, 1956
  • Androcles, Androcles and the Lion, 1967
  • Patient, "Going Gently," Playhouse, BBC2, 1981
  • (In archive footage) I Love Christmas (documentary), BBC, 2001
  • Stage Appearances
  • The 1954 Palladium Show, The London Palladium, London, 1954
  • Aladdin, The Wonderful Lamp, The London Palladium, 1956
  • Charley Wykeham, Where's Charley?, Palace Theatre, 1958
  • Dick Whittington, Turn Again Whittington, The London Palladium, 1960
  • Robinson Crusoe, Hippodrome Theatre, Bristol, England, 1961, thenEmpire Theatre, Liverpool, England, 1963
  • (Broadway debut) Will Mossop, Walking Happy, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 1966
  • Arnold Crouch, Not Now, Darling, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New YorkCity, 1970
  • Appeared in Buttons and Bows, Blackpool, England; also appeared inRoyal Variety Performances, 1952 and 1954.
  • Stage Appearances; Revues
  • Sauce Piquante, Cambridge Theatre, London, 1950
  • Paris to Piccadilly, Prince of Wales's Theatre, London, 1952
  • Painting the Town, The London Palladium, London, 1955
  • Stage Appearances; Ice Shows
  • London Melody, Empress Hall, 1951
  • Sinbad the Sailor, Empress Hall, 1953
  • Major Tours
  • Cocky, The Roar of the Grease Paint--The Smell of the Crowd, 1964
  • Norman Wisdom's Summer Show, 1975
  • Also toured in Albania, 1995, and in a solo show, 1996.
  • WRITINGS
  • Screenplays
  • The Square Peg, Rank, 1958
  • Follow a Star, Rank, 1959
  • The Bulldog Breed, Rank, 1960
  • On the Beat, Rank, 1962
  • A Stitch in Time, Zenith, 1963
  • The Early Bird, Rank, 1965
  • Press for Time, Rank, 1966
  • What's Good for the Goose (also known as Girl Trouble), National Showmanship, 1969
  • Film Songs
  • "Don't Laugh at Me ('Cause I'm a Fool)," Trouble in Store, Republic, 1953
  • "Please Opportunity," One Good Turn, General Films, 1954
  • Man of the Moment, Group, 1955
  • Memoirs
  • (With William Hall) Don't Laugh at Me, 1992

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books
    • Dacre, Richard, Trouble in Store: Norman Wisdom, a Career in Comedy, TC Farries (Dumfries, Scotland), 1991
    • International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, St. James Press, 1996
    Periodicals
    • Films and Filming (London), December, 1954
    • Primetime, October/December, 1983
    • Sight and Sound (London), April, 1954