Norman Wisdom fondly known throughout England as one of the best comedic actors of his time, his movies are still enjoyed be the masses today.
Norman Wisdom was born in the London district of Marylebone in 1915. After living in a children’s home Norman ran away at the age of 11, after his return he worked as a grocery boy, he also after leaving school worked as a cabin boy in the Merchant Navy along with other various employments. Whilst in the British Army where he had enlisted as a drummer boy and posted to India, he gained an education certificate, was a flyweight boxing champion and also learned to play the trumpet and clarinet. It was during a comedy boxing routine that he participating in that he discovered he had a talent for entertainment and began to develop his talents as a musician.
When he left the Army in 1946 he entered the entertainment profession at the age of 31 and rose to the top extremely fast. He initially played the straight man opposite the magician David Nixon, it was in this first appearance that he wore his suit, tweed flat cap askew with the peak turned up and his suit rumpled and at least 2 sized too small that would become his trademark throughout his career Charlie Chaplin was quoted as saying Norman Wisdom was his ‘favorite clown’.
Norman went on to make some low budget comedy films for the Rank Organization which began with the favorable ‘Trouble in Store (1953), he earned a BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Film in 1954.
His films were always funny, but never accepted very well by the critics even though his films out sold the James Bond films. His film roles were often the same, a barely competent loveable character in some sort of junior position opposite a a straight well to do fellow, often the loveable character ‘Mr Grimsdale’ played by Edward Chapman, usually with Norman getting himself into some mad cap situation.
Norman Wisdom has appeared in many TV, theater and film productions and worked up into his 90’s by announcing his retirement in 2005. Married twice with two children he know lives in a care home, it was reported that his memory is so bad now that he doesn’t even recognize himself in his own movies.
Norman Wisdom has provided the English people with countless hours of memorable comedy that has even been copied by comedians such as Lee Evans, his timeless characters and films still provide entertainment for generations to come.
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