Norman Wisdom
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 4, 1915
- Died
- October 4, 2010 (aged 95)
- Birthplace
- Marylebone, London, England
Biography
Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, OBE was an English actor, comedian and singer-songwriter best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring his hapless onscreen character Norman Pitkin. These films initially made more money than the James Bond film series, and secured Wisdom a celebrity status in lands as far apart as South America, Iran and many Eastern Bloc countries, particularly in Albania where his films were permitted by Enver Hoxha – Wisdom was the only Western actor to enjoy this privilege. Charlie Chaplin famously referred to Wisdom as his "favourite clown". Wisdom later forged a career on Broadway and as a television actor, winning critical acclaim for his dramatic role of a dying cancer patient in the television play Going Gently in 1981. It was broadcast on 5 June that year. He toured Australia and South Africa. After the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, a hospice was named in his honour. In 1995 he was given the Freedom of the City of London and of Tirana. The same year he received an OBE. Wisdom was knighted in 2000 and spent much of his later life on the Isle of Man. Some of his later appearances included roles in Last of the Summer Wine and Coronation Street, and he retired from acting at the age of 90 after his health declined.
Known For
Filmography
Innes Lloyd: The Producer
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Unforgettable Norman Wisdom
Movie · as Himself (archive footage)
Norman Wisdom: His Story
Movie · as Himself : Archive footage
Norman Wisdom: Trouble On Tour
Movie · as Self
The Legend of Harrow Woods
Movie · as Winston
The Secret Life of Norman Wisdom Aged 92¾
Movie · as Self
Expresso
Movie · as The Vicar (as Sir Norman Wisdom)
Five Children and It
Movie
Thora Hird Tribute
Movie · as Self
Between The Sheets
TV · as Maurice Hardy · 6 eps
The Last Detective
TV · as Lofty Brock · 1 ep
It's Only TV But I Like It
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Where on Earth Is Katy Manning?
Movie
An Audience with Bruce Forsyth
Movie
Style Challenge
TV · 1 ep
Dalziel and Pascoe
TV · as Bernie Marks · 1 ep
Cue Here for Laughs with John Virgo
Movie · as Self
Double X: The Name of the Game
Movie · as Arthur Clutton/Maurice Rigby
Casualty
TV · as Mr. Cole · 1 ep
The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary Studio
Movie · as Self
Wogan
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Going Gently
Movie · as Bernard Flood
Bergerac
TV · as Vincent · 1 ep
An Audience with...
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The South Bank Show
TV · 1 ep
To See Such Fun
Movie
Playhouse
TV · as Bernard Flood · 1 ep
A Little Bit of Wisdom
TV · as Norman Wisdom · 20 eps
Nobody Is Norman Wisdom
TV · as Nobody · 6 eps
Last of the Summer Wine
TV · as Man Carrying Gnome (uncredited), Billy Ingleton · 1 ep
Norman
TV · 6 eps
What's Good for the Goose
Movie · as Timothy Bartlett
The Night They Raided Minsky's
Movie · as Chick Williams
Androcles and the Lion
Movie · as Androcles
Press for Time
Movie · as Norman Shields / Emily Shields / Wilfred, the Prime Minister
The Sandwich Man
Movie · as Boxing Vicar
The Early Bird
Movie · as Norman Pitkin
A Stitch in Time
Movie · as Norman Pitkin
On the Beat
Movie · as Norman Pitkin / Giulio Napolitani
The Girl on the Boat
Movie · as Sam Marlowe
The Merv Griffin Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Bulldog Breed
Movie · as Ordinary Seaman Norman Puckle
There Was a Crooked Man
Movie · as Davy Cooper
Follow a Star
Movie · as Norman Truscott
Look at Life: A Dog's Life
Movie · as Self
The Square Peg
Movie · as Private Norman Pitkin / General Otto Schreiber
Just My Luck
Movie · as Norman Hackett / Mr. Hackett
Up in the World
Movie · as Norman
Tony Awards
TV · as Self - Nominee / Performer · 1 ep
Man of the Moment
Movie · as Norman
One Good Turn
Movie · as Norman
As Long As They're Happy
Movie · as Norman
This Is Your Life
TV
Trouble in Store
Movie · as Norman
Date with a Dream
Movie · as Shadow Boxer