Trivia

He made the first mobile phone call in the UK on 1 January 1985, from St Katherine's Dock, near Tower Bridge in London, to Vodafone's headquarters in Newbury.

He was the straight man of the comic duo, his fictitious toupee and 'short, fat hairy legs' being the butt of countless Morecambe jibes.

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1976 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to entertainment.

With Eric Morecambe they received the Top Comedy Act award at the 1973 Sun Awards.

His only break in his long show business career was when he was in the Merchant Navy during the war.

Ernie Wise's wife, Doreen Blythe, was a former dancer in a circus when they met.

First on stage in the double act of Morecambe & Wise at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool in 1941.

Joined the Merchant Navy during World War II. Alongside Eric Morecambe, did his bid in entertaining troops during wartime as part of the Entertainment National Service Association (ENSA).

Professional debut in 1939 at the Prince's Theatre in London, in the stage production of the BBC radio program 'Band Waggon', starring bandleader Jack Hylton (who also appeared in the film version in 1940). It was Hylton, who changed Ernie's stage name from Wiseman to Wise. Around this time, Ernie was briefly touted as Britain's answer to Mickey Rooney.

Performed with his father, a railway porter, in a song-and-dance act from the age of seven, billed variously as Bert Carson and His Little Wonder, and as The Two Tetleys in working men's clubs when he was about 8.

He owned a cruiser named Lady Doreen after his wife.

He actually met Eric Morecambe before the war and by coincidence they both later worked for the same circus,.

Appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show"), with his partner in comedy, Eric Morecambe, numerous times during the 1960s.

He collected beermats as a hobby.

His wife Doreen traveled with him on his tours and acted as his secretary.

He began a comedy partnership with Eric Bartholomew when he was 16. "Wiseman and Bartholomew" was too long for theater marquees, so they changed it to "Morecambe and Wise". They became comedy legends in the UK, with a mix of self-deprecating charm and schoolboy humor. Their Christmas specials became a national institution. They were both awarded OBE (Officers of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1976 Queen's Honours List for their services to comedy.

Was very keen to achieve equal success in the USA but Eric Morecambe was indifferent and unwilling to make the the required effort as he was content with their careers in Britain.

Several years after Eric's death Ernie was asked what would have happened to the double act had Eric not died when he did. Ernie replied that they probably would have continued with their annual Christmas shows but not a regular TV series.