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Norman Wisdom
Acting
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 …
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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.
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BODY OF WORK
Norman Wisdom's Filmography
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Innes Lloyd: The Producer
as Self (archive footage)
No Poster
The Unforgettable Norman Wisdom
as Himself (archive footage)
Norman Wisdom: His Story
as Himself : Archive footage
Norman Wisdom: Trouble On Tour
as Self
The Legend of Harrow Woods
as Winston
No Poster
The Secret Life of Norman Wisdom Aged 92¾
as Self
Expresso
as The Vicar (as Sir Norman Wisdom)
Five Children and It
Thora Hird Tribute
as Self
Where on Earth Is Katy Manning?
An Audience with Bruce Forsyth
No Poster
Cue Here for Laughs with John Virgo
as Self
Double X: The Name of the Game
as Arthur Clutton/Maurice Rigby
No Poster
The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary Studio
as Self
Going Gently
as Bernard Flood
To See Such Fun
What's Good for the Goose
as Timothy Bartlett
The Night They Raided Minsky's
as Chick Williams
Androcles and the Lion
as Androcles
Press for Time
as Norman Shields / Emily Shields / Wilfred, the Prime Minister
The Sandwich Man
as Boxing Vicar
The Early Bird
as Norman Pitkin
A Stitch in Time
as Norman Pitkin
On the Beat
as Norman Pitkin / Giulio Napolitani
The Girl on the Boat
as Sam Marlowe
The Bulldog Breed
as Ordinary Seaman Norman Puckle
There Was a Crooked Man
as Davy Cooper
Follow a Star
as Norman Truscott
Look at Life: A Dog's Life
as Self
The Square Peg
as Private Norman Pitkin / General Otto Schreiber
Just My Luck
as Norman Hackett / Mr. Hackett
Up in the World
as Norman
Man of the Moment
as Norman
As Long As They're Happy
as Norman
One Good Turn
as Norman
Trouble in Store
as Norman
Date with a Dream
as Shadow Boxer