The duo started their television careers with the BBC in 1954, with an ill-fated stand-up show called Running Wild, which was damned by the critics. However, by the Sixties they had established themselves as comedy favourites thanks to several ITV series where their catchphrases and personas cemented.
The duo moved back to the BBC in 1968 for what would be their golden decade. Very little footage survives of the first eight-part series, and the new DVD release contains 25 minutes from one episode.
After this series, Eric Morecambe suffered his first heart attack, and with fears about the future of the act, writers Sid Green and Dick Hills moved back to ITV.
However, the end of that collaboration was what made Morecambe and Wise the huge starts they became, after Eddie Braben was brought in as their writer.
His first series with them, which went out in 1969 and comprised four 50-minute episode, is also featured on the new 2Entertain DVD.
The title is priced £15.99 – but we have three copies to give away. To stand a chance of winning one of five copies we have to give away, just answer the following question by June 11, when we will choose the winners at random from all correct answers received. Bulk entrants from mailing services will be disqualified.
