Norman Wisdom
Born February 04, 1915 (Age: 111)
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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.
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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Filmography
The Unforgettable Norman Wisdom
2011
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as Himself (archive footage)
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Age: 96
Where on Earth Is Katy Manning?
1998
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as
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Age: 82
An Audience with Bruce Forsyth
1997
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as
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Age: 81
No Image
Cue Here for Laughs with John Virgo
1994
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as Self
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Age: 79
Double X: The Name of the Game
1992
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as Arthur Clutton/Maurice Rigby
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Age: 77
No Image
The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary Studio
1985
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as Self
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Age: 69
Going Gently
1981
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as Bernard Flood
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Age: 66
To See Such Fun
1977
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as
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Age: 62
What's Good for the Goose
1969
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as Timothy Bartlett
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Age: 54
The Early Bird
1965
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as Norman Pitkin
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Age: 50
A Stitch in Time
1963
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as Norman Pitkin
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Age: 48
On the Beat
1962
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as Norman Pitkin / Giulio Napolitani
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Age: 47
The Girl on the Boat
1962
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as Sam Marlowe
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Age: 47
The Bulldog Breed
1960
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as Ordinary Seaman Norman Puckle
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Age: 45
There Was a Crooked Man
1960
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as Davy Cooper
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Age: 45
No Image
Look at Life: A Dog's Life
1959
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as Self
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Age: 43
Follow a Star
1959
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as Norman Truscott
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Age: 43
The Square Peg
1958
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as Private Norman Pitkin / General Otto Schreiber
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Age: 43
Up in the World
1956
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as Norman
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Age: 41
Man of the Moment
1955
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as Norman
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Age: 40
As Long as They're Happy
1955
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as Norman
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Age: 40
One Good Turn
1955
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as Norman
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Age: 39
Trouble in Store
1953
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as Norman
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Age: 38