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Norman Wisdom
Actor

Norman Wisdom

4 Feb 1915Born
4 Oct 2010Died
95Age at death
40Credits

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.

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 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

  1. 2008The Legend of Harrow WoodsFilm: Winston
  2. 2007ExpressoFilm: The Vicar (as Sir Norman Wisdom)
  3. 2004Five Children and ItFilm
  4. 2003Between The SheetsSeries: Maurice Hardy (6 episodes)
  5. 2003The Last DetectiveSeries: Lofty Brock (1 episode)
  6. 1998Where on Earth Is Katy Manning?Film
  7. 1997An Audience with Bruce ForsythFilm
  8. 1996Style ChallengeSeries (1 episode)
  9. 1996Dalziel and PascoeSeries: Bernie Marks (1 episode)
  10. 1992Double X: The Name of the GameFilm: Arthur Clutton/Maurice Rigby
  11. 1986CasualtySeries: Mr. Cole (1 episode)
  12. 1981BergeracSeries: Vincent (1 episode)
  13. 1981Going GentlyFilm: Bernard Flood
  14. 1977To See Such FunFilm
  15. 1974A Little Bit of WisdomSeries: Norman Wisdom (20 episodes)
  16. 1974PlayhouseSeries: Bernard Flood (1 episode)
  17. 1973Nobody Is Norman WisdomSeries: Nobody (6 episodes)
  18. 1973Last of the Summer WineSeries: Man Carrying Gnome (uncredited), Billy Ingleton (1 episode)
  19. 1970NormanSeries (6 episodes)
  20. 1969What's Good for the GooseFilm: Timothy Bartlett
  21. 1968The Night They Raided Minsky'sFilm: Chick Williams
  22. 1967Androcles and the LionFilm: Androcles
  23. 1966Press for TimeFilm: Norman Shields / Emily Shields / Wilfred, the Prime Minister, Screenplay
  24. 1966The Sandwich ManFilm: Boxing Vicar
  25. 1965The Early BirdFilm: Norman Pitkin
  26. 1963A Stitch in TimeFilm: Norman Pitkin, Writer
  27. 1962On the BeatFilm: Norman Pitkin / Giulio Napolitani, Screenplay
  28. 1962The Girl on the BoatFilm: Sam Marlowe
  29. 1960The Bulldog BreedFilm: Ordinary Seaman Norman Puckle, Screenplay
  30. 1960There Was a Crooked ManFilm: Davy Cooper
  31. 1959Follow a StarFilm: Norman Truscott, Screenplay
  32. 1958The Square PegFilm: Private Norman Pitkin / General Otto Schreiber, Screenplay
  33. 1957Just My LuckFilm: Norman Hackett / Mr. Hackett
  34. 1956Up in the WorldFilm: Norman
  35. 1955Man of the MomentFilm: Norman
  36. 1955This Is Your LifeSeries
  37. 1955As Long as They're HappyFilm: Norman
  38. 1955One Good TurnFilm: Norman
  39. 1953Trouble in StoreFilm: Norman
  40. 1948Date with a DreamFilm: Shadow Boxer

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.