Eric Bartholomew was born on 14th May 1926 at Buxton Street in Morecambe, Lancashire. He performed from an early age, leaving school at the age of 12 and shortly after he obtained a child entertainment licence.

Eric met Ernie Wise on the variety show 'Youth takes a Bow' in 1940. Each cast member performed their own act but after being allowed to perform as a double act on the show, Eric and Ernie's partnership began.

It was Eric's mother Sadie who thought that Eric should change his name and after some deliberation it was decided that Eric should be named after his hometown of Morecambe! Morecambe and Wise debuted as on official double act on the 28th August 1941 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Morecambe and Wise performed in music halls, variety shows and radio before their first big break on television in 1954. What followed was an illustrious television career. In 1968 the Morecambe & Wise Show debuted on the BBC running until 1977. In 1978 the show moved to ITV and ran until 1983. It saw some of the largest TV audiences in history.

Appearing for decades on TV, film and radio, Morecambe and Wise have been described as the best-loved double act that Britain has ever produced.