Judi Dench was primarily a renowned highbrow and classical stage actress, known for her stellar career at the Old Vic and Royal Shakespeare Company. She did do occasional British films and BBC TV, and from rare appearances won 2 BAFTAs in the 1960s. In 1968, she was the first person in the West End to play Sally Bowles in Cabaret, despite not being a singer of any ability (she auditioned from the wings as she was so embarrassed to sing at all). This brought her to a slightly wider audience, stage actors were maybe more famous in those days. So here with Eric and Ernie she is yet another high culture figure allowing herself to be mocked. Her big commercial success in her 2 hit TV comedy series came after this, and her movie career in Merchant Ivory films and then Bond etc. bringing her multiple Oscar nominations came relatively late in her career, from middle age on.

@EricIrl

3 жыл бұрын

Don't forget that, in the show "Cabaret", Sally Bowles is not supposed to be a very good singer or performer. That's why she is performing in the rather seedy "Kit Kat Club". Judi Dench was perfect in the part. Liza Minelli, who played "Sally" in the 1972 movie, was really too good for the part.

Judy Dench is a wonderful actress.

She was in A Midsummer Night's Dream, wearing green body paint and some leaves.

Judi Dench was well known in the UK as a TV actress, appearing in many one off plays and series. She also appeared in several British movies. She gained international fame from the part of M in the James Bond movies.

@lorddaver5729

3 жыл бұрын

But in the early '60s she was a leading actress in the Royal Shakespeare Company. She was a highly acclaimed stage actress.

@replevideo6096

3 жыл бұрын

@@lorddaver5729 Indeed, but that alone does not make someone a household name. The masses come to know of someone via TV and movie appearances.

You should watch “as time goes by” a brilliant and witty comedy with judi dench in later years. You would definitely enjoy it!

@BedsitBob

2 жыл бұрын

Also, one of her earlier sitcoms, A Fine Romance.

Try Morecambe and Wise doing their version of singing in the rain.

The joke is that Ernie is so small... he's always shrinking. It's comparable with the other jokes about him... being a good playwright, wearing a wig, having bad grammar, being an egotist. You have to see that whole show to be aware of why he's wearing the exaggerated collar. In fact, he mentioned Dench playing "opposite" him in Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde. So, later in the show there was probably a J&H skit of Ernie's production of J&H.

In 1978 (43 years ago) there were 3 channels in the UK, BBC1, BBC2 and ITV. Although if you count regional variations of BBC1, such as BBC Wales which showed some Welsh language programmes (before S4C was created) there were a fraction more. The clip looked like it was from the introduction to the guess star of that episode, which was always infront of the mock stage curtain. The guest would appear in sketches during the show and in the longer "Ernie Wise Production" towards the end.

@kylereese4822

3 жыл бұрын

In 1978 (43 years ago) dam it i only thought it was 10 years ago 🤣🤣.. i hate this getting old nonsense..... 😥😥

The Jekyll and Hyde sketch they did with her was funny as well

So pleased you picked another Eric and Ernie sketch, they were...are...my absolute heroes. You need to understand, nothing, but nothing on their shows was serious, everything was done for comedic effect, but Eric loved it when things when wrong, he had a laser brain and was a brilliant ad libber. Try the Shirley Bassey sketch where she sings Smoke gets in your eyes, Lillian will enjoy the singing voice.....Bassey sang Gold Finger on the Bond movie, if you don't know her.

Judi Dench is always touchy freely. As seen in The Graham Norton Show!

We had £1 notes until 1988. I found one as a child and it was considered a lot of money. The joke about 'so high' is that they are motioning too high with their hands when they talk of Ernie's previous height. He, being short of course could never have been that tall. It is a mickey-take of Ernie's shortness. I remember also (just) having two channels. They were BBC1 and the ITV (Independent Television) channel which is now Channel 3. BBC2 came third and Channel 4 only arrived in 1982. You have to remember Judy Dench is 86 years old. It's a different world, I don't think people (even pre-covid) are as touchy feely today. Yes, being a Dame is equivalent to being a Sir. Also remember people in the public eye in Britain are not always awarded decorations for their acting careers but for their contribution to charity. Judi Dench has worked very hard for various charities including the lung cancer charity, the disease that took her famous actor husband Michael Williams!

She was famous for her Shakespeare plays on broadway.

Don,t forget that Morcombe and Wise were regulars on the Ed Sullivan show in the sixties

Judy has been a major classical actress for many many years. She has done popular sitcoms as well. She must be the most successful actress of all time. Dame is equivalent to knight. Loved her in Room with a view. Lillian You’re such a good singer perhaps that could get you fame and the title of Dame🤗

Are you Reading off Cards 😂😂🌹

On Christmas Day in the 70's, the whole of Britain would make sure the dinner was out of the way, so that everyone could sit down to watch "The Morecambe and Wise Show," ...It's said that the electricity grid took a surge, as kettles where switched on just before the start, and even the Royal Family where rumored to ensure no duties or interruptions, as they sat with the rest of Britain for the Christmas Specials, .... Halcyon Days, of Families, together, enjoying laughter .....

Dame Judi had been a well respected stage actress before her success on TV and film. Lillian's surprise at pound notes was funny. You should look up a 10 bob (shilling) note from before 1971.

thank you for another classic video guys😆I enjoyed it.

That was a classic show

Judi Dench - National blimming Treasure FACT!! 👍🏻😊❤️❤️

If you got invited to the morecombe and wise show ,you’ve made it big time👍👍👍👍🇬🇧

A running joke on M & W was to have very famous/well known people on, who they didn't recognise. Hence they always got the name wrong.... Julie Dench, Andrew Preview, Peter Cushion.... Etc etc....

BBC1 & ITV were the 2 of the three channels the third was a Welsh and possibly Scottish TV 📺

Both Ernie and Judi hail from Yorkshire.

@Isleofskye

3 жыл бұрын

.....and both supported Luton Town where Eric was a Director...

@Isleofskye

3 жыл бұрын

I assume you are trying to start another "War Of The Roses" between Lancashire, where Eric was born and Yorkshire :) That is why Eric changed his name to his stage name of Morecambe in Lancashire :)

There was BBC 1 ITV and then came BBC2 you should try and find the one with Shirley Bassey!

There's a VERY GOOD docu-film (unfortunately and unusually by the BBC!) of the biography of Morecambe and Wise. I HIGHLY recommend checking that out. Might be on KZread... not sure.

@JustinCardiff

3 жыл бұрын

Why unfortunate?

There was 3 stations at that time - BBC 1 & 2 and ITV. M&W had the biggest stars on the show from Oscar winners to leading singers of the the time like Shirley Bassey. They rehearsed their guests for hours so that they all knew their parts inside out so ad libs could be dropped in and then return to the sketch with ease (except the famed Andre Previn sketch). True comic professionals. Ha wrote to the last sentence without listening to the rest of your comments - so many reflect what I said before

Thanks guys

Always be positive in life as things will get better in the end.

Ernie is the short one (1.65) ... Judy Dench is now in her mid 80's (or more) ... Eric & Ernie practised their lines in a very dedicated way .... thanks for the video

@Payne2view

3 жыл бұрын

She is 86 so "mid 80s" is about right.

@Isleofskye

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for making me feel very old at 66even though I am very lively at @3am in London ...haha "1.65" ???????? All we need is to completely change to Kilometres from miles and that is virtually everything changed and for the better? lol We used to say "Wow , it was NINETY Degrees yesterday!" Saying " 32" which is The Celsius equivalent sounds similar to 70 Degrees (21 ) and we have lost Lbs/Ozs/Stones and now instead of the contrast between Ernie's 5 feet 4 and Eric's near 5 feet 9 we say "1.74".It's all so bland and samey :)

Yes they undercut her, the guests were queuing up to be on their show, to be belittled and having humorous butt of Eric and Ernie”s jokes ending in farce. 😂🤣😎😎

"She wasn't very big back then". Nope - she was only about as big a Little Ern. If you want to see earlier versions of Judi Dench see kzread.info/dash/bejne/pHWn16yYksm6gLA.html and kzread.info/dash/bejne/jJxtqsypoLO2c7w.html or a shorter version at kzread.info/dash/bejne/pKGbtZemppW3kbw.html

When the musical Cabaret first opened on Broadway it wasn’t a great success. When it opened in London, with Dench as Sally, it became a sensation and made her a very big stage star.

Most of it is rehearsed but sometimes Eric or the guest would ad lib and make it even funnier. And yes, she is now Dame Judy.

She was in the original stage show of "CATS" but either sprained or broke her ankle during rehearsals so it never happened.

She was in a sit com call ‘A Fine Romance’ with her then husband Micheal Williams, around that time.

Good find people lol

If you just do a quick search on Ernie Wise talks about the death of Eric Morecambe, you will find a very sad and emotional interview Ernie gave live on Breakfast TV just a few hours after Eric passed away.

Try to review “Tea with the dames” with Dame Judy with her fellow thespian dame friends, it’s brilliant.

Hey guys. The complexity is so much. The 'tension' is deliberate. The 'so high' is taking the piss. None of it was rehearshed.... which is why it's so funny. You guys are so intriguing to me as someone from the UK. I'm pissing myself at M&W anytime. Take care folks x

@TheLynneee

3 жыл бұрын

It was VERY rehersed. They were very worried with Andre Previn because he flew in from New York and they were unable to reherse. They told him just not to smile at anything. They were very impressed with his performance.

Famous people were desperate to get on M&W. It gave them huge cachet. M&W were watched by millions. Only 3 channels back then. The high collar was part of the costume for "The Jekyll & Hyde Sketch".

She started in royal Shakespeare company around 16 , and she did a landmark television show black and white very good then original cabaret stage production but not the movie then she did sitcoms a couple of them one with her late husband they played a modern married couple and were married in real life and she did another 90s sitcom about two older widowed people who dated in there younth meet after 50 years and get married ran for years , it was bond and Harvey Weinstein movies that made her international famous

This was when there were 3 Channels: BBC 1 and 2 and ITV. Before that, it was BBC1 and ITV only. The joke you both kept missing about the height was that you must have seen in everyday life Adults say to children " I remember when you were that high" meaning they were kids so only small in height and now many years later they are much taller so they did that comment in reverse to Ernie, especially as there was a running gag thru' their careers about his lack of height. :) You were right P. in that they were saying they did not know who she was even mispronouncing "Cabaret" as CabarETTE,,,

Hiya guys. It's out of context. Nothing to do with this video. Just watched Dean of Canterbury compilation. Nothing to react to, but it will make you smile.

You should check out Tracy Ulman, taking off Judi Dench.

The basic idea behind a M&W show was that you would have a famous guest, maybe a Shakespearean actor, or world famous conductor, who had no connection with comedy. They were there to take part in a short play written by Ernie Wise which would make them more famous. These plays were always complete disasters, with the punch line being that their careers imploded after being on the show. Famous guests include Shirley Bassey, Glenda Jackson, Judi Dench, Andre Previn, Peter Cushing, Vanessa Redgrave, Elton John. If you only watch two, watch Glenda Jackson (Cleopatra) and Andre Previn (Greigs Piano Concerto)

Watch M&W with guest Shirley Bassey.

BBC 1 BBC 2 and itv.

Yes, I picked up on the personal distance issue too. They def. were a lot closer than what was socially acceptable pre Covid. Now they wouldn’t be in the same room. A dame is a female knighthood. Sirs and Dames. Lillian, you should apply to be a dame. If successful, you could move to the South Pacific where, currently, there is nothing like a dame...nothing in the world!

Try to see some of there big musical numbers.

BBC and ITV......... Later came BBC2. and then more

I. don’t think 1978 was over 50 years ago. You do the mathS.

Highly rehearsed except for Andrew Preview.

Please do a video on Alex Belfield's current situation, he's in a lot of trouble, if you can give him some extra publicity I'm sure it would help.

@ThePostmodernFamily

3 жыл бұрын

What’s happening to him?

@jonsmith20766

3 жыл бұрын

@@ThePostmodernFamily I tried to post a link but it wouldn't let me. Check his video out from 3 days ago, running time just under 22 minutes.

Showbiz is to important to take carelessly. Too many careers and to much money at stake to fail.

Yes dame is femine of a knighthood

Eric was always touchy. Creepy.

People being Knighted for "services to acting/football/singing" ....etc. Ridiculous really.

@goldylocks3904

3 жыл бұрын

Judi has done masses for her charity work, it isn't always about acting!

It's a time before 3rd wave feminism, when I guy could ask a girl on a date without being construed as sexual assault or hate speech.

As children we didn't find them funny.