Norman Wisdom
Acting
1915-02-04 · Marylebone, London, England
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.
Filmography
Innes Lloyd: The Producer
2025 · Movie
The Unforgettable Norman Wisdom
2011 · Movie
Norman Wisdom: His Story
2010 · Movie
Norman Wisdom: Trouble On Tour
2008 · Movie
The Legend of Harrow Woods
2008 · Movie
The Secret Life of Norman Wisdom Aged 92¾
2008 · Movie
Expresso
2007 · Movie
Between The Sheets
2003 · Series
Thora Hird Tribute
2003 · Movie
The Last Detective
2003 · Series
It's Only TV But I Like It
1999 · Series
Where on Earth Is Katy Manning?
1998 · Movie
An Audience with Bruce Forsyth
1997 · Movie
Style Challenge
1996 · Series
Dalziel and Pascoe
1996 · Series
Cue Here for Laughs with John Virgo
1994 · Movie
Double X: The Name of the Game
1992 · Movie
Casualty
1986 · Series
The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary Studio
1985 · Movie
Wogan
1982 · Series
Bergerac
1981 · Series
Going Gently
1981 · Movie
An Audience with...
1978 · Series
To See Such Fun
1977 · Movie
A Little Bit of Wisdom
1974 · Series
Playhouse
1974 · Series
Nobody Is Norman Wisdom
1973 · Series
Last of the Summer Wine
1973 · Series
Norman
1970 · Series
What's Good for the Goose
1969 · Movie
The Night They Raided Minsky's
1968 · Movie
Androcles and the Lion
1967 · Movie
Press for Time
1966 · Movie
The Sandwich Man
1966 · Movie
The Early Bird
1965 · Movie
A Stitch in Time
1963 · Movie
On the Beat
1962 · Movie
The Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Series
The Girl on the Boat
1962 · Movie
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Series
The Bulldog Breed
1960 · Movie
There Was a Crooked Man
1960 · Movie
Follow a Star
1959 · Movie
Look at Life: A Dog's Life
1959 · Movie
The Square Peg
1958 · Movie
Just My Luck
1957 · Movie
Up in the World
1956 · Movie
Tony Awards
1956 · Series
Man of the Moment
1955 · Movie
This Is Your Life
1955 · Series
As Long as They're Happy
1955 · Movie
One Good Turn
1955 · Movie
Trouble in Store
1953 · Movie
Date with a Dream
1948 · Movie