Eric Morecambe - Legacy

Legacy

• A larger-than-life statue of Morecambe, created by sculptor Graham Ibbeson, was unveiled by the Queen at Morecambe in July 1999 and is surrounded by inscriptions of many of his favourite catchphrases and an exhaustive list of guest stars who appeared on the show.
• In the English town of Harpenden in Hertfordshire where Morecambe and his family lived from the 1960s until his death, the public concert hall is named after him, with a portrait of Morecambe hanging in the foyer. Eric often referred to Harpenden in his comedy, with a band once appearing on the show named The Harpenden Hot-Shots and in a Casanova sketch he introduced himself as Lord Eric, Fourth Duke Of Harpenden - and certain parts of Birkenhead!
• In 1999 Morecambe was voted the funniest person of the 20th century in a British internet poll; Eric pulled in 26% of the votes, beating his contemporary performer Tommy Cooper and Monty Python member John Cleese to the coveted position.
• A West End Show, The Play What I Wrote, appeared in 2001 as a tribute to the duo. Directed by Kenneth Brannagh, each performance featured a different guest celebrity, including Kylie Minogue, who was said to be particularly keen to participate. Guest stars included Roger Moore, Nigel Havers and most notably Prince Charles, who was a fan of the duo.
• The Play What I Wrote later transferred to Broadway, and was only moderately rewritten to allow for the fact that Eric and Ernie were virtually unknown in the U.S. save for a handful of performances on The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1960s, prior to their big success. The show toured the UK in 2003.
• In 2003, Morecambe's eldest son Gary released "Life's Not Hollywood, It's Cricklewood", a biography of his father from the point of view of his family, using family photos and extracts from previously unseen diaries. The book revealed Morecambe as a toned down version of his on-screen persona, prone to occasional bouts of mild depression and overwork.
• In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, he was voted as the fourth greatest comedy act ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.
• Kenilworth Road Stadium, the home of Luton Town F.C., has a suite named after Morecambe; he was a vociferous supporter and one-time president of the club and voiced his enthusiasm on the television, often shouting Luton For The Cup! and once brandishing a sign mid-way through a sketch with Glenda Jackson to much applause and cheers. He once appeared wearing a Luton rosette on the show.
• In 2007 the author William Cook produced the book Morecambe & Wise Unseen which charts many of the early career moves of both Morecambe and Ernie Wise. It focuses largely on their time struggling to make a living prior to their break into television in the 1960s and is illustrated with many personal family photographs and previous unseen views of the act.
• At the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, the Eric Morecambe Room is used by local and national companies for conferences and meetings.
• There is a bird hide named after him at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, which is on Morecambe Bay, near Carnforth, Lancashire.
• The play Morecambe was created as a celebration of the life of Eric Morecambe. It played at the Edinburgh fringe festival in 2009 and subsequently transferred to London's West End before embarking on a UK tour in 2010.