Norman wisdom

Andrew Roberts on the post-war British clown, popular from here to Albania.

HE WAS the eternal joker lauded for his comic timing and love of life. Yet behind his absurdly silly image Norman Wisdom, who died this week, endured pain, misery and rejection.

The London-born star has passed away at a nursing home on the Isle Of Man, his son Nicholas announced.

British postcard. Photo: J. Arthur Rank Organisation. English comedian and actor Norman Wisdom (1915–2010) starred in a series of hit comedies between 1953 and 1966. His trademark role was The Gump, in a jacket three sizes too small with tie awry and tweed cap askew, the eternal schoolboy with the looks of a beaten puppy. Wisdom became a celebrity in countries as far apart as South America, Iran and Albania. Wisdom later forged a career on Broadway in New York and as a television actor…

This collection contains 12 feature films starring diminutive funny-man Norman Wisdom. Titles include The Bulldog Breed, One Good Turn, The Early Bird, Press For Time, On The Beat, Man Of The Moment, A Stitch In Time, Just My Luck, The Square Peg, Follow A Star, Trouble In Store and Up In The World.