The 50th anniversary, on 2 September, of the first transmission of The Morecambe And Wise Show on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ led to a review of the images in the archive.
Many had already been scanned in, however we found several that had never been seen before and this was the focus of a project to scan and to re-scan them to new high definition and to consistent standards.
A stroke of luck took us to our favourite photos hiding amongst the colour negatives. These are a sequence of images from 1969, which show Peter Cushing as King Arthur in a play that Ernie wrote:
Peter Cushing and Ernie Wise
This sketch started a long running gag that Peter Cushing had never been paid for this appearance.
We already had photographs scanned of his subsequent appearances begging to be paid, but never had the original one from his first appearance.
Other favourite pictures include Eric Morecambe as a not very frightening Dick Turpin:
Eric Morecambe as Dick Turpin
It’s been wonderful to discover such a collection that brings to life so many great sketches.
Diana Rigg with Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise
With John Thaw and Dennis Waterman, aka The Sweeney
Glenda Jackson with Eric Morecambe
The famous 'pin' and binoculars sketch
The Sky At Night and Sir Patrick Moore provided opportunities for laughs
Supposedly living together was the subject of many a sketch
With their wives, Joan Bartlett and Doreen Wise, in Eric Morecambe's garden in Harpenden