Norman Wisdom
Biography
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.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (33)
Innes Lloyd: The Producer
as Self (archive footage)
2025
The Unforgettable Norman Wisdom
as Himself (archive footage)
2011
Norman Wisdom: His Story
as Himself : Archive footage
2010
Norman Wisdom: Trouble On Tour
as Self
2008
The Legend of Harrow Woods
2008
The Secret Life of Norman Wisdom Aged 92¾
as Self
2008
Thora Hird Tribute
as Self
2003
Where on Earth Is Katy Manning?
1998
An Audience with Bruce Forsyth
1997
Cue Here for Laughs with John Virgo
as Self
1994
Double X: The Name of the Game
as Arthur Clutton/Maurice Rigby
1992
The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary Studio
as Self
1985
Going Gently
as Bernard Flood
1981
To See Such Fun
1977
What's Good for the Goose
as Timothy Bartlett
1969
The Night They Raided Minsky's
as Chick Williams
1968
Androcles and the Lion
as Androcles
1967
Press for Time
as Norman Shields / Emily Shields / Wilfred, the Prime Minister
1966
The Sandwich Man
as Boxing Vicar
1966
The Early Bird
as Norman Pitkin
1965
A Stitch in Time
as Norman Pitkin
1963
On the Beat
as Norman Pitkin / Giulio Napolitani
1962
The Girl on the Boat
as Sam Marlowe
1962
The Bulldog Breed
as Ordinary Seaman Norman Puckle
1960
There Was a Crooked Man
as Davy Cooper
1960
Follow a Star
as Norman Truscott
1959
Look at Life: A Dog's Life
as Self
1959
The Square Peg
as Private Norman Pitkin / General Otto Schreiber
1958
Just My Luck
as Norman Hackett / Mr. Hackett
1957
Up in the World
as Norman
1956
Man of the Moment
as Norman
1955
As Long as They're Happy
as Norman
1955
One Good Turn
as Norman
1955
TV Shows (17)
Between The Sheets
as Maurice Hardy
2003
The Last Detective
as Lofty Brock
2003
It's Only TV But I Like It
as Self
1999
Style Challenge
1996
Dalziel & Pascoe
1996
Casualty
as Mr. Cole
1986
Wogan
as Self
1982
Bergerac
as Vincent
1981
An Audience with...
as Self
1978
A Little Bit Of Wisdom
as Norman
1974
Playhouse
as Bernard Flood
1974
Nobody Is Norman Wisdom
as Nobody
1973
Last of the Summer Wine
as Man Carrying Gnome (uncredited)
1973
Norman
1970
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self
1961
This Is Your Life
1955