Eric Morecambe; Ernie Wise
- Artist: Arnold Newman
- Date: 1978
- Medium: bromide print
- Dimensions: 10 5/8 in. x 15 1/4 in. (270 mm x 387 mm)
- Portrays: Eric Morecambe (Eric Bartholomew), Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman)
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This shot of the sitters, dressed for a dance routine, shows them standing side‑by‑side with smiles that capture their onstage chemistry. The light is warm, the background soft; you can see each pair of glasses and hats in detail. It’s a bromide print from 1978, part of Arnold Newman's book and exhibition “The Great British.” Newman recalled that he and the pair worked together “gleefully … as though we had a relationship of many years standing.” The photo was later given to *The Sunday Times* in 1980. Their 1977 TV Christmas Special drew about twenty‑eight million viewers, cementing their place in Britain’s comedy history.
See it in person
Eric Morecambe; Ernie Wise is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
