Norman Wisdom 1915 - 2010

Norman Wisdom has died in a nursing home on the Isle of Man.

Long ago I was an extra in a film with him. His part involved pushing me out of the way as I descended from a plane at what was then Speke airport.  Thinking back to these couple of days, I'm sure us 'passengers' alighted from that plane around 4,000 times - or maybe it was just 40.  After each 'take' he would come and ask if we were all right and hoped he hadn't shoved me too hard.  The film wasn't a hit - probably because he was too well known by then for his comedy and his part as the straight man in a light-hearted comedy didn't gel with the British public.

He stayed locally during the filming with his family and his children were a delight.  The wee lad always sported a bow tie while his daughter wore the prettiest velvet frocks.  She was so proud of them and told anyone who would listen that they'd come 'all the way from New York'.

Norman, (as he insisted on being called), had impeccable manners and great respect for his fellow man. He treated everyone equally.  I remember him saying to someone, "Please call me Norman, I'm just an ordinary bloke." He was wrong.  He was extraordinary and the pleasure he brought to millions will never be forgotten by my generation.

RIP Norman and thank you for some wonderful memories.

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