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Sir Norman Wisdom dies
THE legendary comic actor Sir Norman Wisdom has died, aged 95.
Sir Norman passed away at Abbotswood Nursing Home, Ballasalla, yesterday (Monday), his family have confirmed.
The actor became a global star during the 50s and 60s playing the hapless Norman Pitkin who was a source of frustration for his boss Mr Grimsdale.
In his later years, Sir Norman, made the Isle of Man his home.
A family statement said: 'Over the last six months Norman has sustained a series of strokes causing a general decline in both his physical and mental health.
'He had maintained a degree of independence until a few days ago. However, over the last few days his condition rapidly declined. He was in no pain or distress and peacefully passed over at 6.46pm on October 4.'
Tributes have already begun to flood in.
Sir Tim Rice recalled how Sir Norman became a hero in Albania, where his films were the among the few Western movies to be shown.
'Everywhere we went Norman was mobbed,' said Sir Tim.
Sir Norman was knighted in 2005 and was also made a Freeman of the Borough of Douglas.
He enjoyed a full part of Island life, regularly carrying out public engagements.
Pay your tribute to Sir Norman here.
YOUR TRIBUTES
I would like to pay a loving tribute to Sir Norman Wisdom,1 of TV/Film industry greatest performers, my heart goes out to his family he will be deeply missed by all,
CHRISTINE OAKLEY
What a wonderful entertainer & human being you where Sir Norman. my heart goes out to your family,friends & the million's of fan's all over the world. you where one of the greatest comedians best known to Britain at such a young age i found you funny & even more so now i am older, your films will live on in the comedy world. Your humour reached out to each and everyone of us in some way or another. i am sure you will continue comedy as part of your after life. you may have gone but you will never be forgotten R.I.P & good night and good bless Mr Pitkin.
GILL
One of the old fashioned celebrities and I mean old fashioned in a good way. Not like these so called celebrities these days with little talent who flash their cash and spend obscene amounts on material things. A true gent who will be greatly missed.
Rest in peace,
IN THE KNOW
R.I.P Sir Norman Wisdom, With deepest Sympathy to your family at this sad time.
SL
He was a great ambassador for the Island, how about renaming the prom Sir Norman's way?
CL
He was a great human being in all senses of the word. He will be greatly missed by those who knew him personally and those of us who wished we did. He has left an amazing legacy in his performances but mostly because of just being himself.
MIKE BROWN
Saddened by the news of Norman's passing. He gave me my first big opportunity as a musician in the entertainment industry. I joined him as his pianist shortly after a Summer Season in Skegness and spent close to 3 years working witih him, touring Australia and New Zealand, Rhodesia and of course several tours of the UK and Summer Seasons in the Douglas Isle of Man. He was a true gent as comical off-stage as on, but as one whould expect, insisted on professionalism at all times. I learnt so much about stage craft and show-business in general. There are many anecdotes and little idiosyncrasies I remember about his life and work. He was a great entertainer and his brand of visual comedy was truly universal. Brilliant days, Bless you Norman.
BARRY WHITFIELD
met him a couple of times and both times i met him he was laughing and smiling, a true gent and a true comedian! think today is the only time he has ever made anyone sad! i just hope the manx government make sure a proper and fitting tribute is done respecting the man and comedian and manx ambassador cos he really loved our island! its great to see people are already placing flowers and tributes outside the sefton where his statue is!!!
Godspeed!
GARY, Douglas
The world just got a little less funnier.
MR GRIMSDALE
sir norman you always left us with tears of laughter, today tears of sorrow, tomorrow a smile and remembering you with laughter. You gave your time to talk to me, a true gentleman comedy genius our hearts go out to your family.
Love,
ANGIE HOPPER AND FAMILY
So sad to hear of Sir Norman's passing. My thoughts go to his family at this time. He threw a hammer at me once when I was 3 years old. I loved him from that moment on... He was trying to nail down the beam of a spotlight while ice-skating at a pantomime on ice at Olympia. The hammer was rubber.. What a great comedian!
JMN
What a wonderful gentleman. I met you several times on the Isle of Man Sir Norman and you always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. You were a true "Star' and will light up the heavens.
LESLEY,(NZ)
What a truly superb entertainer Sir Norman was, its so sad to see him pass on, his family should take some comfort from the fact that he had a good innings and died peacefully.
Norman was one of a very small number of priceless people in the world who had the ability to make people laugh without resorting to racist or sexist jokes, swearing, or any of the other tools used by todays so called comedians, Norman delivered genuine slapstick comedy of a kind that we will never see again.
RIP Sir Norman,
PC, Douglas
On behalf of myself as a person who knew Sir Norman in his later years when he was not well and also on behalf of the members of The Isle Of Man branch of Equity of whom Sir Norman was also a member, I would like to offer our condolences to his family at this sad time. He will be greatly missed both on the Island and throughout the world. Happily he will always be with us through his work.
With Many respects
Colyn Ashton-Vickers, Assistant Secretary (Isle Of Man Equity)
A WW2 baby to an unmarried WAAF mother, who then died in 1947, I was left to the emotional and physical abuses of a stepfather and his new bride. From the age of 7 until I left home at 19 I never received one single word of support or praise, was regularly humiliated, riciculed, bullied and demeaned. I spent my childhood living in fear of making a wrong move. Like Danny Kaye, Norman Wisdom had an endearing and gentle way about him which was in stark contrast to the atmosphere in our house. You couldn't help but love him and laugh along at his antics and at his amazing expressions. Norman was such a tonic, exactly what I needed. His ability to play the goofy, bumbling, clumsy little 'fool' will remain with me forever. He taught me that, contrary to what my homelife was telling me, it was alright to be 'wrong', make mistakes, be afraid, be timid, not know everything before I'd learned it, be silly, clown around (i.e. basically, just be the child I never was allowed to be) and, most of all, still be loved for being that way. I've shed many a tear over the past 36 hours as i've immersed myself in his movie clips on Youtube. These were tears of sorrow, laughter and thankfulness tears for a little man who, through his character's innocent approach to the world, his work and his personal attention to people in real life, so obviously cared for us all.To me he was the accepting parent I needed so much, the silly friend who made me laugh and feel good about life. Like my other onscreen 'good daddy', Danny Kaye, Sir Norman Wisdom will always be in my heart. Thanks little guy. To many of us you are just plain irreplaceable!
JIM RIVIS, USA
I met Sir Norman a few years ago in the Tower House cafe, we chatted for a while and I thanked him for bringing so much joy and laughter to me as a child growing up in the 60's when his films were extremely popular. He then thanked me! and said he had loved making people laugh and we shared a joke about his and my ages then!.
His memory will live on with so many of us for many years to come.
With the best regards to a wonderful man.
ROB HARRISON
Our enduring memory of Sir Norman Wisdom is of our visit to Ballalaugh
12 years ago by personal invitation of Sir Norman, it was an unforgettable experience and his hospitality will stay with us always.
The world will be a sadder place without him to make us laugh. In early 1964 My Wife and I (we were engaged at that time) visited our local Cinema to see the film " A Stitch in Time" Starring our favourite comedian Norman. A red Hillman Imp was used in this film promoted by, "Rootes and Rank" which had a leaflet competition with the main prize of a brand new car. My fiance Pamela completed the leaflet and posted it. Just 3 weeks prior to our wedding we were presented with a light blue Hillman Imp at our Majestic Cinema (by actress Caron Gardner) as the winners of this competition. It was not until several years later were we able to visit Norman and we finally met the man who we admired so much. He was a real comedian and a true gentleman, he could just stand in front of an audience and say nothing resulting in raptures of laughter. This wonderful man will be sadly missed by millions of fans who really appreciated the warmth of his humour. Our thoughts and condolences also go to his grieving family.
MICHAEL AND PAMELA COOTE
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Tuesday 21 May 2013
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