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The Morecambe & Wise Show - Season 13

The Morecambe & Wise Show: Season 13 - 13 Episode s

13x1 - Episode 1
January 5, 1973
The series opened with a visit from pop star Cliff Richard to the pair's fictional flat, interrupting Eric's painting of his model Spitfire; whilst Ernie tries valiantly to be "hip" and "with it" sporting a terrible purple-flared trouser suit and red kaftan, the scene concludes with the three appearing as sailors for one of their most memorable routines based on The Fleet's In Town ending with Morecambe stepping off the ship and notable for the Playschool parody mid-way through.
13x2 - Episode 2
January 12, 1973
Respected thespian Robert Morley appears in The Curse Of Tutankhamen in which it is discovered that the mighty king took some unusual items to his grave including a fan belt and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps! It is also revealed that his had a sister (Tutantesi, a parody on Two-Ton Tessie) who is revealed to still be alive and played by none other than Janet Webb otherwise known as the lady who comes down at the end.
13x3 - Episode 3
January 19, 1973
The inured bird, Getting a violin for the Harpenden String Quartet, The Harpenden String Quartet, Bully on the bench, Nelson, Lulu introduction, Dance routine with Lulu, Summer in the garden with Percy Edwards / bird calls
13x4 - Episode 4
January 26, 1973
This show featured The Mighty Kong as the closing play and featured the actress Susan Hampshire as the love interest; the comedically crude special effects including a chimpanzee wreaking havoc on a terrible scale model city (complete with biplane on string!) is a memorable moment, and the blue-screened apes at the back of the set are also one of their most fondly-recalled scenes. Fame & Price sang You Are My Sunshine and the show closed in the familiar way, with Bring Me Sunshine and an appearance from the amply-proportioned lady who comes down at the end.
13x5 - Episode 5
February 2, 1973
Fresh from his appearance in the BBC's own adaptation of Casanova in which he played the title role, Frank Finlay appears in the play Lust Of London which centres around the main characters of Casanova and (of course!) Moveova with long-time collaborator Ann Hamilton providing the love interest. With music from Design and Wilma Reading who sang I Don't Know How to Love Him the show concluded with the usual appearance by the guest stars and Janet Webb.
13x6 - Episode 6
February 9, 1973
Not all the shows concluded with a play What Ern Wrote and this is one notable case; instead there is a riotous scenario with Ernie deciding to get healthy, appearing at the flat with a large box of supposed health foods which were in vogue at the time. Eric fishes out a tin of "Sugar-Raspa" which of course turns out to be an asparagus tin upside down (!) before they both visit the associated shop, run by Frank Williams, at the time famous for playing the vicar in Dad's Army.
13x7 - Episode 7
February 16, 1973
Mr Memory, Soap advert, Pretty baby song, Greeting card poetry, Northwest frontier of India 1890 This programme was the subject of a documentary made by the BBC's Omnibus team entitled Fools Rush In which traced the production of a Morecambe & Wise show from its inception at the script read-through stage, through to the filming of the final product. It featured a scene set in 10 Downing Street which was closely followed in the documentary, with music from Anita Harris. The show was written by Eddie Braben, as was the majority of their output, and he is featured on the accompanying documentary being interviewed, as is producer John Ammonds among others.
13x8 - Episode 8
February 23, 1973
Wilma Reading, Springfield Revival, Allan Cuthbertson, Ann Hamilton, Jan Rossini
13x9 - Episode 9
March 2, 1973
Hannah Gordon, Mary Travers, Christopher Neil, Anthony Sharp, Raymond Mason, Christine Shaw, Hatti Riemer
13x10 - Episode 10
March 9, 1973
Roy Castle, Pete Murray, Anne Murray, The Pattersons, Raymond Mason, Les Rawlings, Johnny Vyvyan, John East, Hugh Elton, Charles Finch, Eric French
13x11 - Episode 11
March 16, 1973
Nana Mouskouri, The Black & White Minstrels, Sooty with Harry Corbett, George Hamilton IV, Grazina Frame, Constance Carling, Johnny Vyvyan
13x12 - Episode 12
March 23, 1973
Peter Cushing, Bernie Winters, Wilma Reading, Alan Price, Georgie Fame
13x13 - Christmas Special 1973
December 25, 1973
By this time, an established running gag was the fact that our intrepid duo could not get stars to work with them, and this show features four cameo appearances from Yehudi Menuhin, Rudolf Nureyev, Laurence Olivier and André Previn all making excuses not to appear. Perhaps the most memorable is Lord Olivier who pretends to be a Chinese Laundry attendant over the telephone! Vanessa Redgrave joins in the Latin American Extravaganza, and the Napoleon & Josephine play, with music (suitably interrupted!) by John Hanson. The other memorable scene from this show is Hannah Gordon's effort to sing the song The Windmills of Your Mind used in the film The Thomas Crown Affair against a wind generator with "help"...