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{{short description|English actor, comedian and singer (1915–2010)}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox comedian
| honorific_prefix = [[Sir]]
| name         = Norman Wisdom
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100|OBE}}
| image        = Norman Wisdom (1965).jpg
| imagesize    =
| caption      = Wisdom in 1965
| birth_name   = Norman Joseph Wisdom<ref name=freebmd>{{cite web |url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=Z88y67oUfrlQzqQjDgmp2Q&scan=1 |title=Birth Index entry |access-date=28 December 2008 |work=FreeBMD |publisher=ONS}}</ref>
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|1915|02|04|df=yes}}
| birth_place  = [[Marylebone]], London, England
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|2010|10|04|1915|02|04|df=yes}}
| death_place  = [[Ballasalla]], [[Isle of Man]]
| medium       = {{hlist|Comedian|actor|singer}}
| active       = 1946–2008
| resting_place = Kirk Bride Churchyard, [[Bride (parish)|Bride]], Isle of Man
| spouse       = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Doreen Naomi Brett|1941|1946|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Freda Simpson|1947|1969|reason=divorced}}
}}
| children     = 3, including [[Nicholas Wisdom]]
| module       = {{Infobox military person | embed=yes
   |allegiance= {{flagu|United Kingdom}}
   |branch= [[Merchant Navy]]<br />[[British Army]]
   |serviceyears= 1930–1946
   |rank=
   |unit=[[10th Royal Hussars]]<br />[[Royal Corps of Signals]]
   |commands=
   |battles= [[Second World War]]
   |awards=
   |relations=
   }}
}}

'''Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom''',<ref name=freebmd /> {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=54066 |date=17 June 1995 |page=14 |supp=y}}</ref> (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician, and singer best known for his series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966, in which he portrayed the endearingly inept character Norman Pitkin.<ref name="GuardianObit">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/05/sir-norman-wisdom-obituary|title=Sir Norman Wisdom obituary|date=5 October 2010|access-date=6 October 2010 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] | location=London, UK | first=Stephen | last=Dixon}}</ref> He rose to prominence with his first leading film role in ''[[Trouble in Store]]'' (1953), which earned him the [[BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles]].

Wisdom’s appeal extended far beyond the UK, gaining popularity in areas as diverse as South America, [[Iran]], and many nations within the former [[Eastern Bloc]]. He enjoyed particular fame in [[Albania]], where, during the dictatorship of [[Enver Hoxha]], his films were among the few Western productions allowed to be shown.<ref name="TelegraphObit">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/8042823/Sir-Norman-Wisdom.html|title=Sir Norman Wisdom|date=5 October 2010|access-date=6 October 2010|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London, UK}}</ref> He was once described by [[Charlie Chaplin]] as his "favourite clown".<ref name="BBCFool" />

In later years, Wisdom broadened his career to include stage and television. He performed on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in New York City alongside stars such as [[Mandy Patinkin]], and won critical acclaim for his dramatic performance as a terminally ill cancer patient in the 1981 television play ''Going Gently''. He also toured internationally, including performances in Australia and South Africa.<ref name="GuardianObit"/>

Following the [[Chernobyl disaster]] in 1986, a hospice was named in his honour.<ref name="TelegraphObit"/> In recognition of his contributions to entertainment, Wisdom was awarded the [[Freedom of the City]] of both London and [[Tirana]] in 1995.<ref name="TelegraphObit"/> The same year, he was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[1995 Birthday Honours]] for services to entertainment and for charitable services.<ref name="GB">The United Kingdom:{{London Gazette |issue=54066 |date=16 June 1995 |pages=14 |supp=1}}</ref> He was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] in the [[2000 New Year Honours]] for services to entertainment.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=55710 |date=30 December 1999 |page=2  |supp=y}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Norman Joseph Wisdom was born in the [[Marylebone]] district of London.<ref name=":0">{{cite ODNB|title=Wisdom, Sir Norman Joseph (1915–2010), comedian and actor|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-103354|access-date=16 February 2022|year=2014 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/103354|isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 |last1=Double |first1=Oliver }}</ref> His parents were Frederick, a [[chauffeur]], and Maud Wisdom (née Targett), a [[dressmaker]] who often worked for West End theatres and once made a dress for [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]].<ref>Don't Laugh at Me, p. 1</ref> The couple married in Marylebone on 15 July 1912. Norman had an elder brother, Frederick Thomas "Fred" Wisdom (13 December 1912 – 1 July 1971).{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

The family lived at 91 Fernhead Road, [[Maida Vale]], London W9, where all four shared a single room.<ref name="MyTurn">{{cite book|last1=Wisdom| first1=Norman |last2=Hall |first2=William |title= My Turn|publisher=Arrow Books|year=2003|isbn=978-0-09-944676-7}}</ref> Norman and his brother grew up in extreme poverty and were frequently subjected to violence by their alcoholic father, who would sometimes pick them up and throw them across the room.<ref name="Story" /><ref name="TelegraphObit" />

Following the separation of their parents, the boys were "farmed out to paid guardians",<ref name="TelegraphObit"/> but their father failed to pay for their care, and they were eventually turned out. After being expelled from the home entirely by their father, Norman became homeless and was forced to sleep rough on the streets of London.

After a series of unsuccessful foster placements, he was eventually taken in by a generous couple. He soon found work as an [[errand boy]] in a [[grocery store|grocer's shop]], despite not initially knowing how to ride a bicycle.<ref name="Story">''Norman Wisdom: My Story'', [[BBC Two]], 15 October 2010</ref> By the age of 13, he was working long shifts in a hotel. One of his fellow boy workers persuaded him to walk to Cardiff with hopes of becoming a miner. However, the boy’s family was unable to house him, and Norman found himself homeless again.

He later joined the [[British Merchant Navy|Merchant Navy]] as a [[cabin boy]], sailing to [[Argentina]]. During the voyage, he learned to box. In Argentina, he entered a prize fight, managing to last three rounds before being badly beaten. During his time in the Merchant Navy, he also had to fend off unwanted sexual advances from a fellow sailor.

Returning to Cardiff and once again out of work, Wisdom made his way back to London. There, he was advised to join the [[British Army]], which accepted band recruits from the age of 14. Though he had no musical training, he tearfully persuaded the recruiting officer to let him join—and was accepted.

== Military service ==
In 1930, Wisdom was posted to [[Lucknow]], in the [[United Provinces of British India]],<ref name="TelegraphObit" /> where he served as a band boy.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} During his time there, he learned to ride horses, became the [[flyweight]] boxing champion of the [[British Army]] in India,<ref name="TelegraphObit" /> and taught himself to play a wide range of instruments, including the piano, trumpet, saxophone, flute, drums, bugle, and clarinet.<ref name="MyTurn" />

At the outbreak of the [[World War II|Second World War]], Wisdom was assigned to a communications centre in a command bunker in London. There, he handled telephone connections between war leaders and the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|prime minister]]. He met [[Winston Churchill]] on several occasions while delivering updates on incoming calls.<ref name="MyTurn" /> He later joined the [[Royal Corps of Signals]], performing similar duties at unit headquarters in [[Cheltenham]], [[Gloucestershire]].

While shadow boxing in an army gym, Wisdom discovered his gift for entertaining.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3751896.stm|title=Sir Norman takes final stage bow|date=18 October 2004|work=BBC News |access-date=10 October 2010}}</ref> He began honing his skills as a musician and [[performance art|stage entertainer]].<ref name="BBCFool">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/779888.stm|title=Sir Norman: Nobody's fool|date=6 June 2000|work=BBC News |access-date=7 October 2010}}</ref> In 1940, at the age of 25, during a [[NAAFI]] entertainment night, he spontaneously stepped out of the [[orchestra pit]] during a dance routine to perform shadow boxing. Hearing laughter from his fellow soldiers and officers, he added a duck waddle and a series of comic facial expressions. Reflecting on the moment, he recalled: "They were in hysterics. All the officers were falling about laughing."<ref name=GuardWordsWis>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/feb/25/features.magazine1|title=Words of Wisdom|first=Burhan |last=Wazie|work=[[The Observer]] |date=25 February 2001|access-date=27 April 2013}}</ref>

Wisdom would later say that this was where he first developed his trademark persona as "The Successful Failure".<ref name=GuardWordsWis /> Over the next few years, until his demobilisation in 1945, his act grew to include his now-famous singing, pratfalls, and stumbling routines. After a performance at a charity concert at [[Cheltenham Town Hall]] on 31 August 1944,{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} actor [[Rex Harrison]] came backstage and encouraged him to pursue a career as a professional entertainer.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/3086186.stm|title=Plaque marks comic's time in forces|date=6 September 2003|work=BBC News |access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref>

== Comic entertainer ==
After being demobilised, Wisdom worked as a [[Taxicabs of the United Kingdom|private hire car driver]]. Having improved his diction during his army service, he also took a job as a night [[switchboard operator|telephone operator]].<ref name="MyTurn" />

At the age of 31, Wisdom made his debut as a professional entertainer, still referring to himself as "The Successful Failure". Performing in small suburban music halls, he crafted a unique act that drew on his natural shyness, his talent for slapstick falls, his musical versatility, and his singing ability. A recurring part of his routine involved struggling to keep up with a theatre band that frequently changed key—until he would outplay them, showcasing his virtuosity. A review from August 1946 praised his performance:
"An unusual and most versatile comedian, Norman Wisdom, contributes two remarkable turns. He is an accomplished pianist, a pleasing singer, a talented instrumentalist, a clever mimer, and withal, a true humourist."<ref>{{cite journal |title=Hastings and St Leonards Observer |journal=Hastings and St Leonards Observer |date=24 August 1946 |page=3}}</ref>

Wisdom's ascent in the entertainment world was relatively swift. A highly successful run at the London Casino in April 1948<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Stage |journal=The Stage |date=22 April 1948 |page=5}}</ref> led to a summer season in ''Out of the Blue'' in Scarborough. He shared the stage with [[Magic (illusion)|magician]] [[David Nixon (magician)|David Nixon]], and their onstage chemistry resulted in further variety performances together, beginning again at the London Casino in September 1948.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Stage |journal=The Stage |date=16 September 1948 |page=2}}</ref> That Christmas, he appeared in the pantomime ''Robinson Crusoe'' at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Birmingham Daily Gazette |journal=Birmingham Daily Gazette |date=17 January 1949 |page=2}}</ref>

By this point, Wisdom had fully adopted the costume that would become his trademark: an askew tweed [[flat cap]] with the peak turned up, a suit at least two sizes too small, a crumpled collar, and a mangled tie. The comic persona that came with it—known as "the Gump"—would come to define his film career. Within two years, he had become a star of the [[West End theatre]] circuit, refining his act primarily between venues in London and [[Brighton]]:<ref name=GuardWordsWis />

{{blockquote|I spent virtually all of those years on the road. You could keep incredibly busy just performing in pantomimes and revues. There was a whole generation of performers who learned everything on the stage.}}

In 1948, Wisdom made his television debut and quickly gained a large following. That same year, he appeared in a small film role in ''[[A Date with a Dream]]''.

== Starring film roles for the Rank Organisation ==
Wisdom starred in a series of low-budget comedies produced by the [[The Rank Organisation|Rank Organisation]], beginning with ''[[Trouble in Store]]'' (1953).<ref>{{cite book|last1=McFarlane|first1=Brian|last2=Slide|first2=Anthony|title=The Encyclopedia of British Film|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofbr0000unse/page/736|access-date=22 October 2010|year=2003|publisher=Methuen Publishing Ltd|location=London, UK|isbn=978-0-413-77301-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofbr0000unse/page/736 736]}}</ref> The film earned him a [[BAFTA Award]] for Most Promising Newcomer to Film in 1954,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/nominations/?year=1953|title=Film Nominations 1953|publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Arts|access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref> and became the second most popular film at the British box office that year. Exhibitors also ranked him as the tenth biggest box-office star in Britain in 1954.<ref name="Wayne">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27253063 |title=John Wayne Heads Box-Office Poll |newspaper=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury]] |location=Hobart, Tasmania |date=31 December 1954 |access-date=24 April 2012 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

His cheerful, unpretentious screen persona—lighthearted and physical—made his films natural successors to those of [[George Formby]] a generation earlier.<ref>{{cite book|last1=McFarlane|first1=Brian|last2=Slide|first2=Anthony|title=The Encyclopedia of British Film|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofbr0000unse/page/230|access-date=22 October 2010|year=2003|publisher=Methuen Publishing Ltd|location=London, UK|isbn=978-0-413-77301-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofbr0000unse/page/230 230]}}</ref> While never critically acclaimed, Wisdom’s comedies were hugely popular with domestic audiences and represented some of Britain’s most successful box-office draws of the era. They even found unexpected success in overseas markets, helping to financially sustain Rank at a time when its costlier productions faltered.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

Most of these films featured his well-known Gump character—usually named Norman—who found himself in various manual jobs, frequently incompetent and always subordinate to a straight man, typically portrayed by [[Edward Chapman (actor)|Edward Chapman]] (as Mr Grimsdale) or [[Jerry Desmonde]]. The films highlighted Wisdom’s flair for physical [[slapstick]] comedy and his ability to evoke sympathy through the character’s naïveté and helplessness. Romantic subplots were a regular feature, often revolving around the Gump’s awkwardness with women, echoing the innocence found in Formby’s earlier roles.

Wisdom’s second starring film, ''[[One Good Turn (1955 film)|One Good Turn]]'' (1955), ranked as the seventh most popular British film of that year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dirk Bogarde favourite film actor|newspaper=The Irish Times|location=Dublin, Ireland|date=29 December 1955|page=9}}</ref> He also appeared in ''[[As Long as They're Happy]]'' (1955), followed by a return to leading roles in ''[[Man of the Moment (1955 film)|Man of the Moment]]'' (1955), which further cemented his popularity—he was named the sixth most popular British film star of 1955.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite newspaper The Times |title=The Dam Busters |date=29 December 1955 |page=12}}</ref>

His subsequent films saw him in a variety of jobs: a window cleaner in ''[[Up in the World]]'' (1956), and a jewellery store worker in ''[[Just My Luck (1957 film)|Just My Luck]]'' (1957).<ref name="seven">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-film-studios-rank-organisation-films-1957/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|access-date=14 June 2025|date=14 June 2025|title=Forgotten British Film Studios: Rank Organisation Films – 1957}}</ref> Although these titles saw a dip in box-office returns, ''[[The Square Peg]]'' (1959), an army-themed comedy, reversed the trend, becoming one of the top-grossing films of the year and finishing seventh at the British box office.<ref>{{cite news|title=Year Of Profitable British Films|work=The Times|location=London, England|date=1 January 1960|page=13}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|date=21 June 2025|access-date=21 June 2025|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-film-studios-the-rank-organisation-films-of-1958/|title=Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation Films of 1958}}</ref> By contrast, ''[[Follow a Star]]'' (1959) was less successful.

Seeking to break from the Rank formula, ''[[There Was a Crooked Man (1960 film)|There Was a Crooked Man]]'' (1960) marked an attempt to rebrand Wisdom’s screen image, though ''[[The Bulldog Breed]]'' (1960) saw a return to more familiar territory. A young [[Michael Caine]] co-starred in the latter and later recounted that he did not enjoy working with Wisdom, saying he "wasn't very nice to support-part actors".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/michael-caine-interview-my-generation-venice-film-festival-films-london-a7928461.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/michael-caine-interview-my-generation-venice-film-festival-films-london-a7928461.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Michael Caine interview: Every single person I knew became rich|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=9 November 2017| location=London, UK| date=4 September 2017}}</ref> Nevertheless, Wisdom retained his position as the tenth most popular star at the British box office.

Departing again from the typical format, Wisdom starred in ''[[The Girl on the Boat (film)|The Girl on the Boat]]'' (1961), based on a novel by [[P. G. Wodehouse]]. He returned to more familiar comedic roles in ''[[On the Beat (1962 film)|On the Beat]]'' (1962), where he played a car cleaner, and in ''[[A Stitch in Time (1963 film)|A Stitch in Time]]'' (1963), as an apprentice butcher.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-film-studios-the-rank-organisation-1963-and-1964/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|date=30 July 2025|access-date=30 July 2025|title=Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation, 1963 and 1964}}</ref>

His first colour film, ''[[The Early Bird]]'' (1965), cast him as a milkman. This was followed by a cameo in ''[[The Sandwich Man (1966 film)|The Sandwich Man]]'' (1966) and a starring role in ''[[Press for Time]]'' (1966), his final film in the series of Rank Organisation comedies. Despite this being the end of that era, Wisdom was still voted the fifth most popular star at the British box office.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite newspaper The Times |title=Most popular star for third time |date=31 December 1966 |page=5}}</ref> ''Filmk'' wrote his film career was "a remarkable achievement for Rank".<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|date=11 August 2025|access-date=11 August 2025|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-film-studios-the-rank-organisation-1965-to-1967/|title=Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation, 1965 to 1967}}</ref>

In addition to acting, Wisdom’s stage performances often included musical numbers, although he composed only a handful himself. He is credited with seven songs in the [[ASCAP]] database: "Beware", "Don't Laugh at Me ('cause I'm a Fool)", "Falling in Love", "Follow a Star", "I Love You", "Please Opportunity", and "Up in the World".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?requesttimeout=300&mode=results&searchstr=9735600&search_in=c&search_type=exact&search_det=t,s,w,p,b,v&results_pp=25&start=1|title=Works Written by Wisdom Norman|work=The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref>

== Later career ==
[[File:Norman Wisdom 2 (1965).jpg|thumb|left|Norman Wisdom demonstrating a typical expression (1965)]]
In 1966, Norman Wisdom spent a brief period in the United States to star in the Broadway production of the [[Jimmy Van Heusen]] and [[Sammy Cahn]] [[musical comedy]] ''Walking Happy'', based on Harold Brighouse's play ''[[Hobson's Choice (play)|Hobson's Choice]]''. His performance as Will Mosop earned him a nomination at the [[21st Tony Awards|Tony Awards]].

This success led to his first Hollywood film role in ''[[The Night They Raided Minsky's]]'' (1968), as well as a part in the 1967 U.S. television musical adaptation of [[George Bernard Shaw]]'s ''[[Androcles and The Lion]]'', with music by [[Richard Rodgers]] and co-starring [[Noël Coward]].

Following a typically well-received appearance on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'',<ref name="TelegraphObit" /> further opportunities in the United States were cut short when he was forced to return to London after the breakdown of his second marriage. From then on, his career focused more on television, and he toured internationally with a successful cabaret act. In 1981, he received critical acclaim for his dramatic portrayal of a terminally ill cancer patient in the television play, ''Going Gently''.

Wisdom was among the actors initially considered for the lead role of Frank Spencer in ''[[Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em]]''. He declined the offer, reportedly because he "didn't find it funny", and the role was eventually played by [[Michael Crawford]]. Series creator [[Raymond Allen (scriptwriter)|Raymond Allen]] later confirmed this decision.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}}

On 31 December 1976, Wisdom performed his theme song "Don't Laugh at Me ('cause I'm a Fool)" during [[BBC1]]'s ''[[A Jubilee of Music]]'', held to celebrate British pop music in honour of [[Queen Elizabeth II]]’s forthcoming [[Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Silver Jubilee]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4227445.stm |work=BBC News |title=In pictures: Sir Norman Wisdom |date=4 February 2005 |access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref> He had previously performed for the Queen at many Royal Command Performances, beginning in 1952.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eabf.org.uk/royal-variety-performance/archive/1950s/1952|title=1952, London Palladium|work=The Royal Variety Performance|publisher=Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund|access-date=11 October 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009061416/http://www.eabf.org.uk/royal-variety-performance/archive/1950s/1952|archive-date=9 October 2010}}</ref>

After touring South Africa, Zimbabwe and Australia with modest success, Wisdom's appearances in Britain became increasingly rare, and he spent much of the 1980s living in seclusion on the Isle of Man.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/05/sir-norman-wisdom-obituary|title=Sir Norman Wisdom obituary|first=Stephen|last=Dixon|date=4 October 2010 |newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=18 April 2017}}</ref>

In the 1990s, his career experienced a revival, aided by the support of younger comedians such as [[Lee Evans (comedian)|Lee Evans]], whose energetic performances were frequently compared to Wisdom’s.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/drama/3626118/%27All-I%27ve-ever-felt-on-stage-is-pain%27.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224062300/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/drama/3626118/%27All-I%27ve-ever-felt-on-stage-is-pain%27.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 December 2012|title=All I've ever felt on stage is pain|last=Rees|first=Jasper|date=25 October 2004|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London, UK |access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref> This resurgence culminated in his being made a [[Knight Bachelor|knight]] for services to entertainment in the 2000 [[New Year's Honours List]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=55710 |date=30 December 1999 |page=2 |supp=y}}</ref> At the knighthood ceremony, he famously performed his trademark trip as he walked away from the Queen, prompting her to laugh warmly.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/04/norman-wisdom-dies-aged-95|title=Norman Wisdom dies aged 95|date=4 October 2010|newspaper=The Guardian |location=London, UK|access-date=5 October 2010 | first=Jo | last=Adetunji}}</ref>

From 1995 to 2004, he played the recurring role of Billy Ingleton in the long-running [[BBC]] comedy series ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]''. In 1996, he was honoured with a Special Achievement Award from the [[London Film Critics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.criticscircle.org.uk/film/award.asp?CAT=sa&title=Special%20Awards |title=Film – Special Awards |work=London Film Critics Circle |access-date=11 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207041912/http://criticscircle.org.uk/film/award.asp?CAT=sa&title=Special%20Awards |archive-date=7 December 2010 }}</ref>

Wisdom appeared on a special edition of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 2000, dedicated to actor-director [[Todd Carty]]. In 2001, during an [[England national football team|England]] World Cup qualifier against [[Albania]], he made a memorable half-time appearance at [[St James' Park]], scoring a penalty at the Leazes End.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/albania/724796/Albania-Stormin-Norman.html|title=Albania: Stormin' Norman|last=Labes|first=Lucinda |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=5 February 2009 | location=London, UK | date=31 July 2002}}</ref>

In 2002, he filmed a cameo as a butler in a low-budget horror film, and in 2004 appeared in ''[[Coronation Street]]'' as fitness enthusiast Ernie Crabbe. In 2007, he came out of retirement to take a role in the short film ''[[Expresso (film)|Expresso]]''.<ref name="newfilm-bbc">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blackcountry/content/articles/2007/05/03/expresso_feature.shtml |title=New film: Expresso|date=7 May 2007 |work=BBC News |access-date=27 December 2008}}</ref>

===Popularity in Albania===
Wisdom became a beloved cultural icon in [[Albania]], where his films were among the few Western imports permitted under the regime of [[Enver Hoxha]]. From the viewpoint of [[Dialectical materialism|dialectical materialism]], Wisdom’s recurring screen persona—a proletarian underdog triumphing over the capitalist elite—was interpreted as a symbolic victory for the working class. His character, often referred to as Mr Pitkin, struck a chord with Albanian audiences.

When he visited the country in 1995, he was astonished to find himself mobbed by fans, including then-president [[Sali Berisha]]. During the trip, he was filmed by ''[[Newsnight]]'' visiting a children's project supported by ChildHope UK.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/9063102.stm|title=Norman Wisdom mobbed by Albanian fans on 1995 trip |date=5 October 2010 |work=Newsnight |publisher=BBC |access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref>

He returned in 2001, coinciding with the England vs Albania match in [[Tirana]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-we-metrick-wakeman-and-norman-wisdom-1364569.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-we-metrick-wakeman-and-norman-wisdom-1364569.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=How We Met: Rick Wakeman and Norman Wisdom |first =Elizabeth |last = Udall |newspaper=The Independent |location=London|access-date=24 June 2009 | date=22 September 1996}}</ref> At the training ground, he drew more attention than [[David Beckham]] and delighted the stadium crowd by wearing a half-English, half-Albanian shirt and performing one of his signature trips before kick-off.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1251406.stm |title=Sir Norman Wisdom: Clown Prince of Albania |work=BBC News |date=30 March 2001 |access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref> In recognition of his enduring popularity, Wisdom was made an honorary citizen of Tirana in 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tirana.gov.al/common/images/NORMAN%20WISDOM%20.pdf |title=Per Dhenien e Titullit "Qytetar Nderi I Qytetit Te Tiranes" |trans-title=For Issue of Title "Honorary Citizen of the city of Tirana" |date=18 January 1995 |work=Tirana Municipal Council |language=sq |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324053146/http://www.tirana.gov.al/common/images/NORMAN%20WISDOM%20.pdf |archive-date=24 March 2012}}</ref>

His affection for Albania culminated in a collaboration with [[Tony Hawks]] and [[Tim Rice]] on the novelty single "Big in Albania", featured in Hawks' book and TV series ''One Hit Wonderland''. The song reached number 18 on the Top Albania Radio chart.<ref>{{cite news |first=Julia |last=Stuart |title=Tony Hawks: Big in Albania |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/tony-hawks-big-in-albania-648516.html |date=16 July 2002 |access-date=29 December 2008 | newspaper=The Independent | location=London, UK |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217043345/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/tony-hawks-big-in-albania-648516.html |archive-date=17 February 2010}}</ref>

== Retirement ==
[[File:Norman Wisdom Peel IoM 2005 -CCR27366-.jpg|thumb|Wisdom in [[Peel, Isle of Man]], in 2005]]
In October 2004, Norman Wisdom announced that he would retire from the entertainment industry on his 90th birthday, 4 February 2005. He stated that he intended to spend more time with his family, play golf, and enjoy driving around the Isle of Man, where he was living at the time.<ref name="BBC retires">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3735104.stm|title=Sir Norman Wisdom to retire at 90|date=11 October 2004|work=BBC News |access-date=10 October 2010}}</ref>

Despite his retirement, Wisdom returned to acting in 2007 with a role in the short film ''[[Expresso (film)|Expresso]]'', directed by Kevin Powis. Set over the course of a single day in a coffee shop, the film was funded by the [[UK Film Council]] and ScreenWM. It was shot in January and premiered at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] on 27 May 2007. Wisdom later announced (as reported by BBC and ITV News) that this would be his final film role.

''Expresso'' was subsequently adopted by the UK charity [[Macmillan Cancer Support|Macmillan]] and released on DVD to raise funds. In the film, Wisdom portrayed a vicar irritated by a fly in a café. Producer Nigel Martin Davey initially gave him a silent, visual role so he would not need to memorise any lines. However, on the day of filming, Wisdom was so engaged that his performance was expanded to include more comedic moments.<ref name="BBCEspres">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6965560.stm|title=Sir Norman's swansong is released|date=27 August 2007|work=BBC News |access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Wisdom was married twice. His first marriage was to Doreen Brett in 1941. By 1944, they had separated when Doreen gave birth to a son, Michael (born 1944), fathered by Albert Gerald Hardwick, a telephone engineer.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} The marriage was formally dissolved in 1946.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

In 1947, he married his second wife, Freda Isobel Simpson;<ref name="TelegraphObit" /> together they had two children: [[Nicholas Wisdom|Nicholas]] (born 1953), who later played [[first-class cricket]] for [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Nicholas Wisdom |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/34/34004/34004.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=8 July 2020}}</ref> and Jacqueline (born 1954).<ref>{{Cite news|date=23 December 1954|title=INTRODUCING 'JACKY'—TO WISDOM|pages=1|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|issue=26687|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000272/19541223/013/0001|url-access=subscription|access-date=16 February 2022|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> The couple divorced in 1969,<ref name="TelegraphObit" /> with Wisdom being granted full custody of their children.<ref name=":0" /> Freda later died in [[Brighton]] in 1992.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

A well-known and well-loved resident of the Isle of Man, Wisdom lived for 27 years in a house in [[Andreas, Isle of Man|Andreas]] called Ballalough (Manx for "lake farm", and also a playful pun on the English phrase "belly laugh"). He was active in charitable causes, including support for orphanages in Albania.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1251406.stm|title=Sir Norman Wisdom: Clown Prince of Albania|date=30 March 2001|access-date=25 February 2019}}</ref> In 2005, he appeared in a music video for the [[Manx people|Manx]] girl group Twisted Angels, for their single "LA", in support of the local charity Project 21.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/isle_of_man/4275924.stm|title=Sir Norman 'launches punk career'|date=23 September 2005 |work=BBC News |access-date=10 October 2010}}</ref>

In the 1960s, he was involved in a high-profile legal case, Wisdom v Chamberlain (1968), when the [[Inland Revenue]] pursued him for tax on profits from the sale of silver bullion, which he had bought out of concern over the devaluation of the [[Pound sterling|pound]]. Wisdom argued that it was a personal investment, but the court ruled it was a trading venture, and therefore subject to [[income tax]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Wisdom v Chamberlain (Inspector of Taxes) (8 November 1968) |date=21 February 2017 |url=http://swarb.co.uk/wisdom-v-chamberlain-inspector-of-taxes-ca-8-nov-1968/ |website=Swarb.co.uk}}</ref>

===Interests===
Wisdom was a lifelong supporter and former board member of [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton & Hove Albion]]. He also had a fondness for [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] and [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/the-sweeper-my-teams-norman-wisdom-everton-and-newcastle-1087827.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/the-sweeper-my-teams-norman-wisdom-everton-and-newcastle-1087827.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=The Sweeper: My Teams Norman Wisdom Everton and Newcastle |first1=Clive |last1=White |first2 = Nick |last2 =Harris |newspaper=The Independent |location=London, UK |date=17 April 1999 |access-date=10 October 2010 }}</ref> He enjoyed [[golf]],<ref name="BBC retires" /> and was a member of the [[Grand Order of Water Rats]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gowr.co.uk/all-water-rats/v/119 |title=Sir Norman Wisdom |website=Grand Order of Water Rats}}</ref> He also held honorary membership in the [[Winkle Club]], a charitable organization in [[Hastings]], [[East Sussex]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://winkleclub.webs.com/famouswinklers.htm |title=Famous Winklers |website=Hastings Winkle Club |access-date=7 February 2010 }}</ref>

An enthusiast of classic cars, Wisdom’s collection included a 1956 [[Bentley S1#Bentley Continental|Bentley S1 Continental R Type fastback]], which he first acquired in 1961 and repurchased in the late 1980s.'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/685318.stm|title=Wisdom's classic car farewell|work=[[BBC News]]|date=21 March 2000|access-date=27 April 2013}}</ref>''' Following his divorce in 1969, he bought a [[Shelby Cobra 427]], CSX3206, while in New York, and kept it until 1986, when he sold it to another car collector in Brighton. Until he failed a [[Department of Transport (Isle of Man)|Department of Transport]] fitness-to-drive test due to age and mental health decline, he also drove a 1987 [[Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit]] and a [[Jaguar S-Type (1963)|Jaguar S-Type]], both of which were sold in September 2005.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

In 1963, he commissioned a new motor yacht. The {{convert|94|ft}} hull and superstructure were constructed in Spain for £80,000, then brought to [[Shoreham-by-Sea]], [[West Sussex]], for fitting out. After three years of customisation and sea trials, the vessel—named M/Y Conquest—was valued at £1.25 million and made available for charter at £6,000 per month. Wisdom later sold it, admitting he was "no sailor".<ref name=GuardWordsWis />

== Health decline ==
In mid-2006, after experiencing an irregular heart rhythm, Wisdom was flown by helicopter to a hospital in [[Liverpool]], where he was fitted with a [[heart pacemaker]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/isle_of_man/5165764.stm |title=Comedian recovers after heart op |access-date=12 October 2010 | date=10 July 2006 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

He moved into the Abbotswood [[nursing home]] in [[Ballasalla]] on 12 July 2007, where he remained until 4 October 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news?articleid=3107897 |title=Comic legend needs time to settle in home, says son |date=12 August 2007 |work=Isle of Man Today |publisher=Johnston Press Digital Publishing |access-date=11 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309092127/http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news?articleid=3107897 |archive-date=9 March 2012 }}</ref>

That same month, following the DVD release of Expresso, the BBC reported that Wisdom was living in a care home due to [[Multi-infarct dementia|vascular dementia]].<ref name="BBCEspres" /> It was also revealed that he had granted [[power of attorney]] to his children and, after selling his flat in [[Epsom]], [[Surrey]], they were in the process of selling his Isle of Man home to help cover the costs of his long-term care.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1619398.mostviewed.comedy_legend_leaves_epsom_flat_for_good.php|title=Comedy legend leaves Epsom flat for good|date=18 August 2007|newspaper=[[Surrey Comet]] |publisher=Newsquest Media Group|access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref>

On 16 January 2008,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/isle_of_man/7191163.stm|title=Wisdom family makes care decision |work=BBC News |date=15 January 2008|access-date=16 January 2008}}</ref> [[BBC2]] aired a documentary titled ''Wonderland: The Secret Life Of Norman Wisdom Aged 92 and 3/4.''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/18483/wisdom-to-feature-in-bbc2-documentary|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611135018/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/18483/wisdom-to-feature-in-bbc2-documentary|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2011|title=Wisdom to feature in BBC2 documentary|work=[[The Stage]] |first=Matthew |last=Hemley|date=9 October 2007|access-date=16 January 2008}}</ref> The programme explored the challenges of caring for an elderly parent and showed that Wisdom’s memory loss had progressed to the point where he no longer recognised himself in his own films.

== Death ==
In the final six months of his life, Wisdom suffered a series of strokes that further deteriorated his physical and mental condition. He died on 4 October 2010 at Abbotswood nursing home on the Isle of Man, aged 95.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |title=Comedy actor Sir Norman Wisdom dies aged 95|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11473192 |work=BBC News |date=5 October 2010|access-date=12 October 2010}}</ref>

His funeral was held on 22 October 2010 in [[Douglas, Isle of Man]], with an open invitation extended to all island residents.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=47852|title=Open invitation to funeral service|date=7 October 2010|work=Manx Radio News|publisher=Manx Radio|access-date=12 October 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927100010/http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=47852|archive-date=27 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="Funeral">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-11602973|title=Manx residents honour Sir Norman Wisdom|date=22 October 2010|work=BBC News |access-date=22 October 2010}}</ref> His trademark cloth cap was placed on the coffin during the church service.<ref name="Funeral" />

The funeral was attended by many figures from the entertainment industry. At Wisdom’s request, [[Moira Anderson]] performed "Who Can I Turn To",<ref name="Funeral" /> specially arranged for the occasion by [[Gordon Cree]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gordoncree.co.uk/page2.htm|title=Gordon Cree – The Official Website – Biography|work=gordoncree.co.uk|access-date=19 October 2014|archive-date=23 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823045046/http://www.gordoncree.co.uk/page2.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was buried at Kirk Bride Churchyard in [[Bride (parish)|Bride]], Isle of Man.

== Tributes and other references ==

*In 2007, a Norman Wisdom-themed bar opened at the Sefton Hotel, [[Douglas, Isle of Man|Douglas]], called ''Sir Norman's''. It has stills from his many films on the walls and TV screens playing some clips of his old films. The bronze statue of Wisdom, which used to be on a bench outside [[Douglas City Hall, Isle of Man|Douglas Town Hall]], has been moved to the steps leading into the hotel bar on Harris Promenade.<ref name="Funeral" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seftonhotel.co.im/facilities/sirnormans.html |title=Sir Norman's |year=2012 |work=The Sefton |publisher=Palace Hotel |location=[[Douglas, Isle of Man]] |access-date=7 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324181853/http://www.seftonhotel.co.im/facilities/sirnormans.html |archive-date=24 March 2012}}</ref>
*Wisdom featured on the BBC Radio 4 series ''[[Desert Island Discs]]'' in August 2000. Of the eight songs he chose, four were performed by Wisdom himself (including his favourite, 'Don't Laugh at Me 'Cos I'm a Fool'), while a fifth was a duet with [[Joyce Grenfell]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00949mh|title=BBC Radio 4 – Desert Island Discs, Sir Norman Wisdom|website=BBC|access-date=5 March 2020}}</ref>
*The 2011 film ''[[My Week with Marilyn]]'' features impersonator Glenn Michael Ford playing Norman Wisdom in a background scene.
*A [[Wetherspoon]] pub in [[Deal, Kent]], where Wisdom ran away from the children's home, was named ''The Sir Norman Wisdom'' in his honour when it opened in March 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Sign-way-new-Wetherspoon-s-Deal/story-17929623-detail/story.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505063037/http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Sign-way-new-Wetherspoon-s-Deal/story-17929623-detail/story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2013|title=Sign and name on way for new Wetherspoon's in Deal|date=22 January 2013|work=This is Kent|access-date=26 January 2013}}</ref>
*In 2015 ''[[Wisdom of a Fool]]'', a new one-man play based on the life of Norman Wisdom opened at [[The Capitol Theatre, Horsham]], in Wisdom's centenary year, on 17 September. A UK tour began at [[Guildford]]'s [[Yvonne Arnaud Theatre]] in 2016 and continues into 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wisdomofafool.co.uk/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150426165448/http://www.wisdomofafool.co.uk/|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 April 2015|title=Wisdom of a Fool|work=wisdomofafool.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.londontheatre1.com/news/102437/world-premiere-of-new-norman-wisdom-play-wisdom-of-a-fool/|title=World premiere of new Norman Wisdom play 'Wisdom of a Fool' |work=London Theatre 1 for London Theatre Tickets|date=5 February 2015 }}</ref>
*Wisdom is mentioned in the song "[[The Things That Dreams Are Made Of]]" by [[the Human League]], while the gatefold sleeve of their ''[[Hysteria (The Human League album)|Hysteria]]'' album shows the group in a large room with a scene from ''[[The Early Bird]]'' on the TV.

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Director
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1948 || ''[[A Date with a Dream]]'' || Shadow Boxer || Dicky Leeman || 
|-
| 1953 || ''[[Trouble in Store]]''|| rowspan="2" | Norman || rowspan="7" | [[John Paddy Carstairs]]||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1955 || ''[[One Good Turn (1955 film)|One Good Turn]]''||
|-
| ''[[As Long as They're Happy]]''|| Norman – Cameo Appearance || uncredited
|-
| ''[[Man of the Moment (1955 film)|Man of the Moment]]''|| rowspan="2" | Norman ||
|-
| 1956 || ''[[Up in the World]]''||
|-
| 1957 || ''[[Just My Luck (1957 film)|Just My Luck]]''|| Norman Hackett ||
|-
| 1958 || ''[[The Square Peg]]''|| Norman Pitkin / General Schreiber ||
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Follow a Star]]'' || Norman Truscott || [[Robert Asher (director)|Robert Asher]] || 
|-
| 1960 || ''[[There Was a Crooked Man (1960 film)|There Was a Crooked Man]]'' || Davy Cooper || [[Stuart Burge]] || 
|-
| 1960 || ''[[The Bulldog Breed]]'' || Norman Puckle || [[Robert Asher (director)|Robert Asher]] || 
|-
| 1961 || ''[[The Girl on the Boat (film)|The Girl on the Boat]]'' || Sam Marlowe || [[Henry Kaplan]] || 
|-
| 1962 || ''[[On the Beat (1962 film)|On the Beat]]'' || Norman Pitkin / Giulio Napolitani || rowspan="3" | [[Robert Asher (director)|Robert Asher]] || 
|-
| 1963 || ''[[A Stitch in Time (1963 film)|A Stitch in Time]]'' || rowspan="2" | Norman Pitkin ||
|-
| 1965 || ''[[The Early Bird]]'' ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1966 || ''[[The Sandwich Man (1966 film)|The Sandwich Man]]'' || Boxing Vicar || [[Robert Hartford-Davis]] || 
|-
| ''[[Press for Time]]'' || Norman Shields / Emily, his mother / Wilfred, his grandfather
| [[Robert Asher (director)|Robert Asher]] || 
|-
| 1968 || ''[[The Night They Raided Minsky's]]'' || Chick Williams || [[William Friedkin]] || USA
|-
| 1969 || ''[[What's Good for the Goose]]'' || Timothy Bartlett || [[Menahem Golan]] || 
|-
| 1992 || ''[[Double X: The Name of the Game]]'' || Arthur Clutten || || 
|-
| 1998 || ''Where on Earth Is ... [[Katy Manning]]'' || Self || || documentary
|-
| 2001 || ''Junfans Attic'' {{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}|| || || 
|-
| 2004 || ''[[Five Children and It (2004 film)|Five Children and It]]'' || Nesbitt || [[John Stephenson (director)|John Stephenson]] || 
|-
| 2007 || ''[[Expresso (film)|Expresso]]'' || The Vicar || Kevin Powis || Short; Buzz
|}

== Television ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Director
!Notes
|-
|1948-1950
|''Wit and Wisdom''
|
|
|
|-
|1967
|''Androclese and the Lion''
|Androclese
|
|TV movie
|-
| rowspan="2" |1970
|''[[Norman (TV series)|Norman]]''
|Norman Wilkins
|Alan Tarrant
|
|-
|''Music Hall''
|
|
|
|-
|1973
|''Nobody Is Norman Wisdom''
|Nobody
|
|
|-
|1974
|''[[A Little Bit of Wisdom]]''
|Norman
|
|
|-
|1981
|''[[BBC2 Playhouse]]''
|Bernard Flood
|
|Episode: ''Going Gently.''
[[BAFTA]] Best Single Play, 1982
|-
|1983
|''[[Bergerac (TV series)|Bergerac]]''
|Vincent
|
|Episode: "Almost Like a Holiday"
|-
|1988
|''The 1950s: Music, Memories & Milestones''
|
|
|
|-
|1995-2004
|''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]''
|Billy Ingleton
|
|7 episodes
|-
|1998
|''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]''
|Mr. Cole
|
|Episode: "She Loved the Rain"
|-
|2002
|''[[Dalziel and Pascoe (TV series)|Dalziel and Pascoe]]''
|Bernie Marks
|
|Episode: "Mens Sana"
|-
| rowspan="2" |2003
|''[[The Last Detective]]''
|Lofty Brock
|
|Episode: "Lofty"
|-
|''[[Between the Sheets (TV series)|Between the Sheets]]''
|Maurice Hardy
|
|Miniseries
|-
|2004
|''[[Coronation Street]]''
|Ernie Crabbe
|
|1 episode
|-
|2008
|''Wonderland: The Secret Life Of Norman Wisdom Aged 92 and 3/4''
|
|
|
|}

=== Box office ranking ===
For a number of years British exhibitors voted Wisdom one of the most popular stars in the country.
*1954 – 10th most popular star (3rd most popular British star)<ref name="Wayne" />
*1955 – 6th most popular star (3rd most popular British star)<ref name="ReferenceA" />
*1956 – 5th biggest British star<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Most Popular Film Star in Britain |date=7 December 1956 |page=3}}</ref>
*1957 – 9th most popular star (5th most popular British star)<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 December 1957 |title=British Actors Head Film Poll: Box-Office Survey |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-british-actors-head-film-po/177983609/ |access-date=2 August 2025 |newspaper=The Manchester Guardian |page=3 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
*1958 – 7th most popular British star
*1959 – 3rd most popular British star<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Year of Profitable British Films |date=1 January 1960 |page=13}}</ref>
*1963 – 10th most popular star<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Most Popular Films of 1963 |date=3 January 1964 |page=4}}</ref>
*1966 – 5th most popular star<ref name="ReferenceB" />

== Audio recordings ==

* ''I Would Like to Put on Record''
* ''Jingle Jangle''
* ''The Very Best of Norman Wisdom''
* ''Androcles and the Lion'' US Television, Original Cast Recording.
* ''Where's Charley?'' London Cast Recording.
* ''Wisdom of a Fool''
* ''Nobody's Fool''
* ''Follow a Star''
* ''1957 Original Chart Hits''
* ''Walking Happy'' Original Broadway Cast Recording.
* ''The Night They Raided Minsky's'' Motion Picture Soundtrack recording.
* ''Follow a Star/Give Me a Night in June''
* ''Happy Ending/The Wisdom of a Fool''
* ''Big in Albania – One Hit Wonderland''
* ''They Didn't Believe Me''

== Books ==
* {{cite book |author=Jacobs, David |year=1980 |title=David Jacob's Book of Celebrities' Jokes & Anecdotes |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Robson Books]] |contributor-last=Wisdom |contributor-first=Norman |contribution=Contributor |page= 155|isbn=0860511251 |author-link=David Jacobs (broadcaster)}}
* ''Lucky Little Devil: Norman Wisdom on the Island He's Made His Home'' (2004)
* {{cite book |last=Norman Wisdom| first=William Hall|title= My Turn|publisher=Arrow Books|year=2003|isbn=978-0-09-944676-7}}
* ''Don't Laugh at Me'', ''Cos I'm a Fool'' (1992) (two volumes of autobiography)
* ''Trouble in Store'' (1991)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
*{{IMDb name|0936295}}
*{{IBDB name}}
*[http://www.britishpathe.com/workspace.php?id=8437 Pathe News clips of Wisdom from the 1950s]
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11473214 Obituary: Sir Norman Wisdom] BBC Retrieved 4 October 2010
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120421170248/http://www.wisdomofnorman.com/ Wisdom of Norman]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110911063737/http://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/2010/10/tribute-to-sir-norman-wisdom-obe/ Norman Wisdom Tribute at British Classic Comedy]
* [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/450916/ ''Norman Wisdom'' at BFI Screenonline]
* [http://www.wisdomthemovie.co.uk/''Norman Wisdom'' a new feature film screenplay about his life and adventures]

{{Bafta Award for Most Promising Newcomer}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wisdom, Norman}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century English comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century English comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English writers]]
[[Category:10th Royal Hussars soldiers]]
[[Category:Actors awarded knighthoods]]
[[Category:Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles BAFTA Award winners]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male musical theatre actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:English screenwriters]]
[[Category:English male screenwriters]]
[[Category:English male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Male actors from Kent]]
[[Category:British military musicians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Kent]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People from Deal, Kent]]
[[Category:Singers from the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Male actors from London]]
[[Category:People from Marylebone]]
[[Category:Royal Corps of Signals soldiers]]
[[Category:British slapstick comedians]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:King's Own Royal Regiment soldiers]]
[[Category:British Merchant Navy personnel]]
[[Category:English comedy musicians]]
[[Category:Actors from the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Comedians from the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Actors from Dover District]]
[[Category:Singers awarded knighthoods]]