"Top of the Form" was a genuine long-running TV show in which teams representing secondary schools from across the UK competed. It ended in 1975 because of a wave of feeling that swept through the UK Educational system around that time that saw any kind of competitiveness between school-aged children as devisive and undesireable (and which even led to some schools of the period ending the traditional annual school sports days!).
Pretty much when Grammar Schools ended and with it, most working-class kids chance of getting into University. Ours, near Brixton, became a Comprehensive then after 350 years of "academic excellence" and within 5 years was a Government "Sink School". It closed for good in 2023 as Parents no longer wanted to send their kids there. Tragic.
In August 1940, Wise met Eric Morecambe, then known as Eric Bartholomew, when they were both in the touring Jack Hylton show "Youth takes a Bow". Gradually, the duo formed a close friendship, and, in 1941, they began their comedy double act, which was to last until Morecambe's death in 1984.
The theme music of "Top of the Form" (called "Marching Strings" - composed by Ray Martin, a refugee from Nazi-occupied Austria in 1937, and played by his Concert Orchestra) is correctly depicted. The show is now largely forgotten, but was both a radio and TV show that ran for 38 years, from 1948 to 1986. Competitors were in the 13 to 18 year age range. The standard of questions was challenging for an adult audience even in its time - a modern audience, I fear, would be utterly perplexed.
Eddie Braben, their longtime writer and who prettty much shaped the duo and their style, once described their partnership by saying Ernie Wise was the comedian who wasn’t funny, while Eric Morecambe was the straight man who was funny. Basically, Ernie was the one trying to entertain everyone and getting nowhere, while Eric reacted to him and somehow made everyone laugh doing it.
Great reaction! Now that you have done the University Challenge with M & W, please do *Mastermind* with M & W, arguably, the most advanced top intelligence quiz show for masterminds. Obviously, M & W take the mickey and it's hilarious, even for the average intelligent viewer.
LOL It's Simon Stuart a Clockwork Orange little droogie Pete, actor Michael Martin aka Michael Tarn. He used to live in Alicante, Spain. Close neighbour btw...
Smoke gets in your eye with the great Shirley Bassey (James Bond Goldfinger theme tune, among others). Morcombe and Wise did a lot of sketches with famous singers and actors of their time.
I suppose this is the boys doing nostalgia , Top of the form was a dry as dust quiz show that didn't really work any more . It's a bit of a filler sketch . The best ones were always the end play " which Ernie wrote" with a guest star being humiliated , or a dance number .
Love Morecambe and Wise, Windmills of Your Mind with Hannah Gordon and The Banana Boat song are hilarious also the British Andrews Sisters. Check out Dick Emery The Driving Test and The Milkman sketches, also Tommy Cooper
You are spot on with healthcare however my doctor does phone calls in UK. However dentists are hard to get, saw a dentist and have to wait three weeks to get extraction. Envy USA white teeth, mine shocking. 🤐
Ernie's hair (the quiz presenter) is not a wig, but Eric would often make jokes about Ernie's hair being a wig, and being able to see the join! Eric's supposed wig also sometimes appeared in the show credits 🤣
Meh your either a Morecombe and Wise fan or The Two Ronnies fan the Two Ronnies are the cream of double acts no matter what anyone would have you believe 👍Ronnie Barker was a true comedy genius unlike these two slapstick clowns
