Everyone remembers sober, respected, BBC newsreader Angela Rippon pushing open her desk to reveal long shapely legs before going into the 'Let's Face The Music and Dance' routine, a host of BBC stars singing 'There is Nothing Like a Dame', while indulging in an unlikely display of acrobatics, the duo's brilliantly inspired version of 'Singin' In The Rain' -which lovingly reproduced the original movie's set almost down to the last detail- (except the rain), And- of course, Eric and Ernie dancing around their kitchen in a breath-taking display of dazzlingly artful timing as they silently prepared breakfast in synchronous time to the tune of 'The Stripper.'

It was Ernest Maxin who must take credit for many of these magical moments. Maxin had always been a star struck Hollywood movie fan, he listed Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire as his idols. He wanted to bring that type of 'Hollywood gloss' to the show, to give the show a 'talking point', so that the next day people would say, "Did you see that Morecambe and Wise show last night?"

While not exactly possessing the patented gloss of Astaire or Kelly, Eric and Ernie's routines had a wit and sophistication lacking in genuine Hollywood productions since the passing of the great musicals golden age. With their dance numbers, Eric and Ernie did more than provide us with a talking point. They provided us with something infinitely more valuable...
treasured memories.

And much more importantly...infinite laughter.