4 February: Norman Wisdom

Comedian and actor Norman Wisdom was born on this date in 1915. Here are 10 things you might not know about him:

1. He was born in West London. His father was a chauffeur, and his mother a dressmaker. She worked for West End theatres, and had once made a dress for Queen Mary; nevertheless, the family were poor, living in one room.
2. His mother walked out on the family eventually, and Norman and his brother Fred were placed in a children’s home by their father. Norman left school at 13 and when he was 14 and homeless, set off on foot for Cardiff where he joined the Merchant Navy and became a cabin boy. During his time on a cargo ship to Argentina, the crew taught him boxing. He was Flyweight Boxing Champion when he was in the army.
3. He joined the army at the outbreak of World War II and served in India. He made his first appearance as an entertainer with a comedy boxing routine at an army concert, and joined the Royal Corps of Signals as a bandsman in 1943.
4. When he was demobbed, he knew he wanted to become an entertainer, but struggled at first to find an agent. He eventually did find one, and made his first stage appearance at Collins Music Hall on 17th December 1946.
5. His first major film was Trouble in Store in 1953, followed by One Good Turn in 1955. He didn’t just act in films – he wrote screenplays, too, including The Square Peg, Follow a Star, A Stitch in Time and The Early Bird. He also composed songs, including his big hit Don't Laugh At Me.
6. He was a lifelong supporter and a former board member of football team Brighton and Hove Albion.
7. He was one of the actors considered for the role of Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, but he turned it down, because he didn’t think it was very funny. The role went to Michael Crawford.
8. Since his kind of slapstick routine transcends the need for language, Norman Wisdom was popular all over the world, but he enjoyed a particular renown in Albania. The dictator there, Enver Hoxha, banned most western films, but allowed Norman Wisdom’s to be shown. Hence when he was there at the same time as the England football team, his appearance eclipsed that of David Beckham. In 1995 Wisdom was made an honorary citizen of Tirana.
9. One of his trademarks was tripping over his feet, which he not only did as he exited the football stadium in Tirana, but also as he left the ceremony after being knighted by the Queen. The Queen, unlike her ancestor Queen Victoria, was said to have been amused.
10. He spent his latter years living on the Isle of Man in a house in Andreas named Ballalough, which is Manx for "lake farm", and also sounds a bit like “belly laugh”. For most of his years there, he spent time with his family, played golf, drove classic cars and even had a yacht, although he sold that eventually claiming he was no sailor. In 2007, a Norman Wisdom-themed bar opened at the Sefton Hotel, Douglas, called Sir Norman's. He ended his days in a nursing home on the island, where it’s said his dementia was so severe he didn’t even recognise himself in his films. He died in 2010 at the age of 95.

Who's That Girl?

Matt Webster lives in a tower block and attends a failing school. He dreams of being a spy like James Bond. Little does he know that he is being watched by someone who can make him into even more than that – a superhero.

His first solo mission is to attend a ball at the Decembrian Embassy and discover who is planning to steal a priceless diamond. While there, he meets the mysterious Lady Antonia du Cane, and is powerfully drawn to her. It soon becomes clear, however, that Lady du Cane is not what she seems. Matt’s quest to discover who she really is almost costs him his career.

A modern day Guy Fawkes gathers a coterie around him with the aim of blowing up Parliament with a nuclear bomb. To achieve this, they need money. Lots of it. Selling the Heart of Decembria Diamond will provide more than enough. All that stands in their way is the Freedom League – but the League is beset by internal disagreements. Can the heroes put their differences aside in time to save the day?

Prime Minister Richard Miller and his wife Fiona grieve for their daughter, Yasmin, who has been missing for three years, and is presumed to be dead. Viper agent Violet Parker could hold the key to what happened to Yasmin, but Violet is accused of giving away the organisation’s secrets. She is to be executed without trial. Will she take her knowledge of what happened to Yasmin with her to her grave?

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