Eric, Ernie and Eddie: Man behind the laughter dies
COMEDY writer Eddie Braben, the “third man” behind the successful duo of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, died yesterday aged 82, his manager said.
Nor ma Fa r n e s said Braben, who also wrote for Ken Dodd, died following a short illness.
Ms Farnes said: “It was Billy Cotton Jnr at the BBC who recognised the brilliance of Eddie’s writing was the ideal marriage that would guarantee the success of Morecambe and Wise
“He is s u r v i ve d by his loving wife Dee, three children and six grandchildren.”
Sir Bruce Forsyth, who worked with Braben on Play Your Cards Right, said: “This is sad news, it really is. He was a fantastic writer.”
The Strictly Come Dancing host added: “What he did for Eric and Ernie was incredible … I wish I could have been doing the kind of shows he had written.
“His jokes and style of writing will be sorely missed in the business.”
Ms Farnes added: “Eddie was a very humble man, a very quiet man and a very private man.
“He had a lot of integrity, which is in short supply in this business.
“I have to say – and he would have disagreed with this – that writing came easy to him, even on bad days.”
Fellow Liverpudlian Ken Dodd worked with Braben for more than a decade.
The comedian said: “He was a brilliant comic scriptwriter and a brilliant man.
“He made melaugh a great deal. He was a wonderful writer.”