The Book What I Wrote: Eric, Ernie and Me

by Eddie Braben

The hilarious memoir of Britain's best-loved, highly successful comedy writer Eddie Braben, whose scripts for Morecambe and Wise catapulted the incomparable duo to stardom.

The key figure behind the success of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, scriptwriter Eddie Braben has written his autobiography - with the inimitable, timeless humour, warmth and affection for Eric and Ernie of that wonderful bygone era which made their classic sketches so successful.

From Liverpool to London and on to Snowdonia, Braben peppers his story with wonderful anecdotes about the original straight man and his amiable sidekick.

The Book What I Wrote is as much a unique biography of the charismatic Eric and Ernie as it is an autobiography of the man on whose gags their success was made.

Genres: Biography

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2004

Reviews

[Benedict Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moments of genius. But this is a book by someone who doesn't know how to write a book. It definitely made me want to watch some Morecambe and Wise, but I didn't really feel like I got any true insight into the politics of personalities involved in this show. Great to get a bit of an insight into how scripts were developed by the actors involved.

[Sandy Morley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't anything like any autobiography I've ever read. The Book What I Wrote is all over the place! Eddie Braben picks an idea, runs with it, and then drops it. Sometimes it's a half-page idea, and sometimes it's an eleven-pager. He might call back to it later, but it's a book written very much in the format of his sketches, and it's a format better suited to TV or radio.

On page 244, the author asks us to say if "This is not funny. Take it back and make a few alterations." There were a few times I wished someone had. It certainly has its funny moments, but many fell flat, and many more needed a second or third read; when the joke is in the delivery, you as the reader have the job of delivering. I don't know about you, but my delivery is never going to match up to Morecambe and Wise's.

The book really shines when you can see the love that Eddie Braben clearly has for them, for entertainment, and for humankind. I don't think you can rib something so thoroughly and so gently if you didn't, at least.

If this is available as an audiobook, I'd definitely suggest getting that.

[Mike Jennings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well ... This falls into the same bracket as Rik Mayall's autobiography for me: overwhelming to the point of annoyance. Yes Eddie Braben is a very successful comedy writer, and yes there are a few anecdotes here that made me chuckle, but they weren't Eddie's alone. They were delivered by Eric or Ernie (or even Ken Dodd) and Eddie doesn't seem to realise that. This book is written like a script for a light comedy show: every other line is a gag and they are just thrown in whenever he feels like it and it just doesn't make for an easy read at all.

It might work as banter between Eric and Ern but it doesn't make a good style for an autobiography. I would have much preferred a straight telling of his life's story with all the backstage gossip and insight he must have after all those years. This is more in the vein of "Hey I'm dead funny, me, and I've written for the best and given them a leg up (oo err mrs)".

Like Rik Mayall ... too much.

[A G Hind · Rating 4 out of 5]

The loose autobiography of the chap that wrote the best lines for Morecambe and Wise. I expected a bit more of an insight into his relationship with the duo, and whilst there are small references they aren’t too deep or too personal. I suppose the fact of the relationship was that it was a working one - ie both sides earned their living off the other.

Having said that, it’s hard not to read the many many gags without thinking of M&W. You can certainly see where the style of the duo was rooted. I also expected something about the effect of Eric Morecambe’s death in 1984 had on the author and Ernie Wise, but there was nothing.

All in all, an enjoyable autobiography that never takes itself too seriously. Appreciate I’m writing this review 20+ years after the book was published, but the timelessness of the comedy therein made it very entertaining.

[alan clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, gentle and funny book.

A very amusing book of anecdotes, compiled with a lot of humour and affection for his love of comedy, the pair that he worked with, and for his readers.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the life of someone who made others funny doesn't seem that appealing, Eddie Braben's style and humor reminds us why he was such a rare boon to M&W at the time they most needed him.