Eric Merriman
Encyclopedia
Eric Hugh Peter Merriman (6 December 1924 – 2 June 2003) was a prolific British radio
and television writer, who provided material for comedians including Frankie Howerd
, Terry Scott
and Morecambe and Wise
.
Born in Golders Green
, he attended Finchley Catholic High School
, where he started writing for Boy Scout magazines and children's annuals. When he left school his first job was as a subeditor on a scout magazine - and he created sketches for the Boy Scout gang show. By the early 1940s he was a caption writer for the Picture Post
.
In 1943 he joined the Royal Air Force
where he trained as an air gunner/navigator. After the war ended he sold advertising space with the Financial Times
, but soon came fulltime comedy writing. He wrote, originally with Barry Took
and then solo, the radio series Beyond Our Ken
, starring Kenneth Horne
. He also was a writer for several Terry Scott
vehicles, Scott on... and Happy Ever After.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television writer, who provided material for comedians including Frankie Howerd
Frankie Howerd
Francis Alick "Frankie" Howerd OBE was an English comedian and comic actor whose career, described by fellow comedian Barry Cryer as "a series of comebacks", spanned six decades.-Early career:...
, Terry Scott
Terry Scott
Owen John "Terry" Scott was an English actor and comedian who appeared in seven Carry On films. He also appeared in BBC1's popular domestic sitcom Terry and June with June Whitfield...
and Morecambe and Wise
Morecambe and Wise
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
.
Born in Golders Green
Golders Green
Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in London, England. Although having some earlier history, it is essentially a 19th century suburban development situated about 5.3 miles north west of Charing Cross and centred on the crossroads of Golders Green Road and Finchley Road.In the...
, he attended Finchley Catholic High School
Finchley Catholic High School
Finchley Catholic High School for Boys is in North Finchley, part of the London Borough of Barnet.-Admissions:Finchley Catholic High School is, as its name declares, a faith school; it is also - up to the end of Year 11 - exclusively for boys...
, where he started writing for Boy Scout magazines and children's annuals. When he left school his first job was as a subeditor on a scout magazine - and he created sketches for the Boy Scout gang show. By the early 1940s he was a caption writer for the Picture Post
Picture Post
Picture Post was a prominent photojournalistic magazine published in the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1957. It is considered a pioneering example of photojournalism and was an immediate success, selling 1,700,000 copies a week after only two months...
.
In 1943 he joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
where he trained as an air gunner/navigator. After the war ended he sold advertising space with the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, but soon came fulltime comedy writing. He wrote, originally with Barry Took
Barry Took
Barry Took was an English comedian, writer and television presenter. He is best remembered in the UK for his weekly role as presenter of Points of View, a BBC TV programme in which viewers' letters criticising or praising the BBC were broadcast...
and then solo, the radio series Beyond Our Ken
Beyond Our Ken
Beyond Our Ken was a radio comedy programme, the predecessor to Round the Horne . Both programmes starred Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden and Bill Pertwee, with announcer Douglas Smith. Musical accompaniment was provided by the BBC Revue Orchestra...
, starring Kenneth Horne
Kenneth Horne
Kenneth Horne was an English comedian and businessman. The son of a clergyman and politician, he combined a successful business career with regular broadcasting for the BBC. His first hit series Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh written with his co-star Richard Murdoch arose out of his wartime service as...
. He also was a writer for several Terry Scott
Terry Scott
Owen John "Terry" Scott was an English actor and comedian who appeared in seven Carry On films. He also appeared in BBC1's popular domestic sitcom Terry and June with June Whitfield...
vehicles, Scott on... and Happy Ever After.