The return of Norman Wisdom and the cosmic brainsuckers

Comedy icon Norman Wisdom could emerge for one final movie adventure this year, as plans are underway to release a previously un-seen film starring the comic actor.

Cosmic! Lost And Found, which was created and funded by Grant Littlechild, was filmed in 1998, but funding is still needed to pay for post-production work. The film stars Sir Norman and astronomer Sir Patrick Moore, with an introduction by Michael Jackson and Blues Brothers director John Landis.

The movie sees Wisdom's character abducted by aliens and meeting robots and space maidens.

Mr Littlechild, who first began working on the project 14 years ago, said he wanted to mirror the sci-fi comedies he grew up with.: "Who better to star in my own film than another childhood hero of mine, Norman Wisdom?"

He added: "I kept thinking how fantastic it would be to see Norman abducted by flying saucers. For me to shout 'Action' and Norman to yell back, 'Mr Grimsdale' was such an incredible experience."

Littlechild is currently looking for sponsors to help fund the post-production work that would allow the feature to be released in cinemas or on DVD. He says: "Since the sad loss of Norman, I passionately now want, more than ever, to see this film completed. He has got so many fans."

Details and a trailer HERE

Archive Legends - Norman Wisdom

When Norman Wisdom died in October of this year tributes poured in from all across the globe and although he had kept up his profile until recent years it was for the series of British film comedies he made between 1953 and 1966 that he is best remembered - for a period in the Sixties, Wisdom's films made even more money than the James Bond movies. Unlike many British comedians Wisdom's enjoyed massive popularity in many Eastern Bloc countries - in Albania the actor was and remains huge.

Charley Chaplin called Wisdom his favourite clown.

The character of Norman Pitkin who Wisdom played in most of his better films was the classic everyman character and his small stature and the way he faced off against big business and bureaucracy endeared him to the cinema going public. Wisdom was superb at physical slapstick and these skills were brought to the fore in his movies. Prat-falls abounded with Wisdom being hurled through windows or over walls. His films usually contained a romantic subplot, a lesson Wisdom learned from another British comedy great, George Formby.

The top five Wisdom movies.
Trouble in Store
The Early Bird
The Bulldog Breed
A Stitch in Time
On the Beat

Most of Wisdom's better films are available in a great box set collection from ITV Home Entertainment - the box set contains twelve movies and retails at a decent price of £20, even less at online store like Amazon.

Archive Icons: Norman Wisdom

Norman Wisdom, who died yesterday at the age of 95, always represented the little man facing and triumphing over impossible odds. The string of slapstick comedies he made in the Fifties and Sixties were a regular fixture on television when I was growing up and his Pitkin character became something of a hero. The little guy who kicked arse.

Wisdom's style of comedy was universal and appealed particularly to the post war working class and this adulation passed down from generation to generation - even today people delight when his movies are shown. And of course none less than Charley Chaplin called Wisdom his favourite screen clown.

Wisdom continued with theatre work and television roles long after his film career had ended and in 1981 he shocked everyone with his portrayal of a man dying of cancer in the TV drama, Going Gently. In 2000 he was given a much deserved knighthood.

In 2009 - and reported on the Archive - Sky News made the error of announcing Wisdom's death in a rolling news report before pulling the piece and apologising, stating that Wisdom was very much still alive. The great comedian finally passed away yesterday.

The laughter remains behind.