Morecambe and Wise - The Lost Tapes

DVD Review from 2026

If you are a fan of Morecambe and Wise you may be aware that, like so many other BBC programs of the 60s, master tapes were destroyed to save money. This practice meant that in some cases, programs like Dr Who, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore and Morecambe and Wise lost episodes forever.

Over the years odds and ends turned up in people`s lofts or abroad in foreign TV companies archives. Some even from ex-television staff who took things home `by accident`. However they appeared, it means the archives can be once again added to, giving fans shows they have never seen before.

With Eric and Ern, most of the first BBC series from 1968 was wiped, leaving at one point just a single episode. This was included in the first BBC DVD release.

In 2022, a new DVD was released containing all material found since that point containing a treasure trove of humour not seen for a very long time.

In places the picture quality, understandably, is not very good, and for one episode, parts of it are just stills, rescued from a melting film reel.

Other episodes only exist as audio, but at least we get to hear the show, if not see them.

Also on this DVD are other features including a few documentaries about how the material was recovered along with an interview and a raw studio recording.

For fans, this is a great addition to your collection.

Full contents:

Series 1 Episode 5. Colour. Full show.
Series 1 Episode 6 – full colour restoration.
Series 1 Episode 7. Colour. Full show.
1970 Special. Colour.
Series 1 Episode 2 – Reconstruction. B/W. Stills & poor-quality video. Full audio.
Lost Episodes documentary.
Film restoration documentary.
Marty Feldman chats to Eric.
Morecambe and Wise Show trailer (Sketch/fake interview)
Series 1 Episode 4. Surviving footage. B/W. Poor quality video.
Series 1 Episode 2 Deleted scenes. Material cut for the episode. Stills only.
Series 1,2,3, and 8 Audio recordings only. Full shows.
Series 1 Episode 6 deleted sketch.
Studio Recording. Unedited studio recording (audio) 1971 Xmas show (Andrea Previn routine) including studio direction, Eric and Ern chatting to audience.
Morecambe and Wise Interview 1963. Unedited.


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