After appearing on their first television show, "Running Wild" (1954), Morecambe and Wise received many highly critical and derogatory reviews in newspapers, one of which said "Definition of Television - the box they buried Morecambe and Wise in". Eric carried a cutting of that review in his wallet for the rest of his life.
Has a ward at Harefield Hospital, Middlesex in the UK named after him.
He appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1948) (aka "The Ed Sullivan Show"), with his partner-in-comedy, Ernie Wise, numerous times during the 1960s.
He called himself 'Morecambe' after his home town in England, UK
He collapsed and died on-stage at The Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury in May 1984, watched by his wife, immediately after appearing in a show with Stan Stennett.
He was a lifelong fan of Luton Town Football club, and often wrote material about them for comedy sketches. Eric Morecambe Suite named in his honor at the ground.
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 1976 for his services to entertainment.
He worked as a Bevin boy (i.e. was drafted into coal mining) during World War II, in Accrington, Lancashire.
His wife, Joan Morecambe, was a former dancer and model.
Morecambe was one of five comedians pictured on a set of UK postage stamps issued 23 April 1998. His caricatured likeness was on the 26p stamp. The other comedians honored were Tommy Cooper (20p), Joyce Grenfell (37p), Les Dawson (43p), and Peter Cook (63p).