British comedy legend Sir Norman Wisdom died laughing, his family has revealed.
Norman died on the Isle of Man on Monday aged 95, and his daughter-in-law revealed: "He joked to the very end of his 95 years."
Norman's death has also plunged Albania into national mourning. It was there that he was a national hero.
Albania is Europe's third poorest country, with a GDP of just $6,400, and Norman's films were the only Western ones allowed to be shown in the small Balkan nation under Communist rule, giving the people much needed laughs.
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, 65, hailed him as "one of the dearest friends of our nation".
He said: "On behalf of the government of Albania I would like to express heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, his friends and the government of Her Majesty."
Between 1953 and 1966, Norman, who was born in London's Marylebone in 1915, starred in a series of comedy films in which he played the hapless Norman Pitkin.
These films initially made more money than the James Bond fims and gave him celebrity status in South America, Iran, and Europe's Eastern Bloc countries, especially Albania. In 1995 he was given not only the Freedom of the City of London but also the Freedom of Tirana, Albania's capital.
In 2001, when the England football team played Albania in Tirana, he appeared on the pitch before the match and at half-time wearing a half Albanian half England football shirt. He was well-received by the crowd, especially when he performed one of his trademark trips on his way out to the centre circle.
Sir Norman also famously made the Queen laugh. She knighted him at Buckingham Palace in June 2000. Whilst leaving the ceremony, he performed his trademark trip, causing the Queen to laugh out loud.
In 2004 he also made a brief appearance in Coronation Street, the world's longest-running soap opera, in which he bought an exercise bike off Jack Duckworth.
Another British comedy great, Charlie Chaplin, once described Norman as his "favourite clown."
Singer Dame Vera Lynn, who kept up the morale of British troops during the War, hailed Norman's death as a " very sad day" for British comedy.
Norm died laughing
Our 'ear-o ... Sir Norman Wisdom in Albania, where he was a national hero
By VIRGINIA WHEELER
Published: Today
The Sun
SIR NORMAN WISDOM: 4th February 1915 - 4th October 2010
COMEDY legend Sir Norman Wisdom died joking until the end, the star's family revealed yesterday.
The 95-year-old even planned a quip from BEYOND the grave - a tombstone inscribed: "Eee, he was old."
Daughter-in-law Kim Wisdom told how the film and TV veteran never stopped wisecracking despite being plagued by strokes and dementia.
She said: "He joked to the very end of his 95 years."
A day after his death plunged Albania - where he was a cult hero - into national mourning, Kim confirmed the family will honour his wishes about his gravestone.
She said: "He told me, 'You know, I haven't got long left'. I said, 'Rubbish, Norman - you'll get your letter from the Queen when you turn 100'.
"He said, 'Well then, I want you to write on my gravestone, 'Eee, he was old' - and fell about laughing.
"But that's what we'll do. He wanted people to stand at his grave and smile."
Pals ... Sir Norman Wisdom and Chubby Brown
Kim, 55, also revealed how Sir Norman's son Nick and daughter Jackie were "devastated" they missed his final hours at an Isle of Man nursing home.
Both were racing there after being told he was ailing - but he died in his sleep before they arrived.
Wartime singer Dame Vera Lynn - a friend of Sir Norman - described his death as "a very sad day" for British comedy.
She said: "There are not many comics of that stature any more."
Sir Norman Wisdom entertains the crowd in Tirana during half time at the World Cup qualifier game in March 2001. He wore a strip that was half Albania and half England. England won the game 3-1 thanks to goals from Michael Owen, Paul Scholes and Andy Cole.
Comedian Roy Chubby Brown, also a pal, said sadly: "He was a comic genius."
Slapstick king Sir Norman became an icon in Albania after playing accident-prone Norman Pitkin in a series of films starting in the 1950s. They were the only western movies the communists allowed to be screened.
Thousands of Albanians tearfully bombarded TV stations yesterday at the passing of "Pitkini".
His 2002 hit Big In Albania was played non-stop on radio.
Albanian PM Sali Berisha, 65, hailed him as "one of the dearest friends of our nation".
He said: "On behalf of the government of Albania I would like to express heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, his friends and the government of Her Majesty."
Albanian ambassador Zef Mazi said: "Sir Norman was bigger than David Beckham."
thesun.co.uk
Norman died on the Isle of Man on Monday aged 95, and his daughter-in-law revealed: "He joked to the very end of his 95 years."
Norman's death has also plunged Albania into national mourning. It was there that he was a national hero.
Albania is Europe's third poorest country, with a GDP of just $6,400, and Norman's films were the only Western ones allowed to be shown in the small Balkan nation under Communist rule, giving the people much needed laughs.
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, 65, hailed him as "one of the dearest friends of our nation".
He said: "On behalf of the government of Albania I would like to express heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, his friends and the government of Her Majesty."
Between 1953 and 1966, Norman, who was born in London's Marylebone in 1915, starred in a series of comedy films in which he played the hapless Norman Pitkin.
These films initially made more money than the James Bond fims and gave him celebrity status in South America, Iran, and Europe's Eastern Bloc countries, especially Albania. In 1995 he was given not only the Freedom of the City of London but also the Freedom of Tirana, Albania's capital.
In 2001, when the England football team played Albania in Tirana, he appeared on the pitch before the match and at half-time wearing a half Albanian half England football shirt. He was well-received by the crowd, especially when he performed one of his trademark trips on his way out to the centre circle.
Sir Norman also famously made the Queen laugh. She knighted him at Buckingham Palace in June 2000. Whilst leaving the ceremony, he performed his trademark trip, causing the Queen to laugh out loud.
In 2004 he also made a brief appearance in Coronation Street, the world's longest-running soap opera, in which he bought an exercise bike off Jack Duckworth.
Another British comedy great, Charlie Chaplin, once described Norman as his "favourite clown."
Singer Dame Vera Lynn, who kept up the morale of British troops during the War, hailed Norman's death as a " very sad day" for British comedy.
Norm died laughing
Our 'ear-o ... Sir Norman Wisdom in Albania, where he was a national hero
By VIRGINIA WHEELER
Published: Today
The Sun
SIR NORMAN WISDOM: 4th February 1915 - 4th October 2010
COMEDY legend Sir Norman Wisdom died joking until the end, the star's family revealed yesterday.
The 95-year-old even planned a quip from BEYOND the grave - a tombstone inscribed: "Eee, he was old."
Daughter-in-law Kim Wisdom told how the film and TV veteran never stopped wisecracking despite being plagued by strokes and dementia.
She said: "He joked to the very end of his 95 years."
A day after his death plunged Albania - where he was a cult hero - into national mourning, Kim confirmed the family will honour his wishes about his gravestone.
She said: "He told me, 'You know, I haven't got long left'. I said, 'Rubbish, Norman - you'll get your letter from the Queen when you turn 100'.
"He said, 'Well then, I want you to write on my gravestone, 'Eee, he was old' - and fell about laughing.
"But that's what we'll do. He wanted people to stand at his grave and smile."
Pals ... Sir Norman Wisdom and Chubby Brown
Kim, 55, also revealed how Sir Norman's son Nick and daughter Jackie were "devastated" they missed his final hours at an Isle of Man nursing home.
Both were racing there after being told he was ailing - but he died in his sleep before they arrived.
Wartime singer Dame Vera Lynn - a friend of Sir Norman - described his death as "a very sad day" for British comedy.
She said: "There are not many comics of that stature any more."
Sir Norman Wisdom entertains the crowd in Tirana during half time at the World Cup qualifier game in March 2001. He wore a strip that was half Albania and half England. England won the game 3-1 thanks to goals from Michael Owen, Paul Scholes and Andy Cole.
Comedian Roy Chubby Brown, also a pal, said sadly: "He was a comic genius."
Slapstick king Sir Norman became an icon in Albania after playing accident-prone Norman Pitkin in a series of films starting in the 1950s. They were the only western movies the communists allowed to be screened.
Thousands of Albanians tearfully bombarded TV stations yesterday at the passing of "Pitkini".
His 2002 hit Big In Albania was played non-stop on radio.
Albanian PM Sali Berisha, 65, hailed him as "one of the dearest friends of our nation".
He said: "On behalf of the government of Albania I would like to express heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, his friends and the government of Her Majesty."
Albanian ambassador Zef Mazi said: "Sir Norman was bigger than David Beckham."
thesun.co.uk
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