Does anyone else have fond memories of this double act? Always playing second fiddle to Morecambe and Wise in the sixties and seventies. I must say I loved them when I was a kid, preferring them to Morecambe and Wise. They never get repeated, I'm not even sure if there is much of their stuff in the archives. I'd love to see them again, although they would probably not live up to my fond memories. I always remember loving their Christmas specials on ITV.
Okay. I get it now 
Quote: Marc P @ December 28 2012, 11:11 PM GMTOkay. I get it now
The mists clear to reveal....mist
At first Marc thought this thread was about the Winter fuel allowance.
Bernie Winters officially opened Braintree's indoor market in the by then unused bottom bit of the cinema, now a Wetherspoon's.
Quote: Steve Sunshine @ December 28 2012, 11:29 PM GMTAt first Marc thought this thread was about the Winter fuel allowance.
Quote: William Purry @ December 29 2012, 11:22 AM GMTBernie Winters officially opened Braintree's indoor market in the by then unused bottom bit of the cinema, now a Wetherspoon's.
There really should be a 'Which celebrity have you seen humbling themselves opening short lived shops in the 70s' thread.
If I'm thinking of the right person, Snorbitz the Dog was a huge star!
I have truly awful memories of this duo. Bernie Winters was Eric Morecambe-lite and, in parts, he could be funny - but Mike Winters had no obvious redeeming qualities - more often coming over as a rather tacky used-car salesman. I know they both fell out big time and Bernie found a big dog to be a better foil to his clowning.
There's not much footage of them about.
This is interesting though (up to a point!)
Who remembers make me laugh? 
Mike and Bernie were very big stars but their TV stuff suffered from their not having a strong writer or producer. I don't know if they fell out or Mike just wanted a change but he went to live in Florida, 80s, and Bernie carried on. Bernie was a better comedian than you'd think from TV. I was working on a TV show once where Eric Sykes had written a sketch for his own appearance but then decided the show was too fast moving for his style. I was allowed to edit this sketch and ES told me he had an idea who could do it justice -- Bernie Winters. How we laughed, hooted, handed in our resignations...but good sense prevailed and Bernie was booked. He was sensational. The audience loved him and he hit every laugh.
Quote: Buddy Sorrel @ February 11 2013, 11:37 AM GMTMike and Bernie were very big stars but their TV stuff suffered from their not having a strong writer or producer. I don't know if they fell out or Mike just wanted a change but he went to live in Florida, 80s, and Bernie carried on.
They hardly spoke for the last five years of their double act - Philip Jones (Thames) asked Bernie if he wanted to do a solo sitcom (It's Bernie) and Mike took the opportunity to call it a day and go and live in Miami to set up a machinery company.
Quote: Buddy Sorrel @ February 11 2013, 11:37 AM GMTBernie was a better comedian than you'd think from TV.
I can imagine that to be the case. Some of the best stand-up comedians of their day seemed to lose their identity in order to fit in to the TV format (eg Bob Monkhouse, Ken Dodd, etc). Apart from the odd televised variety appearance then it was pretty much The Comedians, Wheeltappers or nothing!
Have to say it was Bernie whom I loved to bits. I was only a little girl but I used to roll with laughing. Still liked him with Schnorbitz(?) but I had grown up a lot and I think at that time with the dog it appealed to kids more. I missed the double act.
Is he still around or gone to meet his maker? Would like to see him again Bernie that is 
Bernie died in 1991, but Mike is still alive.
