Original Eric Morecambe sculpture going on display to mark statue's 25th anniversary

Wednesday, 10 July 2024 07:38

The man behind the Eric Morecambe statue is bringing an exhibition of his work to Lancaster to mark a quarter of a century since the iconic piece was unveiled.

Graham Ibbeson’s ‘Casting Comedy: Northern Legends’ opens at the City Museum on July 20, running until November 3.

Visitors will be able to see the original Eric Morecambe sculpture alongside fellow northern comedy legends in the special exhibition.

On display will be the sculptures of Eric Morecambe and Laurel and Hardy before they were cast into bronze as well as a life-size portrait of Ken Dodd, and the working model of the Victoria Wood statue.

All four comedians performed in Morecambe in their heydays and were later magnificently sculpted by Graham Ibbeson, the ‘peoples’ sculptor’.

The bronze version of the Eric Morecambe statue which weighs a third of a tonne, was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on Morecambe Promenade on July 23 1999. It cost £40,000 and funded through public subscription by the community of Morecambe to honour a local comedy hero, born in Buxton Street in 1926.

Councillor Catherine Potter, Cabinet member with responsibility for Visitor Economy, Community Wealth Building and Culture, said: “The exhibition is a wonderful way of marking the 25th Anniversary of the unveiling of our treasured Eric Morecambe statue and to celebrate other northern comedy heroes.

‘’Our thanks go to Graham for the loan of these works and his contribution to this exciting exhibition.”

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