Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, born February 4, 1915, in London, England, was an English actor, comedian, musician, and singer. Raised in poverty, he left school at age 13 to work in various jobs before joining the British Army, where he developed his slapstick comedy routine. He created the comedic character "Norman" (or "Norman Pitkean"), performing in a distinctive ill-fitting suit and cap. Wisdom made his film debut in Trouble in Store (1953), for which he wrote and performed his signature song, "Don't Laugh at Me ('Cause I'm a Fool)". His popular recordings included "The Wisdom of a Fool", which reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart in 1957. He continued performing on stage and television, appearing in the television series Last of the Summer Wine from 1995 to 2004 and the short film Expresso in 2007. Wisdom was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1995 and was knighted in 2000. He died on the Isle of Man on October 4, 2010, at age 95.
