Sir Norman Wisdom (born February 4, 1915, other dates reported) is an English comedian, singer and actor.
He created an accident prone “gump” or fool character called Norman Pitkin, who appeared in several films, most notably, The Early Bird, His famous cry as Pitkin was, “Mr Grimsdale! Mr Grimsdale!”
UK chart singles - Don’t Laugh At Me (Cause I’m A Fool) (1954): The Wisdom Of A Fool (1957).
He is a supporter and a former board member of Brighton and Hove Albion F.C..
He was knighted in 1999.
Norman Wisdom is a well known and loved cult film icon in Albania, being the only Western actor whose films were allowed in the country during the Communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha (the archetypal Wisdom plot – the common working man getting the better of his bosses – was considered ideologically sound by Hoxha). In 1995, he visited the country where he was, to his surprise, greeted by many appreciative fans and the then president of Albania, Sali Berisha. He has announced that he intends to retire on his 90th birthday.