British Pathe

M/S of a stationary merry-go-round at the fun fair at Battersea Festival Gardens; comedians Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise (carrying a small leather case) enter shot from right, look round and then walk off again. M/Ss as they walk past the Big Dipper and roundabouts towards the restaurant and stop to...

M/S of a stationary merry-go-round at the fun fair at Battersea Festival Gardens; comedians Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise (carrying a small leather case) enter shot from right, look round and then walk off again. M/Ss as they walk past the Big Dipper and roundabouts towards the restaurant and stop to look at a sign; C/U of the sign reading 'Festival Beer Garden': C/U of Eric and Ernie mouthing "Beer Garden" and nodding, then they walk in.

M/S of a terrace by a lake with a kind of model village with windmill and Ferris wheel in the background; two men are sitting at tables with drinks as Eric and Ernie walk into shot; they walk past the table of the first man and stop to peer at his beer mat, walk on to the next table to peer at the second man's beer mat, sit at the next table and Eric rubs his hands with glee and beckons the waiter. Commentator says "To put you in the picture Eric Morecambe (the one with the specs) and Ernie Wise are keen tegestologists - which (for the uninitiated) means they collect beer mats". Waiter enters shot, takes their order and walks off.

M/S of Eric and Ernie at their table as the waiter brings them two beers; they examine the beer mats the waiter places on the table - obviously not thinking too much of them and start to drink. M/S from another angle showing the man at the next table in foreground, reading a newspaper. Commentator says "To quote them: 'Our interest at first was mild but now we follow it through to the bitter end!'"

Eric and Ernie peer over the reading man's shoulders to look at his beer mat and nod at each other. Then follows a bit of 'business' as Ernie asks the man for the time while Eric tries to steal his beer mat; he doesn't quite manage it as the man turns round and almost catches him; Eric smoothes the man's jacket and sits back down. C/U of the first man sitting at a table who has seen the whole thing; he is quite old and formally dressed. He looks shocked and his monocle falls out of his eye.

M/S of Eric and Ernie at their table with the reading man in foreground; C/Us of Eric and Ernie as they seem to be arguing about who should approach the man next. M/S as Ernie reluctantly taps the man on the shoulder, snatches his newspaper and starts to read it. The man sits there looking bemused; while he is distracted Eric replaces the man's beer mat with his own; Ernie hands back the newspaper and they both sit down. C/U of the old man looking outraged and taking a gulp of beer.

M/S of Eric and Ernie at their table looking delighted with their new mat while the reading man carries on none the wiser. Ernie unzips the small leather case and starts to take out piles of beer mats. C/U of old man watching. Commentator says "Morcambe and Wise actually have many thousands collected on tours in this country and abroad". C/Us of Eric and Ernie setting out hundreds of mats on the table; Eric taking another wad of mats from his jacket pocket; brilliant C/U of him patting them and grinning, then of Ernie rubbing his hands with glee.

C/Us of Eric looking round suspiciously; the old man looking on; Eric pulling up his jacket collar to try and cover his face and hide the mats in his hands. C/U of the table covered with beer mats as we see Eric and Ernie's hands sorting them.

Note: Fabulous film with the wonderful Eric and Ernie looking very young - Eric looks gorgeous! On file is a suggested commentary for the film from The George Bartram Press Relations Organisation in Birmingham who represented Morecambe and Wise at the time.