Eric Merriman

Who was Eric Merriman?

Eric Hugh Peter Merriman was a British radio and television writer, who provided material for numerous comedians including Frankie Howerd, Terry Scott and Morecambe and Wise.

Born in Golders Green, he attended Finchley Catholic High School, where he started writing for Boy Scout magazines and children's annuals. When he left school his first job was as a subeditor on a scout magazine - and he created sketches for the Boy Scout Gang Show. By the early 1940s, he was a caption writer for the Picture Post.

In 1943, he joined the Royal Air Force where he trained as an air gunner/navigator. After the war ended he sold advertising space with the Financial Times, but soon came full-time comedy writing. He wrote, originally with Barry Took and then solo, the radio series Beyond Our Ken, starring Kenneth Horne. He also was a writer for several Terry Scott vehicles, Scott on... and Happy Ever After.

Merriman died in June 2003, aged 78.