Ken Dodd
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Sir Kenneth Arthur Dodd (8 November 1927 – 11 March 2018) was an English
comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...
, actor and singer. He was described as "the last great
music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...
entertainer" and was primarily known for his live
stand-up Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage (theatre), stage and delivers humour, humorous and satire, satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical comedy, physical acts. These ...
performances. A lifelong resident of the Knotty Ash neighbourhood of
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, Dodd started his career as an entertainer in the mid-1950s. His performances included rapid and incessant delivery of often surreal jokes, and would run for several hours, frequently past midnight. His verbal and physical comedy was supplemented by his red, white, and blue " tickling stick"
prop A prop, formally known as a (theatrical) property, is an object actors use on stage or screen during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...
, but these colours could change for occasions such as St Patrick's Day, when he would choose a green, white and orange pair. He often introduced the sticks with his characteristic upbeat greeting of "How tickled I am!" He interspersed comedy with songs, both serious and humorous, and with his original speciality,
ventriloquism Ventriloquism or ventriloquy is an act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) speaks in such a way that it seems like their voice is coming from a different location, usually through a puppet known as a "dummy". The act of ventrilo ...
. He had several hit singles, primarily as a ballad singer in the 1960s, and occasionally appeared in dramatic roles. He performed on radio and television and popularised the characters the Diddy Men. Dodd was
knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...
in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to entertainment and charity. His stage career lasted for over 60 years, and he continued to perform until the end of 2017. He died on 11 March 2018, at the age of 90.


Early life

Dodd was born on 8 November 1927 in a former farmhouse in Knotty Ash, a suburb of
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, to Arthur Dodd and Sarah (née Gray). He had an older brother, William and a younger sister, June. He went to the Knotty Ash School, and sang in the local church choir of St John's Church, Knotty Ash. He was to live in Knotty Ash all his life, dying in the house in which he was born, and often referred to the area—as well as its mythical " jam butty mines" and "
black pudding Black pudding is a distinct national type of blood sausage originating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is made from pork or occasionally beef Blood as food, blood, with Lard, pork fat or Suet, beef suet, and a cereal, usually oatmeal, oat ...
plantations"—in his act. During the Second World War he was evacuated with his school to Shrewsbury, where he attended the Priory Grammar School for Boys. He was also evacuated to the village of Penmachno, near Betws y Coed, where he attended the local village school and learnt Welsh. He then attended Holt High School, a
grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...
in
Childwall Childwall () is a suburb and ward of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, located to the southeast of the city. It is bordered by Belle Vale, Bowring Park, Broadgreen, Gateacre, Mossley Hill, and Wavertree. In 2019, the population was 13,640. ...
, Liverpool, but left at the age of 14 to work for his father, a coal merchant. Around this time he became interested in
show business Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry.''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd Ed. (1989) From the business side (including managers, agents, produce ...
after seeing an advert in a
comic a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicat ...
: "Fool your teachers, amaze your friends—send 6d in stamps and become a ventriloquist!" and sending off for the book. Not long after, his father bought him a ventriloquist's dummy and Ken called it Charlie Brown. He started entertaining at the local orphanage, then at various other local community functions. His distinctive buck teeth were the result of a cycling accident after a group of school friends dared him to ride a bicycle with his eyes closed. Aged 18, he began working as a travelling salesman, and used his work van to travel to comedy clubs in the evenings.


Early career

Before becoming a full-time professional performer, mostly on stage, his first known appearance on radio was in ''Variety Fanfare'' (producer: Ronnie Taylor, venue:
Hulme Hippodrome The Hulme Hippodrome in Manchester, England, is a shuttered Grade II listed building, a proscenium arch theatre with two galleries and a side hall. It was originally known as the Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall, and opened on 7 October 19 ...
) made by the BBC in Manchester in 1950–1952. He said he gained his big break at age 26 when, in September 1954, he made his professional show-business debut as Professor Yaffle Chucklebutty, Operatic Tenor and Sausage Knotter at the
Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...
Empire. He later said, "Well at least they didn't boo me off". He continued to tour variety theatres up and down the UK, and in 1955 he appeared at
Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
, where, in the following year, he had a part in ''Let's Have Fun''. His performance at the Central Pier was part of a comedy revue with Jimmy James and Company. Also on the same bill were Jimmy Clitheroe and Roy Castle. Dodd first gained top billing at Blackpool in 1958.


Comedy

Dodd was described as "the last great
music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...
entertainer". His
stand-up comedy Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage (theatre), stage and delivers humour, humorous and satire, satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical comedy, physical acts. These ...
style was fast and relied on the rapid delivery of
one-liner joke A one-liner is a joke that is delivered in a single line. A good one-liner is said to be pithy – concise and meaningful. Comedians and actors use this comedic method as part of their performance, and many fictional characters are also known t ...
s. He said that his comic influences included other Liverpool comedians like
Arthur Askey Arthur Bowden Askey (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey was known for his short stature (5' 2", 1.58 m) and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humour incorporating improvisation an ...
, Robb Wilton,
Tommy Handley Thomas Reginald Handley (17 January 1892 – 9 January 1949) was an English comedian, best known for the BBC radio programme ''It's That Man Again'' ("''ITMA''") which ran between 1939 and 1949. Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, Handley went on th ...
and the "cheeky chappy" from
Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
, Max Miller. In a radio interview in 2002 he recalled how he was very happy to meet Max Miller while they were performing on the same radio show recorded live at
Hulme Hippodrome The Hulme Hippodrome in Manchester, England, is a shuttered Grade II listed building, a proscenium arch theatre with two galleries and a side hall. It was originally known as the Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall, and opened on 7 October 19 ...
(probably, ''The Show Goes On'', 1955) saying: “I once had the honour of being on the same bill, on the radio show as Max Miller, ‘the' Max Miller, the man, the grand-daddy of all comedians, was on that bill and I was on with Max Miller and he was a lovely man. Very happy days, the Hulme Hippodrome.” He interspersed the comedy with occasional songs, both serious and humorous, in an incongruously fine light baritone voice, and with his original speciality, ventriloquism. Part of his stage act featured the Diddy Men ("diddy" being Scouse slang for "small"). At first an unseen joke conceived as part of Dodd's imagination, they later appeared on stage, usually played by children or puppets. Dodd worked mainly as a solo comedian, including in a number of eponymous television and radio shows and made fifteen appearances on BBC TV's music hall revival show, '' The Good Old Days''. Although he enjoyed making people laugh, he was also a serious student of comedy and history, and was interested in
Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud ( ; ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating psychopathology, pathologies seen as originating fro ...
and
Henri Bergson Henri-Louis Bergson (; ; 18 October 1859 – 4 January 1941) was a French philosopher who was influential in the traditions of analytic philosophy and continental philosophy, especially during the first half of the 20th century until the S ...
's analysis of humour. Occasionally, he appeared in dramatic roles, including Malvolio in
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''
Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...
'' on stage in
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
in 1971; on television in the cameo role of 'The Tollmaster' in the 1987 ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
'' story '' Delta and the Bannermen''; as Yorick (in silent flashback) in
Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...
's film version of Shakespeare's ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
'' in 1996; and as Mr.
Mouse A mouse (: mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus'' ...
in the 1999 television movie adaptation of ''
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...
''. Marking Dodd's ninetieth birthday, an appreciation by ''Guardian'' theatre critic Michael Billington noted that "Ken has done just about everything: annual Blackpool summer seasons, pantomimes, nationwide tours, TV and radio. He was a very fine Malvolio." Dodd was renowned for the length of his performances, and during the 1960s he earned a place in '' The Guinness Book of Records'' for the world's longest ever joke-telling session: 1,500 jokes in three-and-a-half hours (7.14 jokes per minute), undertaken at the
Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool The Royal Court Theatre is a theatre located at 1 Roe Street in Liverpool, England. The current Royal Court Theatre was opened on 17 October 1938, after fire destroyed its predecessor. It was rebuilt in Art Deco style and soon became Liverpool' ...
, where audiences entered the show in shifts. Dodd appeared in many
Royal Variety Performance The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...
s. The last was in 2006, in front of
Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
and his wife Camilla, at the
London Coliseum The London Coliseum (also known as the Coliseum Theatre) is a theatre in St Martin's Lane, City of Westminster, Westminster, built as one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the Lond ...
. Dodd toured frequently throughout his professional career, performing lengthy shows into his eighties, that often did not finish until after midnight. In his final year, he continued to tour the UK extensively, with his comedy, music and variety show. His final performance was on 28 December 2017 at the Echo Arena Auditorium in Liverpool. He said the secret of his success was simply, "I love what I do".


Music

Dodd had many hit records, charting on 18 occasions in the UK Top 40, including his first single "Love Is Like a Violin" (1960), produced on
Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...
by
Alex Wharton Alex Wharton (born 1939), later also known as Alex Murray, was part of the singing duo the Most Brothers with Mickie Most, and later, co-manager and producer of the Moody Blues. Singing and acting career The Most Brothers worked in the 2i's Cof ...
, which charted at number 8 (UK). His version of Bill Anderson's song "
Happiness Happiness is a complex and multifaceted emotion that encompasses a range of positive feelings, from contentment to intense joy. It is often associated with positive life experiences, such as achieving goals, spending time with loved ones, ...
" charted in 1964 and became Dodd's signature song. Dodd's recording of "
Tears Tears are a clear liquid secreted by the lacrimal glands (tear gland) found in the eyes of all land mammals. Tears are made up of water, electrolytes, proteins, lipids, and mucins that form layers on the surface of eyes. The different types of ...
" on the Columbia label topped the UK singles chart for five weeks in 1965, becoming the biggest hit single in Britain that year and selling over a million copies in the UK alone. The recording was the third-highest selling song of the 1960s in Britain; at the time it was the UK's biggest selling single by a solo artist, and remains one of the biggest selling singles of all time. Dodd was selected to perform the song on '' A Jubilee of Music'' on
BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
on 31 December 1976, a celebration of the key pop successes of the Queen's first 25 years as Britain's monarch. Dodd had two further UK top ten records: "The River (Le Colline Sono In Fiore)", written by
Renato Angiolini Renato Angiolini (9 November 1923, in Gallarate – 3 February 1985, in Milan) was an Italian songwriter and pianist. He is best known as the composer for songs by Tony Renis, Massimo Ranieri, I Giganti, and Lucio Battisti. His song ''Le Col ...
with lyrics by
Mort Shuman Mortimer Shuman (12 November 1938 – 2 November 1991) was an American singer, pianist and songwriter, best known as co-writer of many 1960s rock and roll hits, including " Viva Las Vegas". He also wrote and sang many songs in French, such as ...
(number 3, 1965); and "Promises", written by Norman Newell and Tom Springfield (number 6, 1966). As well as his successful chart career as a ballad singer, Dodd occasionally released comedy
novelty record A novelty song is a type of song built upon some form of novel concept, such as a gimmick, a piece of humor, or a sample of popular culture. Novelty songs partially overlap with comedy songs, which are more explicitly based on humor, and w ...
s, including the 1965 EP ''Doddy and the Diddy Men'', featuring the song "Where's Me Shirt?" which Dodd co-wrote."Doddy and the Diddy Men", ''45cat.com''
Retrieved 12 March 2018
In the 1960s, his fame in the UK was such that he rivalled
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
as a household name, and his records have sold millions worldwide. In 2021, Ken Dodd's recording of "Love is Like a Violin" was featured in the Walt Disney film '' Cruella''.


Tax evasion court case

In 1989, Dodd was charged with tax evasion. The ensuing trial, with the prosecution case led by
Brian Leveson Sir Brian Henry Leveson ( ; born 22 June 1949) is an English retired senior judge who is the current Investigatory Powers Commissioner, having previously served as the President of the Queen's Bench Division and Head of Criminal Justice. Lev ...
QC, produced several revelations. The Diddy Men, who had appeared in his stage act, were often played by local children from stage schools and were revealed never to have been paid. Dodd was also revealed to have very little money in his bank account, having £336,000 in cash () stashed in suitcases in his attic. When asked by the judge, "What does £100,000 in a suitcase feel like?", Dodd replied, "The notes are very light, M'Lord." He also said: "I am not mean, but I am nervous of money, nervous of having it, nervous of not having it" and described money as "important only because I have nothing else". Dodd was represented by George Carman QC, who in court quipped, "Some accountants are comedians, but comedians are never accountants". He described Dodd as "a fantasist stamped with lifelong eccentricities." The trial lasted three weeks; Dodd was acquitted. Despite the strain of the trial, Dodd immediately capitalised on his new-found notoriety with a successful season running from
Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...
to
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...
1990 at the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...
. It was there he had previously broken the house record for the longest comedy season at the theatre, in 1965, with a residency lasting 42 weeks. Some of his subsequent material mocked the trial and tax in general. For a while, he introduced his act with the words, "Good evening, my name is Kenneth Arthur Dodd; singer, photographic playboy, and failed accountant!" Dodd also made a joke that when
income tax An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) in respect of the income or profits earned by them (commonly called taxable income). Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times the taxable income. Tax ...
was introduced it was a mere 2p in every £1 earned, followed by the punchline "I thought it still was!"


Honours

He was appointed
Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(OBE) in the 1982 New Year Honours for services to show business and charity and was
knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...
in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to entertainment and charity. The award was formally conferred by
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. William was born during the reign of his pat ...
in a ceremony at
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
on 2 March 2017. In 1993, Dodd won Top Variety Entertainer and was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at ITV's
British Comedy Awards The National Comedy Awards (known as the British Comedy Awards from 1990 to 2014) is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom, celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year. The British Comedy Awards (1 ...
. In 1994, Dodd appeared in the TV special '' An Audience with Ken Dodd''. The show was a success and introduced him to a younger audience. Dodd later became one of a select few to be given a second show, entitled ''Another Audience with Ken Dodd'' and originally broadcast in 2002. He was made a Freeman of the City of Liverpool in 2001. "A lifetime in showbusiness", ''Museum of Liverpool''
Retrieved 13 March 2018
In a 2005 poll of comedians and comedy insiders to find the 'Comedians' Comedian', Dodd was voted amongst the 'Top 50 Comedy Acts Ever', ranked as number 36. He was made an
honorary fellow Honorary titles (professor, president, reader, lecturer) in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties. This practice primarily exists in the UK and Germany, as ...
of
Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool John Moores University (abbreviated LJMU) is a public university, public research university in the city of Liverpool, England. The university can trace its origins to the Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts, established in 1823. This ...
in 1997. A statue depicting Dodd with his trademark "Tickling Stick" was unveiled in
Liverpool Lime Street railway station Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station complex located on Lime Street, Liverpool, Lime Street in Liverpool city centre. Although publicly a single, unified station, it is operationally divided into two official railway stations: Liv ...
in June 2009. It was temporarily removed in 2017 for renovation works. Dodd was inducted into the exclusive show business fraternity, the
Grand Order of Water Rats The Grand Order of Water Rats is a British entertainment industry fraternity and charitable organisation based in London. Founded in 1889 by the music hall comedians Joe Elvin and Jack Lotto, the order is known for its high-profile membership an ...
. Dodd was awarded the honorary degree of
Doctor of Letters Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or '), also termed Doctor of Literature in some countries, is a terminal degree in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. In the United States, at universities such as Drew University, the degree ...
from the
University of Chester The University of Chester is a public university located in Chester, England. The university originated as the first purpose-built teacher training college in the UK. As a university, it now occupies five campuses, campus sites in and around Ch ...
at a graduation ceremony in 2009 in
Chester Cathedral Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint ...
. He was awarded a Doctorate of Letters at
Liverpool Hope University Liverpool Hope University (abbreviated LHU) is a public university with campuses in Liverpool, England. ‌The university grew out of three Normal school#United Kingdom, teacher training colleges: Saint Katharine's College (originally Warring ...
in 2010 during the university's Foundation Day celebrations. In 2016, Dodd was awarded the Aardman
Slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such as ...
Comedy Legend Award, a recognition of his lifetime's contribution to the world of comedy. He received the award as part of the Slapstick Festival in Bristol.


Personal life

Dodd's relationships with women lasted for decades; Dodd's biographer Stephen Griffin wrote: "As ever, despite the blossoming romance, there was to be no talk of marriage... he thought that marriage could lead to complacency in a relationship, and caused some couples to stop putting in any effort." In 1955, Dodd began a 22-year relationship with Anita Boutin; they were engaged at the time of her death from a brain tumour in 1977, at the age of 45. Shortly after her death, Dodd began a relationship with Anne Jones, which lasted from 1978 until his death. They had first met in 1961 when Jones appeared in ''The Ken Dodd Christmas Show'' at the
Manchester Opera House The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England, is a 1,920-seater commercial touring Theatre (structure), theatre that plays host to touring Musical theatre, musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is a Grade II listed buil ...
. Dodd married Jones on 9 March 2018, two days before his death. Dodd was a supporter of the Conservative Party and campaigned for
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
in the 1979 general election. In the last rally, at
Wembley Arena Wembley Arena () (originally the Empire Pool, currently known as OVO Energy, OVO Arena Wembley for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena next to Wembley Stadium in Wembley, Greater London, England. The 12,500-seat facility is Greater Lond ...
, he introduced her onto the stage. Dodd said that one of his biggest regrets in life was that he never had children. It was widely reported that he and Anne Jones were unable to conceive naturally. During his 1989 trial details of his personal life surfaced in the media, including revelations that he and Anne had undergone several failed rounds of IVF treatment in an attempt to start a family. In October 2001, a stalker - Ruth Tagg - harassed Dodd and Jones by sending them threatening letters and a dead rat; also appearing on the front row at almost all of his live shows during this time. She also attempted to burn down their house by pushing burning rags through the letterbox causing £11,000 worth of damage to the ground floor. Tagg pleaded guilty to
harassment Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behavior that demeans, humiliates, and intimidates a person, and it is characteristically identified by its unlikelihood in terms of social and ...
and
arson Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...
at Preston Crown Court in 2003.


Death and tributes

Dodd died aged 90, on 11 March 2018, at his home in Knotty Ash, the same home in which he was born and raised, soon after being hospitalised for six weeks with a chest infection. He had been touring with his stand-up stage show up until the end of 2017. Numerous stars paid tribute, including fellow Liverpudlian
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
. At his funeral on 28 March, which was led by the Bishop of Liverpool,
Paul Bayes Paul Bayes (born 1953) is an English Anglican retired bishop. He served as Bishop of Hertford, a suffragan bishop in the Church of England's Diocese of St Albans from 2010 to 2014, and then as Bishop of Liverpool from 2014 to 2022. Early life ...
, thousands of fans joined the cortege which passed from his Knotty Ash home to
Liverpool Cathedral Liverpool Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Liverpool, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Liverpool and is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool, diocese of Liverpool. The church may be formally re ...
. The service was attended by actors
Ricky Tomlinson Eric "Ricky" Tomlinson (born 26 September 1939) is an English actor. He is best known for his television roles as Bobby Grant in the soap opera '' Brookside'' (1982–1988), DCI Charlie Wise in '' Cracker'' (1993–2006) and Jim Royle in '' T ...
,
Stephanie Cole Patricia Stephanie Cole (born 5 October 1941) is an English stage, television, radio and film actor, known for high-profile roles in shows such as '' Tenko'' (1981–1985), ''Open All Hours'' (1982–1985), ''A Bit of a Do'' (1989), '' Waiting ...
and
Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes ( ; born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Marti ...
, comedians Jimmy Tarbuck, Stan Boardman, Roy Chubby Brown, and
Jimmy Cricket James Mulgrew (born 17 October 1945), known professionally as Jimmy Cricket, is a Northern Irish comedian. He first came to prominence as a comedian in the 1970s and has had his own shows on television and radio. Early life and career Cricket ...
, and television executive
Michael Grade Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth (born 8 March 1943) is an English Media proprietor, television executive and businessman. He has held a number of senior roles in television, including controller of BBC1 (1984–1986), chief executive ...
. After the service, Dodd was laid to rest - alongside both his parents - in a private burial service at Allerton Cemetery in Liverpool. Tickling sticks were placed on various statues around Liverpool in commemoration. At
Liverpool Town Hall Liverpool Town Hall stands in High Street, Liverpool, High Street at its junction with Dale Street, Castle Street, and Water Street, Liverpool, Water Street in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for E ...
, St George's Hall, the
Cunard Building The Cunard Building is a Grade II* listed building in Liverpool, England. It is located at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Royal Liver Building and Port of Liverpool Building is one of Liverpool's ''Three Graces'', which line the ...
and
Liverpool Central Library Liverpool Central Library is the largest of the 22 libraries in Liverpool, England, situated in the centre of the city. History The library is located in several adjoining historic buildings on William Brown Street. Its first building was the ...
, flags were lowered to pay respect. Theatre critic Michael Coveney declared in his appreciation for ''
The Stage ''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. Founded in 1880, ''The Stage'' contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at thos ...
'': "Ken Dodd was the greatest live performer I ever saw on stage anywhere." In the December 2018 BBC TV retrospective, ''How Tickled We Were'', the comic's biographer Michael Billington ranked Dodd alongside Lord Olivier as one of "the two theatrical geniuses of the British stage" in the writer's own lifetime. In the same broadcast, fellow Liverpudlian and comedian Jimmy Tarbuck declared Dodd "the greatest stage comic the country has ever seen". In October 2020, Dodd's
headstone A gravestone or tombstone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. A marker set at the head of the grave may be called a headstone. An especially old or elaborate stone slab may be called a funeral stele, stela, or slab. The u ...
was vandalised with
graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...
. In September 2022, Lady Dodd endowed stained-glass windows at St Anne's Church,
Old Swan Old Swan is an eastern neighbourhood of Liverpool, Merseyside, England, bordered by Knotty Ash, Stoneycroft, Broadgreen, Fairfield, Liverpool, Fairfield and Wavertree. At the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census, the population was 16,461. ...
, in memory of her husband.


Television work

Ken Dodd had numerous television shows and specials over 60 years, including: * ''The Ken Dodd Show''
BBC TV BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1 January 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios ...
(1959–1969) * ''Complete Interview with Ken Dodd & the Beatles'' (1963) * ''Doddy's Music Box'' – ABC-TV (1967–1968) * ''Ken Dodd and the Diddymen'' – BBC-TV (1969–1972) * ''The Ken Dodd Show'' – LWT (1969) * ''Ken Dodd in Funny You Should Say That'' – ATV (1972) * ''Ken Dodd Says Stand by Your Beds'' * ''Ken Dodd's World of Laughter'' – BBC-TV 3 series, 19 episodes (1974–76) * ''The Ken Dodd New Year's Eve Special'' (1975) * ''The Ken Dodd Show'' –
Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...
(1978) * ''The Ken Dodd Laughter Show'' – Thames Television (1979) * ''Dodd on His Todd'' (1981) * ''Doddy!'' (1982) * ''Ken Dodd's Showbiz'' – BBC-TV 6 episodes (1982) * ''Ken Dodd at the London Palladium'' – Thames Television (1990) * ''An Audience with Ken Dodd'' – LWT (1994) * ''Another Audience with Ken Dodd'' – LWT (2002) * ''Ken Dodd's Happiness'' – 'Arena' Illuminations Productions for BBC-TV (2007) * ''Talking Comedy'' (2016) * ''Ken Dodd: In His Own Words'' – ITN Productions for Channel 5 (2017) * ''Ken Dodd How Tickled We Were'' – BBC-TV (documentary) (2018)


Other television work

Dodd also appeared in many other programmes, as an actor, performer, or as himself. Appearances include: * '' The Good Old Days'' – BBC-TV (15 episodes 1955–1982) * '' The Golden Shot'' – ATV (11 episodes 1969–74) * '' Junior Showtime'' –
Yorkshire Television ITV Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire Television and commonly referred to as just YTV, is the British television service provided by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV (TV network), ITV network. Until 19 ...
(2 episodes 1970) * ''Lift Off'' / '' Lift Off with Ayshea'' –
Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV (TV network), ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend TV, ...
(6 episodes 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974) * ''Whittaker's World of Music'' – LWT (1971) * ''Look Who's Talking'' –
Border Television ITV Border, previously Border Television and commonly referred to as simply Border, is the Channel 3 service provided by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the England/Scotland border region, covering most of Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway, the ...
(1973) * '' Stars on Sunday'' – Yorkshire Television (7 episodes 1977–79) * ''Be My Guest'' – Granada Television (1 episode 1977) * '' The South Bank Show'' – LWT (1978) * ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
'': '' Delta and the Bannermen'' – BBC-TV (1987) * ''A Question of Entertainment'' – BBC-TV 18 episodes (1988) * ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
'' (1996) * ''Heroes of Comedy'' – Thames Television (1995–2001) About himself and other comics * ''
Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...
'' (1999) * '' Dawn French's Boys Who Do Comedy'' (2007) * ''My Favourite Joke'' – 4 episodes (2011) * ''The Story of Variety with Michael Grade'' – 2 episodes (2011) * '' Fern Britton Meets...'' (2013)


Radio series

* ''The Ken Dodd Show'' (1963–1973) * ''Ken Dodd's Palace of Laughter'' (1986–1987) * ''Ken Dodd: How Tickled I've Been'' (2007)


Discography


Album discography

* ''Presenting Ken Dodd'' ( Columbia, 1962) * ''Doddy and the Diddy Men'' (Columbia, 1965) * ''Tears of Happiness'' (Columbia, 1965) * ''Tears & the River'' (
Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
, 1966) * ''For Someone Special'' (Columbia, 1967) * ''I Wish You Love'' (Columbia, 1967) * ''Don't Let Tonight Ever End'' (Columbia, 1968) * ''I'll Find a Way'' (Columbia, 1970) * ''Brokenhearted'' (Columbia, 1971) * ''With Love in Mind'' (Columbia, 1971) * ''Just Out of Reach'' (Columbia, 1973) * ''Love Together'' (
EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...
, 1976) * ''Now and Forever'' ( VIP Records, 1983) * ''Ken Dodd and the Diddymen'' (Knotty Ash Records, 1987)


UK chart singles


References


Further reading

* *


External links

*
Fan site
(archived)
Official website
(archived)
Ken Dodd
at the
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

Ken Dodd – BBC Comedy
(archived)
Bournemouth Ken Dodd show review
(2007)
Ken Dodd interview
(2012) – '' Night Waves'',
BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

"Sir Ken Dodd and the end of a comedy era"
13 March 2018 –
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dodd, Ken 1927 births 2018 deaths 20th-century English comedians 21st-century English comedians Actors awarded knighthoods BBC television presenters British music hall performers Burials in North West England Columbia Graphophone Company artists Columbia Records artists Comedians from Lancashire Comedians from Liverpool Conservative Party (UK) people EMI Records artists English male comedians English stand-up comedians English television presenters Knights Bachelor Liberty Records artists Male actors from Liverpool Officers of the Order of the British Empire People acquitted of crimes People from Knotty Ash Singers awarded knighthoods Singers from Liverpool Television presenters from Liverpool