Ken Dodd

Ken Dodd

Born: November 8, 1927
Died: March 11, 2018
in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, England, UK
Sir Kenneth Arthur Dodd was born on 8 November 1927 in a former farmhouse in Knotty Ash, a suburb of Liverpool, to Arthur Dodd and Sarah (née Gray); where his parents lived. 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 plantations"—in his act.

He then attended Holt High School, a grammar school in Childwall, 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 after seeing an advert in a comic: "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 bucked 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 traveling salesman and used his work van to travel to comedy clubs in the evenings.

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 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, 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.

Dodd was described as "the last great music hall entertainer". His stand-up comedy style was fast and relied on the rapid delivery of one-liner jokes. He said that his comic influences included other Liverpool comedians like Arthur Askey, Robb Wilton, Tommy Handley and the "cheeky chappy" from Brighton, Max Miller. He interspersed the comedy with occasional songs, both serious and humorous, in an incongruously fine light baritone voice, and with his original specialty, ventriloquism. Part of his stage act featured the Diddy Men ("diddy" being local slang for "small"). At first, an unseen joke conceived as part of Dodd's imagination, they later appeared on stage, usually played by children.

Dodd worked mainly as a solo comedian, including in a number of eponymous television and radio shows and made several 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 and Henri Bergson's analysis of humour. Occasionally, he appeared in dramatic roles, including Malvolio in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night on stage in Liverpool in 1971; on television in the cameo role of 'The Tollmaster' in the 1987 Doctor Who story Delta and the Bannermen.

Movies for Ken Dodd...

Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC
Title: Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: May 6, 2023
Type: Movie
It’s the city that gave birth to The Beatles, inspired Gerry to ride that ferry, and spawned Bunnymen and Atomic Kittens. Now with all eyes – and ears – on Liverpool for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, a look into the BBC’s archives for a selection of performances from some of Merseyside’s biggest and best-loved musical stars.
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Ken Dodd: How Tickled We Were
Title: Ken Dodd: How Tickled We Were
Character: Himself (archive footage)
Released: December 26, 2018
Type: Movie
Ken Dodd: How Tickled We Were tells Sir Ken’s story from his boyhood growing up in the 1930’s in Knotty Ash, through his big break into show business and then on to his unrivalled career in entertainment. Poignant and uplifting, the programme features interviews with the people who knew Sir Ken best - friends and family in Liverpool and beyond, and his many colleagues, admirers and fellow-performers from the world of entertainment. The programme also features an interview with Sir Ken’s wife, Lady Anne Dodd.
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Eric & Ernie's Home Movies
Title: Eric & Ernie's Home Movies
Character: Himself
Released: December 29, 2017
Type: Movie
Morecambe & Wise are arguably the most popular and loved double acts ever to have been on television, but off it they built up quite an archive too - largely unseen until now - which reveals what Eric and Ernie were really like in the company of family and friends. Both Eric and Ernie were avid home movie makers, chronicling their rise to fame and recording key moments in their private and family lives, at home and abroad. Now for the first time, with access to Morecambe & Wise's entire home movie collection, this documentary shows Eric and Ernie at work and at play, on tour and on holiday, from summer season in Blackpool to trying to make it in the USA, from their pre-television fame days to the height of their career.
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The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One
Title: The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One
Character: Self
Released: November 11, 2015
Type: Movie
The Nation’s Favourite Beatles Number One tells the stories behind some of the greatest Beatles songs ever. With interviews from Beatles’ insiders including musicians, friends, fellow performers and celebrity fans, we’ll hear about the stories behind the Fab Four’s best-loved hits
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Marvellous
Title: Marvellous
Character: Himself
Released: September 25, 2014
Type: Movie
Dramatisation of the true story of the life of Neil "Nello" Baldwin. Born with a mild learning disability but without the burden of social embarrassment & how his inexhaustible ability to see the good in any situation overcame any stigma society tried to label him with.
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I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern
Title: I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern
Character: Self
Released: February 9, 2011
Type: Movie
I Was There…When the Beatles Played The Cavern tells the story of the underground venue which has become synonymous with one of the world’s greatest bands – The Beatles. The programme includes rare archive footage of the Cavern Club in the sixties, including film of The Beatles performing ‘Some Other Guy’ at the club. On 9 February 1961, having recently returned to Liverpool from performing in Hamburg, The Beatles played at The Cavern for the first of nearly 300 appearances at the club. By the time they played their last gig there, Beatlemania had swept Britain and the band was conquering the world.
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Title: More Dawn French's Boys Who Do: Comedy
Released: November 6, 2007
Type: TV
Dawn French interviews famous comedians about how they started, their inspirations and their careers.
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Another Audience With Ken Dodd
Title: Another Audience With Ken Dodd
Character: Self
Released: February 9, 2002
Type: Movie
Once again, Ken Dodd (with over 40 years in his trade) performs his unique set in front of a host of celebrities gathered to show their appreciation of his enduring talent.
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Alice in Wonderland
Title: Alice in Wonderland
Character: Mr. Mouse
Released: February 28, 1999
Type: Movie
Alice follows a white rabbit down a rabbit-hole into a whimsical Wonderland, where she meets characters like the delightful Cheshire Cat, the clumsy White Knight, a rude caterpillar, and the hot-tempered Queen of Hearts and can grow ten feet tall or shrink to three inches. But will she ever be able to return home?
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Ken Dodd - Live Laughter Tour
Title: Ken Dodd - Live Laughter Tour
Released: November 6, 1997
Type: Movie
Ken Dodd - the King of Comedy - captured live on this superb, hilarious DVD! Filmed During His 1996 100,000 mile nationwide Laughter Tour of British theatres.
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Hamlet
Title: Hamlet
Character: Yorick
Released: December 25, 1996
Type: Movie
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, returns home to find his father murdered and his mother now marrying the murderer... his uncle. Meanwhile, war is brewing.
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Title: Dennis the Menace and Gnasher
Character: Sir Fitz-Patrick Flush (voice)
Released: April 2, 1996
Type: TV
Dennis and Gnasher is an animated British TV series based on characters from The Beano comic, It features the daily adventures of the rebellious schoolboy Dennis the Menace and his dog Gnasher.
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Title: Paul Daniels' Secrets
Character: Himself
Released: November 15, 1995
Type: TV
Come to Paul Daniels exclusive nightclub and be his guest as he showcases the latest magicians and variety acts.
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An Audience with Ken Dodd
Title: An Audience with Ken Dodd
Character: Himself
Released: December 3, 1994
Type: Movie
Marking 40 years in show business, legendary comedian and entertainer Ken Dodd presents this comedy extravaganza, entertaining a host of celebrities including Frank Carson, Samantha Fox and Warren Mitchell.
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Title: Pebble Mill
Character: Self
Released: October 14, 1991
Type: TV
Pebble Mill was a re-launched version of the 1970s daily chat show Pebble Mill (also known as Pebble Mill At One for a while) which aired on BBC1 in the United Kingdom. The series premiered on October 14, 1991. The show was a mixture of celebrity guests and music. Alan Titchmarsh was a presenter on the show throughout it's complete run. Other presenters included Judi Spiers, Gloria Hunniford and Ross King.
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Title: This Morning
Character: Self
Released: October 3, 1988
Type: TV
This Morning features a variety of news, as well as show business, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home and garden, food, tech, live phone-ins, and competitions.
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Title: A Question Of Entertainment
Released: April 24, 1988
Type: TV
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Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen
Title: Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen
Character: Tollmaster
Released: November 16, 1987
Type: Movie
The Doctor and Mel go for a holiday trip to Shangri-La aboard a Nostalgia Tours bus, only to get dragged into the battle against genocide of their fellow passenger Delta, a Chimeron Queen fleeing from the Bannermen who wish to make her species extinct.
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Title: Ken Dodd's Showbiz
Released: March 13, 1982
Type: TV
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Title: Blankety Blank
Released: January 18, 1979
Type: TV
Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1979 Australian game show Blankety Blanks. The British version ran from 18 January 1979 to 12 March 1990 on BBC One, hosted first by Terry Wogan and later by Les Dawson. Regular members of the celebrity panel on this version included Kenny Everett, Lorraine Chase, Gareth Hunt, Gary Davies, and Cheryl Baker. A revival fronted by Lily Savage was produced by the BBC from 26 December 1997 to 28 December 1999, followed by ITV from 7 January 2001 to 10 August 2002. This version was produced by Grundy, then Thames.
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Title: The Ken Dodd Laughter Show
Character: Self
Released: January 8, 1979
Type: TV
One of Britain's best-loved comedians, Ken Dodd's anarchic, energetic brand of humour has made him a firm favourite with audiences for more than six decades. Bearing his trademark tickling stick and tattifilarious jokes, The Ken Dodd Laughter Show stars Knotty Ash's most famous son in a classic mix of madcap sketches, musical numbers and quick-fire stand-up.
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Title: An Audience with...
Character: Self
Released: January 8, 1978
Type: TV
An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.
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Title: Seaside Special
Released: July 5, 1975
Type: TV
A BBC light entertainment show broadcast from 1975 to 1979, filmed in a big top at various British seaside resorts. Originally the big top belonged to various circuses, but in later seasons, the BBC bought its own to be the venue. The programme was developed by producer Michael Hurll.
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Title: Ken Dodd's World of Laughter
Released: November 22, 1974
Type: TV
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Title: Ken Dodd and the Diddymen
Released: January 5, 1969
Type: TV
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Title: Doddy's Music Box
Released: January 7, 1967
Type: TV
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Title: Top of the Pops
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 1964
Type: TV
The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.
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Title: Doctor Who
Character: Tollmaster
Released: November 23, 1963
Type: TV
The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.