He was knighted in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to entertainment and charity.
He continued to tour the UK in 2018 with The Ken Dodd Happiness Show before pulling out of his tour due to health issues.
Kenneth Arthur Dodd was born on 8 November 1927 in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, Lancashire, the son of a coal merchant, Arthur Dodd, and wife Sarah (née Gray). He had an older brother, William (1925–2011) and a younger sister. He went to the Knotty Ash School, and sang in the local church choir of St John's Church, Knotty Ash.
He then attended Holt High School, a grammar school in Childwall, but left at age 14 to work for his father. 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.
He got his big break at age 26 when, in September 1954, he made his professional show-business debut at the now-demolished Nottingham Empire. A nervous young man, he sat in a local milk bar for most of the afternoon, going over and over his lines before going to the theatre. He later said, "Well at least they didn't boo me off". He continued to perform, 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.[7] Dodd first gained top billing at Blackpool in 1958. He has guested on innumerable television and radio shows and made many appearances on BBC TV's long running programme, The Good Old Days.
Dodd had been 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 speciality, ventriloquism.
Dodd had many recording hits, charting on 19 occasions in the UK Top 40, including his first single "Love Is Like a Violin" (1960), produced on Decca Records by Alex Wharton, which charted at number 8 (UK), and his song "Tears" (Columbia), which topped the UK charts for five weeks in 1965, selling over a million copies. At the time it was the UK's biggest selling single by a solo artist, and remains one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all time. Dodd was selected to perform the song on A Jubilee Of Music on BBC One on 31 December 1976, a celebration of the key pop successes of the Queen's first 25 years as Britain's monarch.
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 a Liverpool theatre, where audiences entered the show in shifts.
Dodd appeared on many Royal Variety Performances. The last was in 2006, in front of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, at the London Coliseum. During this performance, he reprised some of his famous jokes, including those about tax accountants as well as singing his famous song - "Happiness".
In October 1987, Dodd officially opened the Arndale shopping centre in Accrington.
He had continued to tour and, despite his age, his shows frequently did not finish until after midnight. In 2012 at the age of 84, he played the Princes Theatre in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex on 7 July. Starting at 7.15 pm he continued until just before 9.00 pm when Sybie Jones took to the stage. Returning at 9.30 pm he continued until 10.00 pm. The second support act performed until Dodd's return just before 11.00 pm when he continued until 00.25 am. As of 2017, Dodd continued to tour the UK extensively, with his comedy, music and variety show.
The shows that Dodd has starred in are: The Ken Dodd Show (1959 - 1966), Doddy's Music Box (1967), Ken Dodd and the Diddymen (1969 - 1973), The Ken Dodd Show (1969), Ken Dodd in Funny You Should Say That (1972), Ken Dodd says Stand By Your Beds, Ken Dodd's World of Laughter (1974), The Ken Dodd New Year's Eve Special (1975), The Ken Dodd Show (1978), The Ken Dodd Laughter Show (1979), Dodd on his Todd (1981), Doddy! (1982), Ken Dodd's Showbiz (1982), Ken Dodd at the London Palladium (1990), An Audience with Ken Dodd (1994), Another Audience with Ken Dodd (2002), Ken Dodd's Happiness (2007), Ken Dodd: In His Own Words (2016).
Honours
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1982 New Year Honours for services to show business and charity and was knighted in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to entertainment and charity.[14] The award was formally conferred by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 2 March 2017.
Dodd became one of the rare entertainers to be given a second show of An Audience with.... This show was entitled Another Audience with Ken Dodd originally broadcast in 2002.
In December 2004, Dodd was performing his comedy and music show to a sell out audience at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham to celebrate his 50 years in show business. He was presented with a framed playbill of his first professional performance - which was at the Empire Theatre, Nottingham in September 1954.
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 of Liverpool John Moores University in 1997. A statue depicting Dodd with his trademark "Tickling Stick" was unveiled in Liverpool Lime Street railway station on 11 June 2009.
Dodd was inducted into the exclusive show business fraternity, the Grand Order of Water Rats.
Dodd was made an honorary fellow of the University of Chester on 4 November 2009, having been awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters at a graduation ceremony in Chester Cathedral. His doctorate was presented by Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster. He was awarded a Doctorate of Letters at Liverpool Hope University on 25 January 2010 during the university's Foundation Day celebrations.
In 2016 Ken Dodd was awarded the Aardman Slapstick Comedy Legend Award, a recognition of his lifetime's contribution to the world of comedy. He received the award at an event hosted by Dr Matthew Sweet.
A stalker, Ruth Tagg, harassed Dodd and his partner, Anne Jones, in October 2001, by sending them threatening letters, a dead rat, and also attempted to burn down their house by pushing burning rags through the letterbox. Tagg pleaded guilty to harassment and arson at Preston Crown Court.
Dodd married his partner of 40 years, Anne Jones, on Friday 9 March 2018 at their home in Knotty Ash, Liverpool two days before his death. prior to his death he was recently released from hospital after 6 weeks of treatment for a chest infection.
In 1989 Dodd was charged with tax evasion. The subsequent trial, with the prosecution case led by Brian Leveson 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 a hundred thousand pounds in a suitcase feel like?", Dodd made his now famous reply, "The notes are very light, M'Lord."
Dodd was represented by George Carman QC, who in court famously quipped, "Some accountants are comedians, but comedians are never accountants". 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 to Christmas 1990 at the London Palladium. 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!"
Discography
UK chart singles
Title Release date Chart position
UK Singles Notes
"Love Is Like A Violin" 7 July 1960 8
"Once In Every Lifetime" 15 June 1961 28
"Pianissimo" 1 February 1962 21
"Still" 29 August 1963 35
"Eight By Ten" 6 February 1964 22
"Happiness" 23 July 1964 31
"So Deep Is The Night" 26 November 1964 31
"Tears" 2 September 1965 1 Sold over 1.5 million copies;
33rd best-selling single of all time in the UK
"The River (Le Colline Sono In Fiore)" 18 November 1965 3 (Angiolini, Shuman) with Geoff Love and his Orchestra
"Promises" 12 May 1966 6
"More Than Love" 4 August 1966 14
"It's Love" 27 October 1966 36
"Let Me Cry On Your Shoulder" 19 January 1967 11
"Tears Won't Wash Away These Heartaches" 30 July 1969 22
"Brokenhearted" 5 December 1970 15
"When Love Comes Round Again (L'arca di Noe)" 10 July 1971 19
"Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)" 18 November 1972 29
"Think Of Me (Wherever You Are)" 29 November 1975 21
"Hold My Hand" 26 December 1981 44
Other singles
"Where's Me Shirt?" (1965)
"The Same Mistakes"/"Call Me Mister Sunshine" (1967)
"You're My Best Friend" (1980)
"Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs" (1980)
"It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)" (1980)
Wherever You Are
Ken Dodd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a lonely old town
You′re thousand miles away
Here i sit all alone
Picturing your smile
Til the day you come home
Darling once in a while
Think of me, wherever you are
And my love will shine
Like the bright evening star
That is shining on you
Wherever you are
Now the moon's in the sky
And i′m missing you so
Time slowly goes by
As the days come and go
Til your home once again
This is all i can say
Darling just now and then
At the end of each day
Think of me, wherever you are
Wherever you are, i′m longing to be
Every night i know
Now matter how far
That wherever you are
Your thinking of me
So goodnight, and god bless
Wherever you may be
The moon that you see is shining on me
We may be worlds apart
But the love we knew then
Will be safe in my heart, til you need it again
Think of me, wherever you are
Wherever you are, i'm thinking of you
And my love will shine
Like the bright evening star
That is shining on you
Wherever you are
Think of me
Think of me
End
In this song, Ken Dodd sings about the longing and loneliness that comes with being far away from a loved one. The lyrics convey a sense of yearning and a deep emotional connection between two individuals who are physically separated. The sunset symbolizes the end of the day and the onset of a lonely evening in a town where the singer feels isolated. The mention of being a thousand miles away emphasizes the distance between the two lovers.
The singer describes sitting alone and picturing their loved one's smile, indicating that memories and thoughts of their partner bring them comfort. The phrase "til the day you come home" reveals their anticipation and eagerness for their loved one's return. The lyrics express that even though they are physically apart, the singer still holds onto hope and thinks of their partner, even if it's just occasionally.
As the moon rises in the sky, the singer's longing for their loved one intensifies. They express how time passes slowly while they await their partner's return. The phrase "the days come and go" illustrates how each passing day only emphasizes their separation. The lyrics convey a sense of patience and endurance, knowing that their partner will eventually be home again.
The singer emphasizes the importance of their partner's thoughts and feelings, emphasizing that they're thinking of their loved one, no matter how far apart they may be. The lyrics convey a sense of mutual longing and reassurance that their love remains strong, even in their physical absence.
The song concludes with a heartfelt farewell, as the singer wishes their loved one a goodnight and blesses their whereabouts. The line "The moon that you see is shining on me" evokes a sense of unity despite the geographical distance that separates them. The lyrics imply that their love transcends physical barriers, assuring their partner that the love they shared in the past will remain safe in the singer's heart until it is needed again.
Overall, "Wherever You Are" expresses the longing, hope, and enduring love that persists despite physical separation. It captures the bittersweet emotions experienced in long-distance relationships, highlighting the powerful connection that exists regardless of the miles between two people.
Line by Line Meaning
Now the sun's going down at the end of the day
As the day comes to a close, I feel a sense of loneliness
It's a lonely old town
The place I'm in feels desolate and empty without you
You're thousand miles away
You are physically distant, separated from me by a great distance
Here I sit all alone
I find myself in solitude, not having your presence beside me
Picturing your smile
I hold onto memories of your radiant smile, imagining it in my mind
Til the day you come home
Until the moment you return to me, I eagerly await your arrival
Darling once in a while
My beloved, every now and then
Think of me, wherever you are
Please remember me, no matter where you may be
Wherever you are, I'm thinking of you
I constantly have you in my thoughts, regardless of our physical separation
And my love will shine
My love for you will radiate
Like the bright evening star
Similar to the brilliance of a shining star in the night sky
That is shining on you
Symbolizing that my love is reaching you, enveloping you with its warmth
Now the moon's in the sky
As the moon appears above us
And I'm missing you so
I deeply long for your presence, feeling the absence intensely
Time slowly goes by
The passing of time feels sluggish, as I yearn for your return
As the days come and go
Each day passes, one after another
Til your home once again
Until you come back to me, until you return to our shared residence
This is all I can say
These words are the extent of what I can express
Darling just now and then
My dear, on occasion
At the end of each day
When another day concludes
Wherever you are, I'm longing to be
No matter where you are, I desire to be with you
Every night I know
Every evening without fail
No matter how far
Regardless of the distance between us
That wherever you are
Wherever you may find yourself
You're thinking of me
You are contemplating about me, keeping me in your thoughts
So goodnight, and god bless
I bid you goodnight and send my blessings
Wherever you may be
No matter your current location
The moon that you see is shining on me
The moon above you is also casting its light upon me
We may be worlds apart
We might be separated by great distances
But the love we knew then
Yet, the love we once shared
Will be safe in my heart, til you need it again
Will remain securely within my heart until the time you require it once more
Think of me, wherever you are
Please keep me in your thoughts, no matter where you may be
And my love will shine
And my love will radiantly illuminate
Like the bright evening star
Similar to the brilliance of a shining star in the night sky
That is shining on you
Symbolizing that my love is reaching you, enveloping you with its warmth
Wherever you are
No matter your location
Think of me
Please remember and contemplate about me
Think of me
Please remember and contemplate about me
Writer(s): Don Rich, Estella Olson
Contributed by Evelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.