Dodd started his career as a ventriloquist - and indeed still uses the Dicky Mint dummy in his act.

However, his success came through his exaggerated on-stage persona - the manic hairstyle, protruding teeth and, of course, trademark tickling stick - combined with a relentless stream of one-liners, peppered with nonsense words like 'tattifilarious', that can - and do - entertain audiences for hours.

He built his reputation as a live performer on the variety stage, and famously logs audience reactions to jokes every night, building up a picture of what plays well where.

His career was boosted with appearances on TV, often just guest roles, but his bizarre appearance would always stick in the mind. He also has a penchant for sickly ballads, as well as his signature tune Happiness, recording several albums of love songs and notching up 19 top 40 hits, including the 1965 chart-topper Tears.

Dodd became embroiled in a tax-dodging case in the Eighties, and was eventually cleared, but the case revealed much about Dodd's eccentric private life, too.

CV

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Really sharp one liners and stupidity has me in bits. He doesn't have the best gags but it is the way he tells them. He also does not have to swear or be crude to get a laugh. It is a treasure for us to have a comedian of Ken's calabre.

Danny, November 2004

Ken Dodd is one of the nicest people you could ever want to meet, he has never forgotten his roots and always has time for everyone, just returned to Canada from seeing Ken in Blackpool,. His show is so good we visit the UK every year just to see him, and hopefully will be able to do so for many more years to come. he is a real gentleman.

Jean Emery, November 2004

I had the pleasure of working with Ken Dodd on theBritannia Pier at Gt.Yarmouth back in the Fifthies. I was only in the chorus line,but I was chosen to throw a rose at him.I think he is a wonderful comedian.

Maureen Coar, August 2004

What a wonderful 3.5 hours of laughter with 20 minutes to catch your breath at the interval. I think that you (Ken) ought to be on prescription for at times there is very little to find that funny.

Roy Bates, April 2004

Watching Ken Dodd is still the funniest way of spending the better part of four hours that I can think of, at least with my clothes on. Ken is a true comic genius, the last link with Music Hall. His act should bear a health warning: the good news is that laughter is the best medicine, so you get a tonic and a half, the bad news is that you might just die laughing. I was in physical distress last time I saw him. The one, the only, the greatest.

Droog Robinson, February 2004

I used to think that Ken Dodd was very amusing at one time. Then he seemed to have lost his appeal, and I finally realised why: when he did seem funny I was about 10 years old. The sort of material he performs is perfectly suited for kids that age, or failing that, adults with this type of mental age .

Simon Moore, January 2004

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