American Reacts to Ken Dodd Medley | Amazing MUST See Comedian

[@paulharvey9149]

Ken Dodd was the probably the greatest all round entertainer that these shores have ever known. A lifelong resident of Knotty Ash in the leafy suburbs of Liverpool, his facial expressions alone were sufficient to render an entire theatre audience almost helpless with laughter. I first knew him as a small child in the mid 1960s when Ken Dodd the ventriloquist hosted his Sunday afternoon Children's TV show, accompanied by one or more of his wide-eyed, extra tall hatted, rosy cheeked and otherwise impeccably dressed 'Diddy Men' would talk with him as if they were his sons in need of some fatherly advice - and come out with some of the most outrageous one-liners anyone had ever dared mention in the entire history of television, up to that point... Unsurprisingly, they too sang they're own catchy theme tune in high-pitched squeaky voices; "We are the Diddy Men, Doddy's diddy, Diddy Men; we are the Diddy Men, we come from Knotty Ash!" Around the same time, Ken Dodd the Popstar was also appearing in the top 20 music charts with his romantic but slightly melancholic "Tears," sang in that oh-so familiar light-operatic voice that was invariably followed by his much more upbeat signature tune song, "Happiness". Normally, these would be the final item in the one-man show presented by Ken Dodd, the comedian, that had ran hours after it should have finished, such was his dedication No more, perhaps, did he demonstrate this that on the July evening of 1979 when, with my parents I joined a long queue of people waiting to get into the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, North Yorkshire - all anxiously clutching their tickets for the sell-out Ken Dodd summer show that evening... With no obvious movement it did feel rather strange until the news filtered back the queue from its front end - Ken Dodd was staying in York and had set out for the drive to Scarborough hours before, only to be flagged down shortly afterwards and informed that his father had just passed away, at around 2pm that afternoon. He had therefore retraced his steps and gone to comfort his wife and mother in Knotty Ash - but, they thought he was planning to return to do the evening's show and so,. we would all be allowed into the theatre once that had been confirmed. Ever the consummate he turned up just 40 minutes late and stood there with those stupid expressions, holding his trademark "tickling sticks" - actually a feather duster high, and pointing out random and mostly elderly women in the front stalls, who were about to become his joke 'victims' for that evening - all as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all that day - at least until about 1.20am, when he sang his song, Tears, with the kind of emotion he'd never encountered before... Needless to say, the entire House wept with him before he rose again and had us all join him with "Happiness." That was Ken Dodd the funniest man, with the amazing singing voice, whom we all loved and wept for again, when the news came that he'd died at the only home he'd ever known, in Knotty Ash.

[@margaretflounders8510]

Just beautiful...and I had "Tears"!....

[@TheRealSquirrel]

Thank You for this

[@petermizon4344]

I SAW HIM TWICE IN 80s and 90s he WAS ON STAGE FOR 4 HOURS, MY JAW WAS ACHING AND EYES SORE WITH LAUGHTER, PLEASE DO SOME MORE OF KEN, HES MISSED A LOT, NOT MANY LIKE HIM IN A BAG

[@timelord5920]

One of Ken’s shorter performances then 😂

[@donfatale]

I sure envy you!

[@petermizon4344]

@@timelord5920 think as he got older he couldn't do his 6 hours lol

[@petermizon4344]

@@donfatale why do you envy me Don ? Don't get it

[@donfatale]

@@petermizon4344 I never got the chance (or made the effort) to see Ken Dodd in person.

[@skipper409]

Ken was playing to an audience of showbiz personalities. He also had a couple of serious songs in the hit parade several decades ago, hence his good voice

[@paulmaxey6377]

A couple? He was in the UK Top 40 on 18 occasions with 4 top 10 songs and 1 number one hit (Tears). Tears, his Number One Hit sold 1.5 million, 39th best selling singles of all time in the UK. :P

[@pegasus8718]

One of the great 'An Audience with' programmes, they can all be found on KZbin, the audience invited were all celebrities of the time and the stars were people like Ken, Billy Connolly, Bob Monkhouse, Freddie Starr and more.

[@raymondgill9796]

Tears outsold all the Beatles singles apart from She Loves You and I want To Hold Your Hand in the UK

[@TheSorub]

this man filled the London pallidum largest theatre in the uk for 42 weeks straight that's how good he was

[@jen6879]

“Damn he’s good!” Doddy in a nutshell. His singing voice is incredible. That’s Dame Lesley Garrett, the opera singer, applauding him at 4.47. A friend of mine toured with Ken for years as his musical support act. He worked right up until the end and his funeral was televised due to so many people wanting to give him the send off he deserved.

[@archivemediavault]

Is your frined Colin Keys by any chance?

[@jen6879]

@@archivemediavault no Andy Eastwood

[@archivemediavault]

@@jen6879 Ah, I have heard of him.

[@chrisball864]

The musical cues are so good in this routine that you don't even notice them. Incredible timing. Watch again and listen out for them.

[@TheEulerID]

I saw Ken live once, and he was well into his 80s. He was famous for doing 5 hour sets. His roots were in musical hall and truly the last of his generation. What is often not realised is just how much work went into the fine tuning of his performances; a huge amount of work. Also, he did the same things many times over, but his audience would come back year after year because he was Ken Dodd and was part of the family. I should say that anybody who is not British would probably rapidly get lost in all the cultural references; these singing clips are probably the most accessible of all his performances to those from outside the UK. I should add that what was shown was an invited audience full of UK performers from TV and entertainment (and a lot of them no longer with us). A few became international names, but mostly their faces will only be recognisable to a UK audience. nb. Ken had some successful music singles too. He charted 18 times in the top 40 in the UK, and had a number 1 for five weeks in 1965 with "Tears", the biggest selling single of the year. He was also good friends with the Beatles, who also came from Liverpool.

[@wordsmith52]

You really need to see the entire "Audience With Ken Dodd" session to get the full range of his talent and act. He had several records in the pop charts in the 60s and 70s.

[@maxmoore9955]

He was Loved that much by the British public, He even beat the Tax Man . HA ,Ha Ha .bet that Xat em off .

[@normancobbett2891]

The best entertainer that ever was or ever will be

[@Mandeley100]

It's worth noting that Sir Ken outsold The Beatles in the mid-60's. His record "Tears" was No, 1 in the singles charts her in the UK for 5 weeks. His records featured 18 times in the UK Top 40 and sold in their millions. He was one of the all time greats and will never be forgotten.

[@auricstorm]

Somewhere there's a video of him with them, turns out they're quite funny

[@MyGlens]

That was a great demonstration of the range of his talents. One of the first 45s, (single vinyl disk), I bought was Ken Dodd singing 'Tears'. Thanks for this and thanks to your friend also for passing it on.

[@janettesinclair6279]

Ken is playing to an audience of showbiz celebrities who had enjoyed his talents for many years. He was a lovely singer, but made his living as a stand up comedian. So talented. PS I had to watch it again to spot all the stars in the audience......

[@GpoppaJohn]

Memories as a kid of sitting in the back of my parents car keeping a keen eye out for the Jam Butty Mines and the Diddymen. All round entertainer, there will never be another like Sir Ken or anywhere near as good as him. A true gentleman and legend.

[@susanashcroft2674]

Same here when visiting family in Liverpool, going through Knotty Ash we too were told to look out for the Diddymen and Jam Butty Mines.

[@anthonyscott4270]

The jam butty mines were shut down years ago. There is a Sainsbury's on the site in Knotty Ash. Poor Ken never got over the fact one of his children was stolen. I can't remember if it was Mick the Marmaliser or Dickie Mint.

[@patriciagoode6280]

He tried to play every theatre in the UK, and it was a standing joke that when he played a seaside venue the landladies (hotel owners) knew that their residents wouldn't be back until the early hours. A show which started at 7.30 pm would hopefully finish by 2.00am, but it was non stop laughter and songs throughout, everyone went home happy. Had the great pleasure of seeing him on stage on many occasions - he was the best.

[@fraserhorne2060]

I've seen him live you don't see comedians like this anymore he's been going since the 60s he passed a few years ago in his 90s

[@paulhorgan6152]

Im sure Ken would be very tickled to bits to know that his joy for comedy and pleasure he gave us Brits over many years is being appreciated all over the world via KZbin. It just goes to prove he was right about everybody is born with a chuckle muscle ❤🇬🇧😊😊😊😊🤣🤣

[@susanashcroft2674]

And that our chuckle muscle should be exercised daily.😃

[@emaloney2211]

Ken described himself as a ‘sex symbol for women who don’t care’ 😂

[@helenatyeo6840]

Omg i love that 😂😂😂

[@johnlewis9158]

Ken Dodd had several hit records including tears which made it to number one in the charts

[@andrewclayton4181]

He had a number of hits, including 4 in the top 10 and a # 1. 'Happiness' was his theme tune, often used it to close the show. He certainly could sing, do the jokes, + ventriloquism. He was very accomplished. Did you spot Pam Ayers and Hinge & Bracket in the audience? Also discarded on the stage his Tickling Sticks. He always came on with them to get things rolling. There is one performance called The Good Old Days, where he has one about 20ft long. He could reach the audience with that one.

[@weedle30]

Ken Dodd……another one of our treasures of the national kind, sadly no longer “down here” but I bet he’s keeping them well entertained “up there”, no doubt showing him their “laughing gear” as he keeps them in Heaven’s theatre seats for hours at a time during one of his “turns” 😃😊 God Bless you Doddy…. 🥲

[@isobar5857]

One of the greatest comedians ever to grace us with their incrdible talent. Seem him live, he had no peers...never stopped laughing from start to finish.

[@cardiffst]

This is from An Audience With Ken Dodd where a star would perform and take questions from a celebrity audience. I think the barcodes were a gag because iPads had only just come out and Ken did a routine on facts about the different celebs there using their barcode.

[@MERISI001]

Doddy was a national treasure. He could hold an audience and have them in stitches for hours.

[@panchoes5621]

He was from a place in Liverpool called knotty ash had a number one record with "tears" along with other songs .He was on TV in the early sixties with the Beatles also from Liverpool.He started in show business in the mid 1950s and died in 2020.

[@karenblackadder1183]

Doddy was also a ventriloquist. You must watch the full 'An Audience with Ken Dodd' and see him perform 'Sonny Boy' with Dickie Mint, who is one of the Diddy Men. The Diddy Men work in the Jam Butty mines of Knotty Ash.

[@Walesbornandbred]

This is from "An Audience with..." they are a celebrity audience with.." He's done it all, Dr Who, shakespeare on stage, songs in the charts, tv shows for kids, and theatre. There's no end to his talents. Talking of Tears he had a no.1 hit with a song of the same name.

[@josefschiltz2192]

Yes, Doddy was in Delta and the Bannermen with Sylvester McCoy. In Hamlet, he was Yorick in flashback and didn't he play Malvolio in some production. I don't quite remember.

[@Walesbornandbred]

@@josefschiltz2192 Yes he did. In Twelfth Night.

[@josefschiltz2192]

@@Walesbornandbred Was it stage or film? I haven't seen that performance.

[@andrewclayton4181]

@@Walesbornandbred he played malvolio in the BBC production.

[@Walesbornandbred]

@@josefschiltz2192 I wish it had been on tv, there may have been a recording of it, because apparently he was very good. He did it at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1971.

[@devonsteve2347]

Saw Ken in early 90s, was brilliant. Very few like him left, if any, harmless fun, (does anyone remember that word!)good old fashioned ‘seaside’ innuendos. He was playing to a celebrity audience, while then camera was amongst them, sadly an awful lot are not with us any more.

[@johnbailey2824]

A true entertainer... He is missed.

[@BarbaraGrosvenor]

I was fortunate enough to see Ken twice and he was absolutely brilliant both times. The only trouble with Ken was he never wanted to end his show, he always ran over the supposed end time. Unfortunately, we no longer seem to have comedians like Ken anymore more.

[@howard1707]

I saw Sir Ken 4 times over my life the last time and I knew it would be the last time was in Guildford 2012, I also have a few records of him singing and they are my guilty pleasure, when he just sings a straight song without the jokes or messing about, it's a joy to listen to. A man muched loved and very much missed.

[@philipgibbs2211]

waching this reminds me of the funniest funeral i`ve ever been to. when we cremated my nan (known in the family as the chief witch) the song that she went into the oven by was `tears for souveneers` and the sight of the entire front two rows, shoulders heaving with laughter will stay with me till I follow her through the curtains.

[@andrewhawkins6454]

One of the British all time greats. Very versatile entertainer. Beautiful voice and very funny. Old school attitude to his audience. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿👍

[@peterwilliamson5953]

Ken Dodd just had funny bones , everybody loved his style .

[@jamesgorman7417]

Grew up watching Ken Dodd on the telly. One of the best comedians from the UK. An all round entertainer. He was also an actor. Jaws aching and tears in eyes with laughter!

[@eddylonergan142]

I'm from Liverpool and when we lost ken, Liverpool lost one of its precious sons. You would bump into him anywhere. library.shops walking past his house in knotty ash. Would talk to you if you asked anything. This concert. the whole audience are celebrities from all over the U.K.. You can see the whole concert on youtube and more than well worth the watch. he is also a fantastic ventriloquist. with his puppets the diddy men Dicky mint,Mike the marmalizer. he invented the diddy men. they worked in the marmalade and jam mines in knotty ash. too make jam butties. A fantastic all round performer. His performances would always run longer than advertised. He just loved making people laugh.God Bless Ken.

[@damianleah6744]

Ken Dodd had a fabulous voice and had numerous hits in the 1960s. He was just a brilliant all round entertainer, the like we will never see again. Fantastic review too 👍😎🤣

[@YKB6.9]

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED KEN DODD ..A TRUE VARIETY ACT .. THANKS FOR SHARING

[@dnorfed]

This show is at least 30 years old, it was an audience with Ken Dodd special, with so many celebrities, I’m as Ken, a Liverpool born fella RIP KEN, SIMPLY THE BEST 😂😂😂❤️❤️🙏🙏

[@IanDarley]

Amazing singer and a funny man that was never off the TV in the seventies and eighties. My mum had many of his serious records. Edit: I'm looking forward to song he slipped in there to hurry up 'Cuando calienta el sol' (when the sun warms) The Spanish part of my DNA is growing tired of these short winter days.

[@22seanmurphy]

I was so lucky growing up and every Saturday about 7pm he had his own show and we would all sit down as a family to Wath it, his was a true legend 🙏

[@andrewsargent1684]

Loved it. That's what you call talent.

[@GinaBeana_Tootsie]

Very entertaining guy he is amazing and so funny 😂 🤣😹❤️🐿️✌🏼

[@paganant3623]

Ken was a good guy. My dad used to work in the Theatre as a Stage hand, and somtimes world work as a stage Stooge so he worked with Ken and Frankie Howard when they were in town

[@PHDarren]

Ken was the king of entertainment.

[@alisonscurr4395]

He lived on the corner of my sisters road and I would often see him walking his dog. He always said hello as you passed by. He was very generous with his time for the local school, opening garden fates etc. In his last few years you could always catch him on Radio Merseyside's Linda Mc show as a guest and he had wonderful stories to tell. I saw him perform along with the Diddy Men who worked in the Jam Butty Mines in Knotty Ash where Sir Ken lived.

[@mikecaine3643]

Ken Dodd - for all his wealth and fame lived in the modest of houses - in Knotty Ash , Liverpool .I believe it was the house he was born in !

[@madabbafan]

It was, plus he was still in the BT phone book as well. He was loved by the people of Liverpool not just for his tallent but mostly because he never left the city to go a live in London or abroad. According to his wife going shopping with him in Liverpool was impossible as he would always stop and chat with everyone who asked for a photo or autograph to which he never said 'no'.

[@SadBnnuy]

He really was from a different generation. I don't know if we will ever see entertainers like him again. Long family friendly comedy acts with a huge musical career. Miss him so much even though I'm 26. I've known him since I was small. Loved the reaction ❤️

[@davelangley2965]

I love when a person still only in their 20's thinks like you do, shows such a huge amount of respect for such a great talent like Ken Dodd and others now passed.👍

[@11nytram11]

Doddy was a successful recording artist, as well as a highly successful comedian. He sold millions of records world wide and his version of the song "Tears" was one of the biggest selling singles of the 1960's in the UK.

[@highpath4776]

Celebs in the audience included Pam Ayres , Frank "Its The Way I Tell 'Em" Carson

[@janmargaret7972]

Yes thoroughly enjoyed watching him again, thank you. Doddy was my mum’s favourite. She had a video of him and we would sit and laugh our heads off at him. I took her to see him a few times. His shows went on for hours. We would be leaving the theatre at midnight and sometimes later. He just loved entertaining.

[@johnhutton5079]

Give Happiness ken dodd a listen too

[@James-wp3jq]

He sang a song called Happiness . Listen to that .

[@peteroneill3993]

I met ken once he was standing in line next to me in a garage in Liverpool, he noticed that I knew who he was , I said.. ye alright Mr Dodd he said hello lad and proceeded to do a comedy routine based all around me . what a privilege . so funny ,what a comic . pure Liverpool legend .

[@Ingleborough111]

The ladies in pink are The Beverley Sisters, singing trio.

[@ABiggles]

I saw him when I was at junior school and again when he was 89 years old and he still managed 5 hours in stage.

[@keithsanders6554]

A good singer and brilliant comedian. I saw his show once. He always ran over his allotted time, like 30 minutes over. I was not disappointed. He was truly unique and is sorely missed.

[@madabbafan]

Only 30 minutes over? That was short for him

[@stephenmartin5157]

And the rest. Our theatre had to stop him one year because it was 1 am. He did his homework for jokes about things happening in our area at the time, announced “ I hope you have a packed lunch”

[@tygeeone]

True entertainer well missed

[@philipowen3370]

I was born in 1954 in Liverpool and I am lucky to have watched and heard Ken Dodd all my life, he was without doubt the funniest comedian ever and such a good singer, RIP Ken ❤

[@susanbarker2525]

😢I saw him twice at Palladium when i was a kid (60s) often saw him on tv . Jokes remained for years didn't matter was always fabulous.

[@sharkey25uk]

The only non-Beatles song in the top 5 best selling UK singles for the whole of the 1960's was Tears by Ken Dodd, which was a UK number 1 in 1965

[@jameskeen8331]

Saw him several times and each time never left theatre before midnight.

[@philipbillington2314]

One off never to beduplicated. Known for his adversion to pay Income Tax taken to court by the Inland Revenue appeared in Court in Liverpool and aquitted of course more chance of you winning the Lottery than his home City convicting a legend.His joke defence to audiences was that he thought he did not have to pay The Inland Revenue as he lived on the coast.Glad you have found him

[@marcusbrown465]

There will never be another like Ken. The man was a walking masterclass of comedy.

[@chrisbree3467]

Yeah, really enjoyed the Ken Dodd. Keep them coming please Tony.

[@janewalker3286]

I've seen him twice, he was amazing, I laughed for 4 and a half hours solid. Missed so much

[@whitediamond000]

This was a man who was level in status with the Beatles for his music And what a man he was and will always be remembered as being! ❤

[@lextex3280]

Great showman, Ken was hilarious.

[@davidricks7128]

Amazing funny great singer with many albums out RIP Doddy

[@jkpole]

Pure MAGIC

[@catherinejoy9298]

Oh yeah, Doddy had a beautiful voice!!!!

[@stevekimberley4892]

"Tears for souvenirs are all you left me" Tears of laughter. Doddy was always brilliant. Thanks for reminding me!

[@bethroundell8424]

He is brilliant! A magnificent voice!

[@stephenbrough8132]

I forgot how good he was. Thank you for sharing.

[@clarethomas1677]

Ken was an absolute star! Loved him and so glad to see you love him too

[@Westcountrynordic]

@03:20 Dame Hilda Bracket This was from a serious called "an audience with..." where a comic or singer would to a hour long special with other famous or nearly famous stars in the audience

[@jjohnston1813]

The best of the best, always will be!

[@lesleyannbarker8429]

Ken is a legend, hes been doing this for 50 years, he's the last one left over from the old Music Hall, he loves to perform, he's been touring the British Theatres till he was in his 90s!

[@TheHuntress24]

I saw Kenn Dodd when i was 13, his show startedat 7:30pm... and was still going at 1:30am!! The theatre manager ended up comming on stage and telling him to stop!! He was a force all his own ❤

[@francesthompson593]

Ken Dodd was a British Icon RIP Ken Dodd🥲

[@nettygallagher2724]

He was a great comedian and singer. He was from Knowsley in !Liverpool uk. I loved h out s singing voice.

[@Ellen-Walker]

I remember seeing him in Liverpool Playhouse as Malvolio in 'Twelfth night'. He was brilliant.

[@aidiess]

Ken Dodd was not only legendary comic, and brilliant ventriloquist but an incredible singer who actually had records at the top of the charts ! It is well worth looking into his stuff. This from " An audiece with Ken Dodd " wgere he entertained his fellow celebs !

[@tonycasey3183]

Did you spot Pam Ayres at 7:28?

[@TheRealSquirrel]

Missed her

[@tonycasey3183]

@@TheRealSquirrel The "An Audience With..." shows (of which this is part) were always filled with the UK stars of the day. The Freddie Starr one you reacted to was also "An Audience With"

[@mervinmannas7671]

Ken was one of the most talented people this country ever produced. His comic timing was amazing. He had a classically trained voice and his No.1 song 'Tears' out sold the Beatles. He originally wanted to be a serious drama actor and did appear in a Shakespere production for the BBC. When he passed away, many of the papers published a full double page spread of some of his greatest jokes and all you could hear on the train going to work was people laughing. And i bet he loved that.

[@Jack-pu4rf]

He knocked the Beatles off of the number one spot in the sixties, he could tell jokes all night off the cuff without repeating one, I think his ventriloquist act was great, he is missed and will never be forgotten,

[@pulktheband9106]

One of a kind and a really good singer

[@Bodneyblue]

The ladies in pink in the audience were "The Beverley Sisters"..I meet them during the D-Day celebrations in Portsmouth. They were performing that day. Me and late partner were passing Southsea Castle when they arrived in their transport and were having trouble with their luggage. I offered to help and carried their luggage to their changing room which was in the Castle.They were very grateful....There is a video of them perfoming that night on YT...At least there was...Might still be up.

[@jamiesumner3070]

He was classically trained in opera, he just chose to perform comedy. Simply a national British treasure. He once got caught tax evading but he was that good no one really minded. Also saw him at Southport as a teenager he started at 8pm and didn't finish till 3 in morning he was known for long performances.

[@helenatyeo6840]

I love doddy with his puppet not be able to say the words ..so funny .

[@richardhargrave6082]

Ken was one of the last of the old music hall entertainers, who could pretty much do anything; Sing, dance, comedy and a vent act with Dickie Mint He never had to be rude or offensive, just funny! Not your one trick pony! You need to watch more Ken!

[@windsorSJ]

Ken Dodd like a lot of the old school British comedians honed their craft on the stages of the music halls and social clubs. To get anywhere they had to be able to tackle anything. That's why they are so good.

[@roberthuxley3119]

My late mother in law dated Ken Dodd many years ago when he was working in the family coal business, thanks for another great reaction.

[@TheRealSquirrel]

Very cool

[@orkneyancestor2059]

In 1966 Ken Dodd appeared for 42 weeks at the London Palladium.

[@imswat890]

Another winner. Nice one Squirrel.

[@vickyexton3566]

What everyone else said!! Thanks for sharing such a legend ❤

[@ListerDavid]

Doddy have quite a few songs that went really high in the chats, he had a fabulous singing voice.

[@alanmon2690]

There are clips of him (and Hylda Baker, Bernard Cribbins and many others) doing their stage acts when they appeared in the BBC long running "The Good Old Days" which was styled on music hall entertainment. It ran from the 1950s with the audience dressing suitably. I first saw him stage in the early 1960s - his Road to Mandalay was hilarious - -I can't remember who else was on the bill.

[@sharonsnail2954]

Great reaction, Squirrel. Your gob was definitely smacked ☺☺

[@TheRealSquirrel]

Blown away

[@lesleyannbarker8429]

He's such an amazing comic, 😅he is soooo funny!

[@steveyates7044]

Did you spot Hinge (or possibly Bracket) and Pam Ayres in the audience?

[@TheRealSquirrel]

I missed em went back to look