‘Doddyitis’ still going strong after 55 years (From Daily Echo)

‘Doddyitis’ still going strong after 55 years

12:17pm Thursday 3rd September 2009 in

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“WHAT a fine day, what a fine day to go into the bank and put some glue inside the manager’s trousers and shout: ‘How’s that for a stick up?’”

Ken Dodd’s tattyfalarious take on the credit crunch is as welcome as anyones – and surely no more surreal than the unfettered craziness in the banking industry that caused it.

There’s certainly no chance of the veteran entertainer – 81 years young – being accused of short changing his audience. He thinks nothing of performing a five-hour show and is celebrating 55 years in showbiz with yet another punishing schedule of tours that brings him to Bournemouth’s Pavilion theatre on Sunday.

“The long shows is a two-edged sword really,” says the comedy legend from his armchair at home in the house in which he was born, a listed Georgian farmhouse in the Liverpool suburb of Knotty Ash.

"But you know, the doors are never locked, they can leave when they like. People say they have to walk back to the hotel – well, that gives them time to sober up! They say they have to get a taxi – a lot of romances start in the back of taxis!

“I just want to spread a little happiness and if you’ve got an audience roaring with laughter who wants to walk away from that? If I’m going like a rocket, I don’t want to stop and leave them wanting more. You know, it starts as a show and ends up as a party. Wonderful.”

It’s typical Doddy. He lives his life upside down to most of us, rarely surfacing much before two in the afternoon, but happy to field phone calls, letting his answerphone screen his calls and cutting in if he wants to talk to you.

“Ah yes, the Echo, how are you?” he asks, the voice unmistakable.

“They’ve got good chuckle muscles on the South Coast and very lively brains. Now, Bournemouth is blessed with one of the best audiences in the country and there’s all the wonderful local people who turn out all year round, but of course in the summer you also have the wonderful mix of people from Yorkshire, and Lancashire and the Midlands – everyone has a typical Bourne-mouth accent in the summer.

“I must have played Bournemouth first in 1957 when I came for a wonderful summer season with the very glamorous, very lovely Alma Cogan and I think I must have been back pretty much every year since.

“Back then we stayed at the Marsham Court Hotel which was so good we returned there every year for the next ten years or so. More lately, I always stay at the hotel that used to be Tony Hancock’s home [the Quality Hotel, East Cliff]. They look after us so well there.

“But I remember that first summer season, being amazed and astounded, discombobulated even, to turn up at the theatre and find 20 people waiting. Well, I imagine they were waiting to see Alma Cogan, but of course I convinced myself they were waiting for me. And as I signed a few pictures there this huge motorbike turned up, roaring into the stage door area and off stepped this man in leathers and goggles. It turns out to be the concert pianist! Well, I’d never seen anything like it.”

The highly infectious, titter-stoked strain of Doddyitis that infected the town back in 1957 has proved pretty much incurable. Just nip along to the Pavilion to see for yourself.

• For tickets call 0844 576 3000 or visit bic.co.uk