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Happiness and Tears
The Ken Dodd Story
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Format: Paperback / softback
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A definitive life one of the best-loved and most enduring figures of British comedy, the eccentric genius and national treasure Ken Dodd, whose seven-decade career straddled the end of the era of variety and the golden age of television comedy.
A definitive life one of the best-loved and most enduring figures of British comedy, the eccentric genius and national treasure Ken Dodd, whose seven-decade career straddled the end of the era of variety and the golden age of television comedy.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
'I suffer from acute kleptomania. But when it gets bad, I take something for it.'
Ken Dodd was a legend of British comedy. He launched his career in 1954, adopted his trademark 'tickling stick' two years later, and went on to enjoy a sixty-year career as the nation's jester. Dodd's act was frenzied and zany, exploiting his saucer-eyed, buck-toothed appearance and deploying a repertoire of one-liners, whimsical and verbal inventions, and liberal doses of saucy – but never dirty – jokes.
Louis Barfe charts Dodd's life and extraordinarily long career, revealing him to be the last of the great variety acts – and a comic phenomenon who delighted his audiences across seven decades.
Reviews for Happiness and Tears:
'The definitive account' The Times.
'An industriously thorough, entertaining biography' The Spectator.
'Sure to delight Dodd's many admirers' TLS.
'Fascinatingly odd' Daily Express.
'An absolute joy' Choice.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Louis Barfe's biography, Happiness and Tears, is celebrated for its in-depth exploration of Ken Dodd's life and career. It is praised for clarity, affectionate portrayal, and impressive sleuthing, with some reviews highlighting it as a tribute that appreciates Dodd's genius. Barfe is commended for providing a comprehensive, entertaining, and authoritative account of Dodd as possibly the last great variety act. The biography is described as both a thorough assessment and a joyous celebration of Dodd's life, suiting those who admire him and his legacy.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781788549547
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 06 August 2020
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Apollo
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 34.0mm
Width: 128.0mm
Height: 194.0mm
Weight: 440g
Pages: 408
About the Author
Louis Barfe is expert on all aspects of the entertainment industry. He is the author of Where Have All The Good Times Gone? The Rise and Fall of the Record Industry (2004), Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment (2008) and The Trials and Triumphs of Les Dawson (2012).
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