According to IMDB, this episode of 'The Ken Dodd Show' no longer exists in the archives. Yet, I have just seen it, courtesy of a kind person who calls himself 'Old TV Show'. He he has also posted the surviving editions of 'Ken Dodd's World Of Laughter'. Bearing in mind that little of Ken's television work is commercially available, this is tremendous news. Filmed in Blackpool, this is essentially a variety show, interspersing Doddy with acts such as Les Bluebell Girls and Salena Jones. Graham Stark partners Dodd in a sketch, but best of all, Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell reprise their 'Steptoe & Son' roles. Harold is wearing normal clothes to the beach, while Albert emerges from a hut wearing a Victorian-style bathing suit and his trademark Homburg. Doddy himself later appears in the sketch. I am not sure who wrote it. There is no credit for Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. So presumably it was by Eddie Braben ( this was just before he took over the writing duties for Morecambe and Wise ).
Bill Simpson ( of 'Dr. Finlay''s Casebook' fame ) makes a brief walk-on, and Dicky Mint of the Diddymen chats with Dodd. Usually when we saw the Diddymen with Doddy they were played by children, but here he is a puppet operated by Roger Stevenson. The song 'Happiness' accompanies the closing credits, and the entire cast marches onto the stage. There is not much more I can say. This is hardly groundbreaking television, but agreeable on its own terms and Doddy is on good form ( he could tell ten jokes when most comedians struggled to get through one ). Tatty-bye everybody!
Bill Simpson ( of 'Dr. Finlay''s Casebook' fame ) makes a brief walk-on, and Dicky Mint of the Diddymen chats with Dodd. Usually when we saw the Diddymen with Doddy they were played by children, but here he is a puppet operated by Roger Stevenson. The song 'Happiness' accompanies the closing credits, and the entire cast marches onto the stage. There is not much more I can say. This is hardly groundbreaking television, but agreeable on its own terms and Doddy is on good form ( he could tell ten jokes when most comedians struggled to get through one ). Tatty-bye everybody!