Editing Ken Dodd (section)

==Early life==
Dodd was born on 8 November 1927 in a former farmhouse in [[Knotty Ash]], a suburb of [[Liverpool]], to Arthur Dodd and Sarah (née Gray).<ref name="MT">{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2018/03/12/sir-ken-dodd-age-jokes-diddy-men-wife-anne-jones-house-knotty-ash-7380502/|title=Sir Ken Dodd age, jokes, Diddy Men, wife Anne Jones and house in Knotty Ash|publisher=Metro UK|date=12 March 2018|author=Duncan, Amy}}</ref> He had an older brother, William and a younger sister, June.<ref name="MT"/> He went to the Knotty Ash School, and sang in the local church choir of [[St John the Evangelist, Knotty Ash|St John's Church, Knotty Ash]]. He was to live in Knotty Ash all his life, dying in the house in which he was born, and often referred to the area&mdash;as well as its mythical "[[Jam sandwich (food)|jam butty]] mines" and "[[black pudding]] plantations"&mdash;in his act.<ref name=bale/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://metro.co.uk/2018/03/12/knotty-ash-location-ken-dodds-house-90-years-7380179/|title=Where is Knotty Ash – the location of Ken Dodd's house for 90 years|work=Metro|date=12 March 2018|access-date=12 March 2018}}</ref> During the Second World War he was evacuated with his school to Shrewsbury, where he attended [[The Priory Grammar School for Boys, Shrewsbury|the Priory Grammar School for Boys]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sunday Post|url=https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/so-what-was-life-like-in-christmas-1939-with-our-country-at-war/ |website=vchshropshire.org |date=25 December 2019 |access-date=8 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Shropshire Star |date=3 February 2018 |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/nostalgia/2018/02/03/doddys-schooldays-tale-knocks-us-down-with-a-feather |access-date=8 November 2020}}</ref> He was also evacuated to the village of Penmachno, near [[Betws y Coed]], where he attended the local village school and learnt Welsh.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-17504458|title=When Ken Dodd learned Welsh: People's Collection Wales evacuee memories plea|date=25 March 2012|accessdate=22 April 2024|work=BBC News}}</ref>
[[File:Ken Dodd with Bear cubs 1968.jpg|thumb|Dodd with bear cubs at [[Flamingo Land Resort|Flamingo Park Zoo]], [[North Yorkshire]] in 1968]]

He then attended [[Childwall Academy|Holt High School]], a [[Grammar schools in the United Kingdom|grammar school]] in [[Childwall]], Liverpool, but left at the age of 14 to work for his father, a coal merchant.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://life.spectator.co.uk/2018/03/ken-dodd-a-comic-genius-who-inspired-true-devotion/|title=Ken Dodd: a comic genius who inspired true devotion|publisher=Spectator Life|date=12 March 2018|author=Cook, William|access-date=21 March 2018|archive-date=21 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321131003/https://life.spectator.co.uk/2018/03/ken-dodd-a-comic-genius-who-inspired-true-devotion/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Ken Dodd Story">{{cite web|url=http://www.chucklebutty.co.uk/doddbio.html|title=The Ken Dodd Story|website=Chucklebutty.co.uk|access-date=20 November 2007}}</ref> Around this time he became interested in [[showbusiness|show business]] after seeing an advert in a [[British comics|comic]]: "Fool your teachers, amaze your friends—send [[Sixpence (British coin)|6d]] in stamps and become a ventriloquist!"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/ken-dodd-12-funny-moments-defined-rib-tickling-career/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/ken-dodd-12-funny-moments-defined-rib-tickling-career/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Sir Ken Dodd: the 12 funny moments that defined his rib-tickling career|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=12 March 2018|access-date=12 March 2018}}{{cbignore}}{{subscription required}}</ref> and sending off for the book. Not long after, his father bought him a ventriloquist's dummy and Ken called it Charlie Brown. He started entertaining at the local orphanage, then at various other local community functions. His distinctive [[Malocclusion|buck teeth]] were the result of a cycling accident after a group of school friends dared him to ride a bicycle with his eyes closed.<ref name=bale>{{cite news|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/evergreen/20171122/283927408075441|title=Sir Ken Dodd at 90|work=Evergreen|first=Bernard|last=Bale|date=22 November 2017|access-date=12 March 2018}}</ref> Aged 18, he began working as a travelling salesman, and used his work van to travel to comedy clubs in the evenings.<ref name=stage/>