[‘the greatest theatrical comic of his age’: Ken Dodd, Liverpool comedian and singer.] Typed Letter Signed with biographical details, and signed publicity postcard with photographic portrait.

Dodd’s entry in the Oxford DNB by Michael Billington concludes with the assessment that he was ‘the greatest theatrical comic of his age and the last link with the hallowed days of music hall’. The two items are in good condition, lightly aged. ONE: TLS, 9 October 1957. 1p, 4to. Good large signature ‘Ken Dodd’. The male recipient is not named. He apologises for the late reply to the recipient’s letter. ‘May I also thank you for the compliments paid to my performance on Television. / I am a Liverpudlian, residing in Knotty Ash Liverpool. / I shall be at the Manchester Palace Theatre for Pantomime This Christmas, if you are in the vicinity, perhaps you would care to call at the Stage-Door, where my Fiancee (a Liverpool Nurse) and myself will be pleased to meet you.’ The ‘Liverpool Nurse’ is Anita Boutin (c.1932-1977), Dodd’s partner until her death. TWO: Promotional portrait photographic postcard (‘Repro by Saidman Bros., Blackpool’) in black and white. 8.5 x 13.5 cm. A frenzied-looking Dodd, with towselled hair, hands upraised and fingers twitching, in evening dress. Across Dodd’s chest, in Autograph (difficult to decipher as it is partly written over darkened areas): ‘Yours Toothfully / Ken Dodd’. See Image.