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Ken Goodwin was
born in Manchester on 7 April 1933. He began his
entertainment career by teaching himself the uke
and impersonating his hero George Formby. From an
early age he appeared in school concerts and then
progressed to social events, clubs and then
worked as a support act for star names of the 60s
variety scene. He
included just a few jokes at first, but when a
hand injury prevented him from playing, it became
necessary to concentrate solely on comedy for a
while, and his style - which like Formby's was
innocent, 'daft' and family-friendly - provided a
breath of fresh air amid the hard-hitting, gritty
northern club comics. It was his warm personality
and gormless character rather than his corny
material that captivated the audience - Ken
laughed at the silliness of what he was saying,
and his own reaction was as funny as the gags
themselves.
Appearances
on Opportunity Knocks
and The Good Old Days
brought Ken to the attention of the public, but
Ken's biggest break was when producer Johnnie
Hamp included him in original line-up of the now
legendary TV show The
Comedians in 1971. Ken's
sensational success on the show made him a
household name, adored by millions. The
Comedians led Ken to
engagements at the London Palladium, two Royal
Command performances, and a TV special of his own.
Ken
re-introduced the uke as his hands recovered, and
it remained a part of his act throughout the rest
of his highly successful career, which included
tours of Australia, cabaret on the QE2, work in
Hong Kong and the Falkland Islands, television,
variety, summer seasons and pantomime, broadcasts
with the BBC Radio Orchestra and five record
albums.
He
passed away at the age of 78 on 18 February 2012
in North Wales, having suffered Alzheimers
disease for some time.
- Andy Eastwood, April
2012
Read Ken's obituary from The
Guardian here: www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2012/feb/29/ken-goodwin
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