Lady Anne Dodd, the widow of comedy legend Sir Ken Dodd, has filed trademark applications for 25 of his most famous catchphrases and creations, eight years after his death. The 84-year-old has submitted paperwork to the UK's Intellectual Property Office through her company, Knotty Ash Productions Ltd, to protect phrases including 'tattyfilarious', 'Tickling Stick', 'How Tickled I am', and 'Discomknockerated'.
The trademark applications also cover the Diddymen, Knotty Ash, and other whimsical references from Dodd's comedy, such as 'Jam Butty Mines', 'Treacle Wills', and 'Broken Biscuit Repair Factory'. The protection would apply to use in entertainment, theatre, TV, film, festivals, and comedy shows.
Sir Ken Dodd, who died in March 2018 at the age of 90, married his partner of 40 years, Anne, just two days before his death. Born in Liverpool in 1927, he began his career as a stand-up comedian in working men's clubs, making his professional debut at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham in 1954. He later became a chart-topping singer with hits including 'Happiness' and 'Tears'.
Dodd's career was marked by his energetic performances, once earning a place in the Guinness Book of Records for telling 1,500 jokes in three and a half hours. Despite a tax fraud trial in 1989, he was acquitted and continued performing until months before his death.
