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The comedian, who died aged 90 in 2018, urged his widow Anne to torch around 1,000 notebooks filled with jokes, ideas and musings.<\/p>\n
But after reading the treasure trove of quips, one-liners \u2013 and thoughts on stage fright \u2013 she decided they were a part of Britain\u2019s comedy history.<\/p>\n
Ten of the books are now going on display in his home city, at an exhibition running from tomorrow to March 3 next year.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: <\/strong> Ken Dodd’s funniest jokes revisited as late comic’s wife promises unseen gags[CELEBS] <\/strong><\/p>\n The Happiness! event at the Museum of Liverpool also includes Sir Ken\u2019s famous Diddymen puppets and his iconic tickling sticks.<\/p>\n His notebooks contain jokes marked for how well they went down with his audiences. The best were given the acronym GOG \u2013 \u201cgood old gag\u201d.<\/p>\n Sir Ken also self-critiqued his shows and drew \u201cmind maps\u201d about topics like showbusiness, superstitions, stage fright and nerves.<\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n Former Bluebell Girls dancer Lady Anne said: \u201cHe told me, \u2018You will burn everything when I\u2019m gone? You will burn all my notebooks, won\u2019t you?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I promised. But I knew I couldn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n – My teeth are all my own. I just finished paying for them.<\/p>\n – This lady stopped me the other day. She said, \u2018Hello handsome, can you tell me the way to the optician\u2019s?\u2019<\/p>\n – My Dad knew I was going to be a comedian. When I was a baby he said: \u2018Is this a joke?\u2019<\/p>\n – Did you hear about the shrimp that went to the prawn\u2019s cocktail party? He pulled a mussel.<\/p>\n – In some parts of the world people eat little bent pieces of wire for breakfast \u2014 it\u2019s their staple diet.<\/p>\n – The man who invented cats\u2019 eyes got the idea when he saw the eyes of a cat in his headlights. If the cat had been going the other way, he would have invented the pencil sharpener.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/79\/590x\/secondary\/4949014.jpg?r=1694121071239\")
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Bob Mortimer says he only goes out \u2018twice a year\u2019 in rare family insight[CELEBS] <\/strong>
Could Laurel and Hardy have been Laurel and Charlie Chaplin? – The Feud[CELEBS] <\/strong>
‘A few wry smiles and a couple of gentle cringes’ – Theatre Camp review[FILMS] <\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/79\/590x\/secondary\/4949030.jpg?r=1694121071284\")
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