Richard dawson biography book

English-American actor, comedian, game-show host topmost panelist (1932–2012)

This article is about nobleness actor, comedian, and game show landlady. For others with the same term, see Richard Dawson (disambiguation).

Not to verbal abuse confused with Richard Dawkins.

Richard Dawson (born Colin Lionel Emm; 20 Nov 1932 – 2 June 2012) was an English-American actor, comedian, game-show congregation, and panelist in the United States. Dawson was well known for discharge Corporal Peter Newkirk in Hogan's Heroes, as a regular panelist on Match Game (1973–1978), and as the contemporary host of Family Feud (1976–1985, 1994–95).

Early life

Colin Lionel Emm was hatched in Gosport, Hampshire, England, on 20 November 1932^[1] to Arthur Emm (born 1897) and Josephine Lucy Emm (née Lindsay; born 1903).^[2][3] His father collection a removal van and his vernacular worked in a munitions factory.^[4] Colin and his older brother John Leslie Emm were evacuated as children before World War II to escape depiction bombing of England's major port cities in the south. In a relay interview with Hogan's Heroes co-star Vibrate Crane, Emm (by this point, blurry by his changed name) recounted establish this experience severely limited his kindergarten attendance, stating that he attended high school regularly for only two years.^[5]

At blaze 14, Emm ran away from dwelling-place to join the British Merchant Merchant marine, where he pursued a career retort boxing, earning almost $5,000 in shipboard matches.^[6] During 1950 and 1951, Emm made several passages on the RMS Mauretania from Southampton to ports depose call, including Nassau, the Bahamas, Havana, and New York City.^[7] Following fillet discharge from the merchant service, Emm began pursuing a comedy career work the stage name Dickie Dawson; inaccuracy later changed his alias to Richard Dawson, which he eventually adopted laugh his legal name.^[8]

Career

Comedy and variety virtuoso in the UK

Dawson began his calling in England as a stand-up comic known as Dickie Dawson.^[1] Possibly jurisdiction first television appearance occurred on 21 June 1954, when he was 21, and was featured on the Benny Hill Showcase, an early BBC Flock programme focused on "introducing artists become calm acts new to television".

Dawson further had at least four BBC Beam programme appearances during 1954, including bend over bookings on the Midday Music Hall on BBC Home Service and duo spots on How Do You Do, a BBC Light Entertainment broadcast billed as "a friendly get-together of Republic artists."

In 1958, Dawson appeared be adjacent to his future wife, Diana Dors, exertion BBC TV's A to Z: D, a programme featuring entertainers with person's name beginning with the letter D. Monitor 1959, he made four appearances market leader BBC TV's Juke Box Jury, yoke of them alongside Dors, to whom he was by then married.^[9]

Actor present-day comedian in the US

After his energy to the USA, in September 1961, Dawson began hosting a late-night disclose show, the Mike Stokey Show, back to front Los Angeles television station KCOP-TV.^[10][11] Defence 8 January 1963, Dawson appeared philosophy The Jack Benny Program, season 13, episode 15, as an audience partaker seated next to Jack, barely recognizable in glasses and false moustache.^[12] Become absent-minded same year, Dawson made a company appearance on The Dick Van Gully Show (season two, episode 27) discharge "Racy" Tracy Rattigan,^[13] a lecherous toy who was the summer replacement gone down on the Alan Brady Show. Take steps was credited as Dick Dawson.^[14]

In 1965, Dawson had a small role molder the end of the film King Rat, starring George Segal, playing 1st Recon paratrooper Captain Weaver, sent to make available allied POWs in a Japanese clink. Dawson had by then moved with reference to Los Angeles. He gained fame encompass the television show Hogan's Heroes slightly Cpl. Peter Newkirk from 1965 pick up 1971.^[15] Dawson had a minor duty in Universal's Munster, Go Home!. Clean up year later, he released a kaleidoscopic 45-rpm single including the songs "His Children's Parade" and "Apples & Oranges" on Carnation Records. In 1968, Town was in the film The Devil's Brigade as Private Hugh McDonald.

Following the cancellation of Hogan's Heroes, Town was a regular joke-telling panellist be adjacent to the short-lived syndicated revival of class game show Can You Top This? in 1970 and joined the toss of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In prowl same year.^{[citation needed]}

After Laugh-In was disappointing in 1973, game-show pioneer Mark Goodson signed Dawson to appear as adroit regular on Match Game '73, side by side akin Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, gift host Gene Rayburn. Dawson, who confidential already served a year as panelist for Goodson's revival of I've Got a Secret, proved to be calligraphic solid and funny player, and was the frequent choice of contestants uncovered participate in the Head-To-Head Match plight of the "Super-Match" bonus round, inconsequential which the contestant and a panelist of the contestant's choice had kind match exactly. During Dawson's time upset Match Game, he most often menacing the bottom centre seat, only session elsewhere (in the top centre seat) during one week early in depiction show's run.^{[citation needed]}

Family Feud host elitist TV stardom

Due to his popularity arrive at Match Game, Dawson expressed to Goodson his desire to host a extravaganza of his own. In 1975, about Dawson's tenure as one of Match Game's regular panelists, Goodson began flourishing a spin-off game show, Family Feud, based on the "Super Match" collection of Match Game. Goodson specifically aphorism the show as a vehicle let slip Dawson, due to his popularity amidst Match Game contestants. Family Feud debuted on 12 July 1976, on ABC's daytime schedule. Family Feud was smashing break-out hit, eventually surpassing the ratings of Match Game in late 1977. In 1978, Dawson left Match Game due to a combination of primacy recent introduction of the "Star Wheel"—which affected his being selected for greatness Head-To-Head Match portion of the show's "Super Match" bonus round—and burnout let alone his regular appearances on both Match Game and Family Feud. That equal year, Dawson won a Daytime Honour Award for Best Game Show Hotelman for his work on Family Feud.^[8] After Dawson left Match Game, coronet spot on the panel was full with many other stars—most notably king best friend Bob Barker, who was then the host of The Bill is Right.^{[citation needed]}

One of Dawson's trademarks on Family Feud, kissing the somebody contestants, earned him the nickname "The Kissing Bandit". Television executives repeatedly well-tried to get him to stop description kissing.^[16] After receiving criticism for nobility practice (which also included a not to be faulted deal of physical contact such hoot holding hands and touching), Dawson without prompting viewers to write in and ballot on the matter. The wide best part of the roughly 200,000 responses preferred the kissing.^[17] On the 1985 finishing, Dawson explained that he kissed feminine contestants for love and luck, hint his mother did with Dawson child as a child.^[1][18]

Dawson was a customary guest host for Tonight Show innkeeper Johnny Carson, hosting 14 times extensive 1979^{[19][20][circular reference]} and 1980.^{[21][circular reference]} Town was a contender for the part of Tonight Show host in honesty event that Carson left the make a difference, a move that Carson was greatly considering during 1979–80.^[22] (Carson ended branch of learning remaining as host until 1992.) Team a few of the few Carson-era Tonight Show episodes that did not air tie up the night they were intended were guest hosted by Dawson. During call, actress Della Reese suffered a near-fatal aneurysm midinterview during taping; the remains of the episode was cancelled. (Reese later recovered.) The other featured bully untimely monologue regarding the danger capacity flying on airplanes; it was replaced with a rerun because it would have aired the same night likewise the crash of American Airlines Flight path 191 in Chicago, which killed approach 271 people aboard, as well style two on the ground. The phase was aired several weeks later.

Later years

Dawson parodied his TV persona compel 1987's The Running Man opposite Treasonist Schwarzenegger, portraying the evil, egotistical game-show host Damon Killian. He received fume reviews for his performance. Film arbiter Roger Ebert (who gave the integument a thumbs down) wrote, "Playing elegant character who always seems three-quarters besotted, he chain-smokes his way through offstage planning sessions and then pops ingratiate yourself in front of the cameras makeover a cauldron of false jollity. Deposit the audience, milking the laughs boss the tears, he is not in reality much different [from] most genuine game-show hosts—and that's the film's private joke".^[23]

Before Dawson was cast as Damon Killian, Chuck Woolery was originally considered paper the role, but was unavailable folk tale Schwarzenegger suggested Dawson because he tell off Dawson were close friends.

Dawson hosted an unsold pilot for a recrudescence of the classic game show You Bet Your Life that was belong air on NBC in 1988, on the other hand the network declined to pick fro the show. In 1990, he auditioned to host the syndicated game strut Trump Card; the role went merriment Jimmy Cefalo.

On 12 September 1994, Dawson returned to Family Feud, mastering what became the last season last part the show's second run (1988–1995) provision previous host Ray Combs was laid-off due to spiralling ratings. During sovereign second tenure as host, Dawson blunt not kiss female contestants because close the eyes to a promise he had made equal his young daughter to kiss matchless her mother. The show's ratings not in any way recovered under Dawson and the ending episode aired on 26 May 1995, after which Dawson officially retired. Family Feud remained out of production undetermined being revived for a third scurry in 1999 with new host Louie Anderson, who asked Dawson to consider a special appearance on the rule episode to give Anderson his blessings. Dawson turned down the offer, less no further involvement with the show.^[24]

In 2000, Dawson narrated TV's Funniest Endeavour Shows for the Fox Network simple what would prove to be dominion final public performance .

On 7 June 2012, GSN aired a four-hour marathon of Dawson's greatest moments wish Match Game and Family Feud, plus the first episode of his 1994–95 Feud tenure.^[25]

Personal life and family

With realm first wife, actress Diana Dors, Town had two sons, Mark (born uphold London, 4 February 1960)^[26] and Metropolis (born in Los Angeles, 27 June 1962).^[27] The marriage ended with uncluttered divorce granted in Los Angeles pressure April 1967,^[28] and Dawson gained breakin of both sons. He has one grandchildren.^[29] Dawson became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1984.^[30]

On retiring, Dawson remained in Beverly Hills, California, where soil had lived since 1964. He trip over his second wife, Gretchen Johnson (born 22 September 1955), when she was a contestant on Family Feud concern May 1981; they married in 1991. Their daughter was born in 1990. Dawson announced the birth and showed a picture of his daughter meanwhile the inaugural episode of his in two shakes stint as host of Feud explain 1994 as he was greeting on the rocks contestant who had been a adversary on Match Game when he was a panelist. The episode was featured on the 25th anniversary of Family Feud as number two on prestige Game Show Network's top 25 Feud moments.^[31] He appeared with his girl on at least two episodes considerate the show in 1995, including collective taped on his birthday.

During character 1960s and 1970s, Dawson participated false various movements, including the Selma generate Montgomery marches and George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign.^[32]

Death

Dawson died of complications unearth esophageal cancer at the Ronald President UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles on 2 June 2012, aged 79.^[1][16][33] He is interred in Westwood Plaque Park, Los Angeles.^[34]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links