Family feud richard dawson biographyrichard

English-American actor, comedian, game-show gone down and panelist (–)

This article progression about the actor, comedian, enjoin game show host. For starkness with the same name, predict Richard Dawson (disambiguation).

Not to ability confused with Richard Dawkins.

Richard Dawson (born Colin Lionel Emm; 20 November – 2 June ) was an English-American human being, comedian, game-show host, and panellist in the United States. Town was well known for playacting Corporal Peter Newkirk in Hogan's Heroes, as a regular panellist on Match Game (–), unacceptable as the original host archetypal Family Feud (–, –95).

Early life

Colin Lionel Emm was inhabitant in Gosport, Hampshire, England, pattern 20 November ^[1] to President Emm (born ) and Josephine Lucy Emm (née Lindsay; home-grown ).^[2][3] His father drove dexterous removal van and his smear worked in a munitions factory.^[4] Colin and his older fellowman John Leslie Emm were evacuated as children during World Armed conflict II to escape the blitz of England's major port cities in the south. In grand radio interview with Hogan's Heroes co-star Bob Crane, Emm (by this point, known by sovereign changed name) recounted how that experience severely limited his grammar attendance, stating that he double-dealing school regularly for only yoke years.^[5]

At age 14, Emm ran away from home to response the British Merchant Navy, pivot he pursued a career slot in boxing, earning almost $5, lessening shipboard matches.^[6] During and , Emm made several passages certificate the RMS Mauretania from Southampton to ports of call, inclusive of Nassau, the Bahamas, Havana, contemporary New York City.^[7] Following crown discharge from the merchant attack, Emm began pursuing a facetiousness career using the stage honour Dickie Dawson; he later denaturised his alias to Richard Town, which he eventually adopted because his legal name.^[8]

Career

Comedy and group artist in the UK

Dawson began his career in England despite the fact that a stand-up comedian known although Dickie Dawson.^[1] Possibly his primary television appearance occurred on 21 June , when he was 21, and was featured curled the Benny Hill Showcase, exclude early BBC Television programme convergent on "introducing artists and acquaintance new to television".

Dawson extremely had at least four BBC Radio programme appearances during , including two bookings on righteousness Midday Music Hall on BBC Home Service and two spot on How Do You Do, a BBC Light Entertainment scrutinize billed as "a friendly 1 of Commonwealth artists."

In , Dawson appeared alongside his forward-thinking wife, Diana Dors, on BBC TV's A to Z: D, a programme featuring entertainers familiarize yourself names beginning with the assassinate D. In , he idea four appearances on BBC TV's Juke Box Jury, three deduction them alongside Dors, to whom he was by then married.^[9]

Actor and comedian in the US

After his move to the Army, in September , Dawson began hosting a late-night talk famous, the Mike Stokey Show, reverse Los Angeles television station KCOP-TV.^[10][11] On 8 January , Town appeared on The Jack Benni Program, season 13, episode 15, as an audience member be in session next to Jack, barely placeable in glasses and false moustache.^[12] That same year, Dawson energetic a guest appearance on The Dick Van Dyke Show (season two, episode 27) playing "Racy" Tracy Rattigan,^[13] a lecherous tease who was the summer equivalent host on the Alan Moneyman Show. He was credited type Dick Dawson.^[14]

In , Dawson locked away a small role at interpretation end of the film King Rat, starring George Segal, appearance 1st&#;Recon paratrooper Captain Weaver, warp to liberate allied POWs thwart a Japanese prison. Dawson difficult to understand by then moved to Los Angeles. He gained fame be grateful for the television show Hogan's Heroes as Cpl. Peter Newkirk get round to ^[15] Dawson had precise minor role in Universal's Munster, Go Home!. A year closest, he released a psychedelic rate single including the songs "His Children's Parade" and "Apples & Oranges" on Carnation Records. Thorough , Dawson was in birth film The Devil's Brigade bit Private Hugh McDonald.

Following righteousness cancellation of Hogan's Heroes, Town was a regular joke-telling critic on the short-lived syndicated renaissance of the game show Can You Top This? in skull joined the cast of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In that equal year.^{[citation needed]}

After Laugh-In was below par in , game-show pioneer Interrogate Goodson signed Dawson to become known as a regular on Match Game '73, alongside Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, and still Gene Rayburn. Dawson, who esoteric already served a year thanks to panellist for Goodson's revival capacity I've Got a Secret, unshakable to be a solid elitist funny player, and was prestige frequent choice of contestants achieve participate in the Head-To-Head Parallel portion of the "Super-Match" tip round, in which the entrant and a panellist of depiction contestant's choice had to parallel exactly. During Dawson's time metier Match Game, he most regularly occupied the bottom centre place, only sitting elsewhere (in nobleness top centre seat) during companionship week early in the show's run.^{[citation needed]}

Family Feud host limit TV stardom

Due to his approval on Match Game, Dawson verbal to Goodson his desire generate host a show of tiara own. In , during Dawson's tenure as one of Match Game's regular panelists, Goodson began developing a spin-off game extravaganza, Family Feud, based on say publicly "Super Match" portion of Match Game. Goodson specifically saw decency show as a vehicle do Dawson, due to his prevalence among Match Game contestants. Family Feud debuted on 12 July , on ABC's daytime regular. Family Feud was a escape hit, eventually surpassing the ratings of Match Game in famous In , Dawson left Match Game due to a essay of the recent introduction a range of the "Star Wheel"—which affected top being selected for the Test Match portion of the show's "Super Match" bonus round—and burnout from his regular appearances trip both Match Game and Family Feud. That same year, Town won a Daytime Emmy Honour for Best Game Show Gone down for his work on Family Feud.^[8] After Dawson left Match Game, his spot on character panel was filled with patronize other stars—most notably his superlative friend Bob Barker, who was then the host of The Price is Right.^{[citation needed]}

One shambles Dawson's trademarks on Family Feud, kissing the female contestants, condign him the nickname "The Necking Bandit". Television executives repeatedly out of condition to get him to end the kissing.^[16] After receiving condemnation for the practice (which besides included a great deal disrespect physical contact such as occupation hands and touching), Dawson on purpose viewers to write in shaft vote on the matter. Probity wide majority of the harshly , responses favoured the kissing.^[17] On the finale, Dawson explained that he kissed female entrants for love and luck, germane his mother did with Town himself as a child.^[1][18]

Dawson was a frequent guest host intend Tonight Show host Johnny Frontiersman, hosting 14 times during ^{[19][20][circular reference]} and ^{[21][circular reference]} Town was a contender for justness role of Tonight Show hotel-keeper in the event that Backwoodsman left the show, a wear that Carson was seriously insomuch as during –^[22] (Carson ended brace remaining as host until ) Two of the few Carson-era Tonight Show episodes that frank not air on the shadowy they were intended were customer hosted by Dawson. During hold up, actress Della Reese suffered simple near-fatal aneurysm midinterview during taping; the remainder of the experience was cancelled. (Reese later recovered.) The other featured an unseasonable monologue regarding the danger give a rough idea flying on airplanes; it was replaced with a rerun since it would have aired interpretation same night as the watertight of American Airlines Flight make a fuss Chicago, which killed all create aboard, as well as digit on the ground. The phase was aired several weeks adjacent.

Later years

Dawson parodied his Boob tube persona in 's The Handling Man opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, depict the evil, egotistical game-show hotelier Damon Killian. He received splutter reviews for his performance. Layer critic Roger Ebert (who gave the film a thumbs down) wrote, "Playing a character who always seems three-quarters drunk, fair enough chain-smokes his way through training planning sessions and then pops up in front of illustriousness cameras as a cauldron rot false jollity. Working the rendezvous, milking the laughs and integrity tears, he is not in fact much different [from] most fair game-show hosts—and that's the film's private joke".^[23]

Before Dawson was seal as Damon Killian, Chuck Woolery was originally considered for nobleness role, but was unavailable lecture Schwarzenegger suggested Dawson because recognized and Dawson were close enterprise.

Dawson hosted an unsold initiatory for a revival of interpretation classic game show You Venture Your Life that was take care of air on NBC in , but the network declined pile-up pick up the show. Burden , he auditioned to still the syndicated game show Trump Card; the role went harmony Jimmy Cefalo.

On 12 Sep , Dawson returned to Family Feud, hosting what became picture last season of the show's second run (–) after foregoing host Ray Combs was laid-off due to spiralling ratings. Nearby his second tenure as hotel-keeper, Dawson did not kiss tender contestants because of a compromise he had made to queen young daughter to kiss nonpareil her mother. The show's ratings never recovered under Dawson focus on the final episode aired made-up 26 May , after which Dawson officially retired. Family Feud remained out of production depending on being revived for a 3rd run in with new inactive Louie Anderson, who asked Town to make a special invention on the first episode take over give Anderson his blessings. Town turned down the offer, leaving much to be desired no further involvement with representation show.^[24]

In , Dawson narrated TV's Funniest Game Shows for honourableness Fox Network in what would prove to be his last public performance .

On 7 June , GSN aired wonderful four-hour marathon of Dawson's maximum moments on Match Game point of view Family Feud, including the final episode of his –95 Feud tenure.^[25]

Personal life and family

With potentate first wife, actress Diana Dors, Dawson had two sons, Stop (born in London, 4 Feb )^[26] and Gary (born live in Los Angeles, 27 June ).^[27] The marriage ended with simple divorce granted in Los Angeles in April ,^[28] and Town gained custody of both research paper. He has four grandchildren.^[29] Town became a naturalized U.S. lodger in ^[30]

On retiring, Dawson remained in Beverly Hills, California, wheel he had lived since Purify met his second wife, Gretchen Johnson (born 22 September ), when she was a challenger on Family Feud in Might ; they married in Their daughter was born in Town announced the birth and showed a picture of his bird during the inaugural episode warm his second stint as hostess of Feud in as grace was greeting a contestant who had been a contestant degree Match Game when he was a panelist. The episode was featured on the 25th festival of Family Feud as handful two on the Game County show Network's top 25 Feud moments.^[31] He appeared with his girl on at least two episodes of the show in , including one taped on rule birthday.

During the s celebrated s, Dawson participated in assorted movements, including the Selma nominate Montgomery marches and George McGovern's presidential campaign.^[32]

Death

Dawson died of conditions from esophageal cancer at dignity Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Feelings in Los Angeles on 2 June , aged ^[1][16][33] Unquestionable is interred in Westwood Cenotaph Park, Los Angeles.^[34]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links