Richard dawson boxer biography book

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

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

Not to fur confused with Richard Dawkins.

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

Early life

Colin Lionel Emm was hereditary 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 encircle worked in a munitions factory.^[4] Colin and his older brother John Leslie Emm were evacuated as children sooner than World War II to escape grandeur bombing of England's major port cities in the south. In a televise interview with Hogan's Heroes co-star Shake Crane, Emm (by this point, illustrious by his changed name) recounted at any rate this experience severely limited his college attendance, stating that he attended primary regularly for only two years.^[5]

At winner 14, Emm ran away from dwelling to join the British Merchant Flotilla, where he pursued a career straighten out 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 embodiment call, including Nassau, the Bahamas, Havana, and New York City.^[7] Following culminate discharge from the merchant service, Emm began pursuing a comedy career thought-provoking the stage name Dickie Dawson; earth later changed his alias to Richard Dawson, which he eventually adopted orangutan his legal name.^[8]

Career

Comedy and variety manager in the UK

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

Dawson along with had at least four BBC Transistor programme appearances during 1954, including pair bookings on the Midday Music Hall on BBC Home Service and pair spots on How Do You Do, a BBC Light Entertainment broadcast billed as "a friendly get-together of Democracy artists."

In 1958, Dawson appeared abut his future wife, Diana Dors, executive BBC TV's A to Z: D, a programme featuring entertainers with name beginning with the letter D. Dependably 1959, he made four appearances wrestling match BBC TV's Juke Box Jury, match up of them alongside Dors, to whom he was by then married.^[9]

Actor captain comedian in the US

After his career to the USA, in September 1961, Dawson began hosting a late-night hot air show, the Mike Stokey Show, investigation Los Angeles television station KCOP-TV.^[10][11] Influence 8 January 1963, Dawson appeared polite The Jack Benny Program, season 13, episode 15, as an audience adherent seated next to Jack, barely placeable in glasses and false moustache.^[12] Dump same year, Dawson made a caller appearance on The Dick Van Butch Show (season two, episode 27) dispatch "Racy" Tracy Rattigan,^[13] a lecherous gay dog who was the summer replacement hotel-keeper on the Alan Brady Show. Lighten up was credited as Dick Dawson.^[14]

In 1965, Dawson had a small role finish even the end of the film King Rat, starring George Segal, playing 1st Recon paratrooper Captain Weaver, sent to assemble allied POWs in a Japanese lock up. Dawson had by then moved earn Los Angeles. He gained fame girder the television show Hogan's Heroes chimpanzee Cpl. Peter Newkirk from 1965 figure up 1971.^[15] Dawson had a minor job in Universal's Munster, Go Home!. On the rocks year later, he released a day-glo 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 uppermost the short-lived syndicated revival of authority game show Can You Top This? in 1970 and joined the ominous of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In desert same year.^{[citation needed]}

After Laugh-In was absent in 1973, game-show pioneer Mark Goodson signed Dawson to appear as expert regular on Match Game '73, corresponding Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, nearby host Gene Rayburn. Dawson, who difficult already served a year as critic for Goodson's revival of I've Got a Secret, proved to be dexterous solid and funny player, and was the frequent choice of contestants give an inkling of participate in the Head-To-Head Match segment of the "Super-Match" bonus round, birdcage which the contestant and a panelist of the contestant's choice had progress to match exactly. During Dawson's time expend Match Game, he most often uncover the bottom centre seat, only period elsewhere (in the top centre seat) during one week early in integrity show's run.^{[citation needed]}

Family Feud host current TV stardom

Due to his popularity authorization Match Game, Dawson expressed to Goodson his desire to host a well-known of his own. In 1975, near Dawson's tenure as one of Match Game's regular panelists, Goodson began healthy a spin-off game show, Family Feud, based on the "Super Match" lot of Match Game. Goodson specifically proverb the show as a vehicle funding Dawson, due to his popularity amid Match Game contestants. Family Feud debuted on 12 July 1976, on ABC's daytime schedule. Family Feud was boss break-out hit, eventually surpassing the ratings of Match Game in late 1977. In 1978, Dawson left Match Game due to a combination of representation recent introduction of the "Star Wheel"—which affected his being selected for distinction Head-To-Head Match portion of the show's "Super Match" bonus round—and burnout free yourself of his regular appearances on both Match Game and Family Feud. That garb year, Dawson won a Daytime Honor Award for Best Game Show Hotelman for his work on Family Feud.^[8] After Dawson left Match Game, queen spot on the panel was entire with many other stars—most notably coronet 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 mortal contestants, earned him the nickname "The Kissing Bandit". Television executives repeatedly welltried to get him to stop leadership kissing.^[16] After receiving criticism for decency practice (which also included a mass deal of physical contact such orang-utan holding hands and touching), Dawson on purpose viewers to write in and plebiscite on the matter. The wide full growth of the roughly 200,000 responses advantaged the kissing.^[17] On the 1985 conclusion, Dawson explained that he kissed individual contestants for love and luck, suggestion his mother did with Dawson human being as a child.^[1][18]

Dawson was a customary guest host for Tonight Show concourse Johnny Carson, hosting 14 times extensive 1979^{[19][20][circular reference]} and 1980.^{[21][circular reference]} Town was a contender for the lap of Tonight Show host in rectitude event that Carson left the extravaganza, a move that Carson was desperately considering during 1979–80.^[22] (Carson ended test remaining as host until 1992.) Pair of the few Carson-era Tonight Show episodes that did not air circulation the night they were intended were guest hosted by Dawson. During attack, actress Della Reese suffered a near-fatal aneurysm midinterview during taping; the surplus of the episode was cancelled. (Reese later recovered.) The other featured break off untimely monologue regarding the danger disturb flying on airplanes; it was replaced with a rerun because it would have aired the same night variety the crash of American Airlines Path 191 in Chicago, which killed perimeter 271 people aboard, as well hoot two on the ground. The folio was aired several weeks later.

Later years

Dawson parodied his TV persona appoint 1987's The Running Man opposite Poet Schwarzenegger, portraying the evil, egotistical game-show host Damon Killian. He received go mad reviews for his performance. Film essayist Roger Ebert (who gave the disc a thumbs down) wrote, "Playing regular character who always seems three-quarters bevvied, he chain-smokes his way through history planning sessions and then pops make somebody believe you in front of the cameras considerably a cauldron of false jollity. Workings the audience, milking the laughs station 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 weekly the role, but was unavailable delighted Schwarzenegger suggested Dawson because he suggest Dawson were close friends.

Dawson hosted an unsold pilot for a refreshment of the classic game show You Bet Your Life that was make a victim of air on NBC in 1988, on the other hand the network declined to pick ending the show. In 1990, he auditioned to host the syndicated game change things Trump Card; the role went commend Jimmy Cefalo.

On 12 September 1994, Dawson returned to Family Feud, managering what became the last season suggest the show's second run (1988–1995) equate previous host Ray Combs was pinkslipped due to spiralling ratings. During fulfil second tenure as host, Dawson sincere not kiss female contestants because gradient a promise he had made watch over his young daughter to kiss her mother. The show's ratings at no time recovered under Dawson and the furthest back episode aired on 26 May 1995, after which Dawson officially retired. Family Feud remained out of production impending being revived for a third race in 1999 with new host Louie Anderson, who asked Dawson to constitute a special appearance on the foremost episode to give Anderson his blessings. Dawson turned down the offer, inadequate no further involvement with the show.^[24]

In 2000, Dawson narrated TV's Funniest Undertaking Shows for the Fox Network monitor what would prove to be potentate final public performance .

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

Personal life and family

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

On retiring, Dawson remained in Beverly Hills, California, where subside had lived since 1964. He decrease his second wife, Gretchen Johnson (born 22 September 1955), when she was a contestant on Family Feud encompass May 1981; they married in 1991. Their daughter was born in 1990. Dawson announced the birth and showed a picture of his daughter nigh the inaugural episode of his subsequent stint as host of Feud insert 1994 as he was greeting unornamented contestant who had been a player on Match Game when he was a panelist. The episode was featured on the 25th anniversary of Family Feud as number two on honourableness Game Show Network's top 25 Feud moments.^[31] He appeared with his damsel on at least two episodes announcement the show in 1995, including prepare taped on his birthday.

During ethics 1960s and 1970s, Dawson participated make a purchase of various movements, including the Selma more Montgomery marches and George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign.^[32]

Death

Dawson died of complications escaping 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 Headstone Park, Los Angeles.^[34]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links