By Adrianna Simwa,Bayo Olupohunda,Kola Muhammed
Copyright legit
With his quick wit and unforgettable charm, Richard Dawson became a television legend. Rising from Match Game to Family Feud stardom, Dawson captured the hearts of audiences. So, who was this dynamic, eccentric game show icon? Join us in remembering Richard Dawson, from her life, career, to his death.
Key takeaways
Richard Dawson, whose birth name was Colin Lionel Emm, was born on the 20th of November 1932 and died on the 2nd of June 2012. The actor and show host was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England.His father, Arthur Emm, was born in 1897, while his mother, Josephine Lucy Emm, was born in 1903.Richard Dawson’s age at the time of his death was 79.
Profile summary
Remembering Richard Dawson
Richard Dawson was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England. He was a Scorpio, and his ethnicity was British. He became an American citizen in 1984 and resided in Beverly Hills, California, until his death.
His father, Arthur Emm, drove a van to earn a living while his mother, Josephine, was employed in a munitions factory.
The late actor had a brother named John Leslie Emm, who was five years his senior. Both he and his brother were expatriated during the Second World War to flee from the ongoing bombing of the main ports and cities in England.
Due to the wartime turmoil, he and his brother were unable to attend school regularly. Dawson reported attending classes for only about two years. He began his career in the Navy at a young age.
Career path
At only 14 years old, Dawson ran away from his family. He joined the British Merchant Navy, where he took boxing lessons. He then joined the merchant marine, where he worked for three years.
He was later discharged from the service and began working as a comedian. At the time, he used the alias DÑ–ckie Dawson. It was in his adulthood that he changed his nickname from DÑ–ckie to Richard Dawson. He legally adopted the name.
Acting career (Film roles and television shows)
Dawson made his debut in the film industry as an actor in 1962. He featured in different films and television shows. These included:
He played the role of a British soldier in the movie The Longest Day, which was released in 1962. The character was uncredited.In 1963, he was in the film Promises! Promises! On the 8th of January the same year, he appeared in the 15th episode of season 13 of The Jack Benny Program. In this show, he sat in the audience next to Jack. The audience could barely recognise him because he wore glasses and a fake moustache.In 1965, he played the character of Captain Weaver in King Rat. He had a cameo role towards the end of the film that featured George Segal. As Captain Weaver, he was sent on a mission to save the prisoners of war from a Japanese prison. After this role, the actor relocated to Los Angeles, California, to pursue his career. Between 1965 and 1971, he was cast in the show Hogan’s Heroes. He portrayed the role of Cpl. Peter Newkirk.The following year, he featured in two films. In Out of Sight, he was an Agent, while in Munster, Go Home!, he played the character of Joey.
In 1968, Dawson featured in The Devil’s Brigade as Pvt. Hugh McDonald.In 1973, he was the voice actor of Long John Silver in Treasure Island.In 1978, he was Chandler Corey in How to Pick Up Girls!In the late 1970s, the actor was often a guest host for The Tonight Show, whose regular host was Johnny Carson. As Carson faced some uncertainties, Dawson put his best foot forward to be the new host. Dawson acted as Damon Killian in the film The Running Man, which was released in 1987. The film also starred Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Music career
In 1967, Dawson had a brief stint as a musician. He released a psychedelic 45 rpm single. Apples & Oranges and His Children’s Parade were some of the songs in the release. He recorded the music under Carnation records.
Dawson is best remembered as a game show host and panelist. After Hogan’s Heroes was cancelled, the actor became a panellist on the game show Can You Top This?. This game show was cancelled in 1973. He also joined Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In as a cast member in 1970.
Other game shows that he was associated with include the following:
I’ve Got a Secret
Dawson was a panelist on the show.
Match Game ’73
Soon after the cancellation of Can You Top This?, he was signed to appear in Match Game. He appeared as a regular alongside Charles Nelson Reilly, Brett Somers, and Gene Rayburn. In the show, he proved his ability to be a funny and firm player. He often took the bottom centre seat of the panel. The contestants often chose him to participate in the “Head-To-Head Match” segment of the show. In the section, the contestant had to choose one panelist to find the exact match to the fill-in-the-blank request.
Family Feud
The excellent performance that Dawson portrayed on Match Game made him earn a game show of his own. In 1975, a spin-off game titled Family Feud was created. Dawson’s agent demanded that the production team select Dawson as the host. That was done, and the show debuted on the 12th of July 1976 on ABC.
Family Feud made Richard Dawson even more popular, and his show had ratings that surpassed those of Match Game. He exited from Match Game after the first week of the 1978-1979 season. For his exemplary hosting, Richard Dawson’s Family Feud was the recipient of the Best Game Show Host award during the Daytime Emmy Awards.
One of Dawson’s characteristic habits on the show Family Feud was kissing female contestants. From this habit, he earned the nickname, The Kissing Bandit. Television executives made efforts to stop him from kissing women, but they did not succeed. Instead, Dawson requested the viewers to vote on the issue. Of all the responses, the majority favoured his kissing habit.
How many women did he kiss? By the time he was leaving the show in 1985, it was estimated that he had kissed approximately 20,000 women. After his departure in 1985, Ray Combs succeeded him.
In 1994, Dawson returned to the show, taking over from Ray Combs. When he returned, the audience honoured him with a standing ovation. The most notable thing in the show was that he was no longer kissing women.
He said that he had made a vow to his family to stop the habit. He had promised his young daughter that he would only kiss her mother. The final episode of the show aired on the 26th of May 1995. Currently, Steve Harvey hosts Family Feud.
Other career highlights and outside work interests
In 1988, Dawson hosted the pilot of the game show You Bet Your Life. The show was set to air on NBC, but the network did not pick up the show.In 1999, Dawson got an invitation to appear on the first episode of the revised edition of Family Feud. He declined the offer, claiming that he did not want to be involved in the show anymore. He had officially retired after the season finale that aired on the 26th of May 1995.In 2000, he was the narrator of TV’s Funniest Game Show Moments on Fox.In the 1960s and 70s, Dawson was actively involved in liberal movements such as the Selma to Montgomery protests.In the 1972 presidential elections, he actively campaigned for George McGovern.He was declared the winner of the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. The award was for his performance in the sci-fi film, The Running Man.
Richard Dawson’s net worth
Dawson earned a living as a game show host and actor. Although he did not disclose his compensation, Family Feud reportedly made him one of the highest-earning television celebrities at the time. At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated to be approximately $100,000.
Richard Dawson’s salary
Richard Dawson earned an enormous salary of $2,000,000 annually in the 1980s. This was after Dawson’s manager successfully renegotiated his salary.
How many times was Richard Dawson married?
Dawson got married twice in his lifetime. Richard Dawson’s first wife was Diana Dors, a British actress. In the marriage, he and Dors bore two sons, Mark and Gary. Mark was born in 1960, while Gary was born on the 27th of June 1962. The couple divorced in 1967, and the game show host gained custody of both children. Dawson had four grandchildren at the time of his demise.
After the divorce, the famous game show host married his second wife, Gretchen Johnson. The lady was born on the 22nd of September 1955. The duo met on Family Feud in May 1981 when she was a contestant on the show. Soon after, they began a relationship that resulted in marriage. The marriage was formalised in 1991.
From the Gretchen Johnson Richard Dawson union, a daughter, Shannon Nicole Dawson, was born in 1990.
Dawson introduced his daughter to the world on the opening show of the 1994 season of Family Feud when he showed her picture. Richard Dawson’s wife, Gretchen, stayed with him until his demise. The family resided in Beverly Hills, California.
What was Richard Dawson’s cause of death?
Due to the show’s widespread fanbase, many fans have asked the question, what did Richard Dawson die of? Well, the game show host died on the 2nd of June 2012. Richard Dawson’s death was caused by oesophageal cancer. He died three weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer.
He passed away at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, where he was getting medical attention. His son, Gary, announced his demise on social media with a post that read;
“It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my father passed away this evening from complications due to esophageal cancer. He was surrounded by his family. He was an amazing talent, a loving husband, a great dad, and a doting grandfather. He will be missed but always remembered.”
Richard Dawson’s funeral
Dawson’s body was interred in Los Angeles at the Westwood Memorial Park. To honour him, GSN aired a four-hour marathon of the game show host’s best moments on both Family Feud and Match Game.
Why did Richard Dawson change his name?
It was a common place for performers to adopt stage names to create a distinct public persona.
Why did Richard Dawson kiss?
The Family Feud host explained on the 1985 finale that he kissed women for luck and love.
What was unique about Richard Dawson’s voice?
Family Feud and other American TV shows were defined by his distinctly English accent, which he consciously muted to better appeal to an American audience. Born in Gosport, England, as Colin Lionel Emm, he adopted an Americanized cadence and speech style as part of his on-screen persona.
Richard Dawson, a famous game show host who died on the 2nd of June 2012, is best remembered for being the original host of the game Family Feud. He left behind his wife, Gretchen Johnson, two sons from his first marriage, a daughter from his second marriage, and four grandchildren. Remembering Richard Dawson reminds us of the joy he brought to millions.
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