Richard Dawson

Richard Dawson, born Colin Lionel Emm on November 20, 1932, in Gosport, Hampshire, England, was a British actor and comedian. His parents had different nationalities; his father was American and his mother was British. He experienced the disruption of World War II, being evacuated from his home along with his brother. Limited by the war, he attended school regularly for only two years. Dawson passed away on June 2, 2012.

During this time, he earned almost $5,000. He performed comedy routines in London under the stage name 'Dickie Dawson' and later legally changed his name to Richard Dawson. His early television appearances included a spot on Benny Hill Showcase in June 1954 and several BBC Radio programs in 1954. He appeared on ‘A to Z: D’ with Diana Dors in 1958, and made four appearances on ‘Juke Box Jury’ between 1958 and 1959, three alongside Diana Dors. He married Diana Dors in the late 1950s; they had two sons and divorced in 1967.

In September 1961, Dawson moved to the United States. He also appeared in the film King Rat in 1965 and The Devil’s Brigade in 1968. He released a single in 1969 with songs ‘His Children’s Parade’ and ‘Apples & Oranges.’ He was a panelist on Can You Top This? in 1970, and later appeared on Match Game from 1973 to 1978. Dawson hosted Family Feud from 1976 to 1985 and again from 1994 to 1995, becoming known as 'The Kissing Bandit,' 'Dickie,' and 'Kissyface' for his habit of kissing female contestants.