Richard Dawson

Richard Dawson was a British-born American actor, comedian, game show host, and panelist in the United States. He was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England, on 20 November 1932 to an American father and English mother. He joined the Merchant Navy at age 14 and pursued a career in boxing. He later became a stand-up comedian known as Dickie Dawson in England. He married actress Diana Dors in 1959 and moved to the United States with her. He changed his name to Richard Dawson and began acting on the popular series Hogan's Heroes, where he played the lovable British Corporal Peter Newkirk from 1965 to 1971. He also became a regular panelist on Match Game from 1973 to 1978, where he displayed his quick wit and humor. He was best known as the original host of Family Feud from 1976 to 1985 and from 1994 to 1995, where he charmed the contestants and audiences with his trademark of kissing all the female contestants. He also appeared in several movies and TV shows, such as The Running Man, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, and The Love Boat. He divorced Dors in 1967 and married Gretchen Johnson in 1991, whom he met on Family Feud. He had three children, two from his first marriage and one from his second. He died of complications related to esophageal cancer on 2 June 2012 at the age of 79.¹²