Who’s the coolest dude in the Retrospace universe? I don't even need a second to think about it. It’s an easy one – two words: RICHARD DAWSON. Take note:
1. As a young lad, he ran away from home and joined the British Merchant Marines and became a boxer. That’s cool.
2. In the 1960’s he was married to the smoking hot Diana Dors (real name Diana FLUCK). Dawson was the man!
3. On The Match Game he always had the smartest and wittiest answers. Plus he was cool as ice, smoking a cigarette and obviously tipsy.
4. Dawson was the leading instigator (along with Debralee Scott) in the incredible Match Game 1977 School Riot. Read about it here on Retrospace.
5. He recorded psychedelic music! Notably: "Apples and Oranges" and "His Children's Parade"
6. Dawson was as smooth as 007 on the Family Feud, kissing mothers and daughters full on the lips every time. He even planted them on grandma.
7. Dawson didn’t go out on some shitty reality show or start guest starring in crap like Matlock and JAG. He retired with dignity in Beverly Hills.
As a postscript, I’ll mention that Diana Dors died with millions of pounds still in the bank. She left a cryptic code to her second husband, Alan Lake, to find the hidden loot, but he shot himself shortly after her death and so never collected. The mysterious code was then left to the Dawson family, who sent it to computer forensic experts who found it to be a Vigenère cipher. The code was cracked, but the message was found to be missing a page. The whereabouts of the fortune remains a mystery to this day. Intriguing!
1. As a young lad, he ran away from home and joined the British Merchant Marines and became a boxer. That’s cool.
2. In the 1960’s he was married to the smoking hot Diana Dors (real name Diana FLUCK). Dawson was the man!
3. On The Match Game he always had the smartest and wittiest answers. Plus he was cool as ice, smoking a cigarette and obviously tipsy.4. Dawson was the leading instigator (along with Debralee Scott) in the incredible Match Game 1977 School Riot. Read about it here on Retrospace.
5. He recorded psychedelic music! Notably: "Apples and Oranges" and "His Children's Parade"
6. Dawson was as smooth as 007 on the Family Feud, kissing mothers and daughters full on the lips every time. He even planted them on grandma.
7. Dawson didn’t go out on some shitty reality show or start guest starring in crap like Matlock and JAG. He retired with dignity in Beverly Hills.
As a postscript, I’ll mention that Diana Dors died with millions of pounds still in the bank. She left a cryptic code to her second husband, Alan Lake, to find the hidden loot, but he shot himself shortly after her death and so never collected. The mysterious code was then left to the Dawson family, who sent it to computer forensic experts who found it to be a Vigenère cipher. The code was cracked, but the message was found to be missing a page. The whereabouts of the fortune remains a mystery to this day. Intriguing!
Great post. I admire the fact he did not discriminate with his kissing on Family Feud. That would be tough. He also made watching Hogan's Heros bearable since I couldn't stand LeBeau.
ReplyDeleteLet us not forget his great contribution to Hogan's Heroes as well!
ReplyDeleteIf you look up 'smooth operator' in the dictionary, there you will see a picture of Richard Dawson. Totally cool, the man you aspire to be. He even did a good job in "The Running Man".
ReplyDeleteAs if I needed more reasons to (rightfully) believe Richard Dawson is indeed the man, you give them to me. I had no idea about Diana Dors or his recording career.
ReplyDeleteAnd did anyone read the caption at the bottom of that last photo? It says he "fuels himself on 20 cups of coffee a day." I'd say that's unofficially reason #8!
P.S. The links to his music didn't work me. Anybody else have this problem, or am I just special?
He is definitely THE MAN, sure of himself no matter what.
ReplyDeleteHe always seemed like one who did not suffer fools well.
Awesome post, and so true. Never has an actor/host/etc. been as cool and suave in every major project he's known for.
ReplyDeleteDawson was married to Diana Dors!?!
ReplyDeleteFilm Father, you are special, but the music links didn't work for me either.
Dawson by some accounts shared Bob Crane's "hobby" and, in fact, got Crane interested and even introduced him to the man who became the number one suspect in his murder. Understandably, Dickie never spoke publically of this as far as I know.
ReplyDeletewhen you first mentioned his name in this post I was like who but then you reminded that he was married to Diana Dors and then the penny dropped. Going to check out his music now.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I've tried the links both at home and at work, and they work. Perhaps you have streaming audio blocked at your work? You simply NEED to hear thse songs - they are classic!
ReplyDeleteDon't touch me, Perv!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part was when he got what was commin' to him in "The Running Man".
I get a "404 not found Please check the URL" from Angelfire.com. You've got to find a way to let me hear these songs!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to actually see a positive post on Dawson. I know a lot of people have negative views on him because of his ego but he certainly knew how to charm. And personally I like to focus on the positives of a person instead of the negatives (none of us are perfect).
ReplyDeleteCharles Manson and Ted Bundy knew how to charm too. He is a pervert that is
Deleteallowed to get away with kissing female contestants including underage girls
on the mouth. He should have been knocked out by the womens husbands that he
was brazen enough to fondle in front of . He was a self-centered no talent wannabe actor that could not ever get a job working for a living.
I just received information that... "In November 1979, Richard Dawson hosted The Playboy Roller Disco and Pajama Party (sic) on ABC With musical entertainment provided by Chuck Mangione and the Village People, most of the activity focused on Hefner and several dozen skimplily clad Playmates roller skating to disco music on the tennis courts, dancing in the mansion's great hall, and lounging by the swimming pool and grotto." - from Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteWow. This deserves further investigation!
Hope he's still alive, ha? What's he doing now? Great man! I love him!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post! He was the ultimate badass. Love everyone else's comments too.
ReplyDeleteThis egotistical pervert should have been punched out by the husbands of all of women that he was constantly kissing on the mouth. Even underage girls on the show
ReplyDeletewere his victims. He was a no-talent smart-ass that so full of himself it was ridiculous. The women were probably told that they had to allow it or they could not be on the show.He probably hangs around elementary school playgrounds and gives
out candy to get girls into his car.
You're an idiot.
DeleteThis egotistical pervert should have been punched out by the husbands of all of women that he was constantly kissing on the mouth. Even underage girls on the show
ReplyDeletewere his victims. He was a no-talent smart-ass that so full of himself it was ridiculous. The women were probably told that they had to allow it or they could not be on the show.He probably hangs around elementary school playgrounds and gives
out candy to get girls into his car.
Obviously, this Anon. is talking of themselves.
DeleteCould the admin _crush_ this troll-bait, please?
He was a god damn pervert your absolutely right
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X9r7eIP_Kg apples and oranges song by richard dawson
ReplyDeleteRIP Dawson you were wonderful and brought so many happy moments to so many dumb folks :)
ReplyDeleteThe British Merchant Marines sounds like some sort of special forces deal. In fact he Merchant Marine is just another way to say the Merchant Navy. Still pretty cool but nothing to do with any sort of Marine (in the Royal Marine, USMC sort of way)
ReplyDelete