Bummer. RIP, Mr. Dawson.
Posted on 06/03/2012 6:59:54 AM PDT by John W
Richard Dawson, the legendary host of "Family Feud," has died from complications due to esophageal cancer ... this according to his son.
Gary Dawson posted a Facebook message early this morning 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..."
Dawson hosted "Feud" from 1976-1985, and then from 1994-1995. He was also famous for being a regular on "The Match Game" and for appearing in the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger action film "The Running Man."
Dawson was married to Gretchen Johnson ... interesting fact -- he met her when she was part of a contestant family on The Feud and got hitched in 1991. Dawson was famous during the first run of the show for kissing all the female contestants -- he was known as "The Kissing Bandit." But in the second run, he kissed no one -- a promise he made to Gretchen.
Survey says.... R.I.P.
Holy Cow! Not one mention of Hogan’s Heroes!
ping
Didn't Ray Combs continue the kissing streak from where Dawson left it, once he replaced him?
Yeah I remember thinking that Family Feud gig had some pretty nice fringe benefits.
You are right! I had forgotten about that. Such a great show back in the day :)
Bummer. RIP, Mr. Dawson.
See you on the other side.
So sad to hear. RIP. There can’t be many of the Heroes left. The only one I can think of is LeBeau.
Yeah! Except for the fact that Bob Crane was a lech....it was a funny show.
Probably no one working at TMZ this morning has even heard of it. Also Match Game and movie The Running Man might have merited a mention. You’d think they’d have something prepared.
He played one of the good guys during WWII—can’t get more politically incorrect than that.
The whole article mentions “Hogan’s Heroes”. Ray Combs didn’t kiss all of them I don’t think; he committed suicide a few years back.
I was just thinking the same thing!
A long and interesting life. Sympathies to his family and friends!
One of my favorites. ‘Feud’ wasn’t the same after he retired. RIP.
That paragraph was added. I copied and pasted the entire article as it existed at first. Give them credit, they did get it filled in pretty quick.
It mentions the running game too, that’s not the entire article.
Oh... sorry hehe.
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