Les Dawson

Leslie "Les" Dawson, Jr. (2 February 1931 – 10 June 1993) was an English comedian, actor, writer, and presenter, who is best remembered for deadpan style, curmudgeonly persona and jokes about his mother-in-law and wife.

Early life

Les Dawson was born in Collyhurst, Manchester, to Leslie Dawson, Sr. and Julia Nolan, who was of Irish descent. His first job was in the parcels department of the Manchester Co-op. He worked briefly as a journalist on the Bury Times.

Career

Dawson claimed in his entertaining but unreliable autobiography that he began entertaining as a pianist in a Parisian brothel. Making a living as a pianist evolved into comedy when he got laughs by playing wrong notes and complaining to the audience. He made his television debut on the talent show Opportunity Knocks in 1967 and became a prominent comic on British television for the rest of his life.

His characteristic routines featured Roy Barraclough and Dawson as elderly women, Cissie Braithwaite and Ada Shufflebotham. Cissie had pretensions of refinement and corrected Ada's malapropisms or vulgar expressions. As authentic characters of their day, they spoke some words aloud but mouthed others, particularly those pertaining to bodily functions and sex. The characters were based on those Les Dawson knew in real life. He explained that this mouthing of words (or "mee-mawing") was a habit of Lancashire millworkers trying to communicate over the racket of looms, then resorted to in daily life for indelicate subjects. To further portray the reality of northern, working class women, Cissie and Ada would sit with folded arms, occasionally adjusting their bosoms by a hoist of the forearms. Many Cissie and Ada sketches were written by Terry Ravenscroft. This was also typical of pantomime dame style, an act copied from his hero, Norman Evans and his act Over the Garden Wall.

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Latest News for: les dawson

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Charlotte Dawson jokes her baby daughter Gigi is 'milking her dry' while breastfeeding as she ...

The Daily Mail 18 Mar 2025

Earlier this month, the reality star, 32, who is the daughter of legendary comedian Les Dawson, welcomed a much longed-for baby girl with her fiancé Matthew Sarsfield.

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Charlotte Dawson poses in lavish pink-themed photoshoot as she celebrates one week since the arrival ...

The Daily Mail 17 Mar 2025

Charlotte Dawson posed ... Earlier this month, the reality star, 32, who is the daughter of legendary comedian Les Dawson, welcomed her daughter Gigi Dawson Sarsfield, with her fiancé Matthew Sarsfield.

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Daniel ‘Dolphin Danny’ Clyde Roy

Bitterroot Star 12 Mar 2025

... her sons Jorden and Dawson and daughter Ophelia of MN, Lilly (Terry) Brown and her children Danielle Friend of Arlington and Mark (Natalie) Friend of Springtown, TX, and Lorri (Ethan) Roy of Hamilton.

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Has Prince Edward finally recovered from the disaster of It's A Royal Knockout? As he ...

The Daily Mail 10 Mar 2025

Perhaps because he is the baby of the Windsor family, Prince Edward has usually remained in the shadow of his older siblings ... The three presenters of It's A Royal Knockout were Stuart Hall plus Comedian Les Dawson and actress Su Pollard ... ... Read More ... .

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Charlotte Dawson reveals her newborn daughter's adorable name and gushes she's 'dreamt of this moment ...

The Daily Mail 09 Mar 2025

Sharing a string of heartwarming photos of the couple cuddling their newborn daughter, she revealed they had named her Gigi Dawson Sarsfield ... The engagement took place in front of a statue of her famous father, Les Dawson, in Lytham, Lancashire.

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Charlotte Dawson looks on cloud nine as she and fiancé Matthew Sarsfield are seen heading home ...

The Daily Mail 09 Mar 2025

Charlotte Dawson and her fiancé Matthew Sarsfield were all smiles on ... The engagement took place in front of a statue of her famous father, Les Dawson, in Lytham, Lancashire. InstagramCharlotte Dawson.

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Charlotte Dawson gives birth to a baby girl! Reality star welcomes her third child with fiancé ...

The Daily Mail 08 Mar 2025

Charlotte Dawson has welcomed her third child with her fiancé Matthew Sarsfield ... The engagement took place in front of a statue of her dad, Les Dawson, in Lytham, Lancashire. Charlotte Dawson.

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The Lion & Albert and Other Marriott Monologues

Born: 1931-02-02

Died: 1993-06-10

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Latest News for: les dawson

Charlotte Dawson jokes her baby daughter Gigi is 'milking her dry' while breastfeeding as she ...

Charlotte Dawson poses in lavish pink-themed photoshoot as she celebrates one week since the arrival ...

Daniel ‘Dolphin Danny’ Clyde Roy

Has Prince Edward finally recovered from the disaster of It's A Royal Knockout? As he ...

Charlotte Dawson reveals her newborn daughter's adorable name and gushes she's 'dreamt of this moment ...

Charlotte Dawson looks on cloud nine as she and fiancé Matthew Sarsfield are seen heading home ...

Charlotte Dawson gives birth to a baby girl! Reality star welcomes her third child with fiancé ...

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