Les Dawson

A celebration of the comedian’s career that includes tales about shaggy dogs, vintage sketches, and his partnerships with famous people like Roy Barraclough, Shirley Bassey, and John Cleese.

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Through previously unseen footage and clips, we reveal a very different side to the late comedian Les Dawson's public persona and discover the real Les away from the spotlight.

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The history of British comedy from the 1970s to today, showing how the work of Reeves and Mortimer provided a link between old-style acts such as Bernard Manning and modern phenomena like Little Britain.

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Les Dawson made the mother-in-law joke his stock-in-trade, but this master of stand-up comedy would play his audience with a rich array of comic talents. His deadpan "northern" delivery, a rubber-like miserable face (which he himself described as resembling "a sack of spanners"), his fishwife impersonations, comic monologues and a unique talent for just-off-key piano playing would leave them screaming for more. His sour, downturned grin, his cheeky flash of the eyes and an audience in uncontrollable hysterics are among the memories gleaned here as Les comperes Blankety Blank and Opportunity Knocks and displays his full range of comic talents in The Les Dawson Show.

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British production of Argentinan Roberto Cossa's play, set in Argentina in 1982. Nona is an elderly woman who is causing a drain on the resources of her entire family, with her constant craving for food and demands, which everybody indulges, in spite of falling into prostitution and bankruptcy. Her two grandsons hit on the idea of marrying her off to an elderly man who runs a tobacconists and sweet kiosk, however, the latter believes that Chico is trying to hitch him up with the beautiful young Marta.

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Pebble Mill was a re-launched version of the 1970s daily chat show Pebble Mill (also known as Pebble Mill At One for a while) which aired on BBC1 in the United Kingdom. The series premiered on October 14, 1991. The show was a mixture of celebrity guests and music. Alan Titchmarsh was a presenter on the show throughout it's complete run. Other presenters included Judi Spiers, Gloria Hunniford and Ross King.

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An anthology series of various plays and dramatic performances.

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Fast Friends is a short lived game show that aired for one series on BBC One in 1991. Hosted by Les Dawson, it was an adaptation of an unsold pilot produced for US television in 1984 by Jay Wolpert.

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Going Live! was a Saturday morning magazine show, broadcast on BBC1 between 1987 and 1993. It was presented by Phillip Schofield and Sarah Greene. Other presenters included Trevor and Simon, Peter Simon, Emma Forbes, and puppet Gordon the Gopher. The show was broadcast during the autumn to spring seasons, with other shows such as the 8:15 from Manchester and Parallel 9 taking over during the summer months. It was preceded by Saturday Superstore, and succeeded by Live & Kicking. In 1988, when the second series started, Greene was hurt in a helicopter crash with her then boyfriend, Mike Smith. Guest presenters stood in for her including T'Pau's Carol Decker. Similarly, in 1992-93 during the final series, Schofield was starring in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and was unable to present the show. A third presenter took his place. Originally, Neighbours actor Kristian Schmid took the role but soon left after problems with his work permit. Various other celebrities to stand in included Shane Richie and Robbie Williams during his Take That days.

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The Grand Knockout Tournament (colloquially also known as It's a Royal Knockout) was a one-off charity event which was shown on British television on 19 June 1987. It followed the format of It's a Knockout, a slapstick TV gameshow which was broadcast in the UK until 1982. The event was staged on the lakeside lawn of the Alton Towers stately home-cum-theme park.

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Presented by Mike Smith Stars in the spotlight, personalities at play, and famous faces in unexpected places. Sarah Greene, Jan Ravens, and Tom Brook report the show-business events of the week.

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Skits from: "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin"; "The Les Dawson Show"; "Yes Minister"; "Only Fools and Horses"; "Three of a Kind"; "Last of the Summer Wine"; "Sorry!"; "Butterflies"; "Smith and Jones"; and "Open All Hours".

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Chat show hosted by Terry Wogan, featuring live studio interviews with famous and notable personalities.

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A BBC light entertainment holiday series, following on from the success of their Seaside Special shows, featuring comedy, music and variety guest stars.

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Comedy show set in its own headquarters from which it offers advice, via Les, to the general public on numerous topics including; entertainment, the environment, love and marriage, the media, health, crime, education and much more.

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Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1979 Australian game show Blankety Blanks. The British version ran from 18 January 1979 to 12 March 1990 on BBC One, hosted first by Terry Wogan and later by Les Dawson. Regular members of the celebrity panel on this version included Kenny Everett, Lorraine Chase, Gareth Hunt, Gary Davies, and Cheryl Baker. A revival fronted by Lily Savage was produced by the BBC from 26 December 1997 to 28 December 1999, followed by ITV from 7 January 2001 to 10 August 2002. This version was produced by Grundy, then Thames.

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A variety show featuring sketch and stand-up comedy as well as guest appearances, dance numbers and musical performances.

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An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.

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Four hour-long comedy specials with a variety of sketches, songs and stand-up routines.

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A BBC light entertainment show broadcast from 1975 to 1979, filmed in a big top at various British seaside resorts. Originally the big top belonged to various circuses, but in later seasons, the BBC bought its own to be the venue. The programme was developed by producer Michael Hurll.

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Les Dawson puts his innate comic ability to excellent use as the hapless protagonist in this series of comedy plays made by ITV company Yorkshire Television. The series is written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Supporting actors include Roy Barraclough and a wealth of special guests.

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A comedy set in the 1920s with Les Dawson (as his own grandfather) and family running a flea-pit cinema.

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A seasonal offering from one of Britain’s most missed comics first seen in 1974 featuring sketches, songs, music and dancing.

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Les Dawson invites some familiar friends to join him in this one off special in which he performs sketches and musical numbers. Watch out for a rare clip of Les actually playing the piano properly.

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Classic sitcom starring Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques as brother and sister twins who have to tackle the trials and tribulations of suburban life.

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Sez Les was a British comedy sketch show that starred Les Dawson, produced by Yorkshire Television, airing on ITV from 1969 to 1976. Roy Barraclough also joined from series four and would go on to become Dawson's most recognisable sidekick. The two most notably appeared together in drag as characters Cissie and Ada. John Cleese, who had quit the Monty Python team's television series, was also present from 1974 in two complete seasons. Other cast members included Norman Chappell, Brian Glover, Brian Murphy and Kathy Staff. Music was provided by Syd Lawrence and his orchestra.

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A mostly live weekly entertainment show starring Cilla Black and her special guests.

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A radio, and later television, talent show originally hosted by Hughie Green, with a late-1980s revival hosted by Bob Monkhouse, and later by previous winner Les Dawson.

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Comedy show set in its own headquarters from which it offers advice, via Les, to the general public on numerous topics including; entertainment, the environment, love and marriage, the media, health, crime, education and much more.

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Four hour-long comedy specials with a variety of sketches, songs and stand-up routines.

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A seasonal offering from one of Britain’s most missed comics first seen in 1974 featuring sketches, songs, music and dancing.

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