1.
Comedy Playhouse
Starring:
Directed By:
Eric Fawcett, James Gilbert, Douglas Argent, Michael Mills, Graeme Muir
British comedian, actor, presenter, and writer Leslie Dawson Jr. began his acting career on stage (1956). His first screen appearance was on TV talent show ‘Opportunity Knocks’ (1967). He was the winner of the show and later hosted the show when it was revived in 1990.
In 1968-1969 Dawson hosted few episodes of TV-series ‘International Cabaret.’ He appeared as a panelist on comedy panel show ‘Jokers Wild’ (1969-1973). Next, he starred in sketch comedy show ‘Sez Les’ (1969-1976), wherein he, along with co-star Roy Barraclough, portrayed elderly women characters ‘Ada Shufflebotham,’ and ‘Cissie Braithwaite’ respectively, earning popularity.
Dawson also appeared on some TV-series including ‘Inside George Webley,’ ‘Stars on Sunday,’ and TV-movies such as ‘Holiday with Strings’ (1974), ‘Christmas Box’ (1974), ‘Electric Cinema’ (1975), ‘Charles Dickens’ World of Christmas’ (1974) and more. He also performed on light entertainment variety show ‘The Good Old Days’ (1971-1983), appeared on TV-series ‘The Loner’ (1975), and had his own comedy-series ‘Dawson Weekly’ (1975) in which he played a down-on-luck actor.
Dawson was writer-star of the sketch comedy show ‘Dawson and Friends’ (1977) and then writer-host of the variety show ‘The Les Dawson Show’ (1978-1987) which also featured stand-up comedy and dance & music performances.
Further, Dawson was writer and star of the sketch comedies on TV-show ‘The Dawson Watch’ (1979-1980). He was presenter of the comedy quiz game show ‘Blankety Blank’ (1984-1990) and was co-host of 1987 TV-special of Prince Edward’s charity event ‘The Grand Knockout Tournament.’
In the anthology TV-series ‘Performance’ Dawson starred as a centenarian lady in production of classic ‘Nona’ (1991). He also appeared in biographical TV documentary-series ‘This is Your Life’ (1971, 1992) and TV-series ‘Demob’ (1993). In 1991, he hosted short-lived game show ‘Fast Friends.’
Dawson’s performance on the light entertainment TV-show ‘Surprise Surprise’ (1993) was his last screen appearance.
