Les Dawson

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Les Dawson — Life, Comedy, and Memorable Quotes

Learn about Les Dawson (1931–1993), one of Britain’s most beloved comedians. Explore his early life, deadpan style, career highlights, persona, and unforgettable quips.

Introduction

Leslie “Les” Dawson (2 February 1931 – 10 June 1993) was a British comedian famed for his dry, curmudgeonly persona, martial arts-style piano gags, and uncompromising wit. Blending working-class humor, musical mischief, and masterful timing, Dawson became a staple of British television, radio, and variety for decades. His influence persists through reruns, tributes, and a comedy legacy of clever understatement.

Early Life and Family

Les Dawson was born in Collyhurst, Manchester, England, as the only child of a bricklayer father, Leslie Dawson Sr., and a mother, Julia Nolan (of Irish descent) Bury Times .

He left school early and took up various jobs, including electrician training, before discovering or refining his musical talent, particularly piano playing, as a route into entertainment .

According to stories, he once worked as a pianist in a Paris bar (or brothel) early in his career—this job sharpened his ability to deliberately play “bad piano” as part of his comedic act.

Personality, Style & Early Development

Dawson’s comic persona was built on a contrast between urbane presentation and deliberately grumpy, self-deprecating humor. He cultivated a “curmudgeonly northerner” image: slow, dry, raspy, mocking, yet affectionate in tone.

His musical comedy was central to his act. He would begin by playing a classical or recognizable tune properly, then intersperse “wrong notes” as if unaware of the mistake—his "bad piano" routine became a signature.

One of his best-known acts involved the characters Cissie and Ada, two Northern housewives gossiping in drag (played by Dawson and Roy Barraclough). Their style included “mee-mawing”—miming risqué words while having the partner voice them—drawn from a northern working-class habit of mouthing words over noisy looms.

As a comedian, Dawson often used jokes about mother-in-laws, his wife, and everyday life. His humor was observational, sometimes sharp, but with a working-class warmth.

He also had a literary bent: he admired essayists and literary figures (e.g., Charles Lamb), and sometimes kept poetry hidden early in life.

Career Trajectory & Highlights

Breakthrough & Television

Les Dawson rose to national recognition in 1967 via the talent show Opportunity Knocks . His television career expanded from there.

He starred in the ITV sketch show Sez Les from 1969 to 1976, which helped him cement his reputation for sketches, monologues, and characters.

In 1975, Dawson’s Weekly—a series of comedic plays written by Galton & Simpson—aired on ITV.

Later, moving to the BBC, he hosted The Les Dawson Show (1978–1989), a variety show combining sketches, stand-up monologues, guest acts, and musical interludes.

From 1984, he presented the game show Blankety Blank, putting his comedic spin on the format and often poking fun at the show’s low-value prizes.

Over his career, he also appeared in radio shows (for example, Listen to Les on BBC Radio 2 from 1974 to 1985) The Loner (1975) .

Later Years & Death

In 1986, his first wife Margaret died of cancer. After that, he publicly declared he would stop using "wife jokes" in his act.

Dawson’s health declined in later years: he suffered heart attacks and other issues. He died suddenly on 10 June 1993, at age 62, after a heart attack during treatment for a heart complaint in Manchester. Demob (ITV) which aired posthumously.

Legacy & Influence

Comedy Icon: Dawson is remembered as one of Britain’s comedic legends—his style, characters, and routines remain beloved in retrospectives and replays.
Statue in Lancashire: In 2008, a bronze statue was unveiled in St. Anne's-on-Sea (near where he lived) in his honor.
Reruns & Tributes: Various TV specials, retrospectives, and tribute programmes celebrate his work (e.g. The Many Faces of Les Dawson)
“Comedians’ Comedian”: Among peers and comic historians, he ranks high for craftsmanship, cleverness, and timing. In a survey of comedians, he was placed 37th in a list of top comics.
Writings & Books: Dawson published memoirs, joke books, novels, and essays (e.g. A Clown Too Many, No Tears for the Clown)

Famous Quotes & Quips

Here are a few characteristic Les Dawson lines (or jokes) that reflect his style:

“The mother-in-law came round last week. It was absolutely pouring down. So I opened the door and I saw her there and I said, ‘Mother, don’t just stand there in the rain. Go home.’”
“My neighbour said, ‘Are you going to help?’ I said, ‘No — six should be enough.’” (about men attacking a mother-in-law)
(He once joked in a long-winded poetic setting) “I must put a roof on this toilet.”
In his piano gag style: he would tell audiences to sing along, then play the accompaniment “badly,” delighting in the wrong notes.

Because Dawson’s humour often came in monologue form or topical sketches, many of his funniest lines are in situ (on TV or stage) rather than in quote-books.

Lessons & Takeaways

Mastery of contrast: He often juxtaposed refined form (classical music, elegant delivery) with blunt, sarcastic content.
Comedic restraint: He rarely shouted or carried on loudly; his strength lay in pacing, timing, minimalism, and facial control.
Working-class roots: He remained anchored in his Northern, working-class identity, using everyday life as his comedic soil.
Self-deprecation & universality: He could mock himself, his wife, or in-laws in ways that many recognized without cruelty.
Versatility: He was not just a stand-up — he sang, played piano, acted, wrote, hosted game shows, and created characters.
Humor under pressure: Even amid personal loss, health issues, and public expectations, he continued working, redefining parts of his act (e.g. dropping wife jokes after his wife’s death).