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The Trials and Triumphs of Les Dawson
The first ever narrative biography of a towering figure in British comedy
Les Dawson, more than any other comedian, spoke for the phlegmatic, pessimistic British way of life. A Northern lad who climbed out of the slums thanks to an uncommonly brilliant mind, he was always the underdog, but his bark was funnier and more incisive than many comics who claimed to bite. Married twice in real life, he had a third wife in his comic world—a fictional ogre built from spare parts left by fleeing Nazis at the end of World War II—and an equally frightening mother-in-law. He was down to earth, yet given to eloquent, absurd flights of fancy. He was endlessly generous with his time, but slow to buy a round of drinks. He was a mass of contradictions. In short, he was human, he was genuine, and that's why audiences loved him. This is his story.
Les Dawson, more than any other comedian, spoke for the phlegmatic, pessimistic British way of life. A Northern lad who climbed out of the slums thanks to an uncommonly brilliant mind, he was always the underdog, but his bark was funnier and more incisive than many comics who claimed to bite. Married twice in real life, he had a third wife in his comic world—a fictional ogre built from spare parts left by fleeing Nazis at the end of World War II—and an equally frightening mother-in-law. He was down to earth, yet given to eloquent, absurd flights of fancy. He was endlessly generous with his time, but slow to buy a round of drinks. He was a mass of contradictions. In short, he was human, he was genuine, and that's why audiences loved him. This is his story.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 22, 2012
I was amazed to find that this was the first biography of Les Dawson, one of the most iconic figures of British television in the '70s and '80s. It's very good too, and certainly puts Dawson across as a hugely likeable as well as hugely talented man.
His approach to comedy was certainly unique; peppering his routines at northern working mens' clubs with quotations from classic literary works and employing his love of words to great effect with rambling, deliberately overblown monologues. I don't think this a technique is due for a renaissance in the near future.
Dawson found fame at a relatively late age, and despite a large part of his career taking place during decidedly un-PC times is lauded for his portrayal of women as strong minded and independent characters - he was always the butt of his legendary mother in law jokes, for example. You'd have to be very hard-hearted to level serious charges of sexism against him. Of interest is the ill feeling between him and Bernard Manning, who regarded Dawson (somewhat hilariously) as fey and over intellectual. Dawson in turn regarded Manning as lowbrow and racist, and anyone with a working knowledge of British comedy will be able to work out who's winning there.
Let's not get bogged down in this issue of what was acceptable in the seventies v what is acceptable today, though. This is a marvelous and scandalously overdue book, full of detail about Dawson's incredible output - he was a prolific ghostwriter and not adverse to dashing out a novel when the mood took him - and portrays him as the kind, funny and vastly intelligent man we all suspected he was.
His approach to comedy was certainly unique; peppering his routines at northern working mens' clubs with quotations from classic literary works and employing his love of words to great effect with rambling, deliberately overblown monologues. I don't think this a technique is due for a renaissance in the near future.
Dawson found fame at a relatively late age, and despite a large part of his career taking place during decidedly un-PC times is lauded for his portrayal of women as strong minded and independent characters - he was always the butt of his legendary mother in law jokes, for example. You'd have to be very hard-hearted to level serious charges of sexism against him. Of interest is the ill feeling between him and Bernard Manning, who regarded Dawson (somewhat hilariously) as fey and over intellectual. Dawson in turn regarded Manning as lowbrow and racist, and anyone with a working knowledge of British comedy will be able to work out who's winning there.
Let's not get bogged down in this issue of what was acceptable in the seventies v what is acceptable today, though. This is a marvelous and scandalously overdue book, full of detail about Dawson's incredible output - he was a prolific ghostwriter and not adverse to dashing out a novel when the mood took him - and portrays him as the kind, funny and vastly intelligent man we all suspected he was.
September 2, 2016
Decent enough biography of a very funny man.
February 24, 2012
Detailed, entertaining and informative. AND it has qute a few good gags!!
February 6, 2014
Comprehensive well-written tribute to the great comedian.
March 20, 2025
Very interesting read but sometimes goes into too much detail about the books Les wrote
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews