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No Tears for the Clown: An Autobiography
Les Dawson (1931-1993) was a popular English comedian who had a fantastically successful career across radio and television. His shows included the eponymous The Dawson Watch, The Les Dawson Show and Dawson's Weekly, as well as - of course - the quiz show Blankety Blank. He was included in The Comedian's Comedian, a 2005 Channel 4 documentary, which listed the top 50 comedians of all time, as voted for by fellow comedians and showbiz insiders. This is his autobiography.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1992
62 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Les Dawson
22 books5 followersLes Dawson (2 February 1931 – 10 June 1993) was a popular English comedian, remembered for his deadpan style, curmudgeonly persona and jokes about his mother-in-law and wife.
Raised in the Collyhurst district of Manchester, Dawson began his entertainment career as a pianist in a Parisian brothel (according to his entertaining but factually unreliable autobiography). As a club pianist ("I finally heard some applause from a bald man and said 'thank you for clapping me' and he said 'I'm not clapping - I'm slapping me head to keep awake'"), he was to find that 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.
Dawson wrote many novels but was always regarded solely as an entertainer in the public imagination, and this saddened him. He told his second wife, Tracey, "Always remind them - I was a writer too".
Having broken his jaw in a boxing match, Dawson was able to pull grotesque faces by pulling his jaw over his upper lip. This incident is described in the first volume of Dawson's autobiography A Clown Too Many.
Raised in the Collyhurst district of Manchester, Dawson began his entertainment career as a pianist in a Parisian brothel (according to his entertaining but factually unreliable autobiography). As a club pianist ("I finally heard some applause from a bald man and said 'thank you for clapping me' and he said 'I'm not clapping - I'm slapping me head to keep awake'"), he was to find that 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.
Dawson wrote many novels but was always regarded solely as an entertainer in the public imagination, and this saddened him. He told his second wife, Tracey, "Always remind them - I was a writer too".
Having broken his jaw in a boxing match, Dawson was able to pull grotesque faces by pulling his jaw over his upper lip. This incident is described in the first volume of Dawson's autobiography A Clown Too Many.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 22, 2016
I liked reading this one. Takes me back to the good old days.
I remember Les dressing up as a woman. His shows made me laugh on TV. Very funny man.
That comes across in the book but in this book you saw he loved his family.
He didn't like leaving his family to go on the road working but he loved being a comedian.
His family stood by him.
It opened another human insight to him.
I remember Les dressing up as a woman. His shows made me laugh on TV. Very funny man.
That comes across in the book but in this book you saw he loved his family.
He didn't like leaving his family to go on the road working but he loved being a comedian.
His family stood by him.
It opened another human insight to him.
April 3, 2018
No laughs for the reader.
As a child I remember watching Les Dawson on Blankety Blank and other shows, and finding him funny. Unfortunately when I rewatch those shows I don't laugh as much, maybe it's me or maybe he wasn't as good as I remembered. After reading this (I think his second autobiography) I know it's the latter. It's a very ponderous book that seems to have been written in order to fulfill a book deal, or even, just for the money. It plods on telling you certain aspects of Les' life but you feel he's not telling you all the facts. He's telling you things that sometimes are too frivolous and other things which seem heartbreaking but have no depth to them.
I felt disappointed by it and would only recommend it to die hard fans.
As a child I remember watching Les Dawson on Blankety Blank and other shows, and finding him funny. Unfortunately when I rewatch those shows I don't laugh as much, maybe it's me or maybe he wasn't as good as I remembered. After reading this (I think his second autobiography) I know it's the latter. It's a very ponderous book that seems to have been written in order to fulfill a book deal, or even, just for the money. It plods on telling you certain aspects of Les' life but you feel he's not telling you all the facts. He's telling you things that sometimes are too frivolous and other things which seem heartbreaking but have no depth to them.
I felt disappointed by it and would only recommend it to die hard fans.
July 28, 2021
Enjoy the Master Comic
I had the pleasure of meeting Les in 1985 outside the BBC in Oxford Rd Manchester. He was awaiting a drive to take him home to St Anne's were Meg had asked him to put up new pelmets. He was just back from London doing Blankety Blank and was visibly tired. He was though, as ever, a perfect gentleman and was happy to chat until his lift arrived. He was a fabulous chap and I will never ever forget those few special moments. Those who saw him perform will love this book. You can't help but hear his voice throughout. In this book he has given us many laughs and many honest memories of a guy that worked hard for his family and stayed well grounded all his life. Bless you Les! RIP my friend.
I had the pleasure of meeting Les in 1985 outside the BBC in Oxford Rd Manchester. He was awaiting a drive to take him home to St Anne's were Meg had asked him to put up new pelmets. He was just back from London doing Blankety Blank and was visibly tired. He was though, as ever, a perfect gentleman and was happy to chat until his lift arrived. He was a fabulous chap and I will never ever forget those few special moments. Those who saw him perform will love this book. You can't help but hear his voice throughout. In this book he has given us many laughs and many honest memories of a guy that worked hard for his family and stayed well grounded all his life. Bless you Les! RIP my friend.
September 7, 2019
I really enjoyed this book
He was a funny man and he comes alive again on the page. Interesting to read things from his perspective after reading the biography written by someone else.
He was a funny man and he comes alive again on the page. Interesting to read things from his perspective after reading the biography written by someone else.
June 22, 2022
Funny but sad 🙁
Lovely that Les found happiness again with Tracey
after losing his wife Meg. Such a shame he didn't see his little girl grow up. Les Dawson, one of my favourite all time comedians.
Lovely that Les found happiness again with Tracey
after losing his wife Meg. Such a shame he didn't see his little girl grow up. Les Dawson, one of my favourite all time comedians.
October 12, 2022
The one an only les Dawson clown extrodinaire
Enjoyed les Dawson on the TV in my youth. He was one of a list of comedians from the 70s and 80s. This book brought it all back for me
Great TV in much simpler times a good nostalgic and entertaining read. First class.
Enjoyed les Dawson on the TV in my youth. He was one of a list of comedians from the 70s and 80s. This book brought it all back for me
Great TV in much simpler times a good nostalgic and entertaining read. First class.
March 9, 2022
Brilliant
Funny, yet sad. Full of Les's humour. I grew up listening and watching this great comedian. Full of positivity yet full of sadness too.
Funny, yet sad. Full of Les's humour. I grew up listening and watching this great comedian. Full of positivity yet full of sadness too.
September 20, 2022
Just great from a great man
He’s great but normal too! A really honest read from Mr Dawson, who deserved his fame completely in my opinion
He’s great but normal too! A really honest read from Mr Dawson, who deserved his fame completely in my opinion
July 30, 2024
Fantastic read, bought back a lot of fantastic childhood memories of watching Les Dawson on TV and lots of giggles too.
May 17, 2025
Always Funny
Very good. Always liked les. And watched through the years. Glad to have always known the comedians are from the North.
Very good. Always liked les. And watched through the years. Glad to have always known the comedians are from the North.
January 9, 2014
A wonderful book that really shows how little we knew of Les Dawson.
His act was only a small part of a very passionate and intelligent man. He truly cared and was loved by millions.
His character and soul is still very much alive and you can sense the true personality in his style of writing.
A very thoughtful , genuine and caring person who did not so much hide his intellect but chose to use it to entertain everyone. He saw the good in every person and cared nothing for competition. He just made people laugh without it causing harm to anyone.
This book is very worthy in its own right. It's not a book that was just for the money. Far from it; it's a very honest book which at times is difficult to read. Fashion changes but Les Dawson had nothing to prove.
Give it a try and try not to compare. It will hopefully make you smile for many reasons.
His act was only a small part of a very passionate and intelligent man. He truly cared and was loved by millions.
His character and soul is still very much alive and you can sense the true personality in his style of writing.
A very thoughtful , genuine and caring person who did not so much hide his intellect but chose to use it to entertain everyone. He saw the good in every person and cared nothing for competition. He just made people laugh without it causing harm to anyone.
This book is very worthy in its own right. It's not a book that was just for the money. Far from it; it's a very honest book which at times is difficult to read. Fashion changes but Les Dawson had nothing to prove.
Give it a try and try not to compare. It will hopefully make you smile for many reasons.
February 27, 2014
Usually autobiography style books bore me but this one was funny and interesting.
June 12, 2015
A fantastic book ,a great look into his life
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews