Les Dawson

[mikey4444]

I have just been listening to " Listen with Les" on Radio 4 extra. He always cracks me up ! Tonight, in the Cissy and Ada sketch, with Roy Barraclough, Cissy was telling Ada that she was dead common. Ada replied that she couldn't help it, as she had been born very poor. She was a twin and she could only go to school every other day, as they only had one pair of knickers between them.

"Hang on" said Cissy, "I remember you and your twin playing hockey in the same team...how did you manage with only pair of knickers then ? "

" Just prayed it wasn't windy that day ! " Ada replied.

I miss Les so much. He was talented in all sorts of ways. Like many comedians, he was also a good straight actor, although had little opportunity to show it.

[B00]

I loved Les Dawson! His piano playing used to crease me up :-)

[tonyav]

Apparently it takes a lot of skill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nNGlaiVypU

[frugalfred]

If you are a musician, it's very difficult to play as Les did. I've tried it, with no success. He was brilliant, a great observer of people's idiosyncrasies,

[Gavmacp]

My parents took us and grandmother to Blackpool for a holiday. Gran was dying of cancer but did not really know. Les was drinking in the hotel we were staying in. My mother mentioned my Gran and the situation. He spent the whole evening with her being Les and completely made my grans night! A true gentleman!!!

[pixie373]

It is very difficult to do that. Funny though.

[askyourgran]

It's a shame there are no comedians like him today.

[mikey4444]

Boo....Look out for him on Radio 4 Extra. This channel is a treasure trove of all that was and still is, best in British comedy.

For some one of my age, 61, programs like The Clitheroe Kid, Round the Horn, the Navy Lark, etc are pure gold and are as funny now as they were all those years ago.

Not sure how I managed without Radio 4 Extra !

[jourdain2]

He was just brilliant1 Echo mikey's recommendation of Radio 4 Extra.

[jourdain2]

He was just brilliant! Echo mikey's recommendation of Radio 4 Extra.

[tonyav]

You certainly managed the Echo, jourdain ;-)

[Captain2]

Mikey - same age, same likes (although wasn't keen on Clitheroe Kid). I have Radio4 Extra on most evenings between 10 and 12.

[jourdain2]

i am no good at technology tony av! Quite accept that - others will have to up with me put. I honestly thought I'd managed to do a correction! :) (Just learned to do that - proud.)

[carrust]

I knew the mother in law was at the door as all the mice were throwing themselves on the traps. .. One of my favourite Les Dawson jokes.

[tonyav]

Well done jourdain.


One of my favorites to, rusty.

[mikey4444]

When I was a boy in the late 50's and early 60's, us boys in school would always chat on a Monday in School, about the Sunday episode of "The Clitheroe Kid", reliving it all over again. Jimmy was the ideal boy as far as we were concerned, as he was cheeky and irreverent in ways that we were never allowed to be, so was a great hero.

I have told this story on AB before but ......

When I was a boy, my Grandmother took me to see Jimmy Clitheroe in a Panto, at the Golders Green Hippodrome. I think it was Cinderella and Jimmy must have been playing Buttons. It was terribly excited about this and kept talking about it for weeks before we went. All my friends in school were green with envy.

After the show was over, my Granny suggested that we go around to the Stage Door and get Jimmy's autograph. If I was excited after the Panto, this was the icing on the cake. We waited patiently for ages, and eventually Jimmy came out of the Stage Door. My Granny prodded me in the back and told me to hurry up and get his autograph, before it was too late.

"But where is Jimmy " I asked ?. "Over there in the raincoat" she said.
I looked and I couldn't see Jimmy, just a very short little old man, wearing a raincoat and smoking a cigarette.

Of course, I had never realised that Jimmy Clitheroe wasn't really a 10 year old boy, and the shock sent me into floods of tears ! Radio paints the best pictures, as it is sometimes said.

When we got home, I was still very tearful and refused to listen to any more Sunday radio shows for over 2 weeks ! I recovered of course but the emotional scarring took some time to heal. Our childhood heroes are very precious to us and we should take great care of them.

Years later, when I was involved in Amateur Dramatics, I can recall my Producer talking about the "Suspension of Disbelief" ....I knew exactly what he meant.

[janbee]

I always loved LD. VERY funny. I used to do Cissy and Ada type sketch with a friend. He wouldn't fit in with today's so called comedians. LD was never PC. All that talk about "the wife" and "the wife's mother". Loved him.