Family Feud host dies
  • 12 years ago
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Game show legend Richard Dawson has died.

The 79-year-old lost his short battle with cancer after being diagnosed just three weeks ago.

The British-born actor appeared on numerous TV shows in the 1960s, but it was his job as the emcee of the "Family Feud" where his wit and charm helped him become the highest-paid game show host in the 70s.

His role as a military prisoner in the 1965 film "King Rat" led to him playing the part of Briton Peter Newkirk on TV's "Hogan Heroes."

When the program went off the air, Dawson appeared as a celebrity panelist on a number of TV game shows.

At the height of his success on "Feud," he met contestant Gretchen Johnson, who became his second wife.

Dawson retired from showbiz in 2000.

Alicia Powell, Reuters.