There are beautiful photos of Les with his mother-in-law. She looks to have been a wonderful woman. Les once described how his mother-in-law jokes were a comic expression of a real misery. Among the British working class before WW2, young newly married couples were often so poor they couldn't afford their own home, and living with the in-laws was the only option.
It was a well known fact that Les loved his mother in law. And she loved him. She was Les's biggest fan of his mother in law jokes. I miss Les & Roy Barraclough doing Cissy & Ada. Peace out.
We used to have a gameshow in the UK called 'Blankety Blank' which was moderately entertaining. Then the producers decided to hire Les Dawson as the host, and it became one of the best things on television. He would endlessly take the piss out of the contestants and the crappy prizes. The guy was an absolute legend.
I love Les Dawson ❤😂 His first wife Meg passed away after battling breast cancer, but he always cherished his mother-in-law, they had a very close relationship. Les was an extremely talented man; well read, an excellent pianist, hilarious and humble. Sadly missed xx
Les was only really known as a comedian but he was also a talented writer and actor. When he was younger, he ran away to Paris where he got a job playing the piano. He got upset because nobody seemed to stick around and listen. It took him a few days to realise he was actually playing piano in a brothel. True story! As a teenager, I saw him live, alongside Roy Barraclough, at the (now demolished) Floral Hall in Scarborough and left realising I'd just watched a genius in action. The guy painted pictures with words.
Les Dawson a true legend of English comedy went to see him with my mother when i was a little lad didnt get half his jokes , im 52 now & realise how lucky i was.
Oh gods..... that shrapnel joke just killed me......every joke, every set up line is scalpel sharp. I always loved watching him fudge up on the piano when playing despite being an amazing pianist. It looked so natural to misplay a note to him though torture to my ears. Old school working class comedy is just the best.Les is sorely missed by us who are "getting on a bit". You have a great day Sir and everyone.
Les Dawson was one of a kind, a master of dry, subtle humour. I remember him appearing for a summer season in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire and the local TV station were interviewing him: when asked if he liked Cleethorpes he said he loved it "it's a sort of Acapulco with soot - the crabs don't have claws, they have grease nipples."
My favourite Les Dawson mother-in-law joke is; "I saw six men kicking & punching the mother-in-law," my neighbour said. "Are you going to help?" I said "No, six should be enough!" 😂🥊😂
My Parents saw Les perform in Blackpool many Moons ago in the late Sixties & afterwards spotted him in a quiet corner of a Bar. My Mother approached him & said "Excuse me Mr. Dawson - I don't want to be a bother but could I get your autograph?" He gave my Mother's petite, mini-skirted loveliness a once over, screwed his face up into his famous lecherous best & replied "For you, my little Lotus Blossom, anything. Everything. The world should you so desire it. Nay! Nay! Not the world, the Universe!" & then my the 6'2" generous frame of my Father loomed over my Mother's petite 5'3" & Les said "Oooo, I dunno though - have you got a pen?" The word 'Legend' doesn't begin to describe the genius that was Les Dawson
He also had a go at his wife. I recall him talking about his wedding, and he said , "I'm not saying the wife was big when we got married, but the parson asked, "Will you take this woman, or should we have her delivered" "
One of the best jokes i heard. " There was a knock at the front door. I opened it. It was the mother-in-law, soaking wet through due to it pouring down. I said - don't just stand there in the rain...go home!! " 🤣🤣🤣
Les was born in Collyhurst, Manchester. Considering he left school at the age of 14, his mastery of the English language was on a par with an Oxbridge don, according to actor John Nettles (Bergerac/Midsomer Murders), a close friend of Les. I can remember seeing him around 1967, when he won a talent show, Opportunity Knocks. then he rose to stardom. His humour is greatly missed.
Even though kids left school at 14 back then their level of education was far higher than it is today. One had to do Dickens, Shakespeare, plus one read far more too, radio was far more popular with BBC enunciation with an eclectic vocabular
I am so glad that you enjoy the classic British humour that we have loved over here for decades. I've seen these clips many many times, but I still laugh, and seeing your reaction makes them seem even funnier. Keep knocking these videos out man, so we can all have a good laugh together. Peace.
you should react to "Les Dawson: An Audience With That Never Was". it was a tribute show using a Peppers Ghost of him, as it was recorded after his death.
In the 1980s the Open University made a programme about the mother-in-law joke as part of its sociology course. The programme included Les Dawson doing mother-in-law jokes as part of his stage act.
It must be hard as an American, to always Get the British references and understand the northern accent and dialogue. He really was so funny though and he was the master of mother in-law jokes. Glad you liked him. I love your reactions.
Always loved Les, his mother in-law jokes are legendary, even tho he loved his mother in-law and grieved the loss when she died as tho she was his mother when she died.
Les was an amazing talent. While he was in the style of Variety (Vauderville, in the States), he adapted quickly to TV. He was erudite, clever, highly intelligent and a sheer 'pro'. John Cleese had a lot of time for Les and enjoyed working with him!
Brilliant comedian was Les. Loved his stint as a host on Blankety Blank. I remember him saying on there once along the lines of, there are a lot of words you could use to describe tonight’s prizes so I’ll settle for crap! So sadly missed 😢
1:12 The silent mouthing of words that you see here and in his Sissy & Ada sketches with Roy Barraclough isn't some comedy affectation. It mirrors the speech of the northern mill girls, who couldn't make themselves heard over the looms an so resorted to silent mouthing and hand gestures.
also a method used to avoid saying things out loud when children were present, terrible words like pregnant😂, my grandmother would do this when talking to my mum and I would be puzzled why the conversation had stopped
According to Les. He loved his Mother-In -Law to bits. They had a GREAT Relationship. Don’t make em like Les anymore! There’s a couple of Documentaries about the Great Man. Maybe do a Reaction to one of them. Keep up the good work Sir.✌🏻🏴
he was the host of the british version of match game for a number of years-- as much as gene rayburn thought match game was a silly idea for a show, les dawson was absolutely savage about it ("welcome to blankety-blanks, the only game show with a fire sale!")
His later career overlapped with the arrival of the 'new comedians', and he was seen as a symbol of the 'old guard'. Many of his jokes were seen as misogynist, etc. But then he, and a few others who had been derided, like Bob Monkhouse, Benny Hill and Frankie Howerd, were re-evaluated, not least by many of the very 'new comedians' who were replacing him. They have now become revered once more, particularly for, as you point out, their impeccable timing. Of course, there were also a lot of 'comics' from that period who were derided, and forgotten. And quite rightly.
comedy genius....thanks.I did watch Les in the 70s as a kid...nothing really can describe those times here in the uk...i am so lucky to have lived in a time when things seemed so much better than the woke maga ridicules fake garbage we see constantly. i hope we see sense at some point and reset the clock. all the best. cheers
@@jerry2357 But in almost every case where it's used it's shortened to "draws". Obviously you rarely hear the word used these days, but my nan's generation used it a lot.
Les was a comedic genius and was much beloved in the UK and was also known for playing the piano badly (deliberately as well as he did, which is hard to do unless you were a very good pianist especially for comedy purposes).
Les Dawson's caustic humour was perfected in tough working mens clubs. I can't understand people that find his mother-in-laws jokes offensive, because it's not to be taken seriously. His jokes paint a picture of absurdity which makes them funny.
Back in the day there were comedians who made "mother in law" jokes... and they were the old school bigots who have (thankfully) disappeared. Les Dawson managed to say the words but you felt the love.
His dry jokes remind me of Grouch Marks and he told a joke about a woman who was very tall and fat and he said if you move out of the way they could build a office tower in your place.
Dawson was the " King " of mother in law jokes and you cannot fail to smile. Sadly, when we think about how funny & how frequent these jokes were told we should reflect on why they are not as popular. Less marriage & more " Baby-Daddy or Baby-Momma " Ghettonese language approach to life is seeing the demise of this type of humour.
The irony that he got on with his mother-in-law very well. He was very fond of her and she liked the jokes!
When she died, he stopped doing the jokes and people were up in arms!
@@mral8145The mother in laws were asking, “Are we not funny anymore Les?” 😂
@@gezzarandom spot on!
There are beautiful photos of Les with his mother-in-law. She looks to have been a wonderful woman.
Les once described how his mother-in-law jokes were a comic expression of a real misery.
Among the British working class before WW2, young newly married couples were often so poor they couldn't afford their own home, and living with the in-laws was the only option.
It was a well known fact that Les loved his mother in law. And she loved him. She was Les's biggest fan of his mother in law jokes. I miss Les & Roy Barraclough doing Cissy & Ada. Peace out.
Very true
The guy was a genius, and his piano playing was out of this world 👍👍
We used to have a gameshow in the UK called 'Blankety Blank' which was moderately entertaining. Then the producers decided to hire Les Dawson as the host, and it became one of the best things on television. He would endlessly take the piss out of the contestants and the crappy prizes. The guy was an absolute legend.
I didn’t know that the show preceded him. When you said moderately entertaining, I was confused.😅
@@georgecaplin9075 It was originally hosted by Terry Wogan, who wasn't bad but not half as entertaining as Les.
@@SirHilaryManfatand then….Lily Savage….. ohhhhhh…… what a deep joy!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
"and you have won...(drum roll) A BLANKETY BLANK CHEQUEBOOK & PEN" (cue audience cheering)
Original host Terry Wogan took the piss out of the show, the prizes and the contestants too
My mother in law fell down a wishing well...I was amazed, I never knew they worked.
One of the greatest comedians of all time. I loved him
I love Les Dawson ❤😂 His first wife Meg passed away after battling breast cancer, but he always cherished his mother-in-law, they had a very close relationship. Les was an extremely talented man; well read, an excellent pianist, hilarious and humble. Sadly missed xx
Les was a different breed of comedian. High brow intelligence with street northern humour. Comedy King.
the mother in law being attacked is my favourite Les Dawson joke, a brilliant comic and talented writer
Les was only really known as a comedian but he was also a talented writer and actor. When he was younger, he ran away to Paris where he got a job playing the piano. He got upset because nobody seemed to stick around and listen. It took him a few days to realise he was actually playing piano in a brothel. True story!
As a teenager, I saw him live, alongside Roy Barraclough, at the (now demolished) Floral Hall in Scarborough and left realising I'd just watched a genius in action. The guy painted pictures with words.
This is where all of the truly great mother-in-law jokes originate from. Les was a genius
Old school english humor are some of the best, it was made for the working man.
Les was one of our very best . He worked his way into the business and it showed . One of my favourites from an era of wit and words .
Les Dawson a true legend of English comedy went to see him with my mother when i was a little lad didnt get half his jokes , im 52 now & realise how lucky i was.
Oh gods..... that shrapnel joke just killed me......every joke, every set up line is scalpel sharp. I always loved watching him fudge up on the piano when playing despite being an amazing pianist. It looked so natural to misplay a note to him though torture to my ears. Old school working class comedy is just the best.Les is sorely missed by us who are "getting on a bit". You have a great day Sir and everyone.
An absolute master of his craft.
Les Dawson was one of a kind, a master of dry, subtle humour. I remember him appearing for a summer season in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire and the local TV station were interviewing him: when asked if he liked Cleethorpes he said he loved it "it's a sort of Acapulco with soot - the crabs don't have claws, they have grease nipples."
I remember so much of this from the 70's. Oh! What have they done to humour?
I grew up watching Les Dawson on my Television.. im 50 now & all the old British comedies & comedians just got even more funny.. love this..
A legend on par with Dave Allen superb timing and irony only a few to tell them like that...😂
My favourite Les Dawson mother-in-law joke is;
"I saw six men kicking & punching the mother-in-law," my neighbour said.
"Are you going to help?"
I said
"No, six should be enough!" 😂🥊😂
Me too and I am glad they ended with that joke on this clip//
@@Isleofskyesaving the the best til last 😁
@@KW-ro5ow 😀
😂😂😂❤
My Parents saw Les perform in Blackpool many Moons ago in the late Sixties & afterwards spotted him in a quiet corner of a Bar. My Mother approached him & said "Excuse me Mr. Dawson - I don't want to be a bother but could I get your autograph?" He gave my Mother's petite, mini-skirted loveliness a once over, screwed his face up into his famous lecherous best & replied "For you, my little Lotus Blossom, anything. Everything. The world should you so desire it. Nay! Nay! Not the world, the Universe!" & then my the 6'2" generous frame of my Father loomed over my Mother's petite 5'3" & Les said "Oooo, I dunno though - have you got a pen?"
The word 'Legend' doesn't begin to describe the genius that was Les Dawson
One of the greatest comedians of all time I think
Dry Manchester humour. Well written and performed by Les. Your reaction is spot on, thanks.
He also had a go at his wife. I recall him talking about his wedding, and he said , "I'm not saying the wife was big when we got married, but the parson asked, "Will you take this woman, or should we have her delivered" "
The shark joke was from a program called
The Good Old Days, brilliant
The timing and delivery was on point .
Spent some time chatting to him when I was in theatre management. A lovely, chatty , humourous guy.
Oh goodness you must have some good stories to share about the various celebrities you've worked with, good show.
Totally believe that as he was a National Treasure.
I wonder who were the p[[psites of Les? :)
One of the best jokes i heard.
" There was a knock at the front door. I opened it. It was the mother-in-law, soaking wet through due to it pouring down. I said - don't just stand there in the rain...go home!! "
🤣🤣🤣
Les was extremely close with his Mother-in-law. He was a true wordsmith. A Great Man(cunian)
Les Dawson was a genius...
There's a big depression coming down from the North. The mother-in-law is coming to stay
Best one is the mice showing themselves on the traps!
With all due respect, it was "throwing themselves on the traps"!
@@mikdavies5027 Typo m8 and a late night😵💫
@@m-arky66. Quite understand, I know the feeling!😀😀
Les, a brilliant comedian. Miss him dearly.
Les was born in Collyhurst, Manchester. Considering he left school at the age of 14, his mastery of the English language was on a par with an Oxbridge don, according to actor John Nettles (Bergerac/Midsomer Murders), a close friend of Les. I can remember seeing him around 1967, when he won a talent show, Opportunity Knocks. then he rose to stardom. His humour is greatly missed.
Even though kids left school at 14 back then their level of education was far higher than it is today. One had to do Dickens, Shakespeare, plus one read far more too, radio was far more popular with BBC enunciation with an eclectic vocabular
We had libraries y'know, thanks to Mr Carnegie❤
The Genius of Les😅😅😅
I adored Les Dawson, he was so funny. And in real life, he and his mother-in-law got on really well!!
I am so glad that you enjoy the classic British humour that we have loved over here for decades. I've seen these clips many many times, but I still laugh, and seeing your reaction makes them seem even funnier.
Keep knocking these videos out man, so we can all have a good laugh together. Peace.
you should react to "Les Dawson: An Audience With That Never Was". it was a tribute show using a Peppers Ghost of him, as it was recorded after his death.
Hi EB👍the mother in law jokes from Les are legendary,thanks mate,that was a good laugh✌️
The funniest thing is that Les Dawson's real life mother in law was an absolute sweetie and Les loved her!
he was so very funny saw him years ago with my Mum we could not stop laughing.
Les and his fictional battles with the mother in law where one of the hallmarks of English tv comedy.
the last one is my favourite Les Dawson joke
I 'm glad you like our Les he was famous when I was a kid .
RIP you legend Mr. Dawson.
Your genuine belly laugh remains priceless, bit like Les Dawson. Keep up the good work, pity there aren't more like you.
I was in Lancashire for a short time and I saw him with his daughter in the local bank. He had everyone in stitches.
In the 1980s the Open University made a programme about the mother-in-law joke as part of its sociology course. The programme included Les Dawson doing mother-in-law jokes as part of his stage act.
He did another one not heard here "Mind you, I wouldn't say my Mother in Law is nasty .. just that she was drummed out of the Gestapo for cruelty".
It must be hard as an American, to always Get the British references and understand the northern accent and dialogue. He really was so funny though and he was the master of mother in-law jokes. Glad you liked him. I love your reactions.
He was a lovely man. I remember watching him with my parents ❤
Always loved Les, his mother in-law jokes are legendary, even tho he loved his mother in-law and grieved the loss when she died as tho she was his mother when she died.
Hello Boss, you gotta do Les Dawson FEELINGS. Hilarious!
Les was an amazing talent. While he was in the style of Variety (Vauderville, in the States), he adapted quickly to TV. He was erudite, clever, highly intelligent and a sheer 'pro'.
John Cleese had a lot of time for Les and enjoyed working with him!
"She got more violent ! " After the shark ncident ?? :DD How did the shark die though ?? :DDD I was crying !!
Brilliant comedian was Les. Loved his stint as a host on Blankety Blank. I remember him saying on there once along the lines of, there are a lot of words you could use to describe tonight’s prizes so I’ll settle for crap! So sadly missed 😢
Love these jokes.
Thank You! I had forgotten how funny this man was......
If you haven’t already you MUST watch the “blowing the candle out” joke. He did it on his own show and on Blankety Blank, should both be on RUclips.
He was and still is a national treasure buddy.
I've seen him live back in the 70s he was absolutely brilliant and funny
1:12 The silent mouthing of words that you see here and in his Sissy & Ada sketches with Roy Barraclough isn't some comedy affectation. It mirrors the speech of the northern mill girls, who couldn't make themselves heard over the looms an so resorted to silent mouthing and hand gestures.
also a method used to avoid saying things out loud when children were present, terrible words like pregnant😂, my grandmother would do this when talking to my mum and I would be puzzled why the conversation had stopped
I loved your reaction ❤️ Les is from my part of the UK and you being a yank, (no offence 😉) and totally getting it is a joy xx
catch his Cissie and Ada routines
Les got his mother-in-law a job at the airport, sniffing luggage.
Apparently Les actually really loved his mother in law, and she didn't mind the jokes; when she died he never told a mother in law joke again.
According to Les. He loved his Mother-In -Law to bits. They had a GREAT Relationship. Don’t make em like Les anymore! There’s a couple of Documentaries about the Great Man. Maybe do a Reaction to one of them. Keep up the good work Sir.✌🏻🏴
he was the host of the british version of match game for a number of years-- as much as gene rayburn thought match game was a silly idea for a show, les dawson was absolutely savage about it ("welcome to blankety-blanks, the only game show with a fire sale!")
Les Dawson adored his Mother in Law and only told a joke, if she laughed at it
His later career overlapped with the arrival of the 'new comedians', and he was seen as a symbol of the 'old guard'. Many of his jokes were seen as misogynist, etc.
But then he, and a few others who had been derided, like Bob Monkhouse, Benny Hill and Frankie Howerd, were re-evaluated, not least by many of the very 'new comedians' who were replacing him. They have now become revered once more, particularly for, as you point out, their impeccable timing.
Of course, there were also a lot of 'comics' from that period who were derided, and forgotten. And quite rightly.
Well said...
More Les, please
I miss him thank you for making me laugh
Loved Les, a real comedian- not many of them left- take care Alan, don't work too hard mate x🏴
That’s why he was one of the greatest 😂😂😂😂
GOAT of the giggles.
comedy genius....thanks.I did watch Les in the 70s as a kid...nothing really can describe those times here in the uk...i am so lucky to have lived in a time when things seemed so much better than the woke maga ridicules fake garbage we see constantly. i hope we see sense at some point and reset the clock. all the best. cheers
With you mate,sick of all the wokism and whingeing entitled nobodies
@@CarolWoosey-ck2rg yes long live proper values....cheers
Great to see you back mate
Another great watch with ya Al man👍
Excellent....as always...maybe look at his...accidentally on purpose piano playing...cheers...E
Draws = underwear for those that didn't know. Les was just brilliant, just loved watching any show he did in the 80s/90s.
It's "drawers".
@@jerry2357 But in almost every case where it's used it's shortened to "draws". Obviously you rarely hear the word used these days, but my nan's generation used it a lot.
@@IntrinsicPalomides Yes, it's pronounced "draws" but spelt "drawers".
Absolutely correct. Spelt as drawers pronounced draws @@jerry2357 👍 🩲
much missed our les
Thanks for this I needed a laugh today. After all nearly every tv station here in Australia has the bloody presidential debate on!
Chubby Brown????Blaster Bates ???Charlie Williams????Round the Horn??? Kenneth Williams?? Lenny Bruce??Bernard Manning
You should watch Cissie and Ada with Les and Roy Barraclough.😂
Les was funny brilliant
Les was a comedic genius and was much beloved in the UK and was also known for playing the piano badly (deliberately as well as he did, which is hard to do unless you were a very good pianist especially for comedy purposes).
You have to check out Les playing the piano (if you haven't already)
Les Dawson's caustic humour was perfected in tough working mens clubs. I can't understand people that find his mother-in-laws jokes offensive, because it's not to be taken seriously. His jokes paint a picture of absurdity which makes them funny.
his early stuff and his piano work were the best things that he did. such a tallent
This was from a time when people could tell jokes and not offend anyone because they new it's only a joke 😄😄😄😄
Back in the day there were comedians who made "mother in law" jokes... and they were the old school bigots who have (thankfully) disappeared.
Les Dawson managed to say the words but you felt the love.
Les allways the best ❤
I love Cissy and Ada.
I saw him live on Blackpool seafront & he was very funny!
She could pull her top lip over the back of her head and use it as a shower cap
His dry jokes remind me of Grouch Marks and he told a joke about a woman who was very tall and fat and he said if you move out of the way they could build a office tower in your place.
I love when he played the piano out of tune
Sir, I love your reaction to various British comedies, but thought you had already covered the fabulous Mr. Dawson!
And will continue to do so lol. Love this dude's stuff that I've seen.
@@TheEclecticBeard hahaha. Fair enough.
Dawson was the " King " of mother in law jokes and you cannot fail to smile. Sadly, when we think about how funny & how frequent these jokes were told we should reflect on why they are not as popular. Less marriage & more " Baby-Daddy or Baby-Momma " Ghettonese language approach to life is seeing the demise of this type of humour.
I believe he invented the mother ion law genre.
@@KenFullman You believe wrong. Max Miller did.