Richard Dawson: Family Feud Host and Hogan's Heroes Star Dies at 79

Richard Dawson was an English-born actor, comedian and game show host. Born Colin Lionel Emm on November 20, 1932, in Gosport, Hampshire, he moved to the United States in the 1960s.

He played Corporal Peter Newkirk on Hogan's Heroes and was a regular panelist on Match Game. He was the original host of Family Feud from 1976 to 1985 and won a Daytime Emmy in 1978. He kissed female contestants, which earned him the nickname The Kissing Bandit.

He also played the sinister game show host Damon Killian in The Running Man (1987). Dawson died of complications from esophageal cancer in Los Angeles on June 2, 2012, at age 79.

Achievements: Daytime Emmy (1978), original Family Feud host.

Birth: November 20, 1932 - Gosport, Hampshire, England.

Profession: Actor and game show host.

Interesting Facts: He was known as The Kissing Bandit.