Les Dawson stand-up routine (The Royal Variety Performance, 1987)

The Royal Variety Performance, 29/11/1987 - Les Dawson's routine, plus a 'song' and 'dance' number with the Roly Polys! Hurray!
Not my copyright - just sharing found ephemera.

[@OO-uw3vc]

The great and wonderful Les Dawson, whenever i visit Lytham st. Annes, i always go to his statue, pay my respects and leave flowers for him. A lovely lovely man, and a brilliant entertainer of his time. God bless you Les, your daughter Charlotte is doing great, you would be so proud of her as she is of you. Miss you Les. God Bless and RIP, you are always remembered and never forgotten xx👍👍👏👏❤❤

[@ppotter]

That's sweet.

[@paulrobinson8282]

Same here I'm so glad that I got to enjoy a great talent and I wish those days could come back.

[@davewaring73]

I went to see his statue the other week. Lovely spot.

[@stanleymoseley9466]

@@davewaring73g y

[@stanleymoseley9466]

Birmingham

[@Bluedog4712]

Les was only 62 when he died, and the shame of that is a that I think he had so much more to give, because he was unique in so many ways from the stable of comedians that came about in the late sixties and throughout the seventies in which many faded away at the onset of the newer style of comedy that rapidly took over in the eighties, however Les Dawson was too much of a renaissance man and entertainer for that to have ever happened to him, and I think he stands heads and shoulders above the best of them, right up to the present day!

[@1220b]

A true comedian makes you laugh without telling a joke. Les was one of that rare breed.

[@markkettlewell7441]

Like Eric Morecambe.

[@jonathanfraser321]

and Tommy Cooper!

[@grantgee7260]

​@@markkettlewell7441no

[@waynejervis292]

​@@markkettlewell7441nu Do

[@tomskih203]

Thank goodness for KZbin users for uploading this content and helping his memory live on.

[@GnrMilligan]

It takes a truly talented pianist,who also has a great understanding of comedy to be able to hit just the right notes,at just the right amount of wrongness to be so funny! What a huge talent he was!

[@DavidLPeel]

I was sat last night thinking about the vast endless cosmos stretching far beyond man's reach and how we are but a speck of dust amidst all the galaxies, planets and stars. Then I thought I should really get some new slates for the bathroom roof.

[@ianmayes8642]

The late, great, Les Dawson. The founder of the mother in law joke. Comic genius, pianist extraordinaire, founder of The Roly Poly's (yes Les put out the recruitment add, interviewed the candidates, and formed the troup), consumate writer (of his own material, and even novels), and lovely person that anyone could approach and converse with. No smut, no swearing, just good clean perfectly timed comedy. There is nothing today that can even hold a candle to his superlative comedic talent. Thanks Les for all that laughter and happiness you gave us. Your humour always brightens up peoples lives. Still laughing, even today. Timeless. Truly a national treasure. How we all, young and old, miss you.

[@steveashforth5097]

Mother-in-law jokes were around a lot longer than Les Dawson. So, he wasn't the "founder" of them.

[@marcpetrie7090]

@@steveashforth5097 I think he meant founder as in the person who really brought it to life,stop being so pedantic ffs

[@steveashforth5097]

@@marcpetrie7090 I bow to your mind reading capabilities. But how is stating facts being 'pedantic'? But just for you, the person that actually DID bring the mother-in-law joke to the masses was Max Wall. He was the person who took Les Dawson under his wing, when Les was a struggling comedian & deciding whether to stay with comedy. It was Max that sold out venues when Les was starting out & it was Max that got Les telling mother-in-law jokes.

[@truthseeker7001]

@@marcpetrie7090 I'm in agreement. We come here to celebrate Les Dawson, but there has to be at least 1 deeply unhappy person who craps on someone's respect and adoration. Dawson may not have invented the Mother in Law joke, but he popularised it and mastered it, as you point out. It's the sheer negativity and superiority complex passed off as "telling the truth" that makes me shake my head. If he'd stated his point with some manners, less condescension and with a gentle teaching tone he would have achieved his stated "truth" goal without intentionally sh*tting on someone enjoying this comedy genius. The redundant negativity is just poisonous.

[@marcpetrie7090]

@@truthseeker7001 yeah definitely truth seeker. Some people just enjoy shitting on everyone else mainly because of their own sad little life's I think

[@ujeaniphil1234]

Les Dawson presenting Blankety Blank...absolutely hilarious, comedy gold👌🏼

[@baz810]

Yes!! This is what made me love Les. He turned a gameshow into a hilarious stand up show, with some gameshow thrown in 😂

[@hkwhopper]

i booked him to do a function for a society I was president, afterwards I had a drink with him. He was a lovely guy, interesting to chat to and still very funny, a true star of England's past.

[@richardwalker1880]

Les Dawson was a great man and a great comic genius pianist and a Legend Les made every 1 laugh I saw Les in Blackpool with a knotted handkerchief on his head eating pie and chips on the beach he was 1 of us and he went on the bus with the Busby babes Tommy Taylor and Duncan Edwards Les was a very kind man God bless him Les is still very sadly missed by us all

[@daveroche6522]

Well said. Les' show was one of the highlights of the week (especially his off-key piano bits and yes, we're in Ireland - just proves real humour is universal). We all owe Les, Victor Borge and Bill Bailey so much.

[@maxedison8259]

Brilliantly funny, deadpan humour one minute, then laughs at himself the next. Rubbish at playing the piano? No, his left hand playing is perfect, and right hand cleverly plays off-key. That's an art form in itself, but it also shows he really knew how to play. Victor Borge was an earlier exponent of piano based humour, and it wouldn't surprise me if Les was inspired by him at some stage. How a comedian could make himself look so miserable, when he was a naturally nice man, is, also a tribute to his comic skills, and it's something very few modern comedians understand. Les was a very special comedian, and a gifted musician, so I'm grateful for these KZbin posts of his wonderful sketches. You are, sadly missed, Mr Dawson.

[@hugohackenbush1554]

Les was always guaranteed to make my mental family laugh. He was the only comedian who we'd stay indoors to watch together. More than 40 years ago now. Boy what I'd give to be 25 again.

[@adamhughes4442]

37 years ago...

[@hugohackenbush1554]

@@adamhughes4442 Hey! I'm in my late 60s, I call it a great day when I remember to pull up the toilet lid before taking a Forrest Gump.

[@thehoneybadger1223]

I wish I was alive when he was around. I'm so glad that my parents passed on their sense of humour to me, and introduced me to him 💜 Top bloke

[@meirwise1107]

A multi talented Lancashire lad. Brought up in poverty, he was a great standup, musician, actor, painter, family man, charity worker. RIP Les....we are still laughing after all these years.....

[@gnext2]

Do the work Meg....

[@glitz420]

Literally the reason I’m watching

[@DocHalliday]

​@@glitz420 LOL me too 😂😂😂

[@bshcasique5526]

Lol I just came from family guy

[@bunnywhite1628]

Came in from family guy too 😂

[@ramberrebi4911]

Me to.

[@lexingtonlad5745]

To play the piano this bad you need to be world class at it.

[@gorse9030]

It's not misplaced nostalgia when one watches this again he was truly brilliant.

[@richardwalker1880]

Les Dawson was a great man and a great musician and author and Comic And he always bought the roly polys cream cake s as he said they weren't eating well but what a ledgend Les Dawson was a great man and he s sadly missed by us all god bless you Les RIP

[@roderickbennett101]

I was so ugly as a baby my mother carried me around upside down, and told everyone I had a cleft chin. The great Les Dawson.

[@davidmansell5986]

And. "When I was born the midwife slapped the mother!" Mr Dawson was comedy gold.

[@Terminator2310]

I once saw Les in a comedy play at Bradford. Absolutely brilliant. Not only did he have the audience in stitches, but his impromptu jokes off-script often also had the other players falling about hysterically, stopping the show for minutes at a time. I will never forget that night. Thank you so much Les.

[@meridianleeward6370]

Eric Sykes was similar. Had audience and co-stars in hysterics and not one swear word.

[@andrewhodgkins2292]

Les's adlibs were the best part of his shows. He was hilarious and, like Morecombe and Wise, he's one of the very few who can be watched decades later and still make you laugh out loud.

[@mauricecoffey5490]

This is entertainment in its purest form by a genuinely talented performer. A class of yesteryear that included Freddie Starr..Tommy Cooper...Ken Dodd...Morecambe and Wise...to name but a few. There is nothing to equal it today.

[@tysapienx8091]

I was a little kid when Les was on telly and i used to think of him and Ronny Barker as my t.v uncles, warming and so funny. “I knew the mother in law had already arrived as i’d seen the mice had already voluntarily thrown themselves onto the traps” still one of the funniest jokes I’ve ever heard but could only be delivered by Les. Legend 😂

[@robertmcqueen289]

A genius. You can imagine Les Dawson & Victor Borge having a pianoforte competition in heaven. Rest in peace Les, you're missed today. Never forgotten.

[@davidcook7338]

One of the greatest comedians that ever graced this world R I P Les ❤❤❤

[@northernninjarunner5506]

The legend Les Dawson still making people laugh In 2019 RIP

[@IThinkYouLookLarvely]

Of course still making us laugh in 2022, and even more needed considering what's been going on since!

[@trevorjackson4157]

Now in 2022.

[@vicsaul5459]

2023 😊

[@wakeupuk3860]

Update .. saw it the first time he did it, watched it on here some time ago and now Nov 2023 and I won't be at surprised will again. I wonder how many years in the future people will still laugh???

[@stephencoley3535]

Legends never really die. They're in our hearts, forever. Thanks Les, for making the world a better place to live in.

[@davidsewellclarke4997]

SHAME there are no more like him these days, greatly enjoyed and Sadly Missed .Thank you Les Dawson . God Bless you.'

[@raymondkilminster2194]

les was one of a kind can never be replaced , even the Roly polys were a bit of harmless fun . i think TV is to sterile these days .

[@louisecook6483]

Absolutely 🤗

[@thefurrybastard1964]

Sterile, boring and unappealing.

[@ronaldferguson9294]

@@louisecook6483 the

[@jase123111]

The Roly Polys actually look slim and fit now... not like the fat women of today in the UK. lol

[@jeffreyweitzman6463]

This is an era we will never see again. It is sad and why the Royal Variety Performance now really is like anything else these days predictable and dull.

[@brianhaskard1042]

You can't help but laugh can you? Piano routine is class! "The wife has run away with the bloke next door, oh I do miss him!"

[@trustnuffin9121]

I miss seeing Les on TV.....he knew how to make people feel good !!! One of the most natural Comedians to ever live X

[@gootballe583]

Too true. The man was a genius. Very funny guy

[@kaydalwood4345]

Goat Billhicks2 Roman Atkinson Roman Atkinson

[@kaydalwood4345]

Roman atkinson

[@kaydalwood4345]

Fav Roman a

[@Yorkshiremadmick]

Sad to see so many 👎🏻 for this. Too many snowflakes abound with their invented so called pc 👎🏻

[@mogsyman]

I’m watching this 32 years on and still laughing! Thanks Les 👍

[@nigelkthomas9501]

Absolutely fantastic! Shame we don’t get comedy like this anymore. I was 16 when this was shown. Most of my work mates haven’t got a clue who Les Dawson was!

[@nigelkthomas9501]

@@Citizenoftheworld999 Unfunny woke comedians? Do they actually exist? Comedy is funny; woke isn’t. It’s hideous loony lefty 💩!

[@garymahony2844]

Miss him so much... Pure platinum... God bless ya Les....👍❤️

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

One of my all time favourites, no swearing, no slagging off, no smut just a comedy genius effortlessly at work. Never tire of listening to him., think I remember watching this when it came out

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

@ZFirstNameSi legend

[@BLzBob.7268]

Unique and articulate. One of the great memories of my youth. Sorely missed. x

[@cosmos7492]

Just hearing his voice makes me smile ...RIP Les Dawson we miss you so much

[@johnbuxton6009]

He was and is in so many ways a national treasure. Still makes me laugh 😂. God bless him

[@brianhaskard1042]

Brilliant. "Try to keep together!" Lee Dawson was so bloody funny.

[@U2QuoZepplin]

As my mum and I were just discussing, Les Dawson was a brilliant brilliant piano player. He could have probably made a very good living out of playing all the posh concert venues around the world doing recitals of all the great classical piano numbers to the highest upper class nobs and toffs but instead he put his astronomical virtuoso expertise to entertaining those from the lower end of the tracks and repaying his success to the ordinary public by performing to them. It’ll be a very long time before there’s another like him, if ever . RIP Les.

[@firebyrd437]

I'm sure he was playing at clubs etc and got so fed up with the noise he started criticising the people and was so funny the people loved it and it kicked of his career as a comedian

[@farring14]

To play correct with one hand and play out of key but still follow the tune with the other takes remarkable skill

[@generalpublic3744]

@@farring14 I remember Les saying that to play badly and make it convincing you are playing badly is as difficult as playing correctly.

[@davidgrosvenor1]

Great act, never filthy!

[@jubileebaby9787]

I was only 15 when Les Dawson died and remember how gutted I was, even at that age I knew what a great comedian and all round performer he was..

[@BlytheWorld1972]

still watching in 2019 what a legend .

[@Bexx3of4]

Hilarious even in 2020. I miss this humour. Looking back the Rolly Poly ladies were fab. The lead was on point tap shoes! He recruited a group of lovely talented ladies that would have been in amateur dramatics for the rest of there lives and made them stars. They were meant as a point of fun but he always overshadowed with his humour to show them as the stars they were. What a great man

[@andyappley7902]

Comic genius & no matter how many times I watch his piano routine,it leaves me crying with laughter !! Also note, no swearing!! R.I.P Les. Xx

[@martinbayliss3868]

Bloody brilliant! At the time we had no idea this was as good as it would ever get. I am glad I was around to see it.

[@wakeupuk3860]

Oh yes, so true, he and the others we took for granted, i.e. Doddy, M&W, Cooper that we watched on TV growing up, just took for granted, We never in a million years thought that when they had gone we most likely would ever see the likes of them again.

[@Jchathe]

He used the English language so wonderfully well. 💖

[@garrywitcomb2334]

Before Les even starts to speak,you start to grin,and he never fails to entertain,a true master 😆😆😆😆

[@DutchVanHelsing]

Ohhhhhh ! How I wish he was still walking this earth..xx

[@bigdodge]

Les Dawson was absolutely brilliant I'm in stitches at this.The good old days before woke culture took over.RIP Les a true British star.

[@glastomole9570]

Comedy genius and still very much missed. Love Les Dawson.

[@rightmarker1]

Dear Les - variety at its best. RIP Les - I still miss you.

[@coopersleftpeg3873]

A comedy genius. His delivery was absolutely outstanding. Rest easy Les.

[@stofferrussell]

“Where would we be without a laugh? Here!” I’ll be using that one. Thanks Les.

[@richardwalker1880]

Arrrr God bless Les Dawson he was a great man and a great comic genius and a Legend and a AMAZING musician and pianist Les is entertaining everyone in Heaven along with Tommy Cooper and Bob monk House

[@richardwalker1880]

What a great man Les Dawson was just so Amazing and a Legend a great comic never laughed at his jokes Les was so Talented pianist and actor too but we will always miss LES DAWSON GOD BLESS YOU LES RIP LES DAWSON YOUR VERY SADLEY MISSED

[@fabiotonto1678]

One of the greatest entertainers . I had the honour of meeting him and he is as funny off the stage.

[@stanleybonner7266]

I met him as well and he was so great without being pompous.

[@leevespa4564]

Just seen this, still makes me laugh, what an excellent performance, man was very gifted 👍

[@steves7013]

Les Dawson, The Northern Powerhouse! RIP Les ❤

[@waynefarrellvoiceovers]

Presence. Timing. Pauses. Ad-libbing. He had it all.

[@chriswilkinson7636]

"Sir Bernard Delfonte couldn't do enough for me... So he didn't bother"😅😅😅😅 Brilliant!!

[@richardturner9317]

TREMENDOUS !

[@jeremyhaines4481]

Brilliant comedy so much better than the comedy of today RIP Les Dawson died way to young x

[@brianmorley7165]

😂😂😂what a talent non of today’s so called comedians can hold a candle to this great man.

[@bryandale2318]

GENIUS. No more needed to say. Thank you Les.

[@rjones6219]

I remember as a kid in the mid 50s, we had a man come to the house to demonstrate a new vacuum cleaner. Having shown how it sucked up the dust, he then stuck the pipe in the opposite end put it against my shirt and turned it on. I got a cold blast of air. Thanks Les, I still remember you 🤩

[@robertarcher1704]

One of the best entertainers of all time just a brilliant comic

[@thefurrybastard1964]

If you can't laugh at Les Dawson, you're already dead.

[@alanwitton5039]

Great comedian! Sadly missed

[@k9nick]

This stuff makes me laugh. I look at stuff on tv now and,,,, bleah. I'll read a book

[@gecko36a]

PERHAPS ONE DAY REAL HUMOUR WILL COME BACK WE CAN ONLY HOPE.

[@richardwalker1880]

Les Dawson was simply thee Best and thee greatest comic ever seen playing the piano very talented artist and musician and author God bless you Les RIP

[@choppercam01]

I'm the same but not with a book but star trek 😁

[@paulspydar]

its Thursday morning 2019 & I felt the need for some Les Dawson, Brilliant. Thanks Les.

[@66Viscount]

His comedic piano playing was brilliant and will live forever in British comedy. Very funny guy.

[@ianwilliam3811]

Les could read the phone book and make it sound funny. Legend!

[@davidchiles5331]

That is amazing playing false notes that's not easy, never realized he was so funny from being away from blighty all those years

[@mogadishusneeze]

Jaysus,, The Roly Poly's!!! Talk about a blast from the past.

[@Mania28]

Lol I thought the same

[@Mudman435]

The greatest comic that has ever lived; love him and miss him; I'm crying with laughter!!

[@ArchieFatcackie]

I would have him any time against the modern lot. An incredible talent who was simply very funny.

[@reginalancaster5901]

The mick Jagger's skit had me in stitches 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😅😅😅😅

[@ukchinesetakeawayrecipesbyalex]

A no nonsense comedian.Britains finest sadly missed..It's a shame really..

[@tedex8100]

I feel so lucky to have been around this kind of comedy. Wouldn't it be lovely if we had it again ? Things like Noel's house party,321,Bullseye,University challenge etc etc

[@TheBerzerker666]

A British comedy legend,there arent many left.a true gentleman 🍺😃

[@leedsman54]

Bloody brilliant.

[@984francis]

How far comedy has fallen.

[@jread3906]

Read Les Dawsons autobiographies. Compelling funny sad and wonderfully written.

[@terryhennigan3911]

There are no comedians of his talent around anymore. Loved Les Dawson. Did some great sketches with John Cleese also. He was so versatile.R I P

[@davehowling1934]

He was funnier in this segment than some of the so called comedians of today will be in their lifetime, perfect timing and delivery,

[@TheUrbanmeister]

Agree. His timing was perfect.

[@markkettlewell7441]

I met Les Dawson as a kid after a panto. He was a real genuine guy. 😃

[@grahamd1318]

So talented. There's not much more you can say.

[@no-oneman.4140]

There'll never be another ....

[@paul-t-geist4245]

Absolutely brilliant, no modern day comedians come even close.

[@stephenord3403]

Pure genius

[@MarkWilliams-cf2dd]

Fantastic x

[@Stoic-Col]

too often and far too easily the words "legend" and "genius" are tossed about to eulogise about people in the entertainment business, especially after they have died. Les Dawson wasn't either of these descriptions but he was a true great. He had a natural talent to make people laugh with great material that for the most part he wrote exceptionally well. I miss him greatly and believe that if he was alive today he would still be headlining all over the country. Legend means the hero is a myth and geniuses are people who don't integrate or entertain.

[@bobbybland8255]

so called comedians. think.u have to swear to seem funny.nothing on what Les Dawson did to make u laugh.

[@tonyirving4154]

Simply fantastic, happy day safer world 🙏👍.

[@tonytiger943]

Solid gold. How I miss this gentleman.

[@sgtg4600]

I don't think we'll see his like again. All the old guard gone.

[@mikelheron20]

Sgt G Drivel. There's fresh talent appearing all the time.

[@blazingsaddle166]

A big part of my childhood seeing Les Dawson on TV and a true comedy legend in every sense of the word.

[@CyclopsWasRight616]

Dude's about to get a bump thanks to tonight's Family Guy.

[@RingoandCarlin]

Yep

[@je7887]

I met Les one time in Blackpool.

[@borleyboo5613]

Brilliant!!!!!! Loved Les Dawson.

[@ferraridinoman]

Quality! Miss you Les!! xxx

[@efnissien]

It actually takes a tremendous amount of skill to 'play badly' but keep enough of the melody and timing to remind the audience of the original tune. Also loved the 'Ada boob lift' during the 'Black infested swallow backed duck of Bridlington' segment. Roy Barraclough (Les' comedy partner & Cissie to Les' 'Ada') once said 'There's three things you need to be a great pantomime dame - that's the Boob lift, the adjust the hair & and the wrist flick as you laugh. And Les' timing with these was perfect.'

[@thebeemer15]

Whats the name of the song he plays?

[@efnissien]

@@thebeemer15 In this performance it's an adaptation of Motzart's 'drawing room' followed by the theme to the movie 'love story'. But he'd also play 'the entertainer' and 'side by side' - two popular crowd pleasers.

[@christophersargeant6291]

Absolute genius

[@darrellsimpson6966]

I laughed out loud in bed. What a wonderful comedian. Just hilarious.