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'Family Feud' Host Richard Dawson Remembered

GUY RAZ, HOST:

Now to some sad news.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "FAMILY FEUD")

GENE WOOD: It's time for the "Family Feud." Introducing the Johnson family...

RAZ: The actor and original host of "Family Feud" has died.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "FAMILY FEUD")

WOOD: And now, here is the star of the "Family Feud," Richard Dawson.

RAZ: Richard Dawson hosted the show for nearly 10 years up until 1985.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "FAMILY FEUD")

RICHARD DAWSON: Help me welcome the champs, the Johnson family.

RAZ: He was an affable showman. He was known for kissing his female contestants.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "FAMILY FEUD")

DAWSON: Here we go.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: OK.

DAWSON: Good luck. Oh, this is for luck.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: Oh. Thank you.

RAZ: He said in an interview years later he began kissing contestants after a nervous young girl clammed up on the show on the question: name a green vegetable you can eat raw.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVE OF AMERICAN TELEVISION INTERVIEW)

DAWSON: I said, I'm going to do something that my mom would do to me whenever I had a problem of any kind. And I went like this, and I kissed her on the cheek. I said: That's for luck. And she said: Asparagus.

RAZ: It worked sometimes.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "FAMILY FEUD")

DAWSON: Fifteen seconds please. During what months of pregnancy does a woman begin to look pregnant?

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: September.

DAWSON: Something - oh.

(LAUGHTER)

RAZ: Dawson was also known for his role as Corporal Newkirk on the CBS comedy "Hogan's Heroes." He died Saturday night in Los Angeles after battling cancer. He was 79.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "FAMILY FEUD")

DAWSON: During what month of...

(LAUGHTER)

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "FAMILY FEUD")

DAWSON: Hold the clock. During what - I'm sorry...

(SOUNDBITE OF "FAMILY FEUD" THEME) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.