The American Spectator

Actor/game show host Richard Dawson passed away on Saturday of esopagheal cancer. He was 79.

While Dawson is remembered by some for his stint on Hogan’s Heroes, he is best remembered for his association with game shows. After spending five years as a panelist on The Match Game, Dawson became a household name as the original host of Family Feud in 1976. For a nearly a decade Family Feud was the most popular game show in the country until it was supplanted by Wheel of Fortune. After declining ratings, Family Feud was cancelled in 1985.

In 1987, Dawson parodied his game show host persona by playing the villain in the movie Running Man starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. After a decade long hiatus, Dawson returned to Family Feud in 1994 but this only lasted a single season.

Family Feud has had a variety of hosts over the past decade or so - Louie Anderson, Richard Karn, John O’Hurley and current host Steve Harvey. But I suspect if one was to survey Americans to name their favorite Family Feud host, survey says Richard Dawson. I leave you with Dawson receiving a warm standing ovation upon his return to Family Feud.