Les Dawson was a Northern lad who climbed out of the slums thanks to an uncommonly brilliant mind. Married twice in real life, he had a third wife in his comic world - a fictional ogre built from spare parts left by fleeing Nazis at the end of World War II - and an equally frightening mother - in - law. He was down to earth, yet given to eloquent, absurd flights of fancy. He was endlessly generous with his time, but slow to buy a round of drinks. He was a mass of contradictions. In short, he was human, he was genuine, and that's why audiences loved him.
About the Author
Louis Barfe was born in 1973 in Epsom, Surrey. He studied at Lancaster University. He has written for "Private Eye," " The Oldie," "New Statesman" and the "Independent on Sunday." His books include "Where Have All the Good Times Gone: The Rise and Fall of the Record Industry" and" Turned Out Nice Again: The Story of British Light Entertainment."
