Richard Dawson ( born Colin Lionel Emm ; 20 November 1932 -- 2 June 2012 ) was a British-American actor and comedian , and a game show host and panellist in the United States . Richard Dawson , 1st Earl of Dartrey KP ( 7 September 1817 -- 12 May 1897 ) , styled the Hon. Richard Dawson until 1827 and the Lord Cremorne from 1827 to 1866 , was an Anglo-Irish Liberal , and later Liberal Unionist , politician .
Richard Dawson died on June 2nd, 2012.