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Dick Assman

1934 – 2016

Saskatchewan gas station owner

Gas station employee
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About Dick Assman

Lived 1934 – 2016 (aged 82). Dick Assman was a Canadian gas station employee, known for Late Show with David Letterman.

Richard Arthur Assman (February 14, 1934 – August 15, 2016) was a Canadian gas station employee whose name propelled him to celebrity status across North America for four months in 1995.

Career In 1995, Assman moved from working at one Petro-Canada station to another. The latter station's owner took out an advertisement in the local newspaper that was sent anonymously to David Letterman, who was amused by Assman's name. Assman was introduced on July 24, 1995, on the Late Show with David Letterman, where he was a nightly feature for about a month. During this time, he was known as "Assman the Gasman".

Live field units in Canada interviewed him for the show. Over the weeks, Joe Namath declared himself an "Ass-maniac", while Assman received a musical tribute from Tony Orlando on Letterman:

Northgate Petro-Canada Oh, they're relocating Their new office at Victoria Square They're celebrating Oh vaya con dios, Dick Assman Vaya con dios, my love

As his fame grew, Vancouver polling company Angus Reid Public Opinion reported that 49 percent of surveyed Canadians in September 1995 had heard of his name. He received a request to judge a bikini contest in August 1995 for the Janetville Jamboree and Truck Pull in Janetville, Ontario.

In October 1995, James Blanchard, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, paid a visit to Assman at his gas station, citing his status as "an international celebrity".

Dick Assman himself, who took all this ribbing good-naturedly, pronounced his name "oss-man". He died on August 15, 2016.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Gas station employee
Nationality
Known for
Late Show with David Letterman
Also known as
Richard Arthur Assman

People in Dick Assman's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Dick Assman's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Dick Assman?

Saskatchewan gas station owner

When was Dick Assman born?

Dick Assman was born on 14 February 1934 in Neudorf.

When did Dick Assman die?

Dick Assman died on 15 August 2016 in Regina.

What was Dick Assman's occupation?

Dick Assman was a gas station employee.

What was Dick Assman known for?

Dick Assman was known for Late Show with David Letterman.

What nationality was Dick Assman?

Dick Assman was Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Dick Assman

· Wikidata: Q5272634

· DBpedia: Dick Assman

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dick Assman. https://biography.guide/dick-assman/

MLA: "Dick Assman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dick-assman/.

Chicago: "Dick Assman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dick-assman/.

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