Richard George Knowles (October 7, 1858 – January 1, 1919) was a Canadian-American singer and comedian, who was successful in the British music halls and internationally in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, billed as "The Very Peculiar American".

He left school at the age of 12, after his father died, and worked for a while as a window dresser in a department store, before moving to Colorado for his health.

Billed as "The Very Peculiar American", he always appeared in a costume of "a seedy frock coat, battered top hat, and white trousers.

"[4] He had long residencies at the Empire, Leicester Square, and the Tivoli Theatre of Varieties, breaking box office records for a single performer.

Summing up, I pointed out that if they did not laugh, well, they were losing money, on the other hand, if they indulged too hilariously, they were getting more than they were entitled to get so I invited them to go to the box office and pay up the difference.

Knowles became a leading attraction on the music hall stage for over twenty years, and toured around the world, performing in Britain, the United States, Canada, Ceylon, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere.