Biography for
Ed McMahon (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

6 March 1923, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Date of Death

23 June 2009, Los Angeles, California, USA

Birth Name

Edward Peter Leo McMahon Jr.

Height

6' 4" (1.93 m)

Mini Biography

Ed McMahon's first appearance before a microphone was as a 15-year-old "caller" at a bingo game in Maine. After that, he spent the next three years touring the state fair and carnival circuit. A Marine fighter pilot during World War II, McMahon sold vegetable slicers on Atlantic City's boardwalk to put himself through Catholic University in Washington, DC. In the 1950s, he hosted a late-night interview show in Philadelphia before working as a clown on the show "Big Top" (1950). His next assignment was as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. After that, he resumed his career in television. In 1959, he was hired as Johnny Carson's straight man on the daytime quiz show "Do You Trust Your Wife" (1956). When Carson succeeded Jack Paar on NBC's "Tonight Starring Jack Paar" (1957), which became "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962), he took McMahon with him. This job lasted for 30 years and made McMahon wealthy and famous. On the big screen, he played straight roles in the dramatic The Incident (1967) -- for which he got very good reviews -- and in the comic Fun with Dick and Jane (1977). He also appeared in made-for-TV movies and hosted daytime game shows in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, McMahon teamed with Dick Clark on "TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes" (1984) and hosted his own long-running talent show, "Star Search" (1983). He also made commercial appearances for a multitude of products. In 1994, he was cast as himself in Love Affair (1994) with Warren Beatty and Annette Bening.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana

Spouse

Pam McMahon	(22 February 1992 - 23 June 2009) (his death)
Victoria Valentine	(6 March 1976 - 1989) (divorced) 1 child
Alyce Ferrill	(5 July 1945 - 1976) (divorced) 4 children

Trade Mark

His laugh

His call, "Hi-ooooo!"

Usually appears as a sidekick

Trivia

Was a decorated Marine fighter pilot during WWII.

Was a huge fan of W.C. Fields.

'Weird Al' Yankovic wrote a song about him called "Here's Johnny".

Graduated from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

Retired as a Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. During World War II, he was a pilot-instructor and test pilot. During the Korean War, he flew 85 combat missions after being called back to active service in 1952. Was commissioned a Brigadier General in the California Air National Guard in 1966 and continued to serve after he began his acting career. Along with James Stewart, he held the highest active military rank of any actor in history. McMahon was the highest-ranking officer to become an actor, and Stewart was the established actor who achieved the highest rank. Both were decorated combat aviators.

Retired from U.S.M.C. reserve status in 1983 to host "Star Search" (1983) full time, a show on which such performers as Britney Spears and Arsenio Hall (his own successor to the show) were later discovered.

Was present for the 2007 demolishing of the old Burbank studio where he had taped the last "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962), calling it an end of an era.

Son, Michael, died of liver cancer at age 44, on July 28, 1995.

Hospitalized in intensive care in a Los Angeles for treatment of pneumonia and bone cancer [February 27, 2009].

His publicist is Howard Bragman.

Father of Claudia McMahon.

Personal Quotes

"Heeeeeere's Johnny!"

It's like a pitcher who has a favorite catcher. The pitcher gets a little help from the catcher, but the pitcher's got to throw the ball. Well, Johnny Carson had to throw the ball, but I could give him a little help.

You can't imagine hooking up with a guy like Carson [Johnny Carson]. There's the old phrase, 'Hook your wagon to a star.' I hitched my wagon to a great star.

Where Are They Now

(2007) Release of his book, "When Television Was Young".

(2005) Release of his book, "Here's Johnny: My Memories of Johnny Carson, the Tonight Show and 46 Years of Friendship".

(1998) Release of his book, "For Laughing Out Loud: My Life and Good Times" by Ed with David Fisher.

(November 2007) Continues to be spokesman for Premiere Bath commercials on television.

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