"The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) TV series 1962-1992

Director:

Frederick De Cordova

Writers:

Johnny Carson
Jay Leno
(more)

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

1 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Talk-Show

Plot:

Host Johnny Carson performs comedy routines and chats with various celebrities.

Plot Keywords:

Celebrity | Variety | Partially Lost TV Series | Actor Playing Himself | Running Gag

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 11 wins & 36 nominations

Cast

Johnny Carson

...

Himself - Host / ... (2,012 episodes, 1962-1992)

Series Directed by
Bobby Quinn		(22 episodes, 1967-1992)
Dick Carson		(21 episodes, 1962-1966)
Robert Ostberg		(3 episodes, 1984-1991)
Frederick De Cordova		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Jim Mulholland		(1,733 episodes, 1970-1992)
Michael Barrie		(1,477 episodes, 1968-1992)
Hank Bradford		(1,141 episodes, 1969-1975)
Tom Finnigan		(593 episodes, 1980-1992)
Raymond Siller		(559 episodes, 1977-1988)
Bob Howard		(475 episodes, 1972-1973)
Hal Goodman		(454 episodes, 1979-1988)
Larry Klein		(454 episodes, 1979-1988)
Kevin Mulholland		(454 episodes, 1979-1988)
Darrell Vickers		(349 episodes, 1985-1992)
Ed. Weinberger		(267 episodes, 1965-1971)
Nick Arnold		(260 episodes, 1970-1972)
Joe Bigelow		(260 episodes, 1970-1971)
Stan Daniels		(260 episodes, 1970-1971)
Stan Dreben		(260 episodes, 1970-1971)
Tom Moore		(257 episodes, 1970-1973)
Andrew Nicholls		(233 episodes, 1987-1992)
Tony DeSena		(212 episodes, 1988-1992)
Bob Keane		(179 episodes, 1982-1992)
Bob Dolan Smith		(175 episodes, 1979-1992)
Bob Reynolds		(167 episodes, 1969-1970)
Ralph Goodman		(159 episodes, 1969-1970)
Gary Murphy		(154 episodes, 1980-1983)
David Lloyd		(142 episodes, 1963-1970)
Greg Fields		(116 episodes, 1979-1981)
Sidney Reznick		(112 episodes, 1969-1970)
Patric M. Verrone		(112 episodes, 1987-1990)
Marshall Brickman		(110 episodes, 1969-1970)
Norm Liebmann		(105 episodes, 1977-1979)
Gary Belkin		(93 episodes, 1986-1987)
Pat McCormick		(59 episodes, 1967-1981)
Herbert Sargent		(45 episodes, 1962-1963)
Al Jean		(34 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mike Reiss		(34 episodes, 1987-1988)
Walter Kempley		(13 episodes, 1963-1967)
Monty Aidem		(8 episodes, 1983)
Bob Carman		(6 episodes, 1965-1966)
Mickey Rose		(3 episodes, 1969-1984)
Johnny Carson		(unknown episodes)
Hal Goldman		(unknown episodes)
Jay Leno		(unknown episodes)
Richard Marcus		(unknown episodes)
George Tricker		(unknown episodes)
Allyn Warner		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Frederick De Cordova	....	producer / executive producer (1,848 episodes, 1970-1992)
Peter Lassally	....	producer / co-producer / ... (652 episodes, 1979-1992)
Rudy Tellez	....	producer / co-producer (457 episodes, 1967-1971)
Jeff Sotzing	....	producer / associate producer (233 episodes, 1987-1992)
Art Stark	....	producer (190 episodes, 1962-1968)
Jim McCawley	....	co-producer (118 episodes, 1990-1992)
Perry Cross	....	producer (11 episodes, 1962-1963)
John Jay Carsey	....	associate producer / co-producer (3 episodes, 1965-1969)
Sy Kasoff	....	associate producer (unknown episodes, 1962-1966)
Stan Irwin	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Wendell E. Niles Jr.	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Will Schaefer		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Terry M. Pickford		(unknown episodes, 1985)
Steven B. Ross		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
John Shrum		(1 episode, 1969)
Dennis Craig Roof		(1 episode, 1992)

Series Makeup Department
Kim Adrissi	....	makeup artist (315 episodes, 1986-1992)
Harry Blake	....	make-up / makeup artist (2 episodes, 1969-1992)

Series Production Management
Willis Oborn	....	unit manager (1 episode, 1969)
Richard Romagnola	....	unit manager (1 episode, 1969)
Walter Lewis	....	production manager (1 episode, 1992)
Jim Styles	....	production manager (1 episode, 1992)
John R. Holmes	....	unit manager (unknown episodes, 1985-1986)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hal Venho	....	associate director (1 episode, 1969)
James Kantrowe	....	associate director (1 episode, 1992)

Series Art Department
Irv Davis Jr.	....	head carpenter (1 episode, 1992)
Gregory Elliott	....	prop master (1 episode, 1992)

Series Sound Department
Roger Cortes	....	sound mixer: concert sound / audio (563 episodes, 1962-1992)
Rusty Amodeo	....	chief sound effects operator (49 episodes, 1984)
Ross Martindale	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
Max Russell	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Buck McDancer	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Pattison	....	video operator (1 episode, 1969)
Carl Pitsch	....	lighting director (1 episode, 1969)
William Merrill	....	lighting director (1 episode, 1992)
Patrick S. Steele	....	head electric (1 episode, 1992)
Kort Waddell	....	camera: behind the scenes segment (1 episode, 1992)
C. Steve Goldstein	....	grip (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sharon McAvoy Nichols	....	wardrobe supervisor (1 episode, 1992)

Series Editorial Department
Chuck Droege	....	videotape editor (1 episode, 1992)
Steven B. Ross	....	videotape editor (1 episode, 1992)
Bob Veatch	....	videotape editor (1 episode, 1992)

Series Music Department
Conte Candoli	....	musician: trumpet / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Trumpet (536 episodes, 1968-1992)
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Guitar (323 episodes, 1972-1992)
Ross Tompkins	....	musician: piano / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Piano (293 episodes, 1971-1992)
Pete Chrislieb	....	musician: Saxophone (286 episodes, 1972-1992)
Joel DiBartolo	....	musician: bass / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Bass (286 episodes, 1972-1992)
Ernie Tack	....	musician: bass trombone / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Bass Trombone (285 episodes, 1972-1992)
Louie Bellson	....	musician: drums (260 episodes, 1972)
Clark Terry	....	musician: trumpet / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Trumpet (89 episodes, 1967-1992)
Charles Fox	....	music arranger (65 episodes, 1965)
Tommy Newsom	....	musician: saxophone / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Saxophone (50 episodes, 1962-1992)
Ed Shaughnessy	....	musician: drums / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Drums (35 episodes, 1967-1992)
Snooky Young	....	musician: trumpet / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Trumpet (35 episodes, 1967-1992)
Don Ashworth	....	musician: saxophone / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Saxophone (26 episodes, 1990-1992)
Nick DiMaio	....	musician: trumpet / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Trumpet (26 episodes, 1990-1992)
Gil Falco	....	musician: trombone / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Trombone (26 episodes, 1990-1992)
Don Menza	....	musician: saxophone / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Saxophone (26 episodes, 1990-1992)
Bucky Pizzarelli	....	musician: guitar / musician: The Tonight Show Band - Guitar (26 episodes, 1990-1992)
Doc Severinsen	....	musical director / musical conductor (3 episodes, 1969-1992)
John Bambridge	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Willis Holman	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Al Lapin	....	orchestra manager (unknown episodes)
Will Schaefer	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Debbie Vickers	....	talent coordinator (349 episodes, 1985-1992)
Mike Gray	....	stage manager (1 episode, 1982-1992)
Bonnie Weis	....	accountant (unknown episodes, 1985-1987)
Paul Block	....	talent coordinator (unknown episodes)
Sy Kasoff	....	talent coordinator (unknown episodes)
Jim McCawley	....	talent coordinator (unknown episodes)
Don Sweeney	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Carson Productions (1980-1992)
• NBC Productions

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1962-1992) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• NBC Studios, Burbank  taping location
• NBC Studios, New York  taping location
• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Also Known As:

"The Best of Carson" - USA (rerun title)

Runtime:

105 min (1962-1966) | 60 min (1980-1992) | USA:90 min (1967-1980)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (1962-1984) | Stereo (1984-1992)

Filming Locations:

NBC Studios - 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Carson Productions

Trivia:

There was a six month period when Jack Paar left "The Tonight Show" in 1962 and Johnny Carson replaced him as the show's host. In the interim, NBC had various celebrities guest host. It was during this time that musician Tommy Newsom was a hired to play the alto sax in The Tonight Show Band and he remained with the band, occasionally taking over band leader duties when Doc Severinsen was away, until Carson retired in 1992. Therefore, Newsom's tenure on "The Tonight Show" was three months longer than Carson's.

Quotes:

Aunt Blabby:You know, I've been depressed lately.
Ed McMahon:Depressed?
Aunt Blabby:[Long pause] Yes, depressed! Why do you repeat everything? I can go to Taco Bell for that!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Who's the Boss?: Double Dump (#5.6)" (1988)

Funny

My dad is a Johnny Carson fan himself. He had great guests like Pearl Bailey, Don Rickles, Drew Barrymore, Joey Lawrence, Bob Newhart, And Dolly Parton. I saw an informercial of this program. There was this one time when they were playing Family Feud and the host said name something you find on a farm the contestant answered a well. Ed Mcmahon from Star Search was the announcer. Johnny had a lot of animal guests.