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American Masters: Season 26, Episode 5Johnny Carson: King of Late Night (14 May 2012)Chronological look at the life and career of Johnny Carson (1925-2005), with commentary from an ex-wife and more than 30 fellow comedians, friends, employees, and biographers. The biography... See full summary » Writer:Peter Jones |
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Title: Johnny Carson: King of Late Night (14 May 2012)
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Cast
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| Kevin Spacey | ... |
Himself - Narrator
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Muhammad Ali | ... |
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| Steve Allen | ... |
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| Ed Ames | ... |
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Jack Bailey | ... |
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| Pearl Bailey | ... |
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| Lucille Ball | ... |
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Rona Barrett | ... |
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Michael Barrie | ... |
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Ginny Beauregard | ... |
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| Richard Benjamin | ... |
Himself
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| Jack Benny | ... |
Himself
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Chronological look at the life and career of Johnny Carson (1925-2005), with commentary from an ex-wife and more than 30 fellow comedians, friends, employees, and biographers. The biography defines why Carson was an enduring star (his cool, his timing, his genuine laugh, his breadth of knowledge) and pursues his motivations and inner self (a loner with a drinking problem, a decent Midwesterner whose mother withheld approval, a quiet person who loved to entertain). The key to understanding him, argues the biography, is his love of magic. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
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Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
14 May 2012 (USA) See more »Company Credits
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This episode of "American Masters" was well made--I have no complaints about this in any way. In fact, it was EXCEPTIONALLY well made and because of this it depressed me. This is because with a 'warts and all' biography, you get more than just effusive praise--you get the good AND the bad. So, while you learn about all of Johnny Carson's many on-screen successes and accolades, you also hear about what an absolutely screwed up guy he was as well. Because of this, instead of focusing on his triumphs (and this made up most of the show), I kept getting bogged down with his failings. He had a difficult mother--one who had a very hard time praising Johnny or connecting with him. In turn, he had a horrible time connecting with his own children--and seemed to be very distant. He also struggled with alcoholism (or at least a serious drinking problem) and his very public divorces. And, while there was lots of praise for him as a performer, it was sad that no one interviewed for the show ever felt close to him. It's an odd contradiction--with such a public figure having such an incredibly private life--and often, he was alone.
If you want to feel happy, don't watch this. However, if you hate biographies that gloss over problems and only paint a rosy picture (a very common problem), then this is for you. You learn a lot about the man and I can really respect the job the "American Masters" folks did with this one. Very good and the definitive biography on the man.