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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

  • TV Series
  • 1962–19921962–1992
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
4K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,245
71
Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
Host Johnny Carson performs comedy routines and chats with various celebrities.
Play trailer0:31
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyTalk-Show
Host Johnny Carson performs comedy routines and chats with various celebrities.Host Johnny Carson performs comedy routines and chats with various celebrities.Host Johnny Carson performs comedy routines and chats with various celebrities.
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
4K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,245
71
  • Stars
    • Johnny Carson
    • Ed McMahon
    • Doc Severinsen
  • Stars
    • Johnny Carson
    • Ed McMahon
    • Doc Severinsen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 20User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 8 Primetime Emmys
      • 12 wins & 38 nominations total

    Episodes9812

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos2

    Funny Women of Television
    Clip 3:41
    Watch Funny Women of Television
    Carson Collections Trailer
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch Carson Collections Trailer

    Photos634

    Johnny Carson and Carl Reiner in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Selma Diamond in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Johnny Carson and Selma Diamond in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Jay Leno and Jerry Van Dyke in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Muhammad Ali and Della Reese in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Diana Ross in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Johnny Carson and Betty White in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Johnny Carson and Betty White in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Johnny Carson and Betty White in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    Alice Neel and Elaine Stritch in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Johnny Carson
    Johnny Carson
    • Self - Host…
    Ed McMahon
    Ed McMahon
    • Self - Announcer…
    Doc Severinsen
    Doc Severinsen
    • Self - Bandleader…
    Skitch Henderson
    Skitch Henderson
    • Self - Bandleader…
    Tommy Newsom
    • Self - Bandleader…
    Jay Leno
    Jay Leno
    • Self - Guest Host…
    Joan Rivers
    Joan Rivers
    • Self - Guest Host…
    Joey Bishop
    Joey Bishop
    • Self - Guest Host…
    Milton Delugg
    • Self - Bandleader
    David Brenner
    David Brenner
    • Self - Guest Host…
    Bob Hope
    Bob Hope
    • Self…
    Bob Newhart
    Bob Newhart
    • Self - Guest Host…
    Don Rickles
    Don Rickles
    • Self - Guest Host…
    Bill Cosby
    Bill Cosby
    • Self - Guest Host…
    David Steinberg
    David Steinberg
    • Self - Guest…
    John Davidson
    John Davidson
    • Self - Guest Host…
    Alan King
    Alan King
    • Self - Guest…
    Frederick De Cordova
    Frederick De Cordova
    • Self - Producer…
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In September 1983 Joan Rivers was officially designated Carson's permanent guest host, a role she had been filling for more than a year. In 1986 she abruptly left for her own show, The Late Show (1986), on the then-new Fox Network. Carson first learned of the show when he saw her press conference on TV. When Rivers called Carson after the announcement, he was so furious at Rivers for failing to tell him personally before the press conference that he refused to take the call. He banned Rivers from his show, canceling her three remaining weeks as guest host. Carson never forgave her for leaving and never spoke to her again. When Rivers sent Carson flowers and a note after his son Ricky died in an accident, Carson sent them back. Rivers later said that she didn't want to tell Carson before the press conference because she was afraid FOX would cancel the deal if word leaked out. Carson said he felt betrayed, not because Rivers dared to compete with him, but because she wasn't honest with him about her intentions and didn't ask for advice and his blessing.
    • Quotes

      [from his last show - May 22, 1992]

      [referring to his family in the audience and the death of Rick, his other son, in a car crash]

      Johnny Carson: It would have been a perfect evening if their brother Rick had been here with us, but I guess life does what it's supposed to do and you accept it and go on.

    • Crazy credits
      Whenever Carson added a skit to an episode, the "Mighty Carson Art Players" would be announced as guest stars.
    • Alternate versions
      Select comedy sketches from the Tonight Show were taken and placed into syndication into "Carson's Comedy Classics" during the mid 1980's.
    • Connections
      Edited into Carson's Comedy Classics (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Time to Shine
      (uncredited)

      Music by Roger Dexter

      [Plays over the Carson Productions Logo]

      [Antenna TV airing only]

    User reviews20

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Here's Johnny!!! - What did the Pearly Gatekeeper say when...
    Here's Johnny!!! - What did the Pearly Gatekeeper say when...Johnny arrived there? There will never be another Johnny Carson. The entertainment he provided with the help of thousands of guests over 30 years will never be equaled by anyone. I don't even know that anyone can ever do justice to comment on one of the rare things that rates more than a 10 on a scale of 10 in our lifetimes.

    Even before Johnny Carson died, a greater loss was when NBC lost most of his Tonight Shows from the 1960's. If only somebody could find these shows because these are the shows which made him number 1. They were 90 minutes each of Carson arriving at the top of his career. It has been forgotten how hard nosed an interviewer he was during that decade. Also lost are some of the most famous guests in show business during that era & the fact that he would have controversial guests on & face them on any subject during that era.

    The greatest thing was Carson arrived at his peak in the 1960's & then amazingly stayed there for three decades. Thank goodness NBC didn't lose any of those other shows. How they got lost makes me wonder if they didn't want the tough hard-nosed Carson who was not afraid to face any guest remembered or if they wanted to lose some of the early images of Johnny smoking on air. I mean, NBC managed to archive all the Original LET'S MAKE A DEAL programs in the same era. Why not the Johnny Carson's?

    I have the set of clips of his & every so often I turn them on. I taped his last show, & keep it in my archives. I wish somewhere, somehow, someplace those 1960's shows would show up. At least now that I've seen the best, I can only wish to see it again. We were all blessed to have had Johnny Carson.
    helpful•9
    1
    • DKosty123
    • Oct 23, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1, 1962 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Carson Productions
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Carson
    • Filming locations
      • Studio 6B, NBC Studios - 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA(1962-1972)
    • Production companies
      • Carson Productions
      • NBC Entertainment
      • NBC Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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