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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
4,316
204
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
4,316
204
  • 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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    The Tonight Show

    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
    At one time, the only hit TV show NBC had!
    Johnny Carson was a trailblazer on late night TV. There were other talk show hosts before and during his tenure. Carson, though, had true charisma, a dry sarcastic wit, and perfect timing. You would be cheered up just by him walking on stage. When a joke bombed, he could find a way to make it the funniest part of the monologue. There has never been a late night host since Johnny Carson who would ask a guest an open ended question, and then just sit back and let the celebrity be brilliant on their own. Every other late show host interrupts guests with their own "funny story" or "punchline" and it is unfortunate. Carson could always do a great set up and then just let the celebrity go with it. I think the recurring guest I enjoyed the most was Joan Embery from the San Diego zoo, bringing animals both creepy and cuddly to crawl all over Carson. Carson always rose to the occasion.

    It's probably good Johnny retired when he did. He would have been uncomfortable among most of the talk show hosts who were on the air by the end of the 1990s. Everything became cruder, more political. more of a coliseum. There will never be another Carson.

    As an interesting aside, Saturday Night Live came into existence because Carson wanted an extra night off. NBC was already running "The Best of Carson" one day a week, but doubted they could get away with doing that two nights a week. And Carson was going to get his way because he was NBC's only hit TV show in the mid 1970s. Thus Saturday Night Live was born.

    Carson is still around on DVD, maybe on Netflix, most definitely on youtube. If you've never seen him at work I suggest you study him for awhile. When he was on we were truly living in a golden age of charm and wit and grace.
    helpful•3
    0
    • AlsExGal
    • Oct 13, 2018

    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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