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There are nights, he will tell you, that he finds himself back where he was, back where we had him, before we could not . M. Plied his magic tricks in early performing days of the 1950s in places like the Seven Seas lounge in Omaha, Nebraska. Brenner: Carson a 'wonderful, warm human being'. Prior to his death, Johnny had been giving the Johnny Carson Foundation annual gifts of $1 $2 million. However, years after Carson's time in the spotlight has ended, his daughter . Before David Letterman, Conan, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Craig Ferguson there was one undisputed king of late night comedy: Johnny Carson. In . That's enough to make it the largest (entertainment) celebrity foundation in the world, trumping media mogul David Geffen's $80 million charity. The accident apparently occurred while he was taking pictures along a paved service road off Highway 1 near Cayucos, north of San Luis Obispo (CA). By 1975, it was the most profitable show on television earning NBC $50-60 million every year. -- which at the time was a very different version of theraunchy hot-tubbing tempest it would become. [on the secrecy behind his nightly monologue] It's always been a ritual with me. He was also given a Sunday afternoon comedy show, which led to his being hired as a writer for Red Skeltons show. But Carson continued in his role until the promised date despite that display of grief. It's easier to that kind of show then it is to get laughs. Carson was one of . Im 54 years old. In 1949 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech (with a minor in physics) from The University of Nebraska. Johnny Carson invited Wapner him to come on "The Tonight Show" and settle a dispute between himself and David . It was only when you were older that you could appreciate his charm, wit, and class. The Hollywood tradition I like best is called sucking up to the stars. [to Miss Piggy who had asked him, 'Can you stand there in your rented tuxedo and honestly say that I am not Oscar material?'] Being the best paid comedian and TV host of his generation, Johnny's salary . He is from USA. Born John William Carson on October 23, 1925, in Corning, Iowa, he is survived by his fourth wife, Alexis, and sons Christopher and Cory from his first marriage, to Joan "Jody" Wolcott. So, how much is Johnny Carson worth at the age of 80 years old? On August 30, 2010, The Johnny Carson Foundation discovered that the value of their trust fund was worth an astonishing $156 million! Inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 1987. Johnny Carson, the droll, puckish, near-effortless comedian who dominated late-night television for 30 years, tucking millions of Americans into bed as the host of the "Tonight . At 6 a.m. he finally decided the old captain could stay, and we finally went to bed." . It was almost a setting on the clock. The Tonight Show had originated in 1951 in Los Angeles as a radio program hosted by Steve Allen. . Johnny Carson's final episode of The Tonight Show - May 22, 1992. Tell us on Facebook. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2007. At the time, the trust fund contained $35 million in cash and $121 million in securities and royalty rights. New York: Facts on File, 1992. "Mr . They finally went back to Johnny and convinced him to give it a shot. He worked steadily in his return to L.A., including a 14-year run with "The Merv Griffin Show," where Carson won three Emmy Awards before leaving in 1986 when the host retired. Johnny Carson Net Worth. Celebrated New Year's Eve once in his teens by shooting off his father's rifle at midnight, accidentally taking out the family water heater. [during his monologue] My name is Johnny Carson, I've devoted a lifetime to comedy, and the next 90 minutes are going to seem like a lifetime to you. 2023 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved. He sat at his desk on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson set after the monologue and told his viewers . Countless talk shows hosted by the likes of Joey Bishop and Dick Cavett and other non-talk show programs were launched against him year after year only to fail, with the notable exception of ABC News Nightline (1980) halfway through his reign. "'I'll be right back.'" Do you remember watching Johnny Carson? I wake up in a sweat. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Johnny Carson, the "Tonight Show" TV host who served America a smooth nightcap of celebrity banter, droll comedy and heartland charm for 30 years, has died. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? In an interview with Larry King over a decade later, Newton called Carson "a very mean spirited human being.". Media Platforms Design Team. At age 14, Carson began appearing as the magician "The Great Carsoni" at local venues. On March 8, 1983, Joanna Holland filed for divorce. Fans were sad to see Carson go, but some were surprised he remained especially past the summer of 1991 when he experienced two significant losses. TV personality Johnny Carson had an easier life on screen than off. They bring back the good old . Carson, who died in 2005 at age 79,was a gentleman. Aside from his banter with celebrities, he amused his audience for 30 years with broadly played skit comedy by his "Mighty Carson Art Players" and his spoof clairvoyant "Carnac the Magnificent". There's a nice fact-filled tribute to Carson on blog The Morning Delivery, noting thatCarson's first guests, back in 1962, included "Tony Bennett, Rudy Vallee, Joan Crawford, Groucho Marx, and a rising comedy writer, Mel Brooks." Before his triumph on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), Carson tried his hand at dramatic acting, appearing in Days Of Wine & Roses - Cliff Robertson & Piper Laurie, "Playhouse 90" Original TV Version: Three Men on a Horse (1957) (episode # 1. Carson was the embodiment of TV history as he helped to usher in the era of late-night talk shows.He interviewed every celebrity in the country. At age 14, Carson began appearing as the magician "The Great Carsoni" at local venues.In 1962, Carson was chosen by NBC to succeed the controversial Jack Paar and his The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar (1957). Taught himself how to speak Swahili before going on trips to Africa during his retirement. Pg. He was a writer for "The Red Skelton Show" and the host of quiz show, "The Johnny Carson . Can you imagine me doing this when Im in my 60s? Where were you 20 years ago today? I live my life, especially my personal life, strictly for myself. He knew he was a guest in your home, and he was never rude or unwelcome. Legendary Las Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton immensely disliked Carson due to Carson's jokes about Newton being homosexual. Official Sites, His legendary ability to recover from jokes that got a poor reaction by then making jokes about their failure. In terms of career longevity, popularity, peer respect and impact on the medium, Carson ranks with Lucille Ball and Jackie Gleason as a television great. Johnny Carson, retired king of late night television, has emphysema, but refutes reports that he's so sick, he can't do much of anything. Originally published in the June 2002 issue. "He was very private.". When the jokes wouldn't stop an infuriated Newton went to Carson's office at the NBC studios demanding the jokes stop or he would beat up Carson. He then moved to New York City and in 1957 became host of the game show Who Do You Trust? Johnny Carson lived his life in the public eye, and the public loved him for it. Their son, Richard Wolcott Carson, was killed on 6/21/91 after his car plunged down a steep embankment along a coastal road. Married men live longer than single men. September 20, 2002 / 5:32 AM / CBS. After college he began hosting a radio show at a station in Omaha. "It gave him great pleasure," Lassally told CNN. When cable television took a toll on his viewership, he decided to leave on a high note. [] Im not prepared. I havent seen such an abundance of material in my life! On May 22, 1992, Carsons final appearance as the host of The Tonight Show attracted an estimated 50 million viewers, the largest audience in the programs history. Its show time and Im going on and Ive got nothing to say! The Power of Suggestion. ', So, when he felt the time was right, he made the decision and stuck with it. On Carson's death David Letterman said "I don't know of a person in comedy or television who didn't sort of grow up with Johnny Carson as a role model", such was his influence. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. [September 30, 1972]. Johnny Carson retired after three decades in the long-time hosts' chair behind the familiar iconic late-night desk on May 22, 1992, and was replaced by Jay Leno amid national and media controversy. Johnny won countless awards including six Emmys, a Peabody and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Johnny Carson, byname of John William Carson, (born October 23, 1925, Corning, Iowa, U.S.died January 23, 2005, Los Angeles, California), American comedian who, as host of The Tonight Show (196292), established the standard format for television chat showsincluding the guest couch and the studio bandand came to be considered the king of late-night television. Before his career as a talk host, he served in the Navy. One of television's best-known personalities, Johnny Carson hosted 'The Tonight Show' for 30 years. Later,almost every night I would watch him till, he retired. Johnny Carson's career in show business actually began in radio, not television. Joan Rivers on Johnny's show Johnny's 4,531st and last Tonight Show taping was on May 22, 1992. His first wife was a woman named Jodie Walcott, and they tied the knot in 1948. For good or for ill, it's part of why we now have umpteen "Real Housewives" franchises and why you likely know the names "Kim Kardashian," "Snooki" and "Taylor Hicks.". After a long and storied career, she couldn't just give up acting that easily. Thus, it was "The Tonight Show" that remains his creative legacy. He served as host of NBC's The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992 where he helmed over 8,000 episodes, according to IMDb . Before David Letterman, Conan, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Craig Ferguson there was one undisputed king of late night comedy: Johnny Carson. Its now been ten years since Ive been done with the job., But I will be back there it was two-thirds of my adult life, remember and people at the show will be as real and fresh and current as ever in the dream, he went on. Desire."-. I ain't going back on television. It wasn't the nation's first reality show, but it helped bring a new awareness and popularity to the form. He married Jody Wolcott in 1948, and they had three sons. His tempestuous love-life, which included two high-profile divorces, became the fodder of such celebrity staples as "The National Enquirer" and later "People Magazine", and he was even the subject of a roman a clef pulp novel in the early 1970s. Johnny's hometown in Norfolk, Nebraska named a hospital, museum, community college, library and high school in his honor after receiving large gifts. In 1980, Carson ended up signing an NBC contract with the richest deal in the history of TV at the time. When Carson retired, his last appearance was one of the highest rated late night TV shows ever. Ive checked with other people, and it occurs to them frequently. Carson was a heavy smoker, a compulsion he said he regretted having in many interviews. No one, including the foundation itself, had any idea how large the donation was until 2010 when his lawyer and accountant were required to reveal the full amount in an IRS tax return. I made that decision a long time ago and it's served me well. Johnny Carson's age was 79 years old at the time of his death. Gael Fashingbauer Cooper and The Clicker and Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, Slideshow: Talk-show hosts through the years, Video: 'Dateline NBC' hosts reflect on 20 years, Len slams 'Dancing' star William over sexy freestyle. This led to a stint as the host of the quiz show Earn Your Vacation (1954) and the variety showcase The Johnny Carson Show (1953) in 1955-56. When he finished, off he went, he shared. , money, salary, income, and assets. If you're sick to death of tribalism and cancel culture, I invite you search YouTube for an old Johnny Carson show-one with Joan Rivers. I'm 54 years old. After he retired, offers came his way for anniversary specials, but he declined, preferring to "just let the work speak for itself." Johnny Carson, hosting his final "Tonight Show" in 1992, made . Following high school . The man who would soon become the most famous late-night TV personality in history hosted the daytime game show Who Do You Trust? His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. His tempestuous love-life, which included two high-profile divorces, became the fodder of such celebrity staples as "The National Enquirer" and later "People Magazine", and he was even the subject of a roman a clef pulp novel in the early 1970s. In 1975, Johnny was the highest paid entertainer in the world with an annual salary of $4 million ($17 million today). Some thought it would hasten the hosts departure, but he returned with a touching tribute instead. zhappychef {{ relativeTimeResolver(1622457128314) }} LIVE Carson and Jody divorced in 1963, and only months later, Carson married his second wife, Joanne Copeland. Soon he started performing for bridge clubs and church socials as a 14-year-old magician/comic, under the name "The Great Carsoni." "Thank God for videotapes and DVDs. You've got to know when to get the hell off the stage, and the timing was right for me. Jan. 25, 2005 12 AM PT. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Not long ago, my Facebook feed offered up a video of one of Johnny's monologues from the 1970s, and because I clicked . He is best known as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1992). (9) Carson attended neither of his parent's funerals. In 1960, he shot a pilot for a prime-time TV series, "Johnny Come Lately", that was not picked up by a network. He even had a helicopter airlift him from the studio, seemingly to avoid the weepy scene there which followed his on-air goodbye. And youre not ready. Johnny Carson Once Told Dolly Parton Hed Give About a Years Pay to Peek at Her Undressed. Johnny Carson (John William Carson) was born on 23 October, 1925 in Corning, Iowa, USA, is an Actor, Soundtrack, Writer. While still in college, Carson took a job as an announcer with KFAB in Omaha, Nebraska, and two years later moved to Los Angeles, California, where he took an announcer's job at KNXT-TV. Letterman had a notorious adversarial relationship . Johnny Carson, byname of John William Carson, (born October 23, 1925, Corning, Iowa, U.S.died January 23, 2005, Los Angeles, California), American comedian who, as host of The Tonight Show (1962-92), established the standard format for television chat showsincluding the guest couch and the studio bandand came to be considered the king of late-night television. Mini Bio (1) Johnny Carson, the legendary "King of Late Night TV" who dominated the medium's nether hours for three decades, was born in Corning, Iowa, but moved with his family to nearby Norfolk, Nebraska when he was eight years old. He told viewers, Ive announced that May 22, 1992, will be my last show. "I know a man who gave up smoking, drinking, sex, and rich food. In 1960, he shot a pilot for a prime-time TV series, "Johnny Come Lately", that was not picked up by a network. Even old Hollywood hands, familiar with chronically insecure stars, put Carson in a class of his own. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992. During his lifetime, Johnny Carson went through the experience of marriage four times. Apparently, they aren't subscribers to the old adage that too much of a good thing can actually be a bad thing. It's like [. Johnny Carson Hosted Tonight Show for 30 Years. He was one of those showmen who still stay "in character" every time he casually leaves home and that really made him special. "[He] never said a cutting remark in all of the years that I watched the show, and I watched it for years and years, because it was fun to go to bed feeling happy and pleased.". Johnny Carson signed off "The Tonight Show" for good on May 22, 1992. ", "Nobody in the world was like him," she said. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johnny-Carson, Hollywood Walk of Fame - Biography of Johnny Carson, Johnny Carson - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). "The nervousness never lasted more than a second because he was so congenial and comfortable," Mason said. Upon his death, the foundation was told that it was the beneficiary of a trust from Johnny's estate. So, I followed Johnny from the time I was about fifteen until he retired in 1992. [asked why he didn't keep the controversial edge that his predecessor Jack Paar has brought to The Tonight Show] I think that shows that have gone in just for controversy, to bring on two people of opposing view is very easy night after night. (1956) from 1957-62, teaming up with longtime sidekick, Ed McMahon, in 1958. Plied his magic tricks in early performing days of the 1950s in places like the Seven Seas Lounge in Omaha, NE. Carson created a sense of intimacy with his guests and audiences that made him the unvanquished "King of Nighttime TV". Beloved late-night icon Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show from 1962 until 1992, earning a place as a pioneer of television. He said CEO Fred Silverman threatened to sue Carson for $100 million due to loss of sponsors, but then the network went to work trying to keep him. I wake up in a sweat, he detailed. He was healthy right up to the time he killed himself."-. Leno won and remains the host; Letterman jumped to CBS, where he is host of "The Late Show.". Frederick De Cordova, the producer of "The Tonight Show" throughout Carson's 30-year run, believed that Carson never pressured himself to launch a follow-up as he already had achieved unprecedented success on TV. he won two more Emmys for that before he retired in 1999. From expensive cars . They divorced and later, in 1990, she lost a suit trying to increase the alimony that she was receiving. He purchased and later sold two television stations and was one of the largest individual investors in the failed DeLorean Motor Company. January 24, 2005 / 7:36 AM / CBS/AP. if ( host.indexOf("edition.") Johnny Carson. The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson premiered on October 1st, 1962. In 1954, the program moved to TV and in 1956, Jack Parr replaced Allen as the host. I regret it now.. 1 near Cayucos, north of San Luis Obispo (CA). Carson was 79 when he died in 2005. Oscar Meyer, maybe. Buskin said he pressed Carson to explain. He retired as judge in November 1979, the day after his 60th birthday. That ain't gonna happen. | "I'll be right back" -- Carson's response, when asked what he'd like for his epitaph at a press conference after he'd accepted Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Club Man of the Year Award in 1977. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Johnny Carson was part of American Culture. In 1992, when Johnny Carson retired as host of The Tonight Show, he was 66 years old. He made donations totaling nearly $5 million to causes and organizations there, including the Carson Regional Cancer Center (named after his parents), the high school's Johnny Carson Theater, the Norfolk Public Library, the Norfolk Arts Center, the Elkhorn Valley Museum and Research Center, and the Lifelong Learning Center at Northeast Community College. Youve got to know when to get the hell off the stage, and the timing was right for me. The reason I really dont go back or do interviews is because I just let the work speak for itself., On The Tonight Show, Carson explained to guest, Roseanne Barr, that he wanted to quit while still on top of his game. After brief stints on radio stations in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, his career was exclusively in television, starting with work at Nebraska TV stations in the late 1940s which preceded his 1951-53 skit program Carson's Cellar (1953) on Los Angeles station KNXT-TV. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. If you don't hurt anybody else, what you do is your own business. "You never spoke to him at all before the show. The story goes he met his last wife, Alexis Mass, when he saw her strolling along the beach near his Malibu home holding an empty wine glass. Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon on Carson's final episode of \"The Tonight Show,\" on May 22, 1992. After Carson announced his impending retirement, his son, Rick, died tragically. He didn't want the guests to say something funny, and then feel that they were too embarrassed to say it on air.". When he retired in 1992, he held the record for hosting the same network series for the longest time: 29 years, 7 months, 21 days. - IMDb Mini Biography By: First wife, Joan "Jody" Morrill Wolcott, was his college sweetheart. At 80 years old, Johnny Carson height While serving in the Navy (1943-45) on the USS Pennsylvania during WWII, he filled in for an absent. Sadly, Johnny died in 2005 at the age of 79 after suffering a three year battle with emphysema. We have certain high standards on this show and some day we hope to live up to them. The man who would soon become the most famous late-night TV personality in history hosted the daytime game show Who Do You Trust? He is a member of famous Actor with the age 80 years old group. "It is a sad day for his family and for the country," "Late Show" host David Letterman said in a statement Sunday. When a joke bombed during his monologues, Carson would do a wounded double-take as the audience jeered, fully aware of the awfulness of the joke he had just unloaded. "He passed away this morning," Carson's nephew, Jeffrey Sotzing, told CNN. If variety is the spice of life, marriage is the big can of leftover Spam. //-->. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. "He is one of a kind, was one of a kind", De Cordova said in 1995. Then you kn. To everyone's amazement, Johnny Carson left a surprisingly massive fortune to charity. The record was broken by Bob Barker on The Price Is Right (1972) in 2002. Lived in Norfolk, NE, for a decade from the age of eight until his induction into the US Navy in 1943. On 3/8/83 Joanna Holland filed for divorce. The Johnny Carson Foundation Makes HUGE Surprise Donation To University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Johnny Carson's Former Malibu Mansion Up For Sale For $81.5 Million. Unlike every other TV star, he remained on top until the very end, the show winning its ratings period every year for 30 years. Just one more time, heeeeeeere's Johnny. document.write('Tuesday, January 25, 2005 Posted: 1925 GMT (0325 HKT)'); Johnny Carson reigned over The Tonight Show for 30 straight years, from 1962-1992, and is widely considered the greatest television host of all time. He fell in love with magic when he was 12 . And it's frightening. During this period, he joked on. He made one foray into movies - he played himself in the 1964 Connie Francis movie, Looking for Love (1964). And his audience's identification of Johnny with the "Tonight Show" effectively stopped him from work in other media. Carson created a sense of intimacy with his guests and audiences that made him the unvanquished "King of Nighttime TV". I've checked with other people, and it occurs to them frequently. Carson was host of the late-night talk show from October 1, 1962, to May 22, 1992, taking over from Jack Paar and handing off to Jay Leno after 4,531 episodes. Following these bombs with a sly, self-deprecating remark engendered a sense of intimacy between Carson and his fans.A liberal in the increasingly liberal age of the 1960s and 1970s, so powerful were his opening monologues that by the early 1970s, he could actually affect society at large outside of the pop culture realm. Paar had decided to quit the show and begin a once-a-week show for NBC in prime time on Friday nights. In January 1962, Jack Paar announced he was stepping down as host of The Tonight Show. He told his son he would have to dump her if wanted to receive any o. The six-time Emmy-winner considered a follow-up to "The Tonight Show", but nothing caught his interest and he spent the last decade of his life in a quiet retirement in Malibu, California, as befitted his private nature. Johnny Carson reigned over The Tonight . Updates? Having smoked 4-5 packs of Pall Mall cigarettes a day, Carson began to suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by the late 1970s, but continued to smoke heavily. Soon he started performing for bridge clubs and church socials as a 14-year-old magician/comic, under the name "The Great Carsoni." An estimated 50 million people watched his final broadcast in 1992. But a longtime friend of Carson's told The ENQUIRER: "It killed Ed. Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Carson retired in 1992. These have not been the most happy several weeks.. There have been at least seven published biographies of Carson.After brief stints on radio stations in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, his career was exclusively in television, starting with work at Nebraska TV stations in the late 1940s which preceded his 1951-53 skit program Carson's Cellar (1953) on Los Angeles station KNXT-TV. (CNN) -- Johnny Carson, host of NBC's "The Tonight Show" for nearly 30 years, died Sunday of emphysema. Carson took . "New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most of it unsolved."-. The incident was so significant, it became a topic of national news. When Johnny died in 2005 he donated an unknown portion of his net worth to The Johnny Carson Foundation. After The Tonight Show After hosting The Tonight Show 4,531 times for millions of people over thirty years, Carson decided to retire from the show. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962). It's show time and I'm going on-and I've got nothing to say! Johnny Carson had a son that had a child with an African American woman . It was almost a setting on . Despite decades on television, Carson was never open publicly with the details of his personal life. Bushkin went to New York and passed along Johnny Carson's wishes. Whether you tuned in or not, his showwas a bookend, a sign that the hour was growing late. All external sites will open in a new browser. So, how much is Johnny Carson worth at the age of 80 years old? After Carson's reign, it became increasingly de rigueur for politicians to appear on late-night TV talk shows and bear a host's jibes in order to stump for votes. People rushed to hoard bathroom tissue in a manic frenzy. NBC spent months looking for a replacement and were rejected by dozens of popular comedians. "I'm tired," Carson said. After graduating in 1949, Carson took another radio job, in Omaha, and in 1951 he began working as an announcer at a television station in Los Angeles. He has bagged the Television Academy's 1980 Governor's Award, six Primetime Emmy Awards, and a 1985 Peabody Award. A year later, the boyish-looking budding comedian had his own show -- "Carson's Cellar" -- 15 minutes of poking fun at the news, on which Carson persuaded stars of the 1940s and 1950s to appear for free. "I have an ego like anybody else", Carson told The Washington Post in 1993, "but I don't need to be stoked by going before the public all the time". The house increased Johnny Carson's net worth massively. In 2005, after a rough fight with Emphysema, a respiratory disease mainly caused by his addiction to smoking, Johnny passed away from heart failure. host = new String(location.hostname); After he retired in 1992, Johnny Carson abruptly turned his back on show business, politely but firmly turning down numerous requests for personal . I wanted the show to make the most of being the last area of television that the medium originally was supposed to be - live, immediate entertainment. "He made more stars on his show, probably, than anybody in the whole history of show business.". Can you imagine me doing this when I'm in my 60s? Carson says he had . He was the best talk show on late night television. [1968]. He left his house and offered to fill the glass up for her. She split the . What talent he pulled in, right from the start. Attracting the attention of the industry, he was hired as a comedy writer for The Red Skelton Hour (1951) which provided him with a career breakthrough when Skelton was injured backstage and Carson substituted for him, delivering his first monologue before a national audience. Rivers called Carson "the best straight man in the business. His last guests were Robin Williams and Bette Midler. How old was Johnny Carson when he retired? I still, believe it or not, have dreams in which I am late for The Tonight Show It's a performer's nightmare, apparently. More than likely, you were somewhere near a television, watching the signoff of one of the legendary names in broadcast television. Being hand picked by Carson for time slot immediately following The Tonight Show, Letterman and everyone else in the industry assumed him to be the heir apparent to Johnny Carson.