Pop Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 79 years. Sometimes the good don't die young. Another Great, another turn of the wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottdog Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 Heard he had been writing jokes form Dave Letterman the past few years. How funny is that? Even Johnny knew Leno is a putts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest_ikonboard Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 Posted on Sun, Jan. 23, 2005 Johnny Carson, 30-year king of late night TV, dead at 79 JEFF WILSON Associated Press LOS ANGELES - 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. He was 79. "Mr. Carson passed away peacefully early Sunday morning," his nephew, Jeff Sotzing, told The Associated Press. "He was surrounded by his family, whose loss will be immeasurable. There will be no memorial service." Sotzing would not give further details, including the time of death, the location or the cause of death. The boyish-looking Nebraska native with the disarming grin, who survived every attempt to topple him from his late-night talk show throne, was a star who managed never to distance himself from his audience. His wealth, the adoration of his guests - particularly the many young comics whose careers he launched - the wry tales of multiple divorces: Carson's air of modesty made it all serve to enhance his bedtime intimacy with viewers. "Heeeeere's Johnny ..." was the booming announcement from sidekick Ed McMahon that ushered Carson out to the stage. Then the formula: the topical monologue, the guests, the broadly played skits such as "Carnac the Magnificent." But audiences never tired of him; Carson went out on top when he retired in May 1992. His personal life could not match the perfection of his career. Carson was married four times, divorced three. In 1991, one of his three sons, 39-year-old Ricky, was killed in a car accident. Nearly all of Carson's professional life was spent in television, from his postwar start at Nebraska stations in the late 1940s to his three decades with NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Carson choose to let "Tonight" stand as his career zenith and his finale, withdrawing into a quiet retirement that suited his private nature and refusing involvement in other show business projects. In 1993, he explained his absence from the limelight. "I have an ego like anybody else," Carson told The Washington Post, "but I don't need to be stoked by going before the public all the time." He was open to finding the right follow-up to "Tonight," he told friends. But his longtime producer, Fred de Cordova, said Carson didn't feel pressured - he could look back on his TV success and say "I did it." "And that makes sense. He is one of a kind, was one of a kind," de Cordova said in 1995. "I don't think there's any reason for him to try something different." Carson was born in Corning, Iowa, and raised in nearby Norfolk. He started his show business career at age 14 as the magician "The Great Carsoni." After World War II service in the Navy, he took a series of jobs in local radio and TV in Nebraska before starting at KNXT-TV in Los Angeles in 1950. There he started a sketch comedy show, "Carson's Cellar," which ran from 1951-53 and attracted attention from Hollywood. A staff writing job for "The Red Skelton Show" followed. The program provided Carson with a lucky break: when Skelton was injured backstage, Carson took the comedian's place in front of the cameras. The appearance probably was Carson's first monologue in front of a national audience, according to "The Complete Directory to Primetime TV Stars." Producers tried to find the right program for the up-and-coming comic, trying him out as host of the quiz show "Earn Your Vacation" (1954) and in the variety show "The Johnny Carson Show" (1955-56). From 1957-62 he hosted the daytime game show "Who Do You Trust?" and, in 1958, was joined for the first time by McMahon, his durable "Tonight" buddy. A few acting roles came Carson's way, including one on "Playhouse 90" in 1957, and he did a pilot in 1960 for a prime-time series, "Johnny Come Lately," that never made it onto a network schedule. In 1958, Carson sat in for "Tonight Show" host Jack Paar. When Paar left the show four years later, Carson was NBC's choice as his replacement and took over on Oct. 2, 1962. Audiences quickly grew fond of Carson's boyish grin and easy wit. He even made headlines with such clever ploys as the 1969 on-show marriage of singer Tiny Tim to Miss Vicki, which won the show its biggest-ever ratings. The wedding and other noteworthy moments from the show were collected into a yearly "Tonight" anniversary special. In 1972, "Tonight" moved from New York to Burbank. Growing respect for Carson's consistency and staying power, along with four consecutive Emmy Awards, came his way in the late 1970s. His quickness and his ability to handle an audience were impressive. When his jokes missed their target, the smooth Carson won over a groaning studio audience with a clever look or sly, self-deprecating remark. Politics provided monologue fodder for him as skewered lawmakers of every stripe, mirroring the mood of voters. His Watergate jabs at President Nixon were seen as cementing Nixon's fall from office in 1976. He dispatched would-be late-night competitors with equal aplomb. Competing networks tried a variety of formats and hosts but never managed to best "Tonight" and Carson. There was the occasional battle with NBC: in 1967, for instance, Carson walked out for several weeks until the network managed to lure him back with a contract that reportedly gave him $1 million-plus yearly. In 1980, after more walkout threats, the show was scaled back from 90 minutes to an hour. Carson also eased his schedule by cutting back on his work days; a number of substitute hosts filled in, including Joan Rivers, David Brenner, Jerry Lewis and Jay Leno, Carson's eventual successor. In the '80s, Carson was reportedly the highest-paid performer in television history with a $5 million "Tonight" show salary alone. His Carson Productions created and sold pilots to NBC, including "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes." Carson himself made occasional cameo appearances on other TV series. He also performed in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, N.J., and repeatedly hosted the Academy Awards from 1979 on. Carson's graceful exit from "Tonight" did not avoid a messy, bitter battle to fill his job. Leno and fellow comedian David Letterman's tug-of-war over the job inspired a satirical 1996 HBO movie, "The Late Shift," based on the Bill Carter book of the same name. Leno took over as "Tonight" host on March 25, 1992, becoming the fourth man to hold the job after founding host Steve Allen, Paar and Carson (Letterman moved to a competitive late-night job at CBS). Carson stayed out of the fray and, after leaving "Tonight," took on the role of Malibu-based retiree with apparent ease. An avid tennis fan, Carson was still playing a vigorous game in his 70s. He was seen in the stands at professional matches including the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. He and his wife, Alexis, traveled and dined out frequently. The pair met on the Malibu beach in the early 1980s; he was 61 when they married in June 1987, she was in her 30s. Carson's first wife was his childhood sweetheart, Jody, the mother of his three sons. They married in 1949 and split in 1963. He married Joanne Copeland Carson in 1963; divorce came in 1972. His third marriage, to Joanna Holland Carson, took place in 1972. They separated in 1982 and reached a divorce settlement in 1985. On the occasion of Carson's 70th birthday in 1995, former "Tonight" bandleader Doc Severinsen, who toured with musicians from the show, said he was constantly reminded of Carson's enduring popularity. "Every place we go people ask `How is he? Where is he? What is he doing? Tell him how much we miss him.' It doesn't surprise me," Severinsen said. The brisk sale of videocassettes of the best of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," released in the early '90s, offered further proof of his appeal. In 1993, he was celebrated by the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors for career achievement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junior Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 I always thought he was one of the Best...Which would include Jack Parr and Steve Allen at that time...He will be Missed.. Junior!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 He WILL ALWAYS be the best... Rest in Pease, Johnny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiefin Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 He WILL ALWAYS be the best...Rest in Pease, Johnny. Tats the truth !!! RIP Johnny .................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldchief Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 He will be sadly missed. RIP, Johnny......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottdog Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanChief Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 This is a sad day. He was, without a doubt, a pioneer in the talk show realm, and the best at what he did, period. I had his best of collection on dvd's, but the EX got them in the divorce. I have to get them again-very funny stuff! Miss ya , Johnny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caronti Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 RIP JOHNNY...Catfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DienCaiDau Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Not many could make me laugh out loud, but Johnny Carson did. Heeeere;s to you Johnny! Rest in peace! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junior Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 I would remember watchin the Tonite show when I was goin to Grade and High School...And I always remember that before he started his Monologue and got introduced by Ed...He would always bow to the Band Leader and Make a comment about the way they were dressed and their Outfits... From The Boring Tommy Newsome... To the Flamboyant Doc Severensen... Ya just don't forget these things... Junior!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkchop Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 R.I.P Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Hare Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 I was one of those women that went to bed with Johnny everynite... We've lost the best.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indian T Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I got turned on to Johnny by my old man when I was just a kid. I thought he was the best. I don't even watch the late night crap thats passes for entertainment these days. I've missed him since he retired. R.I.P. Johnny. Your still the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebird77clone Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 I miss Johnny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.