“was by instinct and upbringing definitely Republican, but of an Eisenhower sort that we don”
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Johnny Carson
John William Carson was an American television host, comedian, and writer. He was best known as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, the third installment of The Tonight Show, which aired on NBC from 1962 to 1992.
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culture · American comedian and television host (1925–2005) · military officer · television presenter · actor · journalist · screenwriter · writer · stage actor · magician · comedian · military personnel · also Johnny Carson, John William Carson, The Great Carsoni, Carson
Born 23 October 1925 · Died 23 January 2005 · Q310819
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2026· 5 entries
Yahoo: Drew Barrymore Was Just 7 When She Charmed Johnny Carson in This Adorable Interview
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The Guardian: An HBCU has banned durags and bonnets. That reinforces anti-Blackness | AD Carson
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AOL: Johnny Carson Bid an Emotional Farewell on His Final “Tonight Show” Broadcast, 34 Years Ago
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Lead Stories rated the claim “Johnny Carson comforted dying woman Barbara Martinez during filming of March 1983 episode.” No Records.
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2025· 2 entries
New York Post: Curtains from final taping of ‘The Tonight Show’ go up for auction ahead of late host Johnny Carson’s 100th birthday
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Yahoo: Johnny Carson’s pal reveals untold story of a wild night out — that ended with a cop chauffeur: book
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2024· 1 entry
KCRW: Johnny Carson wasn’t the same on-air and in private, says new book
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2022· 2 entries
The Cheat Sheet: Johnny Carson Once Made a Surprising Statement in the Women’s Liberation Debate
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The Cheat Sheet: Johnny Carson’s Prized Yacht Is Available for Charter in Beautiful Locales for a Tidy Sum
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2021· 1 entry
To augment the Opportunity Scholarship Fund
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2017· 1 entry
Vulture: Johnny Carson
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2014· 1 entry
Snopes rated the claim “Johnny Carson caused a toilet paper shortage in 1973 after making a joke on The Tonight Show.” Mixture.
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2011· 2 entries
Creating the Johnny Carson Opportunity Scholarship Fund
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Another $5 million donation was announced by the estate of Carson to the University of Nebraska following his death, while a $1 million donation was announced on November 4, 2011, creating the Johnny Carson Opportunity Scholarship Fund.
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2009· 1 entry
Following Ed McMahon's death, Rivers spoke highly of McMahon on Larry King Live, but said that after she got her own show, Carson refused to ever speak to her again, despite her efforts to apologize
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2007· 1 entry
Snopes rated the claim “Johnny Carson made a risqué remark to a starlet who appeared on the 'Tonight Show' with a cat on her lap.” False.
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2005· 7 entries
Late Show with David Letterman paid tribute with former Tonight Show executive producer Peter Lassally and bandleader Doc Severinsen
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Died 2005-01-23.
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Carson died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of respiratory failure arising from emphysema
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“Anytime four New Yorkers get into a cab together without arguing, a bank robbery has just taken place.”
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“I was so naive as a kid I used to sneak behind the barn and do nothing.”
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“The difference between a divorce and a legal separation is that a legal separation gives a husband time to hide his money.”
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“¿Quién podría seguir a Carson? Bueno, créanme, alguien puede, y lo hará.”
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2004· 1 entry
In November 2004, Carson announced a $5.3 million gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation to support the Hixson–Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts Department of Theater Arts, which created the Johnny Carson School of Theater and Film.
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2002· 1 entry
Turned down an offer to appear at NBC's 75th anniversary
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2000· 1 entry
Carson wrote a parody for The New Yorker of former talk-show host Dennis Miller having the new role at the time as an NFL sports announcer, titled "Proverbs of Dennis Miller"
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1999· 1 entry
Carson suffered a severe heart attack at his home in Malibu, California, and was hospitalized in nearby Santa Monica, where he underwent quadruple-bypass surgery
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1994· 1 entry
Carson appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
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1993· 1 entry
Awarded Kennedy Center Honors (1993).
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1992· 4 entries
Awarded Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1992).
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Won Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by George H. W. Bush (1992).
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At age 66, when he stepped down as host of The Tonight Show
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And received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993
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1987· 1 entry
Carson married Alexis Maas
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1985· 3 entries
Awarded Peabody Awards (1985).
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And 1986, with KVVU-TV (FOX 5) going to the Meredith Corporation and KNAT being sold to Trinity Broadcasting Network
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Carson kept Art Fern off the air for most of the next year, and finally hired Danuta Wesley and then Teresa Ganzel to play the Matinée Lady
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1983· 2 entries
Awarded American Library Association Honorary Membership (1983).
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Was awarded American Library Association Honorary Membership
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1982· 1 entry
Carson was arrested for drunk driving on La Cienega Boulevard, near Beverly Hills; he was released on his own recognizance
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1981· 2 entries
Carson created the John W
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The minor planet 1981 EM4 was named in his honor, 3252 Johnny
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1980· 2 entries
The company primarily produced The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson from 1980 to 1992 and Late Night with David Letterman from 1982 to 1993, along with other TV shows, including Teachers Only from 1982 to 1983, Partners in Crime from 1984 to 1985, Amen from 1986 to 1991 and TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (co-produced with Dick Clark Productions) from 1984 to 1993.
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Carson backed out of a deal to acquire the Aladdin Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and a competing group led by Wayne Newton bought the property
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1979· 1 entry
Carson invested $500,000 (equivalent to $2,218,019 in 2025) in the DeLorean Motor Company
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1977· 1 entry
Wrote a song titled "Johnny Carson" as a tribute
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1976· 1 entry
NBC used the Satcom 2 satellite to achieve this, feeding the live taping (which started around 5:30 pm local time) directly to New York, where it would be edited prior to the late-night broadcast
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1973· 1 entry
Television personality and self-proclaimed psychic Uri Geller appeared on The Tonight Show
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1972· 4 entries
Carson announced that Holland and he had been secretly married that afternoon in Santa Monica, shocking his friends and associates
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The Tonight Show moved from 30 Rockefeller Plaza to the NBC Studios in Burbank, California, because of the studio's proximity to celebrities
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NBC's editing and production services for the show remained in New York, requiring that the program be transmitted between the two cities
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Carson's second, Copeland received a settlement of nearly US$500,000 (equivalent to $3,848,449 in 2025), in addition to an annual hundred thousand in alimony
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1970· 1 entry
"In my living room I would argue for liberalization of abortion laws, divorce laws, and there are times when I would like to express a view on the air
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1969· 1 entry
Carson launched an on-air attack on The New York Times after his nightly monologue, assailing the newspaper for an article saying that he was the highest-paid performer on television, earning $75,000 a week, equivalent t
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1966· 1 entry
Carson popularized Milton Bradley's game Twister when he played it with actress Eva Gabor
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1963· 1 entry
Carson married Joanne Copeland
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1960· 1 entry
Becoming a regular panelist from 1961 to 1962
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1959· 1 entry
“s performance royalties (though the lyrics were never used). The theme is heard being played on sound recordings of Carson”
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1955· 1 entry
Jack Benny invited Carson to appear on one of his programs during the opening and closing segments
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1954· 2 entries
With host Steve Allen, Tonight was somewhat experimental at the time, as the only previous network late-night program was NBC's Broadway Open House (1950–51), which starred Jerry Lester and Dagmar
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Skelton accidentally knocked himself unconscious during rehearsal, an hour before his live show began
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1953· 1 entry
Comic Red Skelton—a fan of Carson's low-budget sketch comedy show, Carson's Cellar (1951–1953) on KNXT—asked Carson to join his show as a writer
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1951· 2 entries
Referred Carson to her brother, who was influential in the emerging television market in Southern California
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By Bob Arbogast and used on The Tom Poston Show in New York, where it eventually ended up on The Steve Allen Show, much to the surprise of both Bob and Steve
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1950· 1 entry
At WOW-AM and WOW-TV (now WOWT-TV) in Omaha, Nebraska
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1945· 1 entry
The same day Imperial Japan announced its surrender
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1943· 1 entry
And received V-12 Navy College Training Program officer training at Columbia University and Millsaps College
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1925· 2 entries
In Corning, Iowa, to Ruth Elizabeth Carson (née Hook; 1901–1985) and Homer Lloyd "Kit" Carson (1899–1983), a power company manager
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Born 1925-10-23.
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