2008 Woodie Awards
'King of Late Night TV' dies
Claire Stencel
Issue date: 2/1/05 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 2 next >
While many may associate this well-known phrase with Jack Nicholson in the movie "The Shining," it was first made famous by the Tonight Show, as the introduction of Johnny Carson, the "King of Late Night."
Carson passed away the morning of Jan. 23, leaving behind him a legacy in the show business that has not been equaled by another talk show host. He died from emphysema in Los Angeles surrounded by friends and family at the age of 79.
Born in Iowa in 1925, he and his family moved to Nebraska when was 8 years old. Carson's showbiz career unofficially began when he was 14, when he would perform magic tricks as "The Great Carsoni" at local venues.
Beginning in 1943, he served briefly in the Navy. Afterward, he attended the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech with a minor in physics. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. After graduation, Carson worked as a disc jockey at an Omaha radio station.
In 1951, he produced a skit program called "Carson's Cellar" on Los Angeles station KNXT-TV. While working on "Carson's Cellar," he also worked as a writer for the sketch-comedy program "The Red Skelton Show." Carson gave his first on-stage monologue in front of a national audience when Red Skelton was injured and Carson stood in for him.
Carson hosted the daytime game show "Who Do You Trust?" from 1957-62, teaming up with long-time sidekick Ed McMahon in 1958.
Carson then went on to be a writer for "The Tonight Show," which was hosted by the controversial Jack Paar. On Oct. 2, 1962, Carson took over hosting duties after Paar resigned, having sat-in for Paar in 1958. Carson went on to win six Emmy awards.
Unlike Paar, Carson's jokes and monologues were good-natured, focusing on politicians and celebrities. His famous "Carnac the Magnificent" sketches, in which Carson played a mentalist, were a reprise of his childhood magic show. Carson's self-awareness as a comedian made him unique among 1960's monologue comedians.
Carson passed away the morning of Jan. 23, leaving behind him a legacy in the show business that has not been equaled by another talk show host. He died from emphysema in Los Angeles surrounded by friends and family at the age of 79.
Born in Iowa in 1925, he and his family moved to Nebraska when was 8 years old. Carson's showbiz career unofficially began when he was 14, when he would perform magic tricks as "The Great Carsoni" at local venues.
Beginning in 1943, he served briefly in the Navy. Afterward, he attended the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech with a minor in physics. He was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. After graduation, Carson worked as a disc jockey at an Omaha radio station.
In 1951, he produced a skit program called "Carson's Cellar" on Los Angeles station KNXT-TV. While working on "Carson's Cellar," he also worked as a writer for the sketch-comedy program "The Red Skelton Show." Carson gave his first on-stage monologue in front of a national audience when Red Skelton was injured and Carson stood in for him.
Carson hosted the daytime game show "Who Do You Trust?" from 1957-62, teaming up with long-time sidekick Ed McMahon in 1958.
Carson then went on to be a writer for "The Tonight Show," which was hosted by the controversial Jack Paar. On Oct. 2, 1962, Carson took over hosting duties after Paar resigned, having sat-in for Paar in 1958. Carson went on to win six Emmy awards.
Unlike Paar, Carson's jokes and monologues were good-natured, focusing on politicians and celebrities. His famous "Carnac the Magnificent" sketches, in which Carson played a mentalist, were a reprise of his childhood magic show. Carson's self-awareness as a comedian made him unique among 1960's monologue comedians.