American Masters (1985–…): Season 26, Episode 5 - Johnny Carson: King of Late Night - full transcript

GOOD EVENING,

I'M JOHNNY CARSON,

AND I THINK I SHOULD TELL YOU

THAT I'VE GIVEN A LIFETIME

TO COMEDY... AND THE, UH...

THE NEXT 90 MINUTES IS GONNA

SEEM LIKE A LIFETIME TO YOU.

Jerry Seinfeld: I USED TO JOKE
ABOUT IT IN FRONT OF AUDIENCES

WHEN THEY WOULD ASK, "WHAT'S IT
LIKE BEING ON THE TONIGHT SHOW?"

I SAID, "IT'S LIKE THERE'S
A DOORKNOB

ON THE FRONT OF YOUR TV,



AND YOU OPEN IT
AND YOU GET INSIDE THE TV."

THAT'S WHAT IT'S LIKE

WHEN YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO
JOHNNY CARSON.

I MEAN, HE WAS A TV STAR.

HE WAS AN AMERICAN TV STAR,

AND I DON'T THINK THERE HAS BEEN
A BIGGER STAR.

BUT HE DIDN'T DO IT BY ACTING,
HE DID IT BY JUST BEING HIMSELF.

Jay Leno: IT WAS REAL,
EVERYTHING HE SAID WAS REAL...

WHETHER HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT DIVORCES

OR DRINKING OR WHATEVER
IT MIGHT BE,

IT REALLY HAPPENED TO HIM.

AND I THOUGHT
THAT WAS REALLY COOL.

Conan O'Brien: I DON'T THINK
ANYBODY WAS WATCHING

JOHNNY CARSON TO RATE HOW HIS
MATERIAL WAS, KNOW WHAT I MEAN?



YOU LIKED HIM.

YOU LIKED THAT MAN SO MUCH
AND YOU WENT WITH HIM.

Ellen DeGeneres: EVERYBODY KIND
OF WATCHED THE SAME THING

AND WE ALL SHARED
THAT SAME EXPERIENCE.

I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO DIDN'T
WATCH JOHNNY CARSON.

SO WE ALL, THE NEXT DAY, HAD

THE SAME THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.

THIS IS A GUY

WHO WAS AS FAMILIAR
AS A BEDTIME STORY.

CERTAINLY THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE
PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES.

FOR DAY-IN, DAY-OUT,
MR. RELIABLE.

"OH, I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR
WHAT JOHNNY'S

GOING TO SAY
ABOUT THIS EVENT."

Ray Romano: IT DOESN'T HURT
TO BE

ONE OF
THE FUNNIEST GUYS AROUND

AND BE ABLE TO BE QUICK
AND IMPROV.

HE ALWAYS MADE
THE GUESTS LOOK GOOD.

Garry Shandling: JOHNNY BROUGHT
SOMETHING SOLIDLY,

BROADLY, HILARIOUSLY

ACCESSIBLE THAT JUST

NO ONE ELSE DID.

Joan Rivers: JOHNNY WAS A TOUGH,
AGGRESSIVE KILLER.

THAT'S HOW HE GOT TO BE
JOHNNY CARSON.

Doc Severinsen: PERSONALLY,
I WAS OFTEN

INTIMIDATED BY JOHNNY.

HE WAS STANDOFFISH,

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

HE WAS ALOOF.

David Steinberg: BUT HE WAS
SO BIG A STAR

THAT HE COULDN'T SHINE HIMSELF
BRIGHTLY FOR EVERYBODY.

Richard Benjamin: I MEAN,
MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIVE

UNDER THAT KIND OF MAGNIFYING
GLASS LIKE THAT.

Don Rickles: HE HAD THAT
KIND OF PERSONALITY

THAT, WHEN THE LIGHT WENT ON,

HE COULD DO IT ALL.

WHEN THE LIGHT WENT OFF,
A LOTTA TIMES

HE WANTED TO PUT THE COVERS
OVER HIS HEAD AND GO TO BED.

Al Jean: TO ME HE'S
THE CITIZEN KANE OF COMEDY,

WHERE, I MET DIFFERENT WRITERS
FROM DIFFERENT ERAS,

AND WE ALL HAD THE SAME STORY,
WHICH IS,

WE KNEW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM,
BUT NOT VERY MUCH,

AND YOU PIECE IT TOGETHER
AND TRY TO GET A PICTURE,

BUT IT'S STILL NOT
THE FULL PICTURE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS
"ROSEBUD" IS.

Bill Zehme: CARSON IS
THE GREAT AMERICAN SPHINX.

HE WAS ON VIEW LIKE
A MONUMENT...

DAILY, NIGHTLY,
THERE HE WAS.

CARSON, RIGHT THERE BEFORE US.

AND WHAT DID WE
REALLY KNOW?

Narrator: FORTY-SEVEN STORIES

BENEATH THE EARTH'S SURFACE
IN HUTCHINSON, KANSAS,

ENCASED IN A COCOON
OF SALT 400 FEET THICK,

CAN BE FOUND THE LEGACY
OF JOHNNY CARSON.

IT IS A TIME CAPSULE OF POPULAR
AMERICAN CULTURE

IN THE LAST THIRD
OF THE 20th CENTURY.

MORE THAN 4,000 HOURS OF TAPE

DOCUMENTING THE FRANCHISE
HE HOSTED FOR 30 YEARS,

"THE TONIGHT SHOW."

WHAT CARSON WAS UNABLE TO REVEAL
ABOUT HIMSELF

IN HIS PRIVATE LIFE,
HE DISCLOSED BEFORE

A NIGHTLY TELEVISION AUDIENCE
OF 15 MILLION PEOPLE.

ONE LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE WILL
FIND IT ON THESE TAPES.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
HERE'S JOHNNY.

Carson:
I GREW UP IN THE MIDWEST,

I GUESS WHAT YOU'D CALL
A NORMAL UPBRINGING,

YOU KNOW, PART OF THE COUNTRY.

MY FOLKS WERE SUPPORTIVE
IN WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

Woman: DID YOU ALWAYS KNOW
WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO?

Carson: OH, YEAH. OH, SURE.

Woman: FROM THE VERY BEGINNING?
HOW OLD?

Carson: I MUST'VE BEEN ABOUT
12, 13 YEARS OLD

AND I KNEW I WANTED TO
ENTERTAIN.

YOU LIKE THE ATTENTION?

OH, SURE.

BUT WHY, WHY YOU?
WHY AT AGE 12 OR 13?

BECAUSE I WAS IN A PLAY
OR SOMETHING,

AND I GOT UP AND I DID
SOMETHING AND PEOPLE LAUGHED,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU SAY,
"HEY, THAT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD."

SO, IT MAKES YOU THE CENTER
OF ATTENTION.

YES, BUT WHY DID YOU WANT
THE ATTENTION?

WHY DID YOU WANT
THE ATTENTION?
HMM?

WHY DID I WANT THE ATTENTION?
BECAUSE I WAS SHY.

BECAUSE I WAS SHY.

NOW, THAT SOUNDS LIKE
AMBIVALENCE, RIGHT?

ONSTAGE, YOU SEE, WHEN YOU'RE
IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE,

YOU ARE KIND OF IN CONTROL.

WHEN YOU'RE OFFSTAGE OR IN
A SITUATION WHERE THERE ARE

A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT IN
CONTROL, AND I FELT AWKWARD.

SO, I WENT INTO
SHOW BUSINESS

THINKING I COULD
OVERCOME THAT SHYNESS.

WHERE DO YOU THINK
THE SHYNESS EMANATED FROM?

I BOUGHT IT IN CHICAGO.

I'M SUPPOSED TO TALK
TO YOU!

I THINK EVERYONE GETS
A LITTLE HOMESICK,

ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE
FOND MEMORIES

OF YOUR EARLY YEARS,
AND I DO.

YOU WANT TO VISIT
OLD, FAMILIAR PLACES

AND RETURN FOR
AT LEAST A MOMENT

TO AN ERA THAT GAVE YOU
A DIRECTION IN YOUR LIFE.

IT'S LOVELY COUNTRYSIDE,
ISN'T IT?

I THINK AUTUMN IS PROBABLY

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SEASON
IN NEBRASKA.

MOST OF US KNOW IT
AS THE CORNHUSKER STATE.

I SIMPLY CALL IT HOME.

Steinberg: I CERTAINLY FELT
THAT, HAVING COME FROM NEBRASKA,

HE NEVER LOST

THAT INNOCENCE

THAT HE PROJECTED
TO THE AUDIENCE

OF BEING A LOT LIKE THEM,
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THIS STAR.

I'M A DOWN-TO-EARTH
FELLA.

JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, TODAY,
I GOT OUT THE OLD HAMMOCK,

WENT OUT, CLIMBED IN,

LAID THERE A COUPLE OF HOURS
SIPPING A LEMONADE.

THEN, I WENT BACK IN...
MY TWO BUTLERS

WERE GETTING TIRED
HOLDING UP THE HAMMOCK.

Benjamin: AND I THINK
HE HAD A CERTAIN

MORAL COMPASS, KIND OF
A MIDDLE AMERICA COMPASS,

WHICH HAD CERTAIN FAIRNESS
AND CERTAIN RULES.

ONE OF THE REASONS HE WAS
SO SUCCESSFUL FOR SO LONG

IS THAT PEOPLE, THEY SAW THAT.

THAT'S MY MOTHER AND FATHER.

McMahon: PLEASE, STAND UP
AND TAKE A LITTLE BOW.

Joanne:
HE WAS A GENTLE MAN.

HE WAS A VERY LOVING MAN.

HE WAS A GREAT ROLE MODEL
FOR JOHNNY

BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF JOHNNY'S
TENDERNESS AND THOUGHTFULNESS

AND SENSITIVITY
CAME FROM HIS FATHER.

BUT RUTH HAD A WILD
SENSE OF HUMOR.

SHE HAD AN OFF-THE-WALL SENSE
OF HUMOR, AND IT WAS HER HUMOR,

I THINK, THAT
JOHNNY PICKED UP.

Leno:
THERE'S AN OLD SAYING ABOUT

THE MIDWESTERN GUY,
HE LOVED HIS WIFE SO MUCH,

HE ALMOST TOLD HER,
YOU KNOW.

AND I THINK HE CAME FROM
THAT STAUNCH,

"WE LOVE YOU, SON, WE DON'T HAVE
TO TELL YOU."

THAT'S THE SENSE I GET...
I COULD BE TOTALLY OFF THE WALL,

BUT HE NEVER LOST SIGHT
OF WHERE HE CAME FROM

AND I THINK
THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT.

Narrator: JOHN WILLIAM CARSON
WAS BORN IN CORNING, IOWA,

ON OCTOBER 23, 1925.

WHEN HE WAS 8,
THE FAMILY MOVED HERE,

TO NORFOLK, NEBRASKA,

WHERE FATHER KIT CARSON WORKED
FOR THE LOCAL POWER COMPANY.

JOHNNY HAD A YOUNGER BROTHER,
DICK,

AND AN OLDER SISTER, CATHERINE,

WHO WAS THE FAVORITE OF MOTHER
RUTH CARSON.

MRS. CARSON LATER SAID
THAT SHE DIDN'T LIKE BOYS...

THEY WERE DIRTY AND NASTY
AND NOT PLEASANT.

AS THE MIDDLE CHILD,
YOUNG JOHN FELT LACKING

OF THE AFFECTION RECEIVED
BY HIS SIBLINGS,

ESPECIALLY SISTER CATHERINE.

IN LATER YEARS,

HE WOULD JOKE ABOUT THE LENGTHS
TO WHICH HE'D GO TO GET

HIS MOTHER'S ATTENTION.

Carson: HI, HOW YA DOING?

YOU'RE WAYNE, RIGHT?
I MET YOU BEFORE.

HASN'T CHANGED TOO MUCH,

OUTSIDE OF THE INTERIOR
DECORATION.

Wayne: I'VE HEARD YOUR DAD
PUT IN THAT FIREPLACE, RIGHT?

Carson: MY DAD PUT THAT
FIREPLACE IN.

AND I USED TO SIT WITH A DECK
OF CARDS.

I DID MAGIC WHEN I WAS ABOUT
YOUR AGE.

EVERY PLACE IN THE HOUSE, I HAD
A DECK OF CARDS IN MY HANDS.

DROVE MY MOTHER CRAZY...
MY MOTHER WOULD

BE UPSTAIRS IN THE BATHROOM
AND YOU MAY NOT BELIEVE THIS,

BUT I WOULD GO INTO THE
BATHROOM AND SAY "TAKE A CARD."

Johnny Leamer: JOHNNY LIKED
TO BE IN CONTROL.

BEING A PERFORMER ALLOWED HIM
TO DO THAT.

AND THAT WAS WHAT HE DID...
AS A KID, HE WOULD

DRIVE PEOPLE CRAZY WITH HIS
ENDLESS JOKES,

JUST GOING ON AND ON,
ALWAYS PERFORMING,

ALWAYS LEARNING, ALWAYS
DEVELOPING HIS CHARACTER,

WHICH WAS ANYBODY
BUT JOHNNY CARSON.

I TOOK UP MAGIC WHEN I WAS
YOUNG

BECAUSE I WAS SOMEWHAT SHY

AND WITHIN MYSELF AND I THOUGHT
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD WAY

TO GO TO PARTIES...
I READ THOSE ADS...

"BE THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
AND GET GIRLS."

MAINLY I DID IT TO GET GIRLS.
AND NEITHER ONE WORKED WELL.

BUT LOTS OF PEOPLE LIKE
TO GET UP AND PERFORM.

YOU CAN BE THE CENTER OF
ATTENTION

WITHOUT BEING YOURSELF AS SUCH.

Narrator: AT AGE 13, JOHNNY SENT
AWAY FOR A BOOK OF MAGIC

BY PROFESSOR LOUIS HOFFMANN.

IT QUICKLY BECAME HIS
ALL-CONSUMING INTEREST.

I THINK MAGIC PROBABLY SAVED
JOHNNY'S EMOTIONAL LIFE AS A KID

BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT WAS NOT
THE WARMEST

OF COMMUNICATIVE FAMILIES.

Narrator: HE CALLED HIMSELF
"THE GREAT CARSONI."

AT HIS FIRST
PAID ENGAGEMENT,

HE EARNED $3.00 PERFORMING AT
THE LOCAL ROTARY CLUB.

Zehme: EVEN TOWARDS THE END OF
HIS LIFE,

JOHNNY WOULD ALWAYS SAY

HIS FAVORITE BIRTHDAY GIFT THAT
HE'D EVER RECEIVED WAS WHEN

HIS MOTHER SURPRISED HIM
WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL CLOTH

THAT COVERED THE TABLE

THAT HE STOOD BEHIND WHEN
HE PERFORMED MAGIC.

HE LEARNED THE CRAFT OF
ILLUSION,

OF BECOMING BIGGER,
OF PROJECTING AND MISDIRECTING

AND GIVING YOU A GREATER SENSE

OF SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WASN'T
ENTIRELY ALWAYS HIM.

HIS TRUE CONFIDENCE WAS BORN
WITH MAGIC.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT,

HE WAS THE MOST CONFIDENT GUY
ON TELEVISION YOU EVER SAW.

DO YOU LIKE COINS?

OKAY, I'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE
A COIN DISAPPEAR, ALL RIGHT?

SEE THIS, IT'S A QUARTER,
RIGHT?

NOW, IF I TAKE IT AND HOLD IT
AND I GIVE IT TO YOU,

WILL YOU HOLD IT FOR ME?

OKAY, WATCH VERY CAREFULLY.

OKAY, HERE IT IS

YOU HOLD IT.

Carson: YEAH.

IT'S RIGHT OVER HERE
IN YOUR EAR.

Narrator: IN ADDITION TO MAGIC,

JOHNNY HAD ANOTHER LIFE-SHAPING
INFLUENCE GROWING UP.

IT HAPPENED EVERY SUNDAY
NIGHT AT 7:00.

AND YOU USED TO LOOK AT
THE RADIO.

YOU JUST DIDN'T LISTEN, YOU USED
TO LOOK AT THE RADIO AND LISTEN.

I WAS DOING THAT IN LOWELL,
MASSACHUSETTS,

AND WE WERE BOTH LISTENING
AND NOT EVEN KNOWING IT

BY, YOU KNOW, BY OSMOSIS,
WE WERE STUDYING JACK BENNY.

FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS,

I'VE BEEN JOHNNY CARSON'S IDOL.

NOW, YOU'VE SAID IT,
HAVEN'T YOU?
MANY TIMES.
IT'S TRUE.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WHOLE
THING SWITCHED,

AND JOHNNY CARSON
BECAME MY IDOL.

YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING?

IT'S NOT NEARLY AS MUCH FUN
THIS WAY.

Steve Lawrence: BENNY WAS
HIS IDOL, JACK BENNY WAS.

AND HE WASN'T AFRAID OF SILENCE,

AND I THINK HE LEARNED THAT
FROM JACK BENNY.

YOU KNOW, LET TIME GO BY,

LET THE AUDIENCE SEE HOW YOU'RE
TAKING IN WHAT'S HAPPENING,

WHICH IS WHAT HE DID
BEAUTIFULLY.

NOW YOU MAY
NOT REALIZE THIS,

BUT EVERY
MOVE YOU MAKE,

YOUR DELIVERY, EVERY
LITTLE INFLECTION

THAT YOU HAVE, IS EXACTLY
THE WAY I WORK

AND I DON'T THINK
IT'S FAIR.

Romano: I LOVE THE PAUSES
AND MILKING EVERY MOMENT,

AND THERE WAS NOBODY BETTER THAN
JOHNNY WITH THAT.

WITH JUST A LOOK AND A FACE...

AND NOT DOING ANYTHING
BUT DOING A LOT, YOU KNOW?

THEY MAKE JOKES
ABOUT YOU DRINKING,

LIKE I MAKE JOKES
ABOUT ED.

CAN I?

THAT'S "MAY I?"

EXCUSE ME.

YOU WERE DANGLING
A PARTICIPLE AND I JUST...

WELL, I'LL WEAR A LONG COAT,
AND NOBODY WILL NOTICE IT.

Narrator: IN 1946,

AFTER A STINT IN THE NAVY,
JOHNNY ENTERED

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
AND USED HIS COLLEGE YEARS

TO FURTHER DEVELOP
AS AN ENTERTAINER.

FOR SPENDING MONEY,
HE PARKED HIS CAR

IN FRONT OF HIS PHI GAMMA DELTA
FRATERNITY

AND CHARGED THE BROTHERS
25 CENTS AN HOUR TO USE IT

AS A NECKING PARLOR.

HE FELL IN LOVE WITH
HIS MAGIC SHOW ASSISTANT.

JODY WOLCOTT WAS TINY, ACROBATIC

AND COULD SQUEEZE INTO THE BLACK
BOX WHEN HE SAWED HER IN TWO.

SHE BECAME THE FIRST
MRS. CARSON.

REMINDS ME OF MY OLD GIRLFRIEND
BACK IN NEBRASKA...

GINA STATUTORY.

HER NAME WAS GINA STATUTORY
AND SHE WENT TO LINCOLN HIGH.

AND SHE WAS VOTED MISS LINCOLN

BECAUSE EVERY GUY IN SCHOOL

TOOK A SHOT AT HER
IN THE BALCONY.

Narrator: UPON GRADUATION,
HE WENT TO WORK

AT NEBRASKA'S MOST POWERFUL
RADIO STATION, WOW.

HE PLAYED RECORDS,
READ THE NEWS,

WEATHER AND SPORTS

AND FILLED THE REST OF THE TIME
WITH HIS PATTER.

FOR EXTRA CASH,
HE PERFORMED MAGIC

AS "THE GREAT CARSONI"
AND ALSO DID VENTRILOQUISM.

McMahon: THE WHOLE WORLD
SHOULD SEE THIS.

WE ALL HAVE TO BEGIN SOMEWHERE.

THIS IS MR. CARSON AT A VERY
EARLY AGE

IN SHOW BUSINESS,
WITH HIS LITTLE DUMMY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HIS
NAME WAS?

YOU WON'T GUESS.
EDDIE.
EDDIE!

SO NOTHING HAS
REALLY CHANGED.

NOTHING'S CHANGED.

Announcer: THIS IS WOW-TV,

CHANNEL SIX,
OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

Narrator: JOHNNY CARSON WAS
PRESENT IN AUGUST OF 1949

WHEN THE FIRST TELEVISION
STATION IN A FIVE-STATE AREA

WENT ON THE AIR.

THOSE 1,500 PEOPLE IN OMAHA
WHO HAD TELEVISIONS

INVITED THEIR FRIENDS OVER
TO WATCH A TEST PATTERN,

BROADCAST FOUR HOURS EVERY DAY.

WE WERE ALL DOING RADIO
AT THE TIME, OF COURSE.

AND THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT
PUT UP... "BEGINNING MONDAY,

JOHN CARSON WILL DO A ONE HOUR
TELEVISION SHOW."

THAT WAS MY NOTICE.

SO, WE WENT UP AND TRIED
TO PULL SOMETHING TOGETHER.

WE HAD
A LITTLE SET IN THE CORNER.

AND WE WENT ON THE AIR,
MONDAY AT 4:00.

Carson: WE HOPE A GOOD MANY
OF YOU ARE ENJOYING CHRISTMAS

WITH YOUR FAMILIES TODAY.

AND YOU'VE EXCHANGED
PRESENTS ALREADY,

PROBABLY HAD A VERY NICE
CHRISTMAS DINNER.

AND THAT YOU'LL SIT DOWN
AND ENJOY CHRISTMAS

WITH THE GANG HERE
AT WOW-TV.

MY NAME'S JOHNNY CARSON.

THERE WAS NO MONEY IN
TELEVISION, BUT NOBODY CARED

BECAUSE YOU WERE LEARNING
WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.

Narrator: AFTER LESS THAN
TWO YEARS IN OMAHA,

JOHNNY FELT READY TO MOVE UP
IN THE WORLD.

BY NOW, HE ALSO HAD THREE YOUNG
BOYS TO SUPPORT.

THROUGH A COLLEGE FRIEND,
HE SECURED AN ANNOUNCING JOB

AT THE CBS AFFILIATE
IN LOS ANGELES, KNXT.

HE HAD HIS FIRST
NATIONWIDE EXPOSURE WHEN

HE UTTERED THE WORDS, "THIS IS
THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK."

HE SET THE GOAL TO HAVE A SHOW
OF HIS OWN WITHIN A YEAR.

Announcer:
"CARSON'S CELLAR!"

Dan Gingold: HE WAS NOT
A COMFORTABLE GUY

IN THE BEGINNING.

HE WAS WHAT I WOULD CALL
"STIFF-NECKED."

HE WAS VERY THIN AND HE HAD THIS
KIND OF POSTURE

THAT WAS ALMOST A LITTLE LIKE
A BIRD.

HE JUST SEEMED NOT TO BE ABLE
TO RELAX EASILY.

AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE,
MR. BAILEY?

I'M A NATIVE CALIFORNIAN.

A NATIVE CALIFORNIAN.

WELL, THAT MEANS

YOU MUST HAVE LIVED HERE

FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS,
THEN, HUH?

Cavett: HE WAS A MAN WHO,

WHEN PEOPLE MET HIM EARLY
IN HIS CAREER, SAID,

"THAT GUY IS LIKE
A PIANO WIRE ABOUT TO SNAP."

Gingold: JOHNNY WAS HARD TO GET
CLOSE TO,

SO IF YOU COULD TALK TO HIM

ABOUT THE SHOW
AND CREATIVE IDEAS,

IT WAS GREAT.

HE WAS LOOSE AND FUNNY.

BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, THERE WAS
NO PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP.

Narrator: A FAN OF
"CARSON'S CELLAR"

INCLUDED COMEDIAN RED SKELTON,
WHO LATER HIRED CARSON

AS A WRITER
ON HIS TELEVISION SHOW.

JOHNNY'S BIG BREAK OCCURRED
ON AUGUST 18th, 1954,

WHEN HE STOOD IN FOR RED.

Announcer: "THE RED SKELTON
REVUE!"

MY NAME IS JOHNNY CARSON.

THIS AFTERNOON AT DRESS
REHEARSAL,

JUST ABOUT AN HOUR AND
A HALF AGO,

RED SLIPPED DURING ONE OF THE
SKETCHES AND INJURED HIMSELF.

THE INJURY IS
REALLY NOT TOO SERIOUS,

BUT RED'S DOCTOR ADVISED HIM

THAT IT WOULDN'T BE BEST TO DO
THE SHOW TODAY.

PERSONALLY, I THINK RED'S
DOCTOR SHOULD DO THE SHOW.

YOU TAUGHT ME A LOT.
I STOLE A LOT FROM YOU.

NO, NO YOU DIDN'T.
IT'S LIKE THE STUDENTS.

THEY SAY, "WHEN JOHNNY WAS
WITH YOU, YOU HELPED HIM."

I SAY, "NO. NOBODY HELPS YOU
GET STARTED.

IF YOU'VE GOT TALENT,
THEY CAN PUT YOU

BEHIND A BRICK WALL, YOU'LL
COME THROUGH, YOU KNOW?"

SO SO THAT'S WHAT
YOU HAVE.
THAT'S NICE.

Narrator: WEEKS AFTER CARSON
HOSTED FOR RED SKELTON,

THE NBC NETWORK PREMIERED
"TONIGHT" STARRING STEVE ALLEN.

IT WOULD MARK THE BEGINNING

OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISE
IN TELEVISION HISTORY.

Man: AND I THINK

IT REALLY BECAME ONE OF
THE GREAT AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS

OF TELEVISION THAT HAS BEEN
VERY HARD

FOR OTHER COUNTRIES TO IMITATE.

WHATEVER IT IS ABOUT
THE AMERICAN PERFORMER,

IT SEEMS TO BE WE LIKE
TO INVENT OURSELVES.

AND THESE GUYS ARE SELF-INVENTED
CHARACTERS,

AND THEY STAND OUT
IN THAT WAY.

Announcer:
"THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW,"

STARRING JOHNNY CARSON.

Narrator: IN JUNE OF 1955,

CBS PREMIERED
"THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW."

THE NETWORK BELIEVED

IT POSSESSED A TALENT
THAT HAD GROWN UP

IN THE NEW MEDIUM OF TELEVISION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD
EVENING, I'M JOHNNY CARSON.

NOW, THE REASON I SAY THAT
EACH WEEK IS BECAUSE MY KIDS

LOVE TO STAY UP AND WATCH
TELEVISION.

SO EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT MY WIFE
TURNS ON THE SET.

I COME OUT, I SAY,
"HELLO, I'M JOHNNY CARSON,"

AND THE KIDS SAY, "AAH, IT'S
ONLY DADDY, LET'S GO TO BED."

Narrator: IN PRAISING CARSON,
ONE CRITIC SAID,

"HE HAD A SINGULAR
YOUTHFUL CHARM

AND AN IMPISH TWINKLE
IN THE EYE."

CBS PUBLICITY PORTRAYED JOHNNY
AS THE PERFECT FAMILY MAN.

Zehme: THEY REALIZED THEY HAD
A GREAT LOVE FOR EACH OTHER,

BUT MAYBE THEY WERE OUTGROWING
EACH OTHER.

AND SHE PROBABLY FELT THE NEED
TO BECOME A HOLLYWOOD WIFE

OF SOME SORT,
WHATEVER THAT MEANT, YOU KNOW?

EVEN THOUGH HE WASN'T
LIKE A SUPERSTAR, BY ANY MEANS,

THEY HAD TO LEARN HOW TO BE
NOT NEBRASKAN ANYMORE.

Joanne: HE WAS UNDER STRESS,
AND THE ONLY WAY

HE COULD GET OUT FROM STRESS WAS
TO HAVE A DRINK,

AND JOHNNY WAS A CHEAP DRUNK.

YOU'D GIVE HIM A DRINK
AND A HALF, AND HE'S GONE.

Zehme: HE WAS A VODKA GUY
BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS

AND HE COULD KNOCK 'EM BACK,
AND HE AND HIS WIFE,

I MEAN, THEY FAMOUSLY FOUGHT.

JODY AND JOHNNY WERE
"THE BATTLING CARSONS."

ANOTHER THING I WANT
TO POINT OUT,

THAT I'M GOING TO CALL
MY REAL WIFE JODY.

WE LIVE OUT IN ENCINO.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK I'M
JUST CALLING SOME GIRL

WHO WE PAID TO ACT
LIKE MY WIFE.

I WOULDN'T PAY ANYONE TO
ACT LIKE MY WIFE.

Narrator: THE NETWORK COULD
NEVER SETTLE ON AN IDENTITY

FOR "THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW."

SEVEN DIRECTORS
AND EIGHT WRITERS CAME AND WENT.

CBS CANCELED THE PROGRAM
AFTER 39 WEEKS.

SAID JOHNNY, "I FOUND MYSELF
AND MY MATERIAL

SUBJECTED TO
THE OPINION OF BUSINESSMEN."

CARSON WOULD NEVER FORGIVE
OR FORGET.

Joanne: HE REALLY FELT HE HAD
COME TO THE END OF HIS CAREER

BECAUSE HE FELT HE WAS ON
A DOWNHILL SLIDE.

NOBODY WAS BOOKING HIM,

NOBODY WAS ASKING HIM TO COME
ANYWHERE OR PERFORM ANYWHERE,

AND HE WAS A LITTLE BIT
ON THE DEPRESSED SIDE.

WELL, EVERYTHING WAS
GOING WRONG.

HIS PERSONAL LIFE WAS
A DISASTER,

THE MARRIAGE WAS FALLING APART,

HE HAD A WIFE AND THREE KIDS
HE HAD TO TAKE CARE OF.

HE LOST HIS "JOHNNY CARSON
SHOW," THAT HAD FAILED.

HE TRIED A NIGHTCLUB ACT IN
BAKERSFIELD, THAT FAILED.

OUT OF WORK, NO MONEY,
BAD MARRIAGE.

Narrator: AT THE END
OF HIS ROPE,

CARSON HIRED NEW MANAGERS
WHO GOT HIM AN AUDITION

IN NEW YORK FOR A GAME SHOW ON
THE THIRD-RANKED NETWORK, ABC.

Announcer: "WHO DO YOU TRUST?"

HERE'S THE STAR OF OUR SHOW,
JOHNNY CARSON.

THANK YOU!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELCOME TO "WHO DO YOU TRUST?"

WE HAVE ANOTHER TIE TO BREAK
ON THE SHOW.

IT WAS A GAME SHOW, BUT IT WAS
REALLY JUST AN EXCUSE,

LIKE GROUCHO'S
"YOU BET YOUR LIFE,"

TO INTERACT WITH
THE CONTESTANTS.

AND HE HAD AN ABILITY
TO GET LAUGHS OUT OF THEM

WITHOUT BELITTLING THEM

IN ANY WAY, YOU KNOW,
OR CONDESCENDING TO THEM.

AS A MATTER OF FACT,

I MET HIM ON A BOAT TRIP
IN THE PARIS SEWERS.

Carson: YOU MET HIM
ON A BOAT TRIP

THROUGH THE PARIS SEWERS?

IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE TUNNEL
OF LOVE, THOUGH?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
WHAT KIND OF BOAT WAS IT?

IS IT A MOTORBOAT
OR WHAT?

NO, AS A MATTER OF FACT,
THEY ROWED IT.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE RULES
DOWN THERE,

"DON'T MAKE ANY WAVES,"
HUH?

ANY GIRL THAT BRINGS HOME
A HUSBAND FROM THE SEWERS

CAN'T BE ALL THAT BAD, HUH?

ED, WHO'S FIRST
TO LEAD OFF?

WE HAVE LOLA MASON...

Woman: FOR "WHO DO YOU TRUST?"

JOHNNY CALLED DAD IN FOR
THE INTERVIEW,

THEY TALKED FOR FIVE MINUTES,

JOHNNY WAS LOOKING OUT
THE WINDOW, NOTHING LIKE,

"WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER?" OR,
YOU KNOW, "HOW WOULD THIS WORK?"

DAD LEFT, HE NEVER IN A MILLION
YEARS THOUGHT

HE WAS GONNA GET THE JOB,
AND A COUPLE DAYS LATER

HE GOT THE CALL,
"YOU'RE IT."

AND I WAS SELLING VEGETABLE
GADGETS ON A CORNER

AND JOHNNY CAME BY
AND HE SAW ME IN PAIN.

A TERRIBLE THORN WAS LODGED IN
MY FOOT,

AND JOHNNY PULLED THE THORN OUT,

I LICKED HIS FACE AND WE'VE BEEN
TOGETHER EVER SINCE.

Narrator: DAYS AFTER JOHNNY
BECAME THE HOST

OF "WHO DO YOU TRUST?",

JACK PAAR REPLACED STEVE ALLEN
AS THE PERMANENT HOST

OF "THE TONIGHT SHOW,"
A JOB HE WOULD KEEP

FOR FIVE YEARS
BEFORE CALLING IT QUITS.

WHEN CRITICS SAY, "PAAR DOESN'T
DO ANYTHING.

HE DOESN'T SING, HE DOESN'T
DANCE, WHAT DOES HE DO?"

I THINK THAT THEY'RE BEING
A LITTLE UNKIND.

YOU COULD MENTION, IF YOU'RE
FAIR, THAT I'M ALWAYS ON TIME.

Cavett: AND THE KEY TO JACK,

TO ME, ON TELEVISION WAS DANGER.

HE WAS LIKE A GRENADE WAITING
TO GO OFF.

BUT I THINK PAAR WAS EXTREMELY
WELL-RESPECTED AT THE TIME.

I MEAN HE REALLY TOOK
THE SHOW TO ANOTHER LEVEL.

BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO WATCHED
THE SHOW THEN,

IT BECAME LIKE A CULT UNDER HIM.

YOU HAD TO WATCH JACK PAAR
TO SEE WHAT HE WAS GONNA SAY.

IT WAS PROVOCATIVE,
AND HE'S TAKING ON

POLITICAL CHARACTERS
FOR THE FIRST TIME,

MAKING JOKES ABOUT POLITICIANS.

HE SET IT TO A NEW LEVEL.

WHY'D YOU GIVE UP
"THE TONIGHT SHOW"?

YOU WERE A DYNAMITE HIT.
YOU COULD HAVE STAYED ON.

YOU COULD HAVE BEEN
SITTING HERE TODAY.

WELL, YOU NEEDED THE WORK.

Leamer: I MEAN, JODY LOVED
JOHNNY,

AND WAS TOTALLY DEVOTED TO HIM,

BUT THIS MAN WAS INCAPABLE OF
THAT KIND OF INTIMACY

AND THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP,
IT JUST WAS NOT GOING TO WORK.

HIS MARRIAGE WAS TO HIS CAREER.

THE MARRIAGE BROKE UP BECAUSE
SHE GOT JEALOUS

AND THOUGHT HE WAS SEEING
OTHER WOMEN,

AND HE WASN'T HOME A LOT,
AND AFTER THE SHOW,

WHY DIDN'T HE COME BACK
TO BE WITH HER

AND THE BOYS?

AND THERE WAS ALL THIS TENSION.

Narrator: JOHNNY'S FRIENDS
DISMISSED JODY

BY SAYING HE'D OUTGROWN HER

BUT SHE WAS THE ONE WHO SOUGHT
THE DIVORCE.

HE BEGAN TO DATE
JOANNE COPELAND,

WHO HAD A BUDDING CAREER
OF HER OWN IN TELEVISION.

SHE HAD AMBITIONS FOR JOHNNY
HE DIDN'T HAVE FOR HIMSELF.

IT WAS JOANNE WHO DIRECTED
NBC EXECUTIVES TO CARSON

AS A REPLACEMENT FOR
THE DEPARTING JACK PAAR.

BUT WHEN THEY OFFERED HIM
THE JOB,

JOHNNY TURNED THEM DOWN.

Man: JOANNE WAS VERY POWERFUL
BEHIND THE THRONE...

AND I DON'T KNOW IF JOHNNY WAS
TOTALLY UNAWARE

OF HER POWER
AND MANIPULATION,

BUT SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE
IN CONTROLLING THE SHOW,

MORE THAN I THINK HE KNEW.

HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
GOADED INTO DOING IT

HAD SHE NOT PUSHED HIM
AS HARD AS SHE DID.

Joanne: AND HE SAID, "JO,
TWO REASONS I TURNED IT DOWN:

ONE, I DON'T THINK I CAN FILL
THOSE SHOES...

JACK PAAR, STEVE ALLEN,
THOSE ARE BIG SHOES TO FILL...

AND I'M ALSO AFRAID
OF LOSING YOU,

BECAUSE I KNOW THESE SHOWS,
THEY ARE ALL-CONSUMING."

AND I SAID TO HIM,
"YOU CAN'T LOSE ME.

AS LONG AS WE WORK AS A TEAM
AND WE DO THIS TOGETHER,

I WON'T FEEL LEFT BEHIND."

IT IS NO GREAT SECRET,

AND I'M SURE ABC WON'T MIND
IF I MENTION THIS.

WHAT CAN THEY DO TO ME IF I DO?
FIRE ME TODAY?

I GO ONTO "THE TONIGHT SHOW"
ON NBC STARTING OCTOBER 1ST,

AS THE HOST OF THAT SHOW,

AND ED GOES WITH ME
AS THE ANNOUNCER ON THE SHOW.

Man: WE ALL WENT TO
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA,

AND STAYED IN A BIG HOTEL
ON THE BEACH...

ED McMAHON, JOHNNY AND MYSELF.

WE WENT TO A POLYNESIAN
RESTAURANT ONE NIGHT

AND ALL OF US HAD ABOUT THREE
OR FOUR MAI-TAIS

AND THEN GOT UP ON THE STAGE
AND, UH, PUT ON HULA SKIRTS,

WITH ME IN THE MIDDLE,
JOHNNY ON THE LEFT

AND ED McMAHON ON THE RIGHT,
AND DID A HULA LESSON,

IN FRONT OF THE PATRONS,

WHO PROBABLY WONDERED
WHO THE HELL WE WERE.

Narrator: IN ONLY TWO WEEKS,
THEY HAMMERED OUT THE FORMAT

THAT WOULD ENDURE
FOR THE NEXT THIRTY YEARS.

FROM STUDIO 6B AT
ROCKEFELLER CENTER,

"THE TONIGHT SHOW"
WITH ITS NEW HOST

PREMIERED OCTOBER 1, 1962.

McMahon: SO AS WE'RE WALKING
DOWN I SAID,

"HOW DO YOU SEE MY ROLE
DOWN HERE TONIGHT?"

AND HE SAID, "ED, I DON'T EVEN
KNOW HOW I SEE MY OWN ROLE.

LET'S JUST GO DOWN AND ENTERTAIN
THE HELL OUT OF THEM."

Announcer: FROM NEW YORK,
"THE TONIGHT SHOW"

STARRING JOHNNY CARSON.

RIGHT NOW, LET'S WELCOME

THE FELLOW YOU WAITED
SIX MONTHS TO SEE.

THIS IS A KIND OF AN EMOTIONAL
THING FOR ME

BECAUSE I'VE KNOWN ABOUT
THIS SHOW FOR A LONG TIME.

AND THE NEWSPAPERS,
THE MAGAZINES...

I'VE PROBABLY BEEN INTERVIEWED
150 TIMES

IN THE LAST NINE MONTHS
SINCE I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS,

AND YOU GET KIND OF
CHARGED UP.

I DON'T MEAN TO BE MAUDLIN
ABOUT IT,

BUT I KNOW THAT TONIGHT A LOT
OF MY FRIENDS ARE WATCHING

ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,

AND I ONLY HAVE ONE FEELING
AS I STAND HERE

KNOWING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE
WATCHING...

I WANT MY NANA.

Man: THERE WAS A MIXED FEELING
ABOUT CARSON,

BECAUSE CARSON DIDN'T FEEL LIKE

THE INTELLECTUAL HEFT
OF A PAAR.

AND WHEN HE WENT ON THE AIR,

THERE WAS GREAT EXPECTATIONS
THAT HE WOULD DISAPPOINT.

THEY'RE REFERRING TO ME
AS THE NEW KING

OF NIGHT-TIME TELEVISION
AND I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE,

REALLY, TOO MUCH.

PRINCE, YES.

McMahon: WE WERE DOING
NINE HOURS

OF TELEVISION A WEEK.

AN HOUR AND FORTY-FIVE MINUTES
A NIGHT, FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK.

LIVE.

THAT IS A TREMENDOUS BURDEN.

JOHNNY DID NOT CLICK IMMEDIATELY
ON THE TONIGHT SHOW.

IT'S AN INTERESTING
HISTORIC FACT

THAT ALMOST SEEMS
UNBELIEVABLE NOW.

AND IT TOOK JOHNNY SEVERAL WEEKS
TO LOOSEN UP.

AND I REMEMBER
BACKSTAGE,

PEOPLE SAYING,
"THIS GUY ISN'T MAKING IT,"

AND IT WAS CHILLING AND STRANGE
TO HEAR THIS AND SEE THIS.

HE KNEW HE COULD DO A MONOLOGUE
WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE,

BUT I KNOW HE FEARED
SITTING DOWN BECAUSE OF

THAT OFF-CAMERA PROBLEM
WITH TALKING TO PEOPLE

IN AN EASY WAY.

THERE WERE UNSEEN CHORDS
OF INHIBITION IN JOHNNY

THAT WERE MAKING IT
ROUGH FOR HIM IN REAL LIFE.

EVERYBODY'S A COMIC AT
A PARTY.

THIS GUY LAST YEAR
I REMEMBER,

FIRST HE PUT HIS WIFE'S HAT ON
AND HE GOT A FEW LAUGHS.

THEN, HE WENT OVER AND PUT
THE HIGH HEELS ON,

AND PRETTY SOON HE WAS WALKING
AROUND WITH HER PURSE,

AND HE GOT SCREAMS.

THE ONLY TROUBLE WAS HE LEFT
THE PARTY EARLY LIKE THAT

AND HIS WIFE HASN'T
HEARD FROM HIM SINCE.

Narrator: RUTH CARSON
CALLED HERSELF

JOHNNY'S TOUGHEST CRITIC.

SHE GAVE HER SON
ONLY A PASSING GRADE.

"I WASN'T SURE THAT JOHN WAS
THE TYPE FOR IT,"

SHE TOLD AN INTERVIEWER.

"WHEN JACK PAAR HAD THE SHOW,
THERE WAS SO MUCH CONTROVERSY.

JOHN IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL."

Zehme: SHE WOULD ALWAYS FIND
A WAY TO DEFLATE THE HELIUM

FROM ANY HIGH MOMENT
IN HIS SOARING CAREER.

Reiner: NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
WHY THE GUY BECOMES A COMEDIAN.

COULDN'T GET A COMPLIMENT
OUT OF HIS MOTHER.

AND I, ON THE OTHER HAND,
MY MOTHER THOUGHT

I WAS THE BEST ONE
NO MATTER WHAT I DID.

MAYBE THAT'S WHY I'M NOT AS GOOD
A COMEDIAN AS I'D LIKE TO BE.

Newhart: I THINK THERE'S
SOME TRAUMA PROBABLY

IN A COMEDIAN'S BACKGROUND
OR UPBRINGING

THAT, THIS IS THE WAY WE
COMPENSATE FOR IT.

Shandling: I DON'T DOUBT
THAT WITHIN

EVERY SINGLE PERFORMER,

THERE'S SOME PART
THAT IS HOPING TO GET

THE APPROVAL
THAT THEY DIDN'T GET

SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THEIR LIFE.

MINE SPECIFICALLY... AND IT'S
AWKWARD... IS FROM MY DOG.

THE JACK PAAR PROGRAM WAS QUITE
CONTROVERSIAL.

WHY DID YOU CHANGE THE FORMAT?

I THINK SHOWS THAT HAVE
GONE IN JUST FOR CONTROVERSY...

TO BRING ON TWO PEOPLE OF
OPPOSING VIEWS...

IS VERY EASY
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.

IT'S EASIER TO DO THAT KIND OF
SHOW THAN IT IS TO GET LAUGHS.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
YOU WERE JEWISH.

Cavett: ONCE HE CLICKED ONTO
THE SHOW,

GOT THOSE FIRST LAUGHS,

REALIZED HE COULD AD-LIB
AS WELL AS ANY OF THE GUESTS,

IT WAS SMOOTH SAILING
FROM THAT POINT ON.

♪ IT'S VERY CLEAR ♪

♪ YES, IT'S CLEAR ♪

♪ OUR LOVE IS HERE
TO STAY ♪

♪ WHY IS OUR LOVE HERE?
WHY IS IT HERE? ♪

♪ NOT FOR A YEAR ♪

♪ BUT FOREVER AND A DAY ♪
GOD!

Zehme:
CARSON WAS A COOL CUSTOMER.

HE WAS MARSHALL McLUHAN'S
PROTOTYPE.

THE COOL MEDIUM...

THIS WAS THE COOLEST PERFORMER

THAT MEDIUM WOULD EVER KNOW,
AND THUS WOULD LAST LONGER

BECAUSE HE BURNED COOL.

Jean: TELEVISION IS SOMETHING
WHERE YOU WANT TO UNWIND,

YOU WANT TO FEEL ALMOST LIKE
IT'S A NARCOTIC,

AND THE PERFORMERS THAT
STIMULATE THAT EFFECT THE MOST

ARE THE ONES THAT SUCCEED.

Steinberg: AND EXACTLY WHAT
JOHNNY WAS DOING WAS SAYING,

"I'M NOT GONNA BE HOT
ON A COOL MEDIUM."

AND IT WAS AN AMAZING
OBSERVATION

TO MAKE ON YOURSELF
THAT EARLY ON.

♪ BUT OUR ♪

♪ love is here ♪

♪ HE SAID OUR LOVE ♪

♪ IS HERE ♪

I JUST SAID...

♪ OUR LOVE IS HERE ♪

♪ REPETEZ, S'IL VOUS PLAIT ♪
THAT'S FRENCH.

♪ OUR LOVE IS HERE ♪

♪ TO ♪
♪ OUR... ♪

WHAT?

♪ STAY! ♪
♪ STAY! ♪

I HAVE MY DOG MUFFIN HERE,

IT'S A LITTLE YORKSHIRE TERRIER
AND SHE'S SEATED

IN THE LAP OF MY WIFE JOANNE.

Narrator: JOHNNY AND JOANNE

INTENDED TO KEEP THEIR 1963
MARRIAGE A PRIVATE AFFAIR.

BUT THE EVENT BECAME A NATIONAL
NEWS STORY.

THOUGH HOST OF
"THE TONIGHT SHOW"

FOR LESS THAN A YEAR,
HE HAD BECOME

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PEOPLE
IN AMERICA.

Man: YOU REALLY DO LOSE A LOT
OF YOUR PERSONAL FREEDOM

IN A POSITION LIKE YOU HAVE.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO GIVE
UP A CERTAIN AMOUNT

OF YOUR FREEDOM AND PRIVACY
IN THIS BUSINESS.

IT'S A FUNNY THING.
IT'S A PARADOX.

WHEN YOU'RE FIRST STARTING,
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.

YOU WANT TO BE WELL KNOWN.
YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

PART OF BEING SUCCESSFUL
IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS

IS BEING RECOGNIZED AND PEOPLE
COMING UP TO YOU.

THEN, AFTER A WHILE,
YOU REALIZE

THAT YOU PAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT
FOR THAT.

ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE KIDS
AND GO SOMEPLACE.

I REMEMBER ONCE WE WENT ICE
SKATING

AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER, AND I
THOUGHT, "THAT WOULD BE FUN."

IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WASN'T
FUN AT ALL.

Joanne: JOHNNY WANTED THEM TO BE
KEPT AWAY FROM THE LIMELIGHT.

CONSIDERING WHAT HAPPENED
ON "THE TONIGHT SHOW."

I MEAN, HE GOT VERY,
VERY VISUAL.

WE COULD NO LONGER TAKE THE KIDS
TO A MOVIE.

WE COULD NO LONGER DO ANYTHING
PUBLIC.

EVERYTHING HAD TO BE PRIVATE.

JOHNNY WAS THE BEST READ PERSON
I'VE EVER KNOWN.

YOU COULD NOT BRING UP
AN ARTICLE,

AND CERTAINLY NOT A BOOK,

THAT HE HADN'T READ.

HE HAD AN ENORMOUS DESIRE TO BE
UP ON EVERYTHING.

WOULD YOU WELCOME PLEASE
TO CARSON'S FIRING LINE,

WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY.

THE UNMELLOWED AND UNBOWED...
GORE VIDAL.

MR. NORMAN MAILER.

WOULD YOU WELCOME, PLEASE,
DR. CARL SAGAN.

WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME
THE APOLLO 13 TEAM,

JAMES LOVELL, FRED HAISE
AND JACK SWIGERT.

Steinberg: HE HAD THE ENTIRE
CULTURE AT HIS DOORSTEP.

WHATEVER WAS GOING ON...

NOT IN THE WORLD, BUT IN
AMERICA... EVENTUALLY SHOWED UP

SITTING ACROSS FROM HIM
AT THE DESK.

DID I EVER TELL YOU...
MAYBE I TOLD YOU THIS...

I USED TO FIGHT IN THE NAVY?

I HAD ABOUT NINE FIGHTS
IN THE NAVY.

YOU MUST HAVE BEEN
PRETTY GOOD,

'CAUSE I DON'T SEE
NO MARKS ON YOU.

I DON'T SEE ANY MARKS ON
YOU EITHER.

WELL, I AM PRETTY GOOD.

Narrator: THROUGHOUT THE YEARS,
JOHNNY CARSON

AND "THE TONIGHT SHOW" CAPTURED
THE NATIONAL ZEITGEIST.

1969 ENDED WITH THE MARRIAGE
OF NOVELTY SINGER TINY TIM

TIM TO MISS VICKI.

45 MILLION AMERICANS TUNED IN.

85% OF ALL TELEVISION VIEWERS.

IT REMAINS THE HIGHEST-RATED
PROGRAM IN LATE-NIGHT HISTORY.

I CAN'T THINK
OF ANY BETTER TOAST

THAN A VERY SIMPLE ONE
TO WISH YOU BOTH

HEALTH AND GREAT HAPPINESS
IN YOUR MARRIAGE.

Leno: TINY TIM GETTING MARRIED
ON THE SHOW, THAT WAS HUGE.

I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL
AT THE TIME,

AND IT WAS
THE CLASSIC THING OF,

WHAT HAPPENED
ON "THE TONIGHT SHOW,"

EVERYBODY TALKED ABOUT.

HI, I'M DICK CAVETT,
AND MY GUESTS TONIGHT

ARE JACK BENNY, BILL COSBY

AND FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD,

THE REMARKABLE JOE FRAZIER.

JOIN US.

Leno: WHEN A NEW SHOW
CAME ON,

"IS THIS THE SHOW THAT'S GONNA
DETHRONE JOHNNY CARSON?"

AND THEY WOULD GET TONS OF
PUBLICITY,

AND PEOPLE WOULD WATCH
FOR A FEW WEEKS, AND EVENTUALLY

THE PACE OR TRYING TO PUT
A MONOLOGUE TOGETHER

WOULD GET TO THEM AND
IT WOULD FALL BY THE WAYSIDE.

Cavett: WHENEVER A CAVETT SHOW
WAS CANCELLED...

WHICH GAVE HIM SEVERAL
OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THIS...

HE WOULD HAVE ME ON
THE NEXT MONDAY,

AND HE WOULD SAY, "WE'RE HOPING
THE NEXT ONE WORKS,

OR IT'S GONNA BE ARMED
FORCES RADIO FOR RICHARD."

Zehme: IN THE END, HE PUT OUT
A BETTER PRODUCT

ACROSS THE BOARD
AND IT WAS BECAUSE

HE WAS SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW
TO GIVE ROOM

TO FUNNY PEOPLE OR ENGAGING
PEOPLE AND LET THEM SHINE.

I REALLY THINK, JOHNNY, THAT
YOU HOSTING THE SHOW TONIGHT,

REALLY, IS KINDA DULL.

UH...

YOU'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS
YOUR GUESTS.

Hall: HE HAD THE PERFECT
BAROMETER IN HIS HEAD

OF WHEN TO GO AND WHEN
TO STAY OUT.

HE COULD SAVE YOU
IF THE SHOW NEEDED IT,

OR HE COULD LET YOU DO
YOUR THING.

HIS EGO COULD
LET YOU DO YOUR THING.

DID YOU
HEAR THE ONE ABOUT

THE WOMAN WHO GOES
TO THE DENTIST?

TO HAVE THE TOOTH OUT?

YEAH. AND HE LOOKS
IN HER MOUTH AND SAYS,

"THAT TOOTH WILL
HAVE TO COME OUT."

SHE SAYS, "I'D RATHER
HAVE A BABY."

HE SAYS, "MAKE UP YOUR MIND,
I GOTTA ADJUST THE CHAIR."

DID YOU EVER HEAR THAT ONE?

Benjamin: HE MADE YOU THE STAR
OF YOUR SEGMENT.

AND THERE ARE OTHERS WHO JUST
USE IT

TO JUST DRAW THE ATTENTION
TO THEMSELVES.

HE HAD THE CONFIDENCE
AND THE SKILL,

HE DIDN'T NEED TO DO IT.

DO YOU USE COUPONS
AND LOOK FOR SPECIALS?

I DO USE SOME COUPONS, YES.

I HAVE A SANKA COUPON RIGHT NOW
THAT WORTH 40 CENTS.

Rivers: JOHNNY CARSON WAS
THE BEST STRAIGHT MAN,

EVER.

HE KNEW WHERE YOU WERE GOING.

HE KNEW WHEN TO COME IN AND SAY,
"HOW FAT WAS SHE?"

HE KNEW WHEN NOT TO SAY IT.

WELL, MY WEDDING NIGHT
WAS A DISASTER, YOU KNOW THAT.

A LOT OF MEN SMOKE AFTER THEY
MAKE LOVE, EDGAR SMOKED DURING.

ASKED ME FOR A LIGHT...
YOU THINK THAT'S NICE?

I SAID, "GET IT YOURSELF
FROM THE DASHBOARD."

Rivers: IT WAS THAT IMMEDIATE
CONNECTION.

YOU KNEW YOU WERE BRINGING
YOUR LITTLE GIFT TO HIM

OF A JOKE, AND YOU KNEW HE WAS
GONNA OPEN IT AND LOVE IT.

WHAT DO THE REST
OF YOUR FAMILY DO?

THEY ARE ALL CHEMISTS.

Brooks: YOU COULD SEE HIS JOY

AND HIS LOVE OF YOUR COMEDY,
IF HE THOUGHT YOU WERE GOOD.

HE WOULD BE LIKE A LITTLE KID
JUST WAITING

FOR THE NEXT LITTLE CANDY CANE
YOU'D THROW AT HIM.

HE'S A SILLY KID, JUST
REALLY A SILLY KID.

I REALLY LOVE YA,
I REALLY LOVE YA,

I MEAN, I REALLY LOVE YOU,
KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

OH, REALLY?

AND I DON'T FALL IN LOVE WITH
GUYS, YOU KNOW,

I'M PRETTY TOUGH MYSELF.

BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
A BEAUTY COMES ALONG...

Brooks: HE WAS THE BEST PURVEYOR

OF SPONTANEOUS COMEDY MATERIAL
THAN ANYBODY IN THE WORLD.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS A PURVEYOR
OF HERRING.

IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED
ON COMING UP WITH

THE GERMAN WORD FOR
EXHAUST PIPE, COULD YOU DO IT?

UN SCHTINKEN MUFFLER?

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT THE BIGGEST ACCOLADE
YOU COULD HEAP UPON YOURSELF

WAS TO BE A GUEST ON THE SHOW
AND BREAK JOHNNY UP.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE
SAT IN THIS CHAIR AND SAID,

"I ONLY DID IT BECAUSE IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO THE SCRIPT.

I NEVER WOULD HAVE SHED
MY CLOTHES OTHERWISE

FOR 14 DAYS IN FRONT
OF THE CREW

AND THEY ONLY SHOT FOR 10,
BUT, UH..."

Steve Martin:
HE GENUINELY LAUGHED.

HE WOULD DOUBLE OVER
AND LAUGH AT A PERFORMER.

YOU LIKE THIS?

YEAH, I LIKE PART
OF IT.

Martin: YOU KNOW,
IF YOU SAID SOMETHING

THAT WAS NON-SEQUITUR,
HE'D LET IT LAY THERE

UNTIL THE AUDIENCE WOULD GET IT.

HE HAD MASTER TIMING.

WITH THE REGULAR AUDIENCE
AND I SAT IN THE BACK

AND I WAS REAL HAPPY
BECAUSE...

I TOLD YOU TO GET DOWN OFF
THAT BED!

'CAUSE I SAW A PLAY...

O'Brien:
IT'S LIKE A CHEMICAL REACTION,

IT GENERATED THIS WARMTH
AND EXCITEMENT

THAT CAME RIGHT
THROUGH THE SCREEN.

JUST SEEING THOSE PEOPLE BE
FUNNY ON THEIR OWN,

TELLING THE EXACT SAME STORY,

WOULD NOT BE NEARLY AS
ENTERTAINING AS SEEING

JOHNNY ENTERTAINED
BY THOSE PEOPLE.

SO THAT'S MAGIC.

Narrator: ON THE JOB FOR NEARLY
A DECADE,

JOHNNY CARSON'S POPULARITY
CONTINUED TO SOAR.

BUT HIS TOUGHEST JUDGE

REMAINED SKEPTICAL.

IN A TIME MAGAZINE COVER STORY,
A REPORTER SAT WITH RUTH CARSON

AS SHE WATCHED HER
SON'S MONOLOGUE.

WHEN HE HAD FINISHED, SHE SAID,
"THAT WASN'T FUNNY,"

THEN GOT UP AND LEFT THE ROOM.

Joanne: "PUBLICLY, TO DO THAT
TO YOUR SON?

UNFORTUNATELY, IT SAYS A LOT
ABOUT RUTH CARSON.

IT WAS NOT A SURPRISE TO ME...
IT WAS TO JOHNNY,

BECAUSE TO BE ON TOP
OF THE HEAP,

TO BE THE HOST OF
SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS SHOW

LIKE "THE TONIGHT SHOW,"

HE THOUGHT SHE'D BE
PROUD OF HIM.

I REMEMBER THEM FROM
GUAM.

YOU GIRLS GO RIGHT AHEAD,
DON'T MIND HIM.

CAN I DO IT A COUPLE OF
MINUTES?

NO!
NO!

GIMME A BREAK,
I'M SO LONELY.

Rickles:
HE WAS ALWAYS ON THE HUNT.

I USED TO TELL HIM,

"GET ONE OF THOSE PITH HELMETS
AND A RIFLE,

GO LOOKING FOR WOMEN."

HE WAS ALWAYS, HE WAS ALWAYS
SEARCHING,

AND SCORED PRETTY GOOD,
IF I MAY SAY SO.

I'M SURE THERE WERE FEMALES.

UH...

I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT 'EM.
I DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT 'EM.

JOHNNY HAD A RIGHT TO LIVE
HIS LIFE

THE WAY THAT WAS BEST
FOR HIM,

AND I KNEW HE WOULD NEVER
EMBARRASS ME.

IT'S NOT BEING MAGNANIMOUS.

IT IS BEING REALISTIC IN WHAT
I WAS DEALING WITH,

AND I UNDERSTOOD IT VERY
CLEARLY.

HOW DID HE HAPPEN
TO HIRE YOU?

UM... BY...

JUST THE REGULAR WAY.

YOU MEAN HIS
REGULAR WAY?

Woman: I DON'T THINK I EVER
CALLED HIM "JOHNNY."

I ALWAYS CALLED HIM "BOSS."

AND IT JUST SEEMED MORE
COMFORTABLE THAT WAY.

HE CALLED ME "LEGS."

I THINK THERE WAS A MUTUAL TRUST
AND A MUTUAL RESPECT,

AND I THINK HE FELT I WAS

KINDA NORMAL, THAT I DIDN'T HAVE
ANY HIDDEN AGENDAS,

THAT I WAS HONEST...
WHAT HE SAW IS WHAT HE GOT.

AND I TOLD IT LIKE IT WAS.

Zehme:
HE'D HAD AFFAIRS.

AND JOANNE WAS APPARENTLY
AWARE OF IT.

I DON'T THINK EVER
AT PEACE WITH IT.

I THINK

TO SOME DEGREE IT BECAME
TIT-FOR-TAT TOWARDS THE END,

AND I THINK THAT'S KINDA HOW IT
ALL CAME APART.

Narrator: IN 1970, JOANNE
CHARGED JOHNNY

WITH CRUEL AND INHUMAN
TREATMENT,

ABANDONMENT AND ADULTERY.

IN HER DIVORCE SETTLEMENT,
SHE RECEIVED A ONE-TIME PAYMENT

OF $260,000 AND $75,000 A YEAR
FROM THEN ON.

Carson: IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME,

A CRAZY THOUGHT
THIS AFTERNOON...

WHEN YOU'RE IN A ROMANTIC MOOD
AND YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE OUT,

WHOSE RECORDS DO YOU PUT ON?

Brooks: I THINK JOHNNY PROBABLY
COULD'VE MADE A LIVING,

ABSOLUTELY COULD'VE MADE
A LIVING AS A DRUMMER.

I MEAN IT'S AMAZING,
THAT'S HOW GOOD HE WAS.

Man: HE TOLD ME LATER THAT WAS
THE BEST WAY TO RELAX.

PUT ON THE EARPHONES AND PLAY.

HE COULD DO THINGS WITH
A DRUMSTICK WITH HIS LEFT HAND

THAT I CAN'T DO, OR ANYBODY,
AND HE SAID,

"DON'T YOU
KNOW WHERE THAT COMES FROM?"

HE SAID, "FROM YEARS OF COIN
MANIPULATIONS

WHEN I DID MY MAGIC ACT."

Man: JOHNNY WAS ABLE TO BE
BY HIMSELF

AND ENJOY HIS OWN PARTICULAR
COMPANY.

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE
AN ENTOURAGE

LIKE FRANK SINATRA HAD.

JOHNNY WAS NEVER LONESOME.

HE WAS A LONER.

IN OTHER WORDS,

HE COULD SPEND TIME WITH
HIMSELF,

WHETHER DRIVING OR FLYING
OR JUST READING.

Leamer: YOU THINK HE'S
A LOVING FATHER?

I INTERVIEWED HIS KIDS, AND THEY
SAID WHAT IT WAS LIKE.

PEOPLE WOULD SAY, "OH,
JOHNNY CARSON'S YOUR FATHER,

ISN'T THAT GREAT?"

BUT JOHNNY WOULD JUST COME HOME
AND GO IN HIS ROOM

AND PLAY THE DRUMS OR SOLITAIRE

AND HAD VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH
HIS CHILDREN.

Zehme: IT'S SAD TO ME THAT HE
NOT ONLY WAS

AWARE THAT HIS BOYS THOUGHT HIM
SO LACKING AS A LOVING FATHER,

BUT THAT I THINK SOME PART OF
HIMSELF BELIEVED IT

AND FELT AS THOUGH
HE'D LET THEM DOWN.

Severinsen: RICKY WAS PART OF
MY LITTLE GROUP.

AND HE SAID,

"GOSH, DOC, I WISH I COULD GET
ALONG WITH MY DAD

AS WELL AS I GET ALONG
WITH YOU..."

IN THAT INSTANT, IT REVEALED
TO ME THAT MAYBE THEY HAD

A SORT OF, NOT
AN EASY RELATIONSHIP.

Man: THE FIRST DAY OF MAY,
1972, BE HEREBY DECLARED

"JOHNNY CARSON DAY"
IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES.

GOOD HEAVENS!

I THANK YOU FOR
THAT NICE WARM HAND...

AS BURT REYNOLDS
RECENTLY SAID.

Narrator: JOHNNY BEGAN
A NEW CHAPTER

WHEN HE MOVED "THE TONIGHT SHOW"
TO LOS ANGELES.

THE FILM AND TELEVISION CAPITAL
OFFERED

A BIGGER POOL
OF CELEBRITY GUESTS.

Zehme: HE WAS OF LOS ANGELES.

HE WAS A STAR OF THAT MAGNITUDE,

A TELEVISION STAR
THAT EQUALED THE MAGNITUDE

OF MOVIE STARS.

ONCE JOHNNY MOVED
"THE TONIGHT SHOW" TO BURBANK,

HE WAS NO LONGER THE PRINCE,
HE WAS THE KING.

THAT'S TEN YEARS ON THE JOB,
BUT THERE WAS POWER.

HE FELT IT.

THANK YOU, YOU REALLY SHOULD
STOP APPLAUDING

BECAUSE YOU'LL GIVE ME
A BIG HEAD.

NO, THEN MY CROWN WON'T FIT
ANYMORE.

Narrator: A CREATURE OF HABIT,
JOHNNY ADHERED

TO A STRICT DAILY ROUTINE
THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER.

Man: EXACTLY AT 10:00 EVERY DAY

THE PHONE WOULD RING.

HE WOULD ASK ME FOR THE FIGURES
ON THE RATINGS OF THE SHOW.

WHAT DID I THINK OF THE SHOW
LAST NIGHT?

"NOW, LET ME CHECK WHO'S ON
TONIGHT, FRED.

WHAT TIME DO YOU WANT ME
FOR REHEARSAL?

TELL THE WRITERS THAT
I READ SOMETHING

IN THE PAPER THIS MORNING
ABOUT SO-AND-SO IN POLITICS.

THEY OUGHT TO WORK ON THAT."

Beauregard: ALSO, I THINK
HE LIKED THE FACT

THAT HE COULD DRIVE A CAR

ANYWHERE HE WANTED
AND NOBODY KNEW

THAT THIS WAS JOHNNY CARSON
DRIVING AROUND.

AND SO HE WAS ABLE TO KIND
OF SOAK UP A LOT OF THINGS

AND HAVE A LITTLE MORE FREEDOM

THAT HE DID NOT HAVE
IN NEW YORK.

I REMEMBER ONE TIME,

WHEN JOHNNY CAME IN
IN THE MORNING, I SAID,

"DO YOU REMEMBER WHO WAS
ON THE SHOW LAST NIGHT?"

HE SAID, "UH-UH."

'CAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS WORKING
TOWARDS THE NEXT ONE.

I MEAN, YOU DID NOT HAVE
A CHANCE TO BREATHE.

"THE TONIGHT SHOW."

HE STARTED OUT AS A WRITER,
HE WAS A WRITER FOR RED SKELTON.

HE WAS PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF
WRITING FOR HIMSELF, ALTHOUGH,

WHEN YOU'RE DOING
A SHOW DAY AFTER DAY,

YOU DON'T
WANT THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

Man: THAT'S IT.
IT'S A MONOLOGUE.

IT'S OFFICIALLY MONOLOGUE.

LET'S GET IT TO
JOHNNY.

Woman: BUT THERE WAS A TIME

WHEN THERE WAS A WRITERS' STRIKE
IN THE '80s,

WHERE HE WROTE THE WHOLE SHOW
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS

JUST BY READING THE PAPERS.

HE CAME UP WITH IT ALL
ON HIS OWN.

SO, HE WAS QUITE BRILLIANT.

HE DIDN'T HAVE AN ACTUAL DESK.
HE WORKED OFF A COFFEE TABLE.

SO, I'D LAY OUT ALL THE WRITERS'
MATERIAL ON THE COUCH

AND HE WOULD GO THROUGH IT
SO QUICKLY.

HE WOULD JUST CHECK OFF, YES,
YES, NO, NO,

AND JUST
MARK THE ONES HE WANTED.

Cavett: THE PHONE RANG.

"UH, RICHARD,
I THINK YOU'RE CAPABLE

OF A LITTLE BETTER MONOLOGUE
THAN THIS."

I NEVER DID THAT AGAIN.
BUT, BOY, DID HE SPOT IT FAST.

GOOD JUDGE OF MATERIAL.

30 SECONDS, STAND BY PLAYBACK.

Man: HE SAID WHEN HE WENT
THROUGH THE CURTAIN,

IT WAS A PERFORMANCE.

I WOULD BE BACKSTAGE WITH HIM,
AND HE'D BE NERVOUS AS A CAT.

FOR EVERY SHOW HE'D BE PACING
BACK AND FORTH,

SMOKING AN UNFILTERED PALL MALL,
CHECKING HIMSELF,

DOING ALL HIS NORMAL FIDGETS

WITH THE KNOT IN THE TIE.

BUT HE'D COME THROUGH
THE CURTAIN

AND HE WAS SUDDENLY
JOHNNY CARSON

BEFORE 20 MILLION PEOPLE
IN BEDROOMS

AND 500 PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE.

THREE...

TWO, ONE...
MUSIC, TAPE.

Severinsen: THE CURTAINS
DON'T JUST PART,

THEY KIND OF FLY OPEN.

AND OUT COMES JOHNNY...
YOU KNOW,

WITH THAT ATTITUDE,

WITH A GLINT IN HIS EYE,
BIGGER THAN LIFE ITSELF.

Man: AND IT WAS
THE CORONATION OF THE KING

OVER AND OVER AGAIN,

IT WAS LIKE
A SHOW BUSINESS CATHEDRAL,

AND JOHNNY WAS THE KING,
AND HE ENTERED

AND HE GOT
HIS ROYAL GREETING EVERY TIME.

LOOK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO STOP.

THIS IS AMERICA...
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP.

I GUESS JOHNNY WAS TO COMEDY

WHAT WALTER CRONKITE
WAS TO NEWS.

PROBABLY AS TRUSTED BY
AMERICA AS WALTER CRONKITE WAS.

O'Brien: MY DAD WOULD ALWAYS
SAY THE SAME THING.

"LET'S JUST WATCH THE MONOLOGUE.

WE'LL WATCH A LITTLE BIT
OF THE MONOLOGUE."

I'M LAUGHING AND MY FATHER'S
LAUGHING

AND HOW OFTEN CAN YOU WATCH
SOMETHING

WITH YOUR FATHER, YOU KNOW?

HE CROSSED GENERATIONS I THINK.

THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY
WAS 105.

IT'S COOLED OFF,
IT WAS 103 TODAY.

AND IT WAS HOT TODAY.

Audience:
HOW HOT WAS IT?

VERY NICE.

IT WAS SO HOT TODAY,

I SAW A SPARROW PICK UP
HIS WORM WITH A POT HOLDER.

Leno: I LEARNED FROM JOHNNY
JUST FROM WATCHING HIM

THAT PUTTING A MONOLOGUE
TOGETHER IS A BIT LIKE

PUTTING A NEWSPAPER TOGETHER.

YOU OPEN WITH THE BIG STORY
OF THE DAY.

EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT "X,"

SO YOUR OPENING JOKE
IS ABOUT "X."

AND THEN AS YOU MOVE THROUGH
THE NEWSPAPER,

YOU GET INTO POLITICS, SPORTS,
WEATHER.

I MEAN I THINK EVERYBODY FROM
JON STEWART

TO EVERYBODY THAT DOES
A FUNNY VERSION OF THE NEWS

REALLY IS DOING A VERSION
OF JOHNNY'S MONOLOGUE.

DO YOU KNOW THE PRICE OF MEAT
IS SO HIGH...

THAT OSCAR MAYER
JUST HAD HIS WEINER APPRAISED?

Man: JOHNNY CARSON HAS GREAT
RHYTHM, GREAT TIMING.

MONOLOGUES TODAY, WHEN YOU WRITE
A JOKE AND IT SOUNDS

LIKE A JOHNNY CARSON JOKE,

YOU HAVE TO DO AN IMPRESSION
OF JOHNNY CARSON

OR SOMEONE WILL BUST YOU ON IT,

LIKE, "THAT'S SO CARSON
WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE."

YOU KNOW, I THINK HE
SET THE BAR.

PEOPLE GET THAT MIXED UP.

THERE IS, OF COURSE, SADDAM
HUSSEIN, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT

AND LEADER OF IRAQ, AND THERE
IS KING HUSSEIN,

THE KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN.

NOW, MAYBE WE COULD JUST
PUT THEM ALL

IN A HUSSEIN ASYLUM,
AND THAT WAY...

Man: JUST AS MARK TWAIN

HAD COMMENTED ON THE TOPICS
AND AFFAIRS OF HIS DAY,

JOHNNY WAS THE ONE WHO HAD
THE DEFINITIVE JOKES

ABOUT NEWS EVENTS OF OUR DAY,
AND ACTUALLY

HE WAS LIKE A MARK TWAIN,

AN ELECTRONIC MARK TWAIN
OR WILL ROGERS.

IT'S THE VIETNAM FLU,
IT'S A STRANGE BUG.

IT DRAGS ON FOR YEARS

AND GOES AWAY JUST TWO WEEKS
BEFORE ELECTION.

HE COULD CHANGE PEOPLE'S OUTLOOK
ON POLITICS OVERNIGHT.

SO, HE HAD THIS ENORMOUS POWER
OVER THE AIRWAVES.

IT IS COMMONLY ASSUMED IN
WASHINGTON THAT ONCE SOMEBODY

REACHES THE POINT WHERE YOU USE
THEM IN YOUR MONOLOGUE,

THEY ARE THROUGH.

OOH, I HOPE NOT.

TONIGHT'S MONOLOGUE IS...

IS DEDICATED
TO PRESIDENT NIXON.

I'VE GOT A MONOLOGUE
THAT JUST WON'T QUIT.

McMahon: HO!

Steinberg: THE TRUTH OF IT IS,
IS WHEN HE WENT AT NIXON,

IT WAS EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME
TO DO IT.

HE HAD PERFECT PITCH.

HE KNEW WHERE THE AUDIENCE WAS
AT ALL TIMES.

YOU NEVER KNEW JOHNNY'S
POLITICS.

JOHNNY WOULD COME OUT

AND EQUALLY MAKE FUN
OF EVERYBODY

AND NEVER QUESTIONED
ANYBODY'S PATRIOTISM.

IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT WHAT THEY
SAID OR DID.

Man: IN FACT, IN 30 YEARS,
YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED

TO GUESS WHO JOHNNY EVER
VOTED FOR,

AND THAT'S THE WAY
IT SHOULD BE.

WHY ALIENATE HALF YOUR AUDIENCE?

PRESIDENT FORD IS CONSIDERING
AN INCOME TAX CUT

FOR PEOPLE IN LOWER TAX
BRACKETS.

THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS.

NOW...

THE BAD NEWS IS, HE STILL
HASN'T FIGURED OUT

HOW THEY CAN GET AN INCOME.

FINALLY, SOME GOOD
POLITICAL NEWS.

BILL CLINTON HAS LARYNGITIS,
LOST HIS VOICE.

AND I DO HAVE A LATE BREAKING
NEWS BULLETIN FOR YOU.

WORLD WAR III WAS
JUST DECLARED.

NO, I'M JUST KIDDING OF COURSE.
NOT REALLY.

I JUST WANTED TO GET REAGAN OUT
OF BED TO WATCH THE MONOLOGUE.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE LOVED
NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO FEEL

THAT SOMEBODY LIKES THEM,
THEY'RE ACCEPTED.

IT'S AN ATTENTION-GETTING THING
AND THAT, IN EFFECT,

IS LIKE SAYING,
"HEY, LOOK AT ME, FOLKS,

I'M GETTING YOUR ACCEPTANCE."

SO IT IS A FORM OF LOVE,
I THINK,

YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
FROM THE AUDIENCE.

I'M SURE THAT THAT'S
PART OF IT,

TO ANY PERFORMER, IS THAT...
"THEY LIKE ME."

Zehme: IT WAS AN ILLUSION.

HE CREATED AN ILLUSION.

NOW, BENEATH THE ILLUSION,

THERE WAS THIS VERY
DECENT,

MIDWESTERN GUY WITH ALL
THOSE SENSIBILITIES

THAT YOU SAW... EVERYTHING
YOU SAW WAS TRUE.

THAT WASN'T A FAKE GUY.
HE WASN'T LYING, THAT WAS HIM.

BUT IT WASN'T ALL OF HIM.

Leamer:
LOOK AT HIM ON THE CAMERA.

HE'S SMILING, HE'S FRIENDLY.

BUT LOOK AGAIN.
HE'S STANDING BACKWARD.

HE'S PUSHED BACK.

HE DOESN'T WANT YOU
TO GET NEAR TO HIM.

HIS WHOLE LIFE IS TO KEEP YOU
AWAY FROM HIM

AND TO CREATE THIS ILLUSION,
THE ILLUSION THAT

WAS PART OF HIS MAGIC TRICKS.

Carter: YOU'RE OUT THERE
EVERY NIGHT,

AND IT'S EITHER ACCEPTANCE
OR REJECTION,

AND I THINK THAT IT'S
A PSYCHOLOGICAL BURDEN.

AND EVEN IF YOU'RE GREAT AND
YOU'VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY GREAT,

YOU KNOW, THERE COULD COME
A TIME WHEN THE AUDIENCE

JUST DOESN'T LAUGH,
AND IF THEY DON'T LAUGH,

YOU'VE FAILED.

IT'S AMAZINGLY STRESSFUL.
IT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY,
YOU'RE VERY TIRED

AND YOU GO TO BED
AND START ALL OVER AGAIN.

Newhart: HE LOVED THE DANGER
OF IT.

IT'S RUSSIAN ROULETTE.

YOU GO OUT AND YOU HOPE
THE BULLET ISN'T IN THE CHAMBER.

AND WHEN YOU GET THROUGH,
YOU GO "WHEW,

THE BULLET WASN'T
IN THE CHAMBER THIS TIME."

Carson, falsetto: KEEP YOUR
HANDS OFF ME, YOU PERVERT.

I'M SPOKEN FOR.

AUNT BLABBY, IT'S VERY NICE
TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU, BOZO.

DO YOU MIND BREATHING IN
THE OTHER DIRECTION?

YOU'RE MELTING
MY CAR KEYS.

Narrator: IN ADDITION TO
HOSTING THE SHOW,

JOHNNY APPEARED IN SKETCHES
AND ALSO CREATED

A STABLE OF
UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS...

CHARACTERS THROUGH WHICH

HE COULD DISAPPEAR AND ENGAGE IN
A MORE DARING BRAND OF HUMOR.

FRIENDS, WHILE YOUR CAR
IS BEING SERVICED,

WE PROVIDE YOU WITH A SET
OF WHEELS.

I'M JUST TALKING... HOLY.

AT TUNE-UP MANGLERS,
WE ADJUST YOUR GAP,

STEAM-CLEAN YOUR CHASSIS,

LUBE YOUR JOINTS,
AND CLEAN YOUR POINTS.

AND IF YOU LIKE OUR WORK,
BRING IN YOUR CAR.

Carter: THE THING ABOUT
JOHNNY WAS,

HE MANAGED TO BE SORT OF
AN EVERYMAN KIND OF A CHARACTER,

BUT HE ALSO WAS REALLY HIP.

THERE WAS A HIPNESS
TO HIS APPROACH

AND HIS HUMOR THAT APPEALED EVEN
TO PEOPLE WHO ARE INTO COMEDY,

YOU KNOW, REALLY INTO
SERIOUS COMEDY.

THEY ALSO WATCHED JOHNNY AND
MARVELED AT HOW HE COULD DO IT.

A LOSING STREAK.

McMahon:
A LOSING STREAK.

"DESCRIBE A MAN RUNNING NAKED
AFTER CHUGGING PRUNE JUICE."

OOOH!

O'Brien: THAT IS TO ME
THE GREATEST SLEIGHT OF HAND

THAT JOHNNY CARSON PERFORMED
IN HIS CAREER,

WAS APPEARING TO BE BROAD
AND SILLY

AND SOMEHOW COMING OFF
AS THE COOLEST GUY IN THE ROOM.

NO IDEA HOW HE DOES IT.

Narrator: SINCE HIS DIVORCE
FROM JOANNE,

JOHNNY BEGAN DATING 31-YEAR-OLD
EX-MODEL JOANNA HOLLAND.

A WELL-TRAVELED
AND SOPHISTICATED DIVORCEE

WHO ENJOYED
A JET-SET LIFESTYLE,

SHE DREW THE PRIVATE CARSON
OUT IN THE WORLD.

BUT JOHNNY DID NOT
SEE HER EXCLUSIVELY,

CONTINUING TO PLAY THE FIELD.

HIS ATTRACTION TO WOMEN WAS ALSO
PART OF HIS ON-CAMERA PERSONA.

AND THE FEELING WAS MUTUAL.

Zehme: HE WOULD GET MAIL,

AS OFTEN THESE GUYS DO,

ALL KINDS OF NUDE POLAROIDS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

HE WAS A SEX SYMBOL.

AND HE WOULD FIND
THE DOUBLE-ENTENDRE

AND HE WOULD WINK AT YOU,
AND HE WOULDN'T OVERSELL IT,

BUT HE WAS DOING SOMETHING

NOBODY ELSE WAS DOING
ON TELEVISION.

JUST LOOK AT YOUR HOUSE
OR YOUR SHRUBS,

IT'S SOMETIMES RATHER
EMBARRASSING.

Carson: I'D LOVE TO SEE
YOUR SHRUBS.

I KNEW IT.
I'M SORRY.

WITHOUT ANY OPENING AT ALL,
I JUMP RIGHT IN.

UH-OH.

NOW WAIT A MINUTE.

Leno: SO THERE WAS ALWAYS
THIS AURA

OF, "OOH, SOMETHING KINDA COOL,

KINDA NAUGHTY, SOMETHING WE'RE
NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT

IS HAPPENING AT 11:30."

COME ON NOW.

DINNER FOR TWO!

Man: HIS LOOK,

HIS INNOCENCE ALLOWED HIM TO GET
AWAY WITH A GREAT DEAL.

PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING
IF THEY'RE REAL.

OH, I WOULD NEVER,
YOU SEE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASK.

I TELL YOU WHAT,
THESE ARE MINE.

I HAVE CERTAIN GUIDELINES
ON THE SHOW.

BUT I WOULD GIVE ABOUT A YEAR'S
PAY TO PEEK UNDER THERE.

Angie Dickinson:
WE GOT TOO COMFORTABLE TOGETHER.

YOU GET TO FORGETTING THAT
THERE'S A CAMERA

AND AN AUDIENCE OUT THERE,

AND YOU GET COZY WITH EACH OTHER
AND SAY THINGS

YOU REALLY SHOULD
NOT BE SAYING.

BUT TOO LATE.

WANT TO GO TO A PARTY TONIGHT
WITH LOW LIGHTS AND...

I SHOULDN'T DO THAT,
WHY AM I FLIRTING WITH YOU?

I'M A MARRIED MAN.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAYING,
I'M SITTING HERE FLIRTING.

YOU'RE NOT FLIRTING, YOU'RE
MAKING FUNNY STATEMENTS.

I WISH YOU WERE FLIRTING.

Audience: OOOOH!

Zehme: JOHNNY CARSON,
ALONG WITH HUGH HEFNER, I THINK,

ARE THE FOREFATHERS OF THE
SEXUAL REVOLUTION IN AMERICA.

JOHNNY WAS THE FIRST NAUGHTY BOY
ON TELEVISION.

HE WAS HANDSOME.

HOW MANY HANDSOME FUNNY GUYS
ARE THERE?

THIS GUY WAS LIKE A MATINEE IDOL
GOOD-LOOKING GUY.

JOHNNY CARSON HAD HIS OWN
CLOTHES.

I'D READ THAT.

WHEN YOU'D WATCH HIM EVERY
NIGHT, DIFFERENT SUIT.

IN THE GHETTO THAT'S IMPORTANT
THAT YOU'RE SHARP EVERY NIGHT.

JOHNNY WAS LIKE THE BOARD OF
HEALTH, EVERY NIGHT, CLEAN,

AND THAT EXCITED ME.

Carson: I SIMPLY BELIEVE,
WHEN A MAN IS WELL DRESSED,

YOU JUST AREN'T AWARE
OF HIS CLOTHES.

I WEAR THE SUIT,
IT DOESN'T WEAR ME.

IF YOU AGREE WITH THIS
PHILOSOPHY,

I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE TOTALLY COORDINATED

JOHNNY CARSON COLLECTION
FOR SPRING.

AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

HEEEEERRRE'S JOHNNY!

Claudia McMahon: WELL,
THE "HERE'S JOHNNY" HAPPENED

BECAUSE DAD WAS THINKING
AND THINKING

WHAT HE COULD DO TO MAKE IT
DIFFERENT,

HOW COULD HE ANNOUNCE HIM

TO REALLY PUT A MARK
ON THAT SHOW.

AND IT JUST CAME OUT.

HE THOUGHT OF IT
AND HE TRIED IT,

AND IT BECAME A PIECE
OF HISTORY, AS THEY SAY.

Letterman: IF YOU COULDN'T
FIGURE OUT

HOW TO BE AN ADULT MALE
IN THIS COUNTRY IN THOSE YEARS

BY WATCHING THOSE TWO GUYS,
YOU WERE HOPELESS.

I MEAN THAT WAS IT.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE TWO
GUYS YOU AND YOUR BUDDY

WANTED TO BE IF YOU EVER GOT
TO GO TO A COCKTAIL PARTY.

I MEAN THAT RELATIONSHIP,
YOU KNOW, BIG ED,

WHO OUGHTA KNOW BETTER AND IS
PRETENDING HE DOESN'T,

AND JOHNNY, THE SMARTER, BETTER
LOOKING, FUNNIER OF THE TWO.

I GUESS IT'S CLASSIC,

SIMILAR LAUREL AND HARDY
KIND OF A THING.

EVERYBODY BOUGHT INTO THEM.

"THAT'S MY FAVORITE GUY
AND THERE'S HIS BEST FRIEND,

AND THEY'RE HANGING
OUT TOGETHER."

I DO BELIEVE
I'LL DRINK TO THAT.

YES, I THOUGHT
YOU WOULD.

Claudia: ONCE DAD AND JOHNNY

GOT THIS REPUTATION,
"OH, WE'RE DRINKING BUDDIES,"

PEOPLE SENT DRINKS
OVER ALL NIGHT LONG.

THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE DRINKING.

THEY'RE JUST THERE
HAVING A GOOD TIME, EATING,

LAUGHING, TALKING TO PEOPLE,

AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT BUYING
YOUR OWN DRINK,

YOU COULD HAVE TEN DRINKS
AND THINK YOU'RE HAVING TWO.

YOU JUST DON'T KNOW.

WELL, IF HE HAD A FEW, I THINK
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A COP AROUND.

Leamer: IT WASN'T ED THAT
HAD THE DRINKING PROBLEM,

IT WAS JOHNNY, AND IT WAS ED
THAT WOULD GO OUT WITH JOHNNY

AT NIGHT AND WHEN HE WOULD
BECOME BELLIGERENT AND VIOLENT,

AS HE DID
AFTER TOO MANY DRINKS,

ED WOULD BE THE ONE WHO
WOULD TAKE HIM HOME.

Stan Irwin: THE NEXT DAY,
HE WOULD SHOW UP, NO HANGOVER,

BRIGHT, CHEERY, GUNG-HO,
READY TO GO.

WHY DON'T WE, UH...

DON'T DO THAT.

STOP THAT!

Tennis: THEY HAD A LOVE/HATE
RELATIONSHIP.

THEY UNDERSTOOD HOW IMPORTANT

EACH OF THEM WAS
TO THE OTHER ON THE SHOW,

BUT JOHNNY SOMETIMES FELT THAT
ED WAS TOO INTRUSIVE

WHEN JOHNNY
WAS DOING A PIECE OF MATERIAL.

Irwin: ED WAS ALMOST DROPPED
MORE THAN ONCE.

IN FACT, I HAD TO GO TO ED
AT ONE TIME AND SAY,

"YOUR HUMOR IS GOOD, BUT DON'T
OVERSHADOW JOHNNY'S HUMOR."

MY NEXT GUEST DOESN'T NEED
AN INTRODUCTION.

YOUR FIRST GUEST.
MY WHAT?

WHAT DID I SAY?

"MY NEXT GUEST."

WELL, HE IS
MY NEXT GUEST.

HE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE
YOUR FIRST GUEST.

THAT'S RIGHT, IT COULD BE
EITHER ONE, FIRST AND NEXT.

WHICH IS IT?

HE'S MY FIRST NEXT...

ACTUALLY, IT'S MY FIRST
AND NEXT GUEST.

McMahon: YOU HAD TO BE GOOD,
BUT NOT TOO GOOD.

YOU DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK
LIKE YOU WERE TRYING

TO GET THE BOSS'S JOB,
SO I BITE MY LIP MANY NIGHTS

ON THE SHOW BECAUSE I THINK OF
SOMETHING AND I DON'T SAY IT,

AND JOHNNY SAYS IT,
SO WE'RE LINKED TOGETHER,

BUT IT'S HIS JOB
TO SAY IT, NOT MINE.

Narrator: THOUGH JOHNNY
TEASED HIM INCESSANTLY,

ONLY ONCE
IN ALL THEIR YEARS TOGETHER

DID ED APPEAR
ON THE SHOW INTOXICATED.

AT A LUNCHEON EARLIER IN THE DAY
HE HAD ONE TOO MANY MARTINIS.

YOU REALLY THINK YOU'RE FOOLING
EVERYBODY, DON'T YOU? HUH?

NO, NO. I'M JUST HERE
TO DO MY BEST TO HELP YOU.

I KNOW THAT, AND SHE DOES
HER THREE HORSE SHOWS A DAY,

DID YOU KNOW THAT,
AT THE ANIMAL PARK?

BOY.
WHAT?

WHAT AN EXCITING IDEA.

WOULD YOU LIKE AN ARMY COT
OR SOMETHING?

MAYBE CATCH UP ON A LITTLE
NAPPY-POO?

MIGHT SNAP YOU RIGHT
OUT OF IT.

NO, I LOVE JOAN. I'M THE ONLY
ONE WHO WENT DOWN TO SEE JOAN.

DOC HAS NEVER SEEN HER,
YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HER.

I WENT...

IT'S ALL RIGHT,
IT'S ALL RIGHT, IT'S OKAY.

BUT YOU'RE
UPSETTING ME.

NO, NO, I DON'T WANT
TO UPSET YOU.

I WENT DOWN
WITH JOAN AND...

I KNOW YOU DID,
THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

DON'T SAY...

WHAT?

THAT I DON'T... I KNOW HER,
I WENT DOWN AND...

I KNOW YOU DID.

I KNOW YOU WENT
DOWN THERE.

I HELD A BABY GORILLA.

I COULDN'T GO WITH YOU
THAT WEEK.

YOU HELD A BABY GORILLA?
GOOD, ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GET HER OUT HERE QUICKLY.
WOULD YOU WELCOME JOAN EMBERY.

Claudia: JOHNNY WAS FAR MORE
REFINED IN A WAY,

AND HAD SPECIAL FRIENDS THAT HE
WOULD PLAY CARDS WITH,

AND MAYBE THEY JUST OUTGREW
EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT,

BECAUSE IN THE BEGINNING
THEY HUNG OUT SO MUCH TOGETHER

THAT IT'S LIKE HAVING
A BEST FRIEND IN GRADE SCHOOL,

AND AS YOU GO TO HIGH SCHOOL
AND COLLEGE, YOU KNOW,

YOU MEET OTHER FRIENDS THAT YOU
MIGHT HAVE MORE IN COMMON WITH.

Narrator: JOHNNY GREW UP
LOVING BIG-BAND MUSIC

AND THE "TONIGHT SHOW" ENSEMBLE
WAS CONSIDERED

ONE OF THE BEST IN
THE BUSINESS.

LEADER DOC SEVERINSEN
BEGAN HIS TENURE

QUIETLY AND CONSERVATIVELY.

OVER TIME, THAT CHANGED.

Severinsen: AND JOHNNY HAD A WAY

OF PUTTING WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HE COULD START
UP A CONVERSATION WITH YOU...

NOW I'VE SEEN BLUE COATS,

BUT THAT THING IS ALIVE.

WITH SALMON PANTS.

AND THEY'RE SWIMMING UPSTREAM,
I MIGHT ADD.

AND WHEN THEY GET THERE,
THEY GONNA DIE.

Severinsen: WE THOUGHT WE WERE
DEVELOPING OURSELVES,

BUT JOHNNY WAS DEVELOPING US.

JOHNNY MADE US
WHO WE WERE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME
TO THE HOUSE?

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
YOU'VE EVER ASKED ME.

WELL, YOU MADE ME
FEEL SO GUILTY.

WHEN YOU ASK AN EMPLOYEE

IN FRONT OF FIFTEEN
MILLION PEOPLE,

"DO YOU WANT TO COME

TO THE HOUSE
FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER?"

WHAT AM I GOING TO SAY?
"NOOOO"?

YOU KNOW WHAT I SAY,

I SAY, "YES, MR. CARSON,
I'D LOVE IT."

CAN YOU COME?

NO.

Man: WE ARE VERY PLEASED
TO WELCOME YOU HERE

AS OUR VERY SPECIAL GUESTS
TO CELEBRATE

JOHNNY CARSON'S COMPLETION
OF 10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS

AS THE STAR OF
"THE TONIGHT SHOW" ON NBC.

Narrator: IN A RARE DISPLAY
OF NETWORK RESPECT

FOR ITS BIGGEST ASSET,

JOHNNY TOOK THE OCCASION
TO MAKE A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT.

Carson: IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO HIDE THINGS

IN THIS TOWN.

SO, I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR
TO TELL YOU TONIGHT

THAT WE WERE MARRIED
AT 1:30 THIS AFTERNOON.

MY APOLOGIES TO THE PRESS

FOR NOT INFORMING YOU
BEFOREHAND...

Man:
SHE'S BEAUTIFUL!

BUT SOMETIMES YOU LIKE TO DO
THOSE THINGS KINDA QUIETLY.

Leamer: AND SHE CERTAINLY
COULD'VE BEEN

ONE OF THE GREAT LADIES
OF LOS ANGELES,

AND THEY COULD'VE BEEN
THE KIND OF KING AND QUEEN

OF LOS ANGELES SOCIAL LIFE
IF THEY WANTED TO,

IF JOHNNY HAD ALLOWED IT,
BUT HE DIDN'T WANT THAT.

Claudia: EVERYBODY WANTED
A PIECE OF HIM,

AND I THINK THAT HE JUST
COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE,

AND HE JUST HAD TO SHUT HIMSELF
OFF TO SURVIVE.

YOU JUST CAN'T SAY YES
TO EVERYONE.

Martin: IMAGINE YOURSELF BEING

THE FISH IN THE FISHBOWL
AT THE PARTY.

WHICH JOHNNY WAS.

GO UP TO JOHNNY, SEE WHAT
JOHNNY'S LIKE,

GO UP TO JOHNNY,
YOU KNOW.

SO, I FEEL LIKE IT'S UNFAIR
TO JUDGE HIM AT A PARTY.

BY THE WAY, I'M
NO FUN AT A PARTY...

AND I'M REALLY LIKABLE.

Mike Wallace:
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN...

I USED TO HAVE A LITTLE POP?

I SURE DID.
I DON'T HANDLE IT WELL.

Wallace: REALLY, YOU DON'T?

I DON'T HANDLE ALCOHOL WELL
AT ALL, NO, REALLY DON'T.

OH, ED AND I HAVE HAD SOME
WONDERFUL TIMES IN THE PAST.

Wallace:
YOU KNOW WHAT ED TOLD US?

WHAT DID ED TELL YOU?

Wallace, chuckling: HE TOLD US
THAT FROM TIME TO TIME,

YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE
ON THE WHOLE RUSSIAN ARMY.

AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE
THE BAZOOKAS TO DO IT.

Carson: THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S ONE REASON I FOUND

IT'S PROBABLY BEST FOR ME
TO NOT REALLY ENTANGLE WITH IT.

RATHER THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO BECOME FUN-LOVING

AND GREGARIOUS
AND LOVE EVERYBODY,

I WOULD GO THE OPPOSITE.

AND IT WOULD HAPPEN JUST
LIKE THAT.

WHEN WE'D BE OUT, I WOULD GO OUT
WITH ONE PERSON

AND COME HOME WITH SOMEONE

WHO WAS COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT IN TEMPERAMENT.

AND IT GOT TO BE VERY DIFFICULT.

AND WE DISCUSSED IT,
WE WORKED IT OUT

AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT
HE'S FINALLY SAID TO HIMSELF,

"I'M NOT GONNA LET THAT

GET THE BETTER OF ME
OR MY LIFE OR MY MARRIAGE."

Narrator: BUT DRINKING WOULD
REMAIN AN ISSUE OFF AND ON

FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

IN 1982, CARSON WAS
ARRESTED FOR DRIVING

UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

A BREATH TEST SHOWED

AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .16,
WELL ABOVE THE LEGAL LIMIT.

HERE'S SOME SAD
SHOW BUSINESS NEWS.

IT WAS ANNOUNCED...

YOU LIKE IT WHEN I STRUGGLE,
DON'T YOU?

YOU REALLY LOVE THAT.

Martin: THE GENERAL RULE IS,

NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT A JOKE BOMBED.

BUT HE DEVELOPED A CERTAIN
ARTISTRY ABOUT IT,

AND PEOPLE REALLY STARTED LIKING
THE JOKES MORE WHEN THEY BOMBED.

EXACTLY WHAT TIME WAS IT
I WENT BAD?

I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO COME
TO ONE OF THESE NIGHTS

WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO TURN
AGAINST ME, SO...

I CAME PREPARED.

THERE'S A LITTLE FLY
FLYING AROUND.

PROBABLY FROM THE MOLD OFF
OF ONE OF THOSE JOKES I TOLD.

Letterman:
AND WHAT HE DID,

THE TOOL THAT HE HAD THAT I
DON'T HAVE

AND I'VE NOT SEEN ANYBODY ELSE
COME CLOSE TO IS...

WHEN THINGS WERE NOT GOING WELL,
HE WOULD RISE ABOVE THAT

AND BECOME A WHOLE OTHER
ENTERTAINING ENTITY.

YOU SEE, KIDS OUT HERE,

ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA,
BEVERLY HILLS, HAVE IT ROUGH.

FATHER'S DAY COULD MEAN WHAT,
FOUR OR FIVE GIFTS?

SEE, MOST BEVERLY HILLS...

ATTENTION, K-MART SHOPPERS!
AISLE 34 SALE ON SNOW TIRES.

Carson: YOU'RE RAISED AS A KID
THAT YOU SHOULD BE MODEST.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS,

THAT DOES NOT WORK.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF EGO...

NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN
A COCKSURENESS,

IT MEANS A CONFIDENCE IN YOUR
OWN ABILITY.

I KNOW WHAT I DO, I DO IT WELL
AND WHEN I WALK IN FRONT

OF AN AUDIENCE,
I KNOW THAT I AM GOOD.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE
THAT ATTITUDE,

YOU SHOULDN'T BE OUT THERE.

Narrator: BY THE LATE 1970s,
NBC LANGUISHED IN THE RATINGS.

"THE TONIGHT SHOW"
WAS A RARE BRIGHT SPOT,

BRINGING IN NEARLY 20%
OF THE NETWORK'S TOTAL INCOME.

BUT NEWLY INSTALLED PRESIDENT
FRED SILVERMAN

CHASTISED JOHNNY CARSON
PUBLICLY.

Man: HE TARGETED JOHNNY, WHICH
HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

BASICALLY HE FELT LIKE JOHNNY,
ALTHOUGH STILL DOING WELL

AND BRINGING IN A LOT OF MONEY,
WAS TAKING OFF SO MUCH TIME.

HE DIDN'T WORK ON MONDAYS,
HE TOOK SO MANY WEEKS OFF,

THAT HE TRIED
TO PRESSURE JOHNNY,

WHICH THROUGHOUT JOHNNY'S
HISTORY WAS A MAJOR MISTAKE.

YOU JUST DIDN'T TAKE
THIS GUY ON.

HE HAD A STEEL BACKBONE.

THERE WAS ONE SCENE IN "JAWS"
WHERE A NETWORK EXECUTIVE

WENT SWIMMING AND THE SHARK
CIRCLED AROUND HIM

AND THEN LEFT HIM ALONE...

PROFESSIONAL COURTESY.

Man: AND SO THERE WAS
A CONTENTIOUS RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM.

ONCE AGAIN, JOHNNY WAS WARY
OF NETWORK EXECUTIVES

AND NETWORK EXECUTIVES
COME AND GO,

AND JOHNNY DIDN'T WANT SOMEONE
ELSE TELLING HIM WHAT TO DO.

JOHNNY CARSON ASKING TO GET OFF
"THE TONIGHT SHOW"

IS ROUGHLY EQUAL TO
GEORGE WASHINGTON

ASKING TO GET OFF
THE ONE DOLLAR BILL.

AFTER 17 YEARS, I'M GETTING
A LITTLE TIRED OF IT.

AND I FEEL I DON'T THINK I CAN
BRING ANYTHING NEW TO IT

AND IT GETS A LITTLE TOUGHER
ALL THE TIME TO DO IT.

AND I WANT TO KEEP
THE STANDARDS OF THE SHOW UP.

AND I FEEL IF I GO TOO LONG,
I WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

"WHAT IS YOUR GOAL IN LIFE?"

McMahon:
YEAH. WANT TO TELL THEM?

TO BE A GOOD PERSON,
A WORTHY CITIZEN,

AND TO RIP NBC OFF
FOR EVERYTHING THEY'VE GOT.

O'Brien: IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE
A TRICKY MARRIAGE,

ART AND COMMERCE.

IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE

FRAUGHT WITH TENSION.

IT JUST IS, IT'S BUILT INTO
THE SYSTEM.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW.

WE HAVEN'T ALL BEEN THERE,
BUT...

I THINK WE HAVE.

Narrator: TO DO BATTLE WITH
THE NETWORK,

CARSON ENLISTED HIS LONGTIME
ATTORNEY HENRY BUSHKIN.

HE HAD BECOME JOHNNY'S MOST
TRUSTED ADVISOR AND FRIEND,

SERVING ALSO AS HIS TENNIS
PARTNER AND PSYCHOTHERAPIST.

BUSHKIN AND NBC ENGAGED IN ONE
OF THE MOST PROTRACTED

AND EXPENSIVE NEGOTIATIONS
IN TELEVISION HISTORY.

A THREE-YEAR DEAL
WHERE JOHNNY WOULD DO

FOUR SHOWS A WEEK, BE PAID WELL
OVER $5 MILLION A YEAR,

AND OWN "THE TONIGHT SHOW"
LIBRARY.

HE'D PRODUCE ALL FUTURE
EPISODES,

WHICH WOULD BE CUT FROM NINETY
MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.

THE MOST POWERFUL STAR
IN TELEVISION

GOT EVERYTHING HE WANTED.

WE HAVE A SIGN THAT RIVALS
THE SIGN ON THE GOODYEAR BLIMP

THAT SAYS, "APPLAUSE."

THAT'S ON THE AUDIENCE SIDE.

OVER HERE, I HAVE ONE THAT
SAYS, "FAKE HUMILITY."

Tennis: JOHNNY WAS AN ANARCHIST
IN MANY WAYS.

THERE'S THE WONDERFUL STORY OF
HIS GOING TO THE POLO LOUNGE

AT THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL
AND BEING ASKED

BY THE MAITRE D'
TO PUT ON A NECKTIE.

JOHNNY PUT ON A USED NECKTIE
THAT WAS THERE FOR THAT PURPOSE

BUT TOOK OFF HIS SHOES AND SOCKS

SINCE THERE WAS NO REGULATION
ABOUT GOING

INTO THE POLO LOUNGE
BAREFOOTED.

UNTIL HE, OF COURSE, DID IT.

Narrator: THOUGH SOME CRITICS
HAD GROWN TIRED

OF JOHNNY'S FORMULA JOKES,

CARSON CONTINUED TO REIGN
SUPREME

OVER THE
LATE-NIGHT LANDSCAPE,

ANOINTING THE NEXT STARS
IN THE WORLD OF STAND-UP COMEDY.

I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE ALL
IN A GOOD MOOD TONIGHT,

BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE
TO INTRODUCE

A NEW COMEDIAN
TO "THE TONIGHT SHOW."

THIS YOUNG MAN'S NAME
IS JAY LENO.

YOUR FIRST "TONIGHT SHOW" IS
LIKE YOUR FIRST GIRLFRIEND,

YOU'RE NOT VERY GOOD,
IT'S OVER VERY QUICKLY,

AND YOU JUST WANT TO DO IT
AGAIN, IT'S THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT I REMEMBER BEING MORE
NERVOUS WATCHING IT AT NIGHT

THAN I WAS AT THE TIME DOING IT.

EVER SEE THAT COMMERCIAL WHERE
THE HUSBAND IS SO INSECURE,

CAN'T EVEN TELL HIS WIFE SHE
MAKES A TERRIBLE CUP OF COFFEE?

MORE COFFEE, HONEY?

"NO THANKS, DEAR,

I THINK I'LL JUST GET
AN APARTMENT DOWNTOWN."

Shandling:
IT WAS A TESTING GROUND,

IT WAS A FIRING RANGE,
AND IF YOU COULD GO IN THERE...

AND I REMEMBER BEING
NERVOUS AS HELL.

THE BABY'S CRAWLING AROUND ON
THE CARPET AND THIS BABY, UH,

LOADS UP HIS DIAPER, YOU KNOW,
AND I'M SITTING THERE

AND THE MOTHER COMES OVER
AND SAYS, "ISN'T THAT ADORABLE,

BRANDON MADE A GIFT FOR DADDY."

NOW, I'M FIGURING,
THIS GUY'S GOTTA BE REAL EASY

TO SHOP FOR ON FATHER'S DAY.

Drew Carey:
CURTAIN OPENS.

YOU KNOW, JOHNNY CARSON
INTRODUCES ME.

THE CURTAIN OPENS AND IT'S JUST
LIKE I DREAMED IT.

IT'S JUST EXACTLY LIKE
I DREAMED IT.

I GO OUT ON STAGE,
I HIT THE MARK.

DENNY'S HAS MY FAVORITE THING
ON THE MENU,

IT'S A HOT DOG WITH CHEESE
AND BACON.

NOT ENOUGH NITRATES
IN A HOT DOG,

YOU GOTTA PUT SOME BACON
ON TOP OF THERE.

AND FOR AN EXTRA DOLLAR,

THEY'LL PUT CHILI ON TOP
OF THE WHOLE THING.

FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T CARE
ANYMORE.

Carey;: AND I REMEMBER SEEING
JOHNNY CARSON

HOLDING ONTO THE DESK.

HE'S HOLDING ONTO THE DESK
BECAUSE HE'S LAUGHING SO HARD,

SO HE DOESN'T FALL OFF THE CHAIR
BECAUSE HE'S LIKE CONVULSING.

THAT'S THE KIND OF FOOD THAT
JUST MARCHES

RIGHT DOWN YOUR THROAT,
YOU KNOW.

"FOLLOW ME, BOYS,
WE'RE GOING TO THE HEART."

AND HE GOES LIKE THIS.

AND I GO, "WHO, ME?"
AND HE GOES, "YEAH, YOU."

AND I'M LIKE, NOBODY GETS CALLED
OVER FOR "THE TONIGHT SHOW."

THAT'S A BIG THING.

IT'S LIKE A RELIGIOUS
EXPERIENCE.

AND THEN AFTER THAT,
MY CAREER WAS MADE.

YOU'RE FUNNY AS HELL.
YOU REALLY ARE.

THANKS, I APPRECIATE THAT...
YOU TOO.

DeGeneres: IT WAS THE STAMP
OF APPROVAL.

IT WAS, JOHNNY CARSON SAYS
"YOU'RE FUNNY,"

JOHNNY CARSON SAYS
"YOU'RE GOOD."

A MILLION PEOPLE COULD TELL YOU
THEY LIKE YOU,

BUT IF JOHNNY DIDN'T LIKE YOU,
I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE

A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR EGO.

THAT'S VERY CLEVER
AND VERY FRESH.

WELL, THAT'S WONDERFUL
HEARING THAT FROM YOU.

NO, I MEAN IT, THAT'S
GOOD MATERIAL.
THANK YOU.

AND SO THAT WAS THE BEGINNING
OF...

HE CHANGED MY LIFE.

YOU JUMP UP A NOTCH IN
THE BUSINESS AS FAR AS WORKING.

YOUR INCOME TRIPLED, YOU WERE
VALIDATED RIGHT AWAY.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
I AM NOW

THE AUTOMATIC NOISE
CHECKER-OUTER.

EVERY LITTLE, "OH WHAT WAS
THAT?", "NOTHING, GO TO SLEEP",

"NO, CHECK IT OUT,
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SLEEP?"

GETTING ONE OF THESE
FROM JOHNNY

WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS
IN MY CAREER.

JERRY SEINFELD.
THANK YOU, JERRY.

TAKE A BOW.

Seinfeld: THE TRUTH IS, I STILL
THINK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE

YOU SAT THERE
AND YOU WENT,

"THIS IS SOME KIND
OF MAGIC PLACE."

MY FOLKS ARE MOVING TO FLORIDA.

THEY DON'T WANT TO MOVE
TO FLORIDA,

BUT THEY'RE IN THEIR SIXTIES
AND THAT'S THE LAW.

I THINK YOU'RE EVICTED
FROM LONG ISLAND AT SIXTY?

THEY HAVE A LEISURE POLICE
OF SOME KIND...

"GET THE GOLF CLUBS
AND GET IN THE VAN, FOLKS."

Seinfeld: THERE'S JUST NOT THAT
MANY MOMENTS OF LIFE

THAT ARE THAT DEFINITIVE...
OF A "BEFORE" AND "AFTER" LIFE.

YOU KNOW.

BEFORE, YOU'RE WANTING TO BE
A COMEDIAN,

AND AFTER, YOU ARE ONE.

THE ONE THING I'LL NEVER...
THIS HAPPENS TO EVERYBODY,

BUT THE KINDA THING I'LL ALWAYS
REMEMBER AS LONG AS I LIVE

GROWING UP IN INDIANA...

IS WHEN DAD USED TO TEASE ME
WITH THE POWER TOOLS.

HOW MANY OF YOU...
DID YOU HAVE THAT?

WHAT A GUY!

WHAT A GUY!
SENSE OF HUMOR, HUH?

Letterman: IT TAKES WEEKS
OR MONTHS FOR THE ADRENALINE

TO DRAIN OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM,
BECAUSE HERE IT IS,

IT'S "THE TONIGHT SHOW,"
AND YOU'VE GOTTEN LAUGHS,

AND YOU GET TO SIT DOWN
WITH JOHNNY CARSON.

THAT'S THE END OF THE WORLD,
THAT'S JUST IT.

I MEAN, IF NOTHING MORE HAD
HAPPENED FOR ME,

I COULD ALWAYS GET A FREE BEER
IN ANY BAR IN THE COUNTRY

TELLING THAT STORY.

Carson: THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING TO ME, I THINK,

IS THE EMPATHY THAT YOU HAVE
TO HAVE FOR THE PERFORMER.

I THINK THIS IS THE GREATEST
THING THAT A PERFORMER CAN HAVE

IF HE'S GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL
AS AN ENTERTAINER IS

AN EMPATHY WITH THE AUDIENCE...
THEY HAVE TO LIKE HIM.

THEY HAVE TO
LIKE HIM.

AND IF THEY LIKE THE PERFORMER,
THEN YOU'VE GOT

80% OF IT MADE.

Joan Embery: AND HE'LL LAUGH
IF YOU LAUGH AT HIM.

Seinfeld: I THINK THAT'S WHY

PEOPLE LIKED HIM WITH
THE ANIMALS,

IS BECAUSE IT WOULD SHOW
THIS DEEPLY SWEET,

ALMOST CHILDLIKE, PLAYFUL SIDE
THAT HE HAD,

AND THAT'S WHEN
IT WOULD PEEK OUT.

AND THIS IS A THING THAT REALLY
MAKES YOU LOVE A PERFORMER.

THE SAY IF YOU LOOK
AN ANIMAL RIGHT IN THE FACE

AND TALK TO THEM, THEN
THEY KNOW YOU'RE NOT SCARED.

AAAH!

Embery: THE VIEWERS REALLY

WERE EXPERIENCING
THROUGH JOHNNY,

VICARIOUSLY,
WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE

TO BE IN HIS SHOES, TO BE,
YOU KNOW, STANDING THERE

NEXT TO THAT ANIMAL,

AND HE BECAME PART OF THEM.

SO I REACHED UP TO PICK UP
THE MARMOSET.

THEY MARK THEIR TERRITORY.

SO, THEY LEAVE URINE
SCENT ON THE BRANCHES

AND IT MARKED ITS TERRITORY.

WAS THAT... WAS HE SPITTING?
WAS THAT SALIVA?

HE WAS...

Embery: IN THE SAME SCENARIO,

PROBABLY WITH OTHER HOSTS,

NOTHING WOULD'VE COME OF IT.

IT WAS NOT JUST THE ANIMAL,
BUT IT WAS THE SPONTANEITY

IN HIS RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION
THAT MADE THAT SEGMENT.

C-T-O-R-Y!

Narrator: JOHNNY SPENT
HIS 56th BIRTHDAY

FILMING A TV SPECIAL
WHERE HE RETURNED

TO HIS HOMETOWN OF NORFOLK,
NEBRASKA.

SURPRISING HIM
WERE HIS SISTER CATHERINE,

BROTHER DICK AND WIFE JOANNA.

THOUGH THEY HAD ALL SMILES
FOR THE CAMERA,

BY NOW HE AND JOANNA HAD ALREADY
SEPARATED ONCE.

BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU'VE GONE
THROUGH DIVORCE ONCE,

I DON'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE GO
THROUGH IT MORE THAN ONCE.

Zehme: HE WAS THE FIRST GUY
TO SORT OF NORMALIZE DIVORCE,

BECAUSE HE WAS DIVORCED

THREE TIMES IN THE COURSE
OF HIS TENURE.

Narrator: IN 1983, FOR REASONS
INCLUDING

IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES
AND ADULTERY, JOANNA CARSON

SOUGHT ONE OF THE BIGGEST
PAYDAYS IN THE HISTORY

OF AMERICAN DIVORCE COURT
TO DATE.

AFTER A TWO-YEAR BATTLE PLAYED
OUT IN THE TABLOID PRESS,

SHE RECEIVED A SETTLEMENT
UPWARDS OF $20 MILLION.

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS
A TEENY KID, 7 OR 8.

BABE RUTH, MY HERO.

AND WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO
SHOW BUSINESS, JACK BENNY

WAS MY HERO.

YOU KNOW, THEY CHANGE.

NOW, MY HERO IS HENRY VIII.

JOHNNY BELIEVED JOANNA TO BE
THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE.

I'VE HEARD THAT
FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THERE WAS SOMETHING TO IT.

AGAIN, NOT A FAITHFUL HUSBAND
TO HER,

BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY,
VERY DEEP THERE.

Newhart: SO I CALLED HIM UP AND,
YOU KNOW,

SAID, "HOW YOU DOING?"
AND, UH, HE SAID,

"WOULD YOU COME OVER AFTER
THE SHOW?"

HE SAID, "I DON'T WANT TO BE
ALONE,"

HE SAID, YOU KNOW,
'CAUSE THERE WERE,

UH, HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, THERE
WERE GOOD TIMES TOO," YOU KNOW?

NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE SAW
THAT SIDE OF JOHNNY,

BUT, YEAH, HE WAS HURT,
HE WAS HURTING.

Carson: YOU COULD PROBABLY FIND
SOMETHING UNPLEASANT

IN ALL HUMOR IF YOU DIG
FAR ENOUGH.

YOU DO A JOKE ABOUT DIVORCE,
OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU DIG

UNDER THE SURFACE, DIVORCE IS
UNPLEASANT, IT'S PAINFUL.

BROKEN MARRIAGES. DRUNKENNESS.
ALCOHOLISM.

THERE'S PAIN AND TRAGEDY THERE.

I SUPPOSE IF YOU LAID
ANY JOKE OPEN,

YOU COULD FIND SOMETHING
UNPLEASANT UNDERNEATH.

MY PERSONAL LIFE

HAS BEEN EXACTLY LIKE THIS
YEAR'S ACADEMY AWARDS...

IT STARTED OFF WITH TERMS
OF ENDEARMENT.

I THOUGHT I HAD
THE RIGHT STUFF;

IT COST A LOT TO DRESS HER;
THEN CAME THE BIG CHILL;

AND IN THE PAST MONTH,

I'VE BEEN BEGGING
FOR TENDER MERCIES.

Narrator: AT THE PEAK
OF HIS POWER,

JOHNNY CARSON HOSTED
THE ACADEMY AWARDS FIVE TIMES,

MAKING HIM ONE OF THE MOST
POPULAR EMCEES

IN THE HISTORY OF THE SHOW.

BUT THIS MOST PRIVATE
OF PUBLIC FIGURES

FELT THE PRESSURE
OF BEING ON THE WORLD STAGE.

Man: IT WAS A VERY TOUGH
INDUSTRY AUDIENCE.

HE WAS FROM TELEVISION,
HE WASN'T FROM THE MOVIES.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO FORCE COMEDY
ON PEOPLE

RIGHT DOWN TO THE LAST MINUTE
OF THE FOUR HOURS.

Martin: I THINK HE WAS
THE GREATEST,

AND WHEN I HOSTED THE FIRST
TIME, I COMPLETELY

MODELED MY PERFORMANCE ON HIS.

WHICH WAS THIS...

OPEN UP, YOU DO TEN MINUTES
OF THE BEST JOKES YOU CAN FIND,

AND GET OUT OF THE WAY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO
THESE AFFAIRS TRY TO ACT BLASE.

I'LL BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU,
I'M VERY THRILLED

TO STAND UP HERE TONIGHT
AND GAZE OUT

ON THIS GLORIOUS THRONG OF
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.

I SEE A LOT OF NEW FACES...
ESPECIALLY ON THE OLD FACES.

Narrator: IN 1983,
JOAN RIVERS WAS NAMED

THE FIRST PERMANENT GUEST HOST
OF THE TONIGHT SHOW.

THE APPOINTMENT REFLECTED
HOW MUCH JOHNNY CARSON

LOVED THE WOMAN HE HAD LONG
CONSIDERED A CLOSE FRIEND,

AMONG THE FEW WHO
HAD EARNED HIS TRUST.

YEAH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME
YOU AND ME.

YES, AND PEOPLE
ARE STARTING TO TALK.

YOU LOOK JUST AS GOOD
AS EVER.

SO DO YOU.

THANK YOU.

I MUST SAY PUBLICLY

YOU ALWAYS COMPLIMENT ME
ON THE SHOW, TELLING ME

THAT YOU OWE SO MUCH TO
"THE TONIGHT SHOW"...

TO YOU. NOT THE TONIGHT SHOW.
TO YOU.

Narrator: BUT IN 1986,
JOAN RIVERS KNEW

THIS WOULD BE HER LAST
APPEARANCE WITH THE MAN

THAT LAUNCHED HER CAREER.

THAT NIGHT,
SHE WORE THE SAME DRESS

FROM HER 1965 DEBUT.

I SAVED IT ALWAYS BECAUSE IT
WAS SUCH A BIG NIGHT FOR ME.

I'M WEARING THE SAME UNDERWEAR,

WHICH EVERYONE BACKSTAGE
REMEMBERS.

Zehme: AT THAT POINT, SHE HAD
ALREADY BEEN TALKING WITH FOX

AND ALREADY HAD A DEAL
FOR A SHOW OF HER OWN.

BUT WHAT SHE DIDN'T DO
WAS TELL HIM LONG BEFORE.

Lassally: THE NIGHT BEFORE
SHE ANNOUNCED

THAT SHE WAS STARTING A SHOW
ON FOX

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE,

JOHNNY GOT WIND OF THAT BECAUSE
SHE NEVER

WENT TO JOHNNY AND SAID,

"HEY, I'VE GOT THIS
WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY

AND I HOPE I HAVE YOUR
BLESSINGS,

BUT I WANTED YOU TO KNOW,"
SHE NEVER DID THAT.

SHE NEVER, EVER MENTIONED IT.

Rivers: AND OF COURSE EVERYBODY
DOUBLE-CROSSES EVERYBODY

IN THIS BUSINESS, AND SOMEHOW
IT WAS LEAKED... I CALLED HIM.

FIRST PHONE CALL,
AND I SAID, "JOHNNY,"

AND HE HAD OBVIOUSLY HEARD,
AND HE HUNG UP ON ME.

HE WAS FURIOUS WITH HER,
AND I THINK RIGHTFULLY SO.

Rivers: AND THAT WAS IT,
HE NEVER SPOKE TO ME AGAIN.

HE TOOK IT AS A COMPLETE
BETRAYAL.

AND I LOOK BACK AND I THINK,

MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE JUST GONE
AND ASKED HIM.

IT WAS THAT SIMPLE, BUT SHE
JUST DIDN'T DO IT.

AFTER ALL THE LOYALTY

HE SHOWED HER, IT WAS
A TERRIBLE DECISION.

I DON'T SAY THIS SO YOU FEEL
LIKE I'M BRAGGING,

I DON'T WORRY ABOUT MONEY
ANYMORE BECAUSE I HAVE

A FANTASTIC BUSINESS ADVISOR,

A SHREWD MAN,
BOMBASTIC BUSHKIN.

HE'S GOTTEN ME INTO SOME
SHREWD BUSINESS DEALS.

I HAVE AN ALL NIGHT
LIQUOR STORE

IN A MORMON TEMPLE.

I OWN A FREDERICK'S
OF HOLLYWOOD IN IRAN.

I'M NOT INTO GOLD
OR PRECIOUS METALS.

BUSHKIN TOLD ME TO BUY FLINT.

Narrator: CARSON MAY HAVE JOKED
ABOUT IT

BUT THE FACT WAS THAT
BY THE LATE 1980s,

HE BELIEVED HENRY BUSHKIN HAD
INDEED GOTTEN HIM

INTO SOME BAD INVESTMENTS.

MOREOVER, HE FELT BUSHKIN HAD
ENRICHED HIMSELF

AT JOHNNY'S EXPENSE.

JOHNNY ENJOYED LOYALTY
AND GAVE LOYALTY.

BUT ONCE YOU CROSSED HIM
AND YOU WERE NOT THE PERSON

YOU PROPOSED TO BE,
THAT WAS IT, FINISHED.

Woman: HE FELT BETRAYED
BY MR. BUSHKIN.

AND IF HE FELT BETRAYED AND THAT
THERE WAS NO LOYALTY,

THEN IT WAS OVER.

SO, HE CUT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY.

HE'D HAD PEOPLE IN HIS LIFE
HE TRUSTED

THAT WERE ULTIMATELY
UNTRUSTWORTHY.

HIS WORLD BECAME
NARROWER AND NARROWER

AS HE WENT ALONG
"THE TONIGHT SHOW"

AND GOT BIGGER AND BIGGER
AND BIGGER.

Carson:
NO MATTER HOW IMPORTANT

YOU THINK YOU ARE OR HOW MUCH
PRESS YOU GET, MOTHERS,

ESPECIALLY, ARE ALWAYS ABLE TO
KIND OF LEVEL IT REAL GOOD.

I GOT THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD FROM
THE TELEVISION ACADEMY IN 1980,

AND I CALLED MY MOTHER,
AND I SAID, "MOM,

THEY'RE GIVING ME THE
GOVERNOR'S AWARD, YOU KNOW,

IT'S FOR YOUR BODY OF WORK
IN THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY."

AND MY MOTHER SAID, "I GUESS
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING."

Narrator: RUTH CARSON DIED
IN 1985 AT THE AGE OF 84.

WORKERS CLEARING OUT HER
ARIZONA HOME DISCOVERED A BOX

FILLED WITH HUNDREDS OF
NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE CLIPPINGS

DATING BACK TO THE BEGINNING
OF HER SON'S CAREER.

JOHNNY KEPT THE BOX

IN HIS BEDROOM CLOSET
FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

Zehme: HE REMAINED ANGRY
AT HIS MOTHER IN WAYS

AND ALSO ADORED HER AND SOUGHT
HER LOVE AND APPROVAL

UNTIL THE DAY SHE DIED.

BUT IT'S VERY CONFLICTING
AND I DON'T KNOW

HOW MUCH OF THAT TRANSFERRED
INTO HIS INABILITY

TO BE A FAITHFUL HUSBAND.

Joanne: IT DID AFFECT
HIS RELATIONSHIP

WITH WOMEN TREMENDOUSLY.

I DON'T THINK HE HATED WOMEN,
BUT I THINK

HE WAS CAREFUL TO TRUST THEM,
AND WHEN HE DID,

THEY GOT HIS ENTIRE TRUST.

EVERYBODY KNOWS I LOVE YOU
AND THAT'S NICE.

WHEN YOU SAY "LOVE,"
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

YOU HAVE
AN AFFECTION FOR ME?

I HAVE MORE THAN AN AFFECTION
FOR YOU, I LOVE YOU,

AND I LIKE YOU A LOT.

Dickinson: HE WAS JUST TERRIFIC.

WE JUST NEVER GOT IN
THE RIGHT SLOT, YOU KNOW?

MISSED BEING
FREE AT THE SAME TIME.

BY THE TIME WE CAUGHT UP
WITH EACH OTHER,

WE WERE RE-INVOLVED
OR SOMETHING

AND NEVER GOT
REALLY SERIOUS.

Narrator: JOHNNY APPROACHED
33-YEAR-OLD ALEXIS MASS

AS SHE WALKED ON THE SAND

IN FRONT OF HIS
CARBON BEACH HOME.

HE INVITED HER IN FOR A GLASS
OF WINE.

SOON, SHE TRAVELED WITH HIM
TO WIMBLEDON

AND THE SOUTH OF FRANCE,
HIS CONSTANT COMPANION.

LOOK, YOU HAVE TO ADMIT, I JUST
KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE.

AS I SAID TO THE JUSTICE OF
THE PEACE.

Narrator: THOUGH HE TOLD HER
NUMEROUS TIMES

DURING THEIR THREE YEAR
COURTSHIP

THAT HE'D NEVER MARRY AGAIN,

IN 1987, IN A PRIVATE CEREMONY
AT HIS MALIBU HOME,

ALEX BECAME THE FOURTH
MRS. CARSON.

Lassally: JOHNNY ALWAYS FELT,

I THINK BECAUSE OF HIS NEBRASKA
UPBRINGING,

THAT HE NEEDED TO BE MARRIED.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY WERE MADLY
IN LOVE,

AND THEY WERE MEANT
FOR EACH OTHER,

AND SO I THINK THAT SHE FILLED
A MISSING PIECE.

I DON'T THINK HE
FELT SO ISOLATED.

I THINK HE
FELT A TRUE PARTNER IN ALEX,

AND HE SEEMED
TO BE EXTREMELY HAPPY.

Zehme: I THINK WHAT HE FOUND,

AS SOMETIMES OLDER, POWERFUL MEN
FIND WITH YOUNGER WIVES,

HE CAME TO HER FULLY FORMED

AND SHE HAD TO ACCEPT HIM
AS HE WAS.

HE WAS VERY MUCH NOT
A PUBLIC PERSONA

IN HIS PRIVATE TIME,
AND SHE SEEMED

TO ACCEPT ALL THAT IN HIM,
AND I THINK

THEIR MARRIAGE THRIVED TO SOME
DEGREE BECAUSE OF THAT,

FOR A WHILE, UNTIL I
BELIEVE EVEN THAT WORE ON HER.

Sanders: I THINK HE REGRETTED
HE DIDN'T HAVE

A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH
HIS SONS THAN HE DID.

AND I THINK HIS SONS PROBABLY
FELT THAT, TOO,

BUT HE REALLY LOVED THEM.

EVERY TIME HE TALKED ABOUT
ANY OF THEM, HE WOULD WELL UP

WITH EMOTION, AND HE WAS VERY
PROUD OF ALL OF THEM.

Narrator: JOHNNY'S RELATIONSHIP
TO HIS THREE ADULT SONS

REMAINED DISTANT.

HE SUPPORTED THEM ALL,

GIVING THEM
JUST ENOUGH TO LIVE COMFORTABLY.

IN 1991, MIDDLE SON RICK WAS
KILLED WHEN HIS CAR

PLUNGED OFF A CLIFF
ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST.

FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK
ALL OF YOU WHO WERE SO VERY

THOUGHTFUL, COMPASSIONATE AND
SYMPATHETIC WITH YOUR LETTERS,

IT MEANT A GREAT DEAL TO ME.

AND I KNOW IT MEANT A GREAT
DEAL TO RICK'S BROTHERS,

CHRIS AND CORY,
AND OUR ENTIRE FAMILY.

Severinsen: AND JOHNNY,

INCIDENTALLY,

WAS NEVER THE SAME...
EVER, AFTER THAT.

THIS IS WHERE I LIVE.

Narrator: BUT FOR JOHNNY, CAREER
HAD REMAINED HIS TOP PRIORITY.

AT THE AGE OF 63,

HE WOULD BE CHALLENGED
BY A NEW LATE-NIGHT HOST

THAT HIS NETWORK SAW
AS A REAL THREAT.

I THINK ARSENIO HALL WAS
THE FIRST COMPETITOR

WHO CAME ON THE HORIZON THAT
GAVE NBC THE SHAKES.

AND I THINK IT REALLY
WORRIED THEM, IT SHOOK THEM,

BECAUSE THERE WAS A SENSE THAT
THERE'S A PARTY GOING ON

AT THE ARSENIO SHOW
YOU CAN'T MISS.

Hall: THE BEST WAY TO COMPETE
AGAINST JOHNNY IS TO FIND

YOUR OWN NICHE,
FIND YOUR OWN GENRE

AND TRY TO COEXIST WITH HIM.

MY IDEA WAS

JOHNNY HAS THIS THING

THAT NO ONE CAN TOUCH.

MAYBE I CAN HAVE THE KIDS
OF THAT DEMOGRAPHIC.

MAYBE I CAN HAVE THE CHILDREN
OF JOHNNY'S AUDIENCE.

THAT'S THE KEY...

DON'T COMPETE; FIND WHAT'S
UNIQUELY YOURS.

Carson: AND EVENTUALLY
IT'S GONNA END,

LIKE EVERYTHING ENDS,
NOTHING LASTS FOREVER,

EVERYBODY HAS THEIR TIME
ON TELEVISION

AND YOU GO ON
TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.

IT'S NEVER BEEN CHISELED
IN STONE TABLETS

THAT I'VE GOT TO DO THIS
UNTIL I DIE AT THE DESK.

I DON'T WANT TO END THAT WAY.

Narrator: IN 1991,
WELL INTO HIS 29th YEAR

AS HOST OF "THE TONIGHT SHOW,"

JOHNNY REALIZED HIS WORLD
WAS CHANGING.

GUEST HOST JAY LENO'S MANAGER
PLANTED A STORY IN THE PRESS

THAT NBC WANTED LENO
TO REPLACE CARSON

SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

JOHNNY WAS FURIOUS.

Zehme: THERE WAS A SENSE I THINK
THAT HE GOT A FEELING

NBC WAS MANIPULATING HIM OUT.

Man: THERE HAD BEEN A LOT
OF NEGATIVITY IN THE AIR.

IT JUST
WORE HIM DOWN.

AND HE FELT THAT HE WAS
BECOMING,

THAT NBC WASN'T DOING ENOUGH
TO PROTECT HIM.

Rivers: I DON'T THINK HE TRUSTED
ANYBODY AT THE END.

MAYBE FOUR PEOPLE WERE ABLE
TO COME INTO HIS WORLD.

BUT HE GOT SO,

EVERYBODY WANTED A PIECE OF HIM

AND HE JUST BECAME MORE AND MORE
AND MORE REMOTE.

Man: WE'LL PICK IT UP FROM,
"I'M NOT FOOLING AROUND."

Narrator: IN MAY OF 1991, BEFORE
A MEETING OF NETWORK AFFILIATES,

JOHNNY CARSON SURPRISED EVERYONE
BY ANNOUNCING

THAT HE'D RETIRE
THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

THIS TIME, HE MEANT IT.

Lassally: NBC NEVER, EVER
CONSULTED JOHNNY

AS TO WHO SHOULD BE THE NEXT
HOST AFTER HIM.

THAT REALLY HURT HIM
BECAUSE HE HAD

A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP
WITH BOB WRIGHT.

Wright: I TALKED TO HIM

A COUPLE TIMES ABOUT IT.

HE DID NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED

IN A DIRECT MANNER
IN THAT ISSUE.

HE SAID, "LISTEN, I'VE HAD
THIS SHOW, I DO THIS SHOW,

I DON'T MANAGE NBC'S AFFAIRS,
I JUST MANAGE MY OWN.

YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS HAVE TO MAKE
THE RIGHT DECISION YOURSELF.

I THINK THAT DAVID
IS A TERRIFIC COMIC,

I THINK HE WOULD DO VERY WELL
IN THE POSITION,

AND IF YOU'RE GONNA GET HIM
TO GO THERE,

THAT'S GONNA WORK JUST FINE."

I FELT STRONGLY THAT JAY LENO
WAS THE APPROPRIATE PERSON.

JAY LENO HAD AT THAT POINT BEEN
THE PERMANENT GUEST HOST

OF "THE TONIGHT SHOW
STARRING JOHNNY CARSON"

FOR SEVERAL YEARS, HAD BEEN
DOING IT VERY SUCCESSFULLY.

BEEN DOING IT VERY SUCCESSFULLY.

BEFORE WE START TONIGHT,
I WANT TO TELL YOUNG JAY LENO

I'VE CHANGED MY MIND,
I'M GONNA STAY.

Leno: JOHNNY WAS ALWAYS
VERY GRACIOUS,

HE WAS ALWAYS VERY NICE.

THERE WAS TENSION,
AND THEN OVER THE YEARS,

WE GOT TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN,

AND WE WOULD TALK OCCASIONALLY.

NOT A WHOLE LOT, 'CAUSE JOHNNY
WAS A PRIVATE PERSON,

PLUS YOU ALWAYS HAVE
THAT ODD SITUATION OF

ANYTIME YOU INVOKE
JOHNNY'S NAME,

ARE YOU DOING IT FOR YOUR OWN
SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT?

JUST HOW PISSED OFF ARE YOU?

YOU KEEP USING LANGUAGE
LIKE THAT,

AND YOU'RE GONNA FIND
YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB.

Letterman: I DO EVERYTHING
THE HARD WAY

AND THAT WAS HARD,
BUT I THINK, HONESTLY,

IT HAD THE BETTER
OUTCOME FOR ME, PERSONALLY.

ANOTHER DAY,
ANOTHER TWO MILLION DOLLARS.

Man: THE BUILD-UP TO
THE FINAL SHOW,

DURING THE LAST FOUR WEEKS,

WAS NOT TO BE BELIEVED.

Man: MONOLOGUE, OF COURSE.

Man: ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
YOU HAVE WITH A TALK SHOW

LIKE THIS IS TRYING
TO BOOK PEOPLE.

WELL, WE
HAD TO TURN PEOPLE AWAY.

EVERYBODY WANTED TO DO
"THE TONIGHT SHOW" WITH JOHNNY.

EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE ON
ONE MORE TIME.

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DO THIS?
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO QUIT?

DON'T GO!

THE SET,

WHICH I ASSUME YOU'RE
DISMANTLING AND SETTING UP

AT YOUR HOUSE...

IT'S EASIER TO TALK TO PEOPLE
LIKE THIS, ISN'T IT?

DON'T YOU WISH WHEN YOU HAD
A GUEST OVER,

YOU COULD JUST SAY,
"WE'RE OUT OF TIME"?

Severinsen: AND I SAID, "JOHNNY,
WHEN I GO OUT DOING CONCERTS,

IT'S LIKE... HUGE,

THE RESPONSE...
PEOPLE ARE NOT READY

FOR YOU TO LEAVE,"
AND HE SAID,

"YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS PRIDED
MYSELF ON MY SENSE OF TIMING,

AND THIS IS
THE TIME TO GO."

RAISE OUR GOBLETS,
HOIST OUR GLASSES,

ON MAY 22nd,
WE'RE OUT ON OUR ASSES.

HELLO, HELLO.

Sotzing: HE HAD SEEN PEOPLE
WHO STAYED TOO LONG,

AND HE MADE THE DECISION
TO LEAVE

WHEN HE WAS ON TOP AND HE DID.

HE NEVER LOOKED BACK
AND NEVER REALLY REGRETTED IT.

I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT LATER
AND HE SAID,

"I JUST DON'T HAVE THE ENERGY

THAT I USED TO HAVE
FOR THIS SHOW."

Seinfeld: IT'S A VERY HARD THING
FOR A COMEDIAN,

WHO LIVES ON APPLAUSE

AND LAUGHTER MORE
THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

THAT IS YOUR NUTRITION,
THAT IS YOUR DIET.

THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS
LOOKING FORWARD TO,

WHEN AM I GOING
TO GET MY NEXT FEEDING?

Sanders: BUT HE DIDN'T NEED

TO BE IN FRONT
OF THE AUDIENCE ANYMORE.

HE DIDN'T HAVE THAT NEED.

HE REALLY WANTED

A QUIET, PRIVATE LIFE.

HE WANTED
TO MAKE HIS LIFE SIMPLE.

Man: JOHNNY TOLD ME THAT HE
DIDN'T WANT TO BE

LIKE GEORGE BURNS WHOSE MANAGER
PROPPED HIM UP IN A CHAIR

IN HIS LATE NINETIES.

HE SAID, "WHY NOT BE REMEMBERED
FOR YOUR WORK IN THE OLD DAYS?"

HE FELT HE HAD DONE HIS 30 YEARS

AND THAT WAS ENOUGH.

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.

Carter: MORE THAN ANYTHING,
I THINK PEOPLE ACCEPTED THE FACT

THAT IT WAS THE END OF AN ERA,
BUT I ALSO THINK THEY FELT LIKE

THIS IS A FRIEND OF OURS THAT
WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE ANYMORE.

YOU KNOW?

THIS IS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN
IN OUR LIVES

THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE
ANYMORE, AND SO IT WAS MOVING.

YOU PEOPLE WATCHING, I CAN ONLY
TELL YOU THAT IT HAS BEEN

AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE
TO COME INTO YOUR HOMES

ALL THESE
YEARS AND ENTERTAIN YOU.

AND I HOPE WHEN I FIND
SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO DO

AND I THINK YOU
WILL LIKE AND COME BACK,

THAT YOU'LL BE AS GRACIOUS
INVITING ME INTO YOUR HOME

AS YOU HAVE BEEN.

I BID YOU A VERY HEARTFELT
GOODNIGHT.

Letterman: AND WHEN IT WAS OVER,

IT WAS... AND FORGIVE ME
IF THIS IS MELODRAMATIC...

BUT IT'S LIKE WATCHING
A RELATIVE FADE OFF

FROM A COMA TO THE OTHER WORLD.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE SCREEN
GOES BLACK

AND THE TELEVISION'S
OFF AND JOHNNY'S GONE.

Seinfeld: YOU KNOW,
FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER,

I'VE HEARD COMEDIANS IN BARS
DEBATE OVER,

"WHO DO YOU THINK IS GONNA GET
'THE TONIGHT SHOW'

AFTER JOHNNY LEAVES?"

WHAT NOBODY REALIZED IS THAT
WHEN YOU LEFT,

YOU WERE GOING TO PACK IT UP
AND TAKE IT WITH YOU,

WHICH IS WHAT HE DID.

BECAUSE THAT SHOW NEVER
EXISTED AGAIN.

THERE NEVER WAS
A "TONIGHT SHOW."

IT WAS CARSON.

Sotzing: AND PEOPLE WOULD COME
UP TO HIM ON A WEEKLY BASIS

AND SAY, "WE MISS YOU SO MUCH.
YOU WERE SO IMPORTANT TO US."

AND HE WOULD SAY, "CAN'T GET
ANY BETTER THAN THAT.

CAN'T BEAT THAT."

Announcer: ONE OF AMERICA'S

GREATEST TELEVISION
PERSONALITIES, JOHNNY CARSON,

LEFT THE NEBRASKA PLAINS TO
PRESIDE OVER LATE-NIGHT TV

FOR ALMOST THIRTY YEARS.

THE UNITED STATES HONORS
JOHNNY CARSON,

WHO PERSONIFIES THE HEART
AND HUMOR OF AMERICA.

Narrator: JOHNNY WAS PITCHED
NUMEROUS PROJECTS IN RETIREMENT

BUT DIDN'T PURSUE ANY OF THEM.

HE KNEW HE COULD NEVER TOP
WHAT HE'D DONE

AND THAT WAS JUST FINE WITH HIM.

THOUGH OFFERED COUNTLESS AWARDS,
HE ACCEPTED ONLY THOSE

HE COULD NOT REFUSE.

THE CLOSEST HE CAME TO WORKING
AGAIN WAS TO FAX JOKES

TO HIS FRIEND DAVID LETTERMAN.

JOHNNY WAS SO PROUD,
HE WOULD CALL ME AND SAY,

"DID YOU SEE? HE USED THREE
OF MY JOKES LAST NIGHT,"

AND HE WAS LIKE A KID
ALL OVER AGAIN, SAYING,

"I LOVE HEARING MY JOKES
ON THE AIR AGAIN."

Narrator: JOHNNY CARSON
MADE HIS LAST APPEARANCE

ON TELEVISION WHEN HE DELIVERED
A TOP TEN LIST TO LETTERMAN.

HE RECEIVED A 90-SECOND
STANDING OVATION.

OHH!

THANK YOU, GOOD NIGHT.

Wright: HE WENT TO AFRICA AND HE
LEARNED TO SPEAK SWAHILI.

WE GOT OVER THERE,
WE WERE IN TANZANIA,

THERE'S JOHNNY TALKING TO
THE GUY DRIVING THE TRUCK,

TALKING TO THE GUY
AT THE AIRPORT,

TRYING TO SEE IF IT'S REALLY
GOOD, DO THEY UNDERSTAND ME?

GETTING MORE CONFIDENT.

WE'RE WAY OUT IN THE SERENGETI

AND HE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT
ELEPHANTS OR SOMETHING

AND THEY'D BE LAUGHING
AND DARING HIM TO DO THINGS.

ALL I KNOW IS HE WAS TALKING
AND THEY WERE LAUGHING.

AMAZING. THAT'S A GIFT.

Narrator: MORE AND MORE,

JOHNNY RETREATED BEHIND
THE GATES OF HIS MALIBU HOME

OVERLOOKING THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

HE CONTINUED TO PLAY TENNIS,
REMAINED AN AVID READER,

AND SPENT LONG HOURS
SITTING OUTSIDE

GAZING AT THE SEA.

FRIENDS SAID THAT JOHNNY WAS
NEVER MORE CONTENT

THAN WHEN HE WAS ALONE
ON THE WATER,

AS FAR AWAY FROM
HUMANITY AS POSSIBLE.

IN LATER YEARS,

HE EVEN SAW LESS
OF HIS WIFE, ALEX.

Zehme: AND THERE WAS ALMOST
AN UNDERSTANDING

THAT THEY WERE KIND OF LIVING
A SLIGHTLY SEPARATE LIFE.

BUT SHE UNDERSTOOD HIM
AND HE UNDERSTOOD HER,

AND I GUESS THEY WERE JUST FINE
WITH THAT.

I THINK I ALSO
HEARD THAT HE SAID,

"I DON'T WANNA BE KNOWN
AS THE GUY

WHO GOT DIVORCED FOUR TIMES."

Severinsen: WE WENT OUT,
DROPPED ANCHOR

AND THOUGHT IT'D BE A NICE TIME
FOR A SWIM.

AND JOHNNY WAS A VERY
ATHLETIC, VERY STRONG GUY,

AND HE DIDN'T SWIM ANY MORE
THAN A FEW STROKES,

AND HE CAME UP
FOR AIR AND HE SAID,

"WOW, I'M OUT OF BREATH
ALREADY,"

AND YOU COULD SEE HE WAS
ALARMED ABOUT IT.

THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE FIRST
TIME THAT HE HAD

A WAKE-UP
CALL THAT HE HAD EMPHYSEMA.

Tennis: JOHNNY WAS ONE OF
THOSE PEOPLE

WHO SINCERELY BELIEVED

THAT HE HAD AN IMMUNITY AGAINST

THE ILLS OF SMOKING,

AND THAT HE HAD FOOLED HIMSELF
INTO BELIEVING THAT

HE WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE
THAT SMOKING WOULD NEVER HARM.

Sotzing: HE HAD STOPPED SMOKING
AT THAT TIME,

BUT I DON'T THINK HE WAS
TOO THRILLED ABOUT THE FACT

THAT HE CAUSED THE SITUATION
AND KNEW THAT HE DID THAT.

BUT I THINK HE WAS,
HE WAS COVERING UP.

HE WASN'T LETTING US KNOW
JUST HOW SICK HE WAS.

Kaye: AND WHEN HE GOT ILL,

HE CALLED ME BECAUSE HE KNEW
I WAS A SMOKER

AND THE LAST THING

HE SAID TO ME WAS,

"THESE DAMN CIGARETTES."

AND I SAID, "I KNOW, JOHN."

♪ HERE'S THAT RAINY DAY ♪

♪ THEY TOLD ME ABOUT ♪

♪ AND I LAUGHED AT THE THOUGHT ♪

♪ THAT IT MIGHT TURN OUT
THIS WAY ♪

Zehme: I THINK JOHNNY HIMSELF

WAS CONTENT AND AT PEACE
WITH IT.

HE DIDN'T WANNA LIVE
A COMPROMISED LIFE

ON OXYGEN TANKS.

THAT WASN'T WHO HE WAS.

BUT HE DID WISH TO GO
AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW?

HE DIDN'T WANNA FIGHT.

♪ FUNNY ♪

♪ HOW LOVE BECOMES ♪

♪ A COLD ♪

♪ RAINY DAY ♪

♪ FUNNY ♪

♪ THAT RAINY DAY ♪

♪ IS HERE ♪♪

Severinsen: AND SO,

"WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM..."

THAT WAS IT.

Narrator: JOHNNY CARSON DIED

ON JANUARY 23rd, 2005.

HE WAS 79 YEARS OLD.

Shandling: I COULD NOT BELIEVE

HOW STUNNED I WAS THE DAY
JOHNNY DIED.

AND I HAPPENED TO BE RENTING
A PLACE IN MALIBU,

FROM WHICH I COULD LOOK
RIGHT ACROSS

WHAT IS ACTUALLY CALLED
"PARADISE COVE"

TO WHERE JOHNNY'S HOUSE WAS.

I... I...

I JUST SAT OUT THERE...

I SAT OUT THERE FOR LIKE
AN HOUR.

AND YOU GO, LIKE, YOU KNOW,

"I'M NOT THAT, I'M NOT THAT
CLOSE TO THAT GUY."

AND THEN I REALIZE
HOW CLOSE I WAS.

Sotzing: IN FACT, WHEN HE
PASSED AWAY, I READ A STORY

IN THE OMAHA HERALD.

THEY HAD A LISTING OF ALL
THE THINGS

THAT HE HAD DONATED TO,

AND I ONLY KNEW A FEW OF THEM,
IT WAS AMAZING.

HE WOULD JUST DO IT.

HE WOULD SEE A STORY ABOUT
SOMEONE IN NEED

AND PICK UP THE PHONE
AND WRITE A CHECK...

ALL THE TIME, AND HE NEVER SAID
ANYTHING TO ANYBODY ABOUT IT.

Wright: SO, THERE HE IS IN
THE END, WITH THE LARGEST

CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
OF PROBABLY ANYBODY

THAT'S EVER BEEN IN
THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS.

AND NOBODY KNEW.

Zehme: AND THAT WAS THE MOST
INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP

PROBABLY BETWEEN VIEWER AND STAR

IN ALL OF TELEVISION,

BECAUSE OF THAT HOUR
AND HIS ROLE

IN SOOTHING YOU AT THE END
OF YOUR DAY,

AND WE CAN GO ON AND GET UP
IN THE MORNING,

AND IT'LL BE ALL RIGHT,
AND HERE WE GO AGAIN.

AND IT WAS SO IMPORTANT,

AND WHAT HE DID THERE,
NOBODY HAS EVER TOUCHED.

Leno: YOU'RE A POLICEMAN,

YOU'RE A NURSE,
YOU'RE A FIREMAN,

YOU'RE SOMEONE
WHO DEALS WITH TRAGEDY.

YOU COME HOME AT NIGHT,

YOU TURN ON THE TV, YOU JUST
WANT TO HAVE A LAUGH.

HE NEVER BROUGHT YOU DOWN...

"HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON,
MY LIFE IS SO HORRIBLE."

HE ALWAYS ELEVATED EVERYBODY UP,
AND I THINK THAT WAS THE KEY.

YOU FELT GOOD AFTER
WATCHING THE SHOW.

O'Brien: I SAID, "JOHNNY,
I'M MAD AT YOU.

I THINK A LOT OF US ARE MAD
AT YOU

WHO HAVE TO DO THIS FOR
A LIVING NOW,

BECAUSE YOU LULLED US
INTO DOING IT

BY MAKING IT LOOK SO EASY."

Letterman: JOHNNY CARSON
COALESCED MY LIFE.

HE GAVE ME SOMETHING TO AIM FOR,
SOMETHING TO EMULATE.

WELL, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN,

BUT YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA HAVE
A TARGET,

YOU GOTTA HAVE SOMETHING
TO SHOOT FOR.

AND HE PUT ME TOGETHER
AS A PERSON, HONESTLY.

SO, I FORGET THE QUESTION,
BUT THAT'S THE ANSWER.

♪ WE'RE DRINKING, MY FRIEND ♪

♪ TO THE END ♪

♪ OF A SWEET EPISODE ♪

Zehme: I WOULD SAY IT WOULD
PROBABLY BE

PROFESSOR HOFFMANN'S BOOK
OF MAGIC.

THAT WOULD BE THE "ROSEBUD,"

THE FIRST MAGIC BOOK
HE EVER PICKED UP,

AND HE DECIDED,
"WHAT'S THIS?"

A WAY TO TRANSFORM HIMSELF
INTO SOMETHING ELSE,

SOMETHING BIGGER, SOMETHING
THAT WOULD IMPRESS

AND YET QUIETLY DO IT,
ELEGANTLY DO IT.

MAGIC...
MAGIC IS HIS ROSEBUD.

♪ FOR ALL OF THE YEARS ♪

♪ FOR THE LAUGHS,
FOR THE TEARS ♪

♪ FOR THE CLASS
THAT YOU SHOWED ♪

♪ MAKE IT ONE FOR MY BABY ♪

♪ AND ONE MORE FOR ♪

♪ THE ROAD ♪

♪ THAT LONG ♪

♪ LONG ♪

♪ ROAD ♪♪

SISS-BOOM-BAH!

McMahon:
SISS-BOOM-BAH!

"DESCRIBE THE SOUND MADE
WHEN A SHEEP EXPLODES."

WHOOO!