TV Is Art

TV Is Art
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

7.5
Yr 1962
Rt 60m
Status Ended
Talk
Back
Series Brief

Overview

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

Why fans love it

Johnny Carson defined the late-night talk show format over a thirty-year run that began in 1962. By maintaining the desk and couch structure and leaning into the chemistry with sidekick Ed McMahon, the program established the template for every show that followed. It captured an era of television history by shifting from its original New York City roots to a permanent home in Burbank by 1972.

The appeal lies in the consistency of a nightly ritual that spanned three decades. Rather than chase trends, the show relied on the steady rapport between the host and his guests. It remains a cultural touchstone, recognized in 2002 as the twelfth greatest television show of all time by TV Guide. Its legacy is the calm baseline against which modern talk formats are measured.

Featured Players

Cast 75

Don Rickles
as Self
53 episodes
Jay Leno
as Self - Guest Host
75 episodes
Bob Newhart
as Self - Guest Host
126 episodes
Johnny Carson
as Self - Host
3747 episodes
Joyce Brothers
as Self
22 episodes
Tony Bennett
as Self - Guest
38 episodes
Roger Miller
as Self
15 episodes
Shelley Winters
as Self - Guest
60 episodes
Ed McMahon
as Self - Announcer
1540 episodes
McLean Stevenson
as Self - Guest Host
28 episodes
Robert Blake
as Self
31 episodes
Carl Reiner
as Self - Guest
29 episodes
Suzanne Somers
as Self
30 episodes
Victor Buono
as Self
32 episodes
Phyllis Newman
as Self
20 episodes
Charles Nelson Reilly
as Self
47 episodes
George Maharis
as Self
17 episodes
Kaye Ballard
as Self
15 episodes
Norm Crosby
as Self
18 episodes
Buck Henry
as Self
32 episodes
Show all 75 cast
George Segal
as Self
30 episodes
Steve Allen
as Self
16 episodes
Skitch Henderson
as Self - Bandleader
176 episodes
Della Reese
as Self
94 episodes
Bill Cosby
as Self - Guest Host
26 episodes
Rich Little
as Self
25 episodes
Bob Hope
as Self
135 episodes
Buddy Rich
as Self
17 episodes
Doc Severinsen
as Self - Bandleader
1310 episodes
Earl Holliman
as Self
15 episodes
Lola Falana
as Self
20 episodes
Paul Williams
as Self
15 episodes
Jack Jones
as Self
21 episodes
Buddy Hackett
as Self
31 episodes
Alan King
as Self
22 episodes
Shecky Greene
as Self
58 episodes
Orson Bean
as Self
90 episodes
David Brenner
as Self - Guest Host
26 episodes
Robert Goulet
as Self
23 episodes
Ernest Borgnine
as Self
14 episodes
Joe Williams
as Self
15 episodes
Carol Wayne
as Self
15 episodes
Joey Bishop
as Self - Guest Host
49 episodes
John Davidson
as Self - Guest Host
34 episodes
George Gobel
as Self
45 episodes
Vikki Carr
as Self
14 episodes
Sammy Davis Jr.
as Self
24 episodes
Kreskin
as Self
14 episodes
Martin Mull
as Self
37 episodes
Tommy Newsom
as Self - Bandleader
80 episodes
David Steinberg
as Self
22 episodes
Jerry Lewis
as Self - Guest Host
23 episodes
Rodney Dangerfield
as Self
21 episodes
Phyllis Diller
as Self
34 episodes
Dom DeLuise
as Self
17 episodes
Teri Garr
as Self
46 episodes
Roy Clark
as Self - Guest Host
20 episodes
Don Adams
as Self
35 episodes
Tom Smothers
as Self
19 episodes
Billy De Wolfe
as Self
16 episodes
Burt Reynolds
as Self
60 episodes
Joan Rivers
as Self - Guest Host
56 episodes
Johnny Mathis
as Self
17 episodes
Robert Klein
as Self
16 episodes
Milton Delugg
as Self - Bandleader
48 episodes
George Carlin
as Self - Guest Host
22 episodes
Betty White
as Self
15 episodes
Bob Uecker
as Self
16 episodes
Bert Convy
as Self
17 episodes
Jack Klugman
as Self
35 episodes
Steve Lawrence
as Self
53 episodes
David Letterman
as Self - Guest Host
17 episodes
Orson Welles
as Self
21 episodes
Jean Marsh
as Self
22 episodes
Roger Moore
as Self
16 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Creator
Steve Allen Sylvester Weaver
Producer
Jeff Sotzing Rudy Tellez Jim McCawley Art Stark
Executive Producer
Frederick de Cordova Peter Lassally
Director
Howard Storm
Production Assistant
Betty Wesley
Signal Match

Cast Similarity

The Mike Douglas Show
21 shared cast members
Shared Bill Cosby, Kreskin, Burt Reynolds +18 more
Late Show with David Letterman
3 shared cast members
Shared David Letterman, Don Rickles, David Brenner
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
3 shared cast members
Shared Joan Rivers, David Letterman, Johnny Carson
The Oscars
3 shared cast members
Shared Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Carson
The Love Boat
3 shared cast members
Shared McLean Stevenson, Don Adams, Betty White
Futurama
2 shared cast members
Shared Bob Uecker, Rich Little
Rugrats
2 shared cast members
Shared Charles Nelson Reilly, Dom DeLuise
F Troop
2 shared cast members
Shared Don Rickles, George Gobel
Tony Awards
2 shared cast members
Shared Alan King, Robert Goulet
Hollywood Squares
2 shared cast members
Shared Martin Mull, Robert Klein
Signal Match

Crew Similarity

The Late Late Show with James Corden
1 shared crew member
Shared Peter Lassally
Roles: Creator
Topic Overlay

Topic Keyword Similarity

Late Night with Conan O'Brien
2 shared keywords
Topics late-night show, talk show
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2 shared keywords
Topics late-night show, talk show
The Seasons
2 shared keywords
Topics late-night show, talk show
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
2 shared keywords
Topics late-night show, talk show
The View
1 shared keyword
Topics talk show
Stasera c’è Cattelan su Raidue
1 shared keyword
Topics late-night show
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
1 shared keyword
Topics late-night show
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
1 shared keyword
Topics late-night show
Quotidien
1 shared keyword
Topics talk show
Markus Lanz
1 shared keyword
Topics talk show
Keyword Cloud

Keywords

talk show late-night show
Next Signal

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Late Show with David Letterman
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The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
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The Late Late Show with James Corden
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The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
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The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
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See all similar shows →
Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

fuboTV
US
The Roku Channel
US
Pluto TV
US
Peacock Premium
US
Peacock Premium Plus
US
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
October 01, 1962
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
60 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
90