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Johnny Carson



Carson married Alexis Maas, on June 20, 1987; Johnny was 61, Alexis 35. The story of their meeting given to the press was that Alexis was strolling along the Malibu beach holding an empty wine glass. Johnny noticed this beautiful woman and offered to fill the glass. In truth, Maas had talked a beachfront guard into letting her trespass onto Carson's Malibu property. The marriage was Johnny's longest, and items given to the press reported that the union was a happy one.

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Personal

Carson was a major investor in the ultimately failed De Lorean Motor Company. (Manufacturer John DeLorean was involved in a drug scandal, causing Carson's guest Red Skelton to quip, "The DeLorean, is that a hopped-up car?") Carson was cited in a 1982 drunk driving incident while driving a De Lorean DMC-12 sportscar in Beverly Hills. Represented by Robert Shapiro, he pleaded no contest to the charges, and played off the incident by having a uniformed police officer escort him on to the Tonight Show stage. Other business ventures included a successful clothing line, through which his turtlenecks became a fashion trend, and a failed restaurant franchise.[9]

Carson was close friends with astronomer Carl Sagan, who often appeared on The Tonight Show to give presentations on astronomy. (Carson himself was an amateur astronomer). The unique way Sagan had of saying certain words, like "billions" of galaxies, would lead to Carson ribbing his friend, imitating his voice and saying "BILL-ions and BILL-ions", a phrase soon erroneously attributed to Sagan himself. According to Sagan's biographer, Keay Davidson, Carson was the first person to contact Sagan's wife with condolences when the scientist died in 1996. Also a talented amateur drummer, Carson was shown on a segment of 60 Minutes practicing at home on a drum set given to him by close friend jazz legend Buddy Rich who was the most frequent jazz musician to appear on The Tonight Show. Writer Gore Vidal, another frequent "Tonight Show" guest and personal friend, writes about Carson's personality in his 2006 memoirs.

Carson's son from his first marriage, Richard, was killed on June 21, 1991, when his car plunged down a steep embankment along a paved service road off Highway 1 near Cayucos, a small town north of San Luis Obispo. Apparently, Richard had been taking photographs when the accident occurred. Carson was deeply shaken by his son's death. On his first show after Ricky's death, he gave a stirring tribute in the final minutes of his show as samples of his son's photographic work (and images of Ricky, himself) were displayed with the music accompaniment of "Riviera Paradise" by blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan (himself the victim of an accidental death less than one year earlier). In addition, the final image of Carson's last show in May 1992 featured a photo Richard had taken.

He had a Mercedez-Benz with the license plate "360GUY".

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Retirement

Carson retired from show business on May 22, 1992, when he stepped down as host of The Tonight Show. His farewell was a major media event, and stretched over several nights. It was often emotional for Carson, his colleagues, and the audiences, particularly the farewell statement he delivered on his final show. NBC gave the role of host to the show's then-current permanent guest host, Jay Leno. Leno and David Letterman were soon competing on separate networks.

At the end of his final Tonight Show appearance, Carson indicated that he might, if so inspired, return with a new project, but instead chose to go into full retirement, rarely giving interviews and declining to participate in NBC's 75th Anniversary celebrations. He made the occasional cameo appearance, most notably voicing himself on an episode of The Simpsons ("Krusty Gets Kancelled"). Carson's most famous post-retirement appearance came on Letterman's late-night CBS talk show, The Late Show with David Letterman, on May 13, 1994. During a week of shows from Los Angeles, Letterman was having Larry "Bud" Melman (Calvert DeForest) deliver his "Top Ten Lists" under the guise that a famous personality would be delivering the list instead. On the last show of the week, Letterman indicated that Carson would be delivering the list. Instead, DeForest delivered the list, insulted the audience (in keeping with the gag), and walked off to polite applause. Letterman then indicated that the card he was given did not have the proper list on it and asked that the "real" list be brought out. On that cue, the real Johnny Carson emerged from behind the curtain, an appearance which prompted a standing ovation from the audience. Carson then requested to sit behind Letterman's desk; Letterman obliged.

Just days before Carson's death, it was revealed that the retired "King of Late Night" still kept up with current events and late-night TV, and that he occasionally sent jokes to Letterman.[10] Letterman would then use these jokes in the monologue of his show, which Carson got "a big kick out of" according to Worldwide Pants, Inc. Senior Vice-President Peter Lassally, who formerly produced both men's programs also claimed that Carson had always believed Letterman, not Leno, to be his "rightful successor".[11] Letterman frequently employs some of Carson's trademark bits on his show, including "Carnac" (with band leader Paul Shaffer as Carnac), "Stump the Band," and the "Week in Review."

In November 2004, Carson announced a $5.3 million gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation to support the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts' Department of Theatre Arts, which created the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film. Another $5 million donation was announced by the estate of Carson to the University of Nebraska following his death. Carson also donated to causes in his hometown of Norfolk, including the Carson Cancer Center at Faith Regional Health Services, The Elkhorn Valley Museum, and the Johnny Carson Theater at Norfolk Senior High School.

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Death and aftermath

Johnny Carson's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Johnny Carson's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

On March 19, 1999, Carson suffered a severe heart attack at his home in Malibu, California. Carson was sleeping when he suddenly awoke with severe chest pains. He was rushed to a hospital in nearby Santa Monica where he underwent a quadruple-bypass surgery.

At 6:50 AM PST on January 23, 2005, Carson died at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, of respiratory arrest arising from emphysema. He was 79 years old. Carson had revealed his illness to the public in September 2002. Following Carson's death his body was cremated, and the ashes were given to his wife. In accordance with his family's wishes, no public memorial service was held. There were countless tributes paid to Carson upon his death, including a statement by President George W. Bush, all recognizing the deep and enduring affection held for him.

Tributes published after his death confirmed that he had been a chain-smoker. While The Tonight Show was broadcast live, he would frequently smoke cigarettes on the air; it was reported that Carson had said "these things are killing me" as far back as the 1970s.

On January 24, 2005, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno paid tribute to Carson with guests Ed McMahon, Bob Newhart, Don Rickles, Drew Carey and K.D. Lang. Letterman followed suit on January 31 with former Tonight Show executive producer Peter Lassally and bandleader Doc Severinsen. During the beginning of this show, Letterman said that for 30 years no matter what was going on in the world, no matter whether people had a good or bad day, they wanted to end the day by being "tucked in by Johnny." Letterman also told his viewers that the monologue he had just given had consisted entirely of jokes sent to him by Carson in the last few months of his life. Doc Severinsen ended the Letterman show that night by playing one of Carson's two favorite songs, "Here's that Rainy Day" (the other was "I'll Be Seeing You"). It had been reported over the decades of Carson's fame that he was, off-camera, so intensely private that he had never once invited McMahon to his home. True to McMahon's generous nature, after Carson's death, he disputed those rumors and claimed that a close friendship existed.

Many other talk show hosts came and went during Carson's 30 years. A week or so after the tributes, Dennis Miller was on the Tonight Show and told Jay Leno about the first time he tried to do a talk show, and how miserably it went. He said that he got a call right after the first show, from Carson, telling him, "It's not as easy as it looks, is it, kid?"

The 2005 film The Aristocrats was dedicated to Johnny, who apparently was a fan of the joke (and also a fan of Aristocrats co-director Penn & Teller's TV show Bullshit!)

“ I loved you, Johnny. We all did.

Yes, I'm rambling because I just don't know what else to say. I will miss Johnny Carson like no other person in my life. He was such a good man, one of my minor gods, and a good friend that I regret to say I did not meet again in person after he left TV so long ago. Just one small example, if I may, of how generous he was. When I called and asked him if he might place a telephone call to Martin Gardner on that gentleman's 90th birthday, John had no hesitation agreeing to do so. "I've got most of his books", he told me, "and it'll be fun to speak with him." They did speak, on the afternoon of Martin's birthday, for some 20 minutes. That's the kind of gentleman that Johnny Carson was.

John, I will miss you, as will so many millions here and around the world, but your legacy lives on. I've just run out of words.[12]

 ”
“ And so it has come to this: I, uh... am one of the lucky people in the world; I found something I always wanted to do, and I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I want to thank the gentlemen who've shared this stage with me for thirty years, Mr. Ed McMahon... Mr. Doc Severinsen... and... 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 would like, and come back, that you'll be as gracious in inviting me into your home as you have been. I bid you a very heartfelt good night. ”

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References

  1. ^ Weissman, Ginny (2002-12-01). The Dick Van Dyke Show. St. Martin's Press, 6. ISBN 0312087667. 
  2. ^ Carson v. Here's Johnny Portable Toilets, Inc., 810 F.2d 104, 105 (6th Cir. 1987)
  3. ^ Carson, Johnny (Host, Executive Producer). (2003) The Ultimate Carson Collection Vol. 3 [DVD]. USA: Carson Productions.
  4. ^ Johnny Carson letter to Robert E. Baker. Snopes. Retrieved on 2008-05-11.
  5. ^ Zsa Zsa Gabor letter to David Mikkelson. Snopes. Retrieved on 2008-05-11.
  6. ^ "Wayne Newton on Larry King Live", CNN. Retrieved on 2008-05-11. 
  7. ^ Cooper, Jr., Robert B.. (2006). Television's Pirates: Hiding Behind Your Picture Tube.
  8. ^ "Video uncovers a forgotten Johnny Carson DVD", CNN. Retrieved on 2008-05-11. 
  9. ^ Bernstein, Adam. "For Decades, Comic Ruled Late-Night TV", The Washington Post, 2005-01-24. 
  10. ^ Carson Feeds Letterman Lines. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-05-11.
  11. ^ "Carson Feeds Letterman Lines", The New York Post. Retrieved on 2008-05-11. 
  12. ^ A Good Friend Has Left Us. James Randi Educational Foundation. Retrieved on 2008-05-11.

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Further reading

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External links

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Preceded by
Jack Paar		 Host of The Tonight Show
1962 – 1992		 Succeeded by
Jay Leno
v • d • e
Hosts of the Academy Awards ceremonies

Bob Hope (1961) · Bob Hope (1962) · Frank Sinatra (1963) · Jack Lemmon (1964) · Bob Hope (1965) · Bob Hope (1966) · Bob Hope (1967) · Bob Hope (1968) · Helen Hayes / Alan King / Sammy Davis, Jr. / Jack Lemmon (1972) · Carol Burnett / Michael Caine / Charlton Heston / Rock Hudson (1973) · John Huston / Burt Reynolds / David Niven / Diana Ross (1974) · Sammy Davis, Jr. / Bob Hope / Shirley MacLaine / Frank Sinatra (1975) · Goldie Hawn / Gene Kelly / Walter Matthau / George Segal / Robert Shaw (1976) · Warren Beatty / Ellen Burstyn / Jane Fonda / Richard Pryor (1977) · Bob Hope (1978) · Johnny Carson (1979) · Johnny Carson (1980)
v • d • e
Hosts of the Academy Awards ceremonies

Johnny Carson (1981) · Johnny Carson (1982) · Liza Minnelli / Dudley Moore / Richard Pryor / Walter Matthau (1983) · Johnny Carson (1984) · Jack Lemmon (1985) · Alan Alda / Jane Fonda / Robin Williams (1986) · Chevy Chase / Goldie Hawn / Paul Hogan (1987) · Chevy Chase (1988) · Billy Crystal (1990) · Billy Crystal (1991) · Billy Crystal (1992) · Billy Crystal (1993) · Whoopi Goldberg (1994) · David Letterman (1995) · Whoopi Goldberg (1996) · Billy Crystal (1997) · Billy Crystal (1998) · Whoopi Goldberg (1999) · Billy Crystal (2000)
Persondata
NAME Carson, Johnny
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Carson, John William
SHORT DESCRIPTION Talk show host
DATE OF BIRTH October 23, 1925
PLACE OF BIRTH Corning, Iowa
DATE OF DEATH January 23, 2005
PLACE OF DEATH Los Angeles, California



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