The Tonight Show ran for decades, and I guess technically is still running. Begun under the hostship of Steve Allen, and then Jack Parr, it really hit it's stride with the coming of actor/comedian Johnny Carson. Carson had forged his skills of comedy and interviews through his solo series The Johnny Carson Show and the game show Who Do You Trust?, where Johnny first worked with character actor and TV pitch-man Ed MacMahon. Carson's easy, friendly manner and ability to get a fun story out of average people made him the perfect late night talk show host. He remains the standard against which others are measured (though few, if any to've come since, measure up). Johnny, as host of The Tonight Show, became a phenomenon welcomed into most every television-owning home in the United States (and a few other countries) for thirty-plus years. The format of the show was pretty simple. Johnny would open with a monologue, then go to his desk and do a bit with Ed. From there it was a series of interviews broken up by occasional comedy skits by either Johnny or one of his guests. In the course of the series, Carson interviewed some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, as well as a who's-who of political figures, and a kooky assortment of regular folk with a good story to tell. Johnny's reign as the king of late-night television lasted through the last great era of fame. Notorious for taking vacations, Johnny's chair was frequently filled-in by an eclectic assortment of guest hosts. Toward the end, it was usually comedian Jay Leno who filled this position. When Johnny finally decided to retire, it was Leno who took over as host. Leno's version of the show lasted long enough for Jay to be considered the reining monarch of late-night, "the old guy" to so many youngsters who never saw the show during it's greatest influence. Johnny had a unique gift, a persona of being an average Joe while at the same time being the biggest star in showbiz. This truly endeared him to viewers, who over time began to see Johnny as a member of the family. Along with Ed, Johnny's team included band-leader/musician Doc Severinson, he known for his hideous, Herb Tarlek-like suits. Doc's sidekick and occasional fill-in was Tommy Newsom, the amiable human sleeping pill. Not long after Johnny retired, his estate licensed a video collection of Carson's favorite moments from his long run as host. A bit better, full routines and skits were packaged as the syndicated Johnny Carson And Friends. Recent years find the full episodes of The Tonight Show airing on Antenna TV under the title Johnny Carson. Even decades after his passing, Johnny remains an American institution.
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