The king of late night at his chaotic, cigarette-smoking peak—before comedy got polite.
Classic Carson monologues, visits from Carnac and Art Fern, comedians Eddie Murphy, Garry Shandling, Albert Brooks and Bill Maher. Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart, child stars Drew Barrymore and Joey Lawrence, fan favorite Charles Grodin, wildlife from Jim Fowler and Joan Embery, Frank Hill's jewelry, Elizabeth "The Nut Lady" Tashjian, Johnny's impressions and much more!
Acting
Carson's Carnac the Magnificent—comedy timing that textbooks can't teach.
Writing
Monologues written same-day, delivered like they'd rehearsed for weeks.
Johnny Carson
Self (archive footage)
Ed McMahon
Self (archive footage)
Joey Lawrence
Self (archive footage)
Garry Shandling
Self (archive footage)
Jim Fowler
Self (archive footage)
Betty White
Self (archive footage)
Eddie Murphy
Self (archive footage)
Richard Dawson
Self (archive footage)
Drew Barrymore
Self (archive footage)
Albert Brooks
Self (archive footage)
Charles Grodin
Self (archive footage)
Bill Maher
Self (archive footage)
James Stewart
Self (archive footage)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Carson's Tonight Show was the last monoculture moment in American television—30 million people watched the same thing, at the same time, with no rewind button.
The 'Carnac the Magnificent' bit was lifted almost entirely from Steve Allen's earlier 'Answer Man' routine, which Carson never publicly credited.
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