Johnny Carson Honored with Kennedy Center Award (1993)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ม.ค. 2025
- John William Carson (October 23, 1925 - January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1992). Carson received six Emmy Awards, the Television Academy's 1980 Governor's Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993.[1]
During World War II, Carson served in the Navy. After the war, Carson started a career in radio. He moved from radio to TV and followed Jack Paar as the host of the late night talk show, Tonight. Although his show was already successful by the end of the 1960s, during the 1970s, Carson became an American icon and remained so even after his retirement in 1992. He adopted a casual, conversational approach with extensive interaction with guests, an approach pioneered by Arthur Godfrey and previous Tonight Show hosts Steve Allen and Jack Paar. Former late-night host and friend David Letterman has cited Carson's influence.[2]
Early life and career
John William Carson was born on October 23, 1925, in Corning, Iowa, to Ruth Elizabeth (Hook) Carson (1901-1985) and Homer Lloyd "Kit" Carson (1899-1983), a power company manager.[3][4] He grew up in the nearby towns of Avoca, Clarinda, and Red Oak in southwest Iowa before moving to Norfolk, Nebraska, at the age of eight. There, Carson grew up and began developing his talent for entertaining. At the age of 12, Carson found a book on magic at a friend's house and immediately purchased a mail-order magician's kit. After the purchase of the kit, Carson practiced his entertainment skills on family members with card tricks. He was known for following his family members around saying, "Pick a card, any card."[5] Carson's mother sewed him a cape, and his first performance was staged in front of the local Kiwanis Club. He debuted as "The Great Carsoni" at age 14 and was paid $3 a show.[5] Soon, many other performances at local picnics and county fairs followed. After graduating from high school, Carson had his first encounter with Hollywood.[5] He hitchhiked to Hollywood, where he was arrested and fined $50 for impersonating a midshipman, a story often regarded as apocryphal.[5]
Military service
Navy portrait of Carson[3]
Carson joined the United States Navy on June 8, 1943, and received V-12 Navy College Training Program officer training at Columbia University[6] and Millsaps College.[7] Commissioned an ensign late in the war, Carson was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania in the Pacific. While in the Navy, Carson posted a 10-0 amateur boxing record, with most of his bouts fought on board the Pennsylvania.[8] He was en route to the combat zone aboard a troop ship when the war ended. Carson served as a communications officer in charge of decoding encrypted messages. He said that the high point of his military career was performing a magic trick for United States Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal. In a conversation with Forrestal, the Secretary asked Carson if he planned to stay in the Navy after the war.[9] In response, Carson said no and told him he wanted to be a magician. Forrestal asked him to perform, and Carson responded with a card trick.[9] Carson made the discovery that he could entertain and amuse someone as cranky and sophisticated as Forrestal.[9]
Education
To take advantage of the educational opportunities from the Navy, Carson attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he joined Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and continued performing magic (then paid $25 per appearance[3]). He majored in journalism with the intention of becoming a comedy writer. Instead, he switched his major to speech and drama a few months later, because he wanted to become a radio performer.[10] Carson's college thesis, titled "How to Write Comedian Jokes", was a compilation of taped skits and jokes from popular radio shows with Carson explaining the comedic technique in a voice-over. It allowed him to graduate in three years.[10] Carson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech with a minor in physics in 1949.[10]
Carson began his broadcasting career in 1950 at WOW radio and television in Omaha.[11] Carson soon hosted a morning television program called The Squirrel's Nest. One of his routines involved interviewing pigeons on the roof of the local courthouse that would report on the political corruption they had seen. Carson supplemented his income by serving as master of ceremonies at local church dinners, attended by some of the same politicians and civic leaders he had lampooned on the radio.
Americans this man was one of your most valuable National Treasures . A lighthouse of witt , elegance , charm , and lasting, enduring talent .
Nicely expressed,thank you.
Indeed. Missed so very much
I'm 55 in 2 weeks, this showed up in my feed. Damn, wow, my entire TV life just disappeared in a snap. What is it about Johnny that just resonates with so many people, so many generations. He was on in the 1960s, I started watching as teen in the 80s, letterman from the beginning. This video , heart warming. The world has changed so much. These were great times. Amen
I started watching Carson as a teenager back in the 70's. I watched him til his last show. I still miss him.
Same! I used to sneak out of bed after my parents went to sleep to watch the Tonight Show. His anniversary show was a day from my birthday; I "celebrated" with him every year. Other plans took 2nd place. Miss him wildly.
@@tammyalbertsen9522I saw the daytime show Carson was in just before The Tonight Show.
Me too. Every night!
I miss Johnny so much! As I'm sitting here laughing out loud, I'm reminded how I used to wake my poor husband up with my laughter watching Johnny, all those late nights! There'll never be another like him!
I’m crying laughing at all of this.
That world is gone now, never coming back.
It was a great ride.
Que c'est triste monde maintenant.
🙏🫶 his soul shall always be blessed❤
Johnny was very proud to be from Nebraska, always said it
Somehow TH-cam brought me here and I'm all the better for it. What a great tribute.
The Kennedy Center really knows how to put on the most incredible shows.
He was a very talented person who made many people laugh and feel good throughout the years.
I haven't laughed and cried that much in a LONG time. ... That was EXACTLY what Johnny deserved. ... so well done.
Glad I wasn't the only crying.
I like how you're reacting like this Just happened....and not 30 years ago 😂
BetteMidler singing to Johnny that night always gets a tear from me
Back when the late night show had class. Johnny Carson one of a kind. 👍🏼
LOVE Marching Bands.
He gave the school millions and the UN has benefitted tremendously. I’m glad they came. America loved him.
At my age I turn to TH-cam for entertainment from a bygone era: Carson, The Hollywood Palace, Abbott and Costello, The Honeymooners, MGM musicals, memorable clips from classic black and white films, etc.
I could cry at what passes for entertainment today, and I'm not even a cranky guy.
Check out "You Bet Your Life Groucho Marx! There's a lot on free, Ed Sullivan some, The Rifleman, Highway to heaven, All in the Family, (most are season ,6-9 unfortunately not many early episodes due to copyright crap
So very true. You are not alone.
Johnny on youtube got me through the pandemic.
I second that emotion
Can't believe this was 30 yrs ago!!!😮😊
Sad when we leave this 🌎
Johnny Carson's memories will live on and on good times for sure
Grew up watching Johnny and I miss him and his style.
Thank you for posting this gem.
Johnny was the absolute best ❤️
My mother adored Johnny. He was fantastic.
I barely came across with this presentation. I really miss the Ted Koppel class, what a pearl of words coming out from his mouth. Seeing David Letterman performance , the Band and Doc made the occasion superb . Johnny was a First Class gentleman , with a pure sense of humor, no profanity, and so much class Thank you Johnny for the good memories!!!
😂 Koppel had no business being there.
When Doc came out I had the same look as johnny
Was there all 30 years..The best there ever was or will be..period! I don't even watch any late night anymore.
I completely lost it when Bette Midler came up. All the memories of Johnny came flooding in as a teenager watching him on Friday nights. Nobody ever since has been able to dethrone the king of late night television. RIP
The potato chip gag....comedy genius! One of a kind. A true icon!
I fell for that at the time. Now I know it was planned. Johnny was so skillful.
I laugh so hard, every time I see that one!
You Guy's have no idea how much we need a Johnny Carson around today. Here's Johnny. I miss you Sir. RIP. I didn't know how much I would miss the Johnny Carson show especially Johnny but I do terribly.
That's the damned truth.
100%
I am 54and grew up watching Johnny and watching my grandparents DANCING to Frank sanatra when he was on there
Those were the days of class and Honor
And now Johnn and all the greats of the show are entertaining with the altimit host in HEAVEN
My son is 90 years apart to Johnny Carson October 23, 2015
WOW What a send off, those were fun nights watching The Johnny Carson show RIP Johnny Boy
No one could fill Johnny Carson’s shoe. Somethings come once in a lifetime. RIP Johnny thanks for all the laughs.
Do I miss that man. He was the greatest! If he were back on again I would actually stay up until 11:30P!
No one else is going to be able to be introduced the way
Ed McMahon introduced
Johnny Carson
"Here's Johnny" !!
So Glad I got to see JOHNNY in 90 before he Left...
I can't believe that it has been 30 years since Johnny took his final bow on the Tonight Show... he was the cause of many hard to wake up mornings for me, quite a few pushes of the "snooze button" because I stayed up too long to finish the show. I haven't stayed up and watched a full episode of the Tonight Show since Carson left it. If it is true that laughter adds years to your life, then thanks to Mr. Carson I am going to live to be a VERY old man.
That's sweet!! 😀
I was at the Tonight Show taping, the day he died, so sad
Mr. Carson was a TRUE GENIUS.💙
Rest in the Sweetest Peace Johnny.
Wow this has been posted couple years no comment. Absolutely loved Johnny Carson show. Great guy and he had the best people in his show . Rip Johnny . Here’s Johnny loved it
For those of us of the age-vintage --- we were so lucky to have enjoyed sooooo many late nights (pre-internet) of The Tonight Show (starring) Johnny Carson. And to have any others enjoy him in this and decades ahead via DVDs and TH-cam etc . . . Welcome. Laugh. Enjoy. :-)
I watched him many, many nights during the Pandemic.
I feel sorry for everyone who came a couple of generations too late to be able to say “I couldn’t go to sleep without Johnny. I’ve missed that man since he said goodnight and left the stage. First I cried, then I got angry. Then I just thought how lucky I was to have been able to enjoy the best of the best. I purchased the CDs of his shows with a special edition of the the animal shows, so I’d be able to share them with my son. Plus it was a pleasure to see that handsome face each evening.
Truly missed
The youth is lost
Miss you
Johnny
Dean
Frank
Sammy
Bob Hope
Don
Yes. Captains of the entertainment industry.
A very classy thank you and much deserved to Johnny Carson.
I didn't realize Ted Koppel was so damn funny!
Im glad we have all the old tapes in the hope that future generations get to see them ...but there was nothing like seeing Johnnie live every night ...times change for sure ..God bless
Man....I miss Johnny.
King of late night ... and sorely missed *
RIP 🌹👑❤
And look what we have now which is the reason I don't stay up late anymore. Thank You Johnny for all those wonderful years of losing an hours sleep. But seriously, they'll never be another like you, may you RIP.
notice the golf swing! nice touch!!
Laughed and cried watching for many late nights from high school through many jobs. Many memorable moments I still remember and now get to relive on utube. Rip.
Love he had seniors on his show who does funny things.
LETTERMAN was great too!!!!!! with his fantastic tribute to Johnny
He never took himself seriously. He had that rare gift to laugh at himself and never at the expense of others. Some of his best moments were when he said nothing, just looked into the camera. But my fondest moment was when he came out on stage and did not do his evening monologue. It was the day Jack Benny died. Johnny paid the highest tribute by not being funny but paid homage to a man he loved. A man he idolized. Such class.
Right! "Class" is in short supply today, if at all. Frank had it, Red Skelton had it, Carol Burnette has it, many others now gone.
@@millerforester6237 Robert Redford.
his ex wife said he cried for hours after jack benny's funeral
John Phillips, I never saw that particular show but knowing his love for Jack Benny it must have been truly touching! Any chance that someone may have posted that on TH-cam somewhere??
A wonderful time in our country and so beautiful of a tribute to Johnny Carson. That's when America was really in its glory
One of the purest, happiest moments in television history. :)
Other than Hillary was sitting in the crowd and yes I miss those days peace
@@JD-gv4uz God who cares!
Well put, @zyxwt321.
I was lucky to live through his reign on TV. As a kid we tried to sneak downstairs to hide in the darkened room next to where my parents were watching Carson. As an adult he was still doing his show and there was never anyone better. This was awesome to see tonight. Thank you Johnny.
What a great era in TV and entertainment....Lived in LA, H Hills, 15 mins from Burbank Studios... Was able to attend couple live shows both with Johnny and guest hosts..Fun and memorable
....Thank you Johnny!🌠
A great honoring!!!
Please write a book. I'd like to hear your evaluation of Southern California today.
Me as well. The show I attended had David Steinberg and Tom Jones as guests. It was a thrill to see Johnny in person. He looked like a million bucks!
My grandparents lived in Glendale just down the road from the Burbank studios. I went many times to see Johnny. I saw him several times as well a Joan Rivers when she did her stints as guest host. She really blew it. She could have taken over his show, but she couldn't have held it. Not that anyone could.
Ithink Rivers was manipulated by her husband who was regarded as a pain in the ass by the people who dealt with him
@@YortOK Spent time with she and hubby Edgar..More time alone with Joan...Never saw what you are suggesting.. He was very friendly and courteous. Joan was very sad, of course, when he took his own life. He felt he had made some financial mistakes and other errors in managing her career...Never had the feeling she didn't love him or felt "abuse-manipulated" by him...No one messed with Joan...There was the stage Joan and the highly sensitive wife, mother and friend Joan...She was smart and knew what she was doing.
A well deserving honor to a simple humble Man Mr Johnny Carson 💫
RIP LEGEND 🙏 🕊
An unexpected treat tonight. I miss Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show . The first time my parents allowed me to stay up to watch The Tonight Show -- and it was only the first half hour, mind you -- is an event I will never forget.
And I will never forget Johnny Carson.
I've watched this AT LEAST 20 TIMES
NEVER GETS OLD
ALWAYS BRINGS A TEAR
I watch the tonight show still on Antenna TV
Johnny Carson forever
That was great,,, Back when the World Made Sense .
Doc Severinsen is an amazing guy. For years he's hosted a local symphony orchestra every Valentine's Day and my wife and I have had the pleasure of meeting him and dancing to his music live.
12:05, Letterman is right, Johnny Carson is FOREVER the greatest late night talk show host of all time.
Exponentially.
Only Johnny
Uh, NO he's NOT!!!!! 🤬🤬🤬
@@pinedelgado4743 Honorable mention to Jay Leno, who was a class act and I think gets unfairly criticized. His show is a lot like Carson's. But all the shows follow Carson's format for the most part. Letterman was excellent too.
@@pinedelgado4743
No one will ever come close to having the extraordinary talent Johnny Carson possessed.
So glad the Bette section made it back in!
Really surprised a movie has not been made about a Johnny.
The Kennedy Center really goes all our when they bring in the marching bands, wow!
Johnny Carson is a legend, many have tried to imitate him without success
Except for Jay Leno and David Letterman, and THEY did it BETTER!!!
@@pinedelgado4743 no one did it like johnny
@@pinedelgado4743 Leno was horrible. Dave was a respectable second.
An amazing way to appreciate a great legend
Johnnnnny Carson
Trumpet player was amazing
Doc Sevrenson
Trumpet player?? Ever hear of Doc Sevrenson, Band leader for the Tonight Show?
Boy how times have changed.
So true!!
For the worse
I have missed Johnny. There's no one better; everyone else is an imitation. What a wonderful tribute! It was mentioned in another comment that younger generations who did not experience Johnny missed so much. And that is so, so true!
That man WAS the rock that held the country together, for 30 years.
He played a part for sure.
Too bad we don't have this anymore, Fallon is about as funny as a train wreak. Too bad the young generation missed real talent
@@m42037 I don't know how Johnny could have navigated through today. When comedy has to constantly worry about offending someone and politics is blood sport.
Leno may have gotten Carson's time slot, but Letterman got Carson's respect.
Leno had Carson' respect too. He wouldn't have made Jay the permanent guest host if he didn't.
Johnny did not like Jay Leno. Period.
@@keithhyttinen8275That is actually false. Johnny did like Jay and gave Jay the permanent guest host slot on his show. Johnny hated NBC, not Jay. Jay was collateral damage of Johnny's hatred of the network.
@@chriskay1449 THAT is actually false. Letterman had to go to bat for Jay becoming Johnny's regular back-up host after Letterman got his own show and Shandling said no because he wanted to do his own things. The reason is that Johnny just wasn't fond of Jay. NBC hired Jay as permanent host. Johnny had zero say in the decision. He was an NBC employee who was retiring. Johnny ABSOLUTELY recommended Dave as the permanent host. There is a reason he appeared multiple times on Dave's show after he retired but never Jay's.
@@shawnuel False. He only appeared one time on Dave's show. The only reason he showed up was a favor to Dave. Not showing up on Jay's show had nothing to do with Jay. ONce Johnny retired, he wanted out of the public spotlight. He turned down ALL interviews and it wasn't just Jay's. Johnny did like Jay because he had him on the show several times and obviously was OK with him being a back up guest host in general. Again, Johnny's issues were with NBC, not Jay.
I've watched Johnny since his B&W telecasts from New York. I watched him there with the Ed Ames hatchet trick, & Groucho. What a life! Where is Johnny now, when we need him?
Johnny was the perfect host for his time , kind , funny , smart and unbiased , one of a kind , RIP my good man .
"Of ALL time, Fallon isn't even in his league get real
@@m42037 Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert 👎👎👎👎
Early this year I watched every of Jonny's programs and loved them.
I started watching Johnny in high school. How time flew. I watched his last show and cried while Bette Midler sang.
Johnny was the best
My goodness, what a wonderful and deserved celebration.
Johnny and Dave ❤
7-8-24 This Burbank, CA-born gal will always remember and ❤️ Johnny Carson. One of the best things about growing up in the1970's other than playing on the stone jungle gym in Beautiful Downtown Burbank and watching Laugh-In was catching Johnny on the occasional night Mom allowed it. Anytime I'm in town, I still find my way over to Johnny Carson Park and smile at how fortunate we all were to have him call out our wonderful hometown on his show. Thankful for all the laughs.
I was 29 when Carson retired. He had been on television longer than I had been alive.
He was the best of ever do it. Class and what seemed like effortless talent. Those who never got to experience Johnny will never know what the rest of us saw for years. It was magical. He was that friend we didn't know.
I gave my two kids DVD sets of highlights of Johnny's show for Christmas a few years ago. I hope they watch them sometime so they see what late night entertainment really is.
Miss him so much……
Watching Bette sing her last song to him brought tears to my eyes again. He was such a class act. What a wonderful tribute to him.
This is such a treat to watch. Thank you, and thank you, Johnny.
Those were the days my friend...
Yes they were my friend, long gone, 60's, 70's, little bit of 80's. grew up back then, miss them 🇺🇸🇺🇸
@@brendawilhite6690
Just like kids who grew up in the eighties and nineties miss them. I miss the same times you do, but why do you think "Happy Days" was such a hit? Because a lot of people then missed the 1950s. Then there was "That 70s Show" which I loved (and lived) and it succeeded because a lot of people loved growing up then.
Or remember the theme to "All in the Family" - Archie Bunker singing about how great things were in his youth with "Those Were the Days". But he HATED the times you love - like my grandfather did. My father was born in 1930. He thought the 40s and 50s were the best times ever.
Times change, and certain people cannot see the good things in the new times, and realize that the young people of today will be talking just like you about these times.
We thought they'd never end.
@@kevinwalker9924
The question is - did they?
before masks and other idiocy
This has made me so happy!!
I'm happy, but what do we have to turn to these days? CrimeTalk on TH-cam, maybe?
There's a laugh about Ed McMahon's Budweiser Commericals. Johnny says "well Ed does drink a lot of beer". The Crowd yells "How much does he drink?" Johnny waves his hand over his desk, and says "Imagine if you will, .........the Gulf of Mexico with a head on it". That's my go to Johnny Story.
Johnny Carson was a national treasure...
It's 2:18am on Friday, March 18, 2022, and TH-cam suggested this video for me to watch and I've been laughing and crying. Today would have been my Mom's 71st birthday but she died 18 months ago -- and watching Johnny Carson being honored like this brings back so many memories from my childhood of hearing the theme song and laughter from The Tonight Show every night waft down the hallway to my bedroom where I was supposed to be asleep while my parents watched the show. Johnny was a class act and set the bar so high for late night that no one else has come close to matching it. Thank you Johnny, Ed, and Doc...and guests like Dean Martin, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Dom Deluise, and Rodney Dangerfield for so many wonderful memories!
Wonderful! I miss those shows, watching with my Grandma as a child.
There will never be another talent like his I our lifetime!!
just came across this, and it is Outstanding!!! I miss Johnny, Jack Parr, and all the Musical Variety shows from the 50's and 60's. Thank goodness we now have the ability to watch these old shows again.
When the chips were down Johnny delivered hehe. It was a great 30 years when the Johnny Carson show was around & the shows today can't compete & the times were certainly different. The animal segments were always unpredictable & Johnny made them funny.
Brilliant!
Carson was the GOAT
Absolutely ⭐⭐
As a high school student I was given a free ticket on the street to be in the audience of a day time show called WHO DO YOU TRUST starring Johnny Carson...just prior to The Tonight Show. It was big deal to this 17 year old
Gosh, that was so good to see ... I watched it twice!
Damn, had no idea Ted was so funny. Yes, Johnny was the GOAT!!
"A lot of you younger people were likely conceived during the Tonight Show, but luckily the show was longer than five minutes." - Johnny Carson 1990.
For those of you who are virgins...oh, never mind.
After the monolog.
Thank you, Johnny Carson, for the years of quality entertainment. From Australia 🇦🇺 ♥️
While in college my roommate and I never went to bed until after the Tonight Show, feel bad that my grandkids will never experience the pleasure and laughs of such a show and host.
What can I say but GREAT. Thanks
He had what it takes to go all the way in a tough business.