Posted on 05/07/2012 8:48:37 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Johnny Carson taking over “The Tonight Show” stage from Jack Paar. It is also the 20th anniversary of Carson’s retirement. But how much do most people really know about the television legend away from the lights and cameras?
In a new documentary, “American Masters Johnny Carson: King of Late Night,” filmmakers Peter Jones and Susan Lacy peel back the many layers of the comedian’s life and career, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the man who won the collective heart of a nation.
“The gift Johnny had was that he just had a magical way of connecting with the audience in a way no one had done before, or has done since,” Jones told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column. “He was able to connect with everyone -- from young and old -- while maintaining his own sense of self. He was the most famous man in America, and yet we really didn’t know who he was.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Johnny had class.
In private, he was always called John and was very shy and withdrawn. Although, a friend of mine once temped as his secretary and she loved him.
Alwyas got a big laugh from Johnny.
Alwyas got a big laugh from Johnny.
I do, too.
How big was it?
Jonny Carson was one of the FEW people who could make my dad laugh(He liked Carol Burnett also).
I think we can figure out which side of the aisle he was on. But unlike these make believe Carson’s that we see now he didn’t show it off.
please tell me they aren’t trashing Johnny.
From the article it doesn’t look like it.
And he was a true comedic genius, he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for that.
It was known during his popularity that he lived a life that mirrored his on-screen personality. But it was this public personality we all loved and embraced.
I’ve acquired a number of YouTube videos of vignettes from his shows. They’re a great reminder of how good television can be when done right, by people with talent.
One of my favorite Johnny Carson moments:
Johnny barging in on the live taping of CPO Sharkey to confront Don Rickles over a broken cigar box.
Classic!
( using one of Johnny's favorite subjects )
My favorite was when he did Walter Cronkite when he left CBS....”For God’s sake, knock off that tickety-tickety....nineteen years of tickety-tickety...”
In reading the article, the person doing the documentary tried to get Carson to agree to it for years before his death. Carson never did agree. He’s now working with Carson’s nephew (who manages Carson’s archives), because the family doesn’t want him to be forgotten.
Pure CLASS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_carson
I’ll never forget the night Ed Ames threw the tomahawk at the human outline on the sheet of plywood!
He was much funnier than anyone on TV or in movies now. I also miss him. A true comedic genius. Loved the surprise on Julio Iglesias’ face when Johnny came on stage as Willie Nelson for “All the Girls I Loved Before”. Johnny actually sang that as well as old Willie.
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