TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {FINAL SHOW} (TV)
Summary
The final show in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. The program begins with clips from Carson's first show on Oct. 1, 1962. Carson then takes the stage to thunderous applause to begin his last opening monologue. Carson sits on a stool and comments on the following topics: what the show has meant to him over the last thirty years; the press coverage about his leaving the show; and why he hates "farewell shows." Carson then explains why -- rather than have more guests for his close-out -- he chose to introduce a series of clips and montages that highlight his years on the show.
The first set of clips include memorable moments with various celebrities, including: Richard M. Nixon, Robert F. Kennedy; Harry Belafonte; Groucho Marx; Tiny Tim; Ed Sullivan; Ed Ames; Muhammad Ali; Jack Benny; Raquel Welch; Mel Brooks; James Stewart; Loni Anderson; Robin Williams; Bette Davis; Billy Crystal; Madonna; Michael Landon; Jane Fonda; George Foreman; David Letterman; Elizabeth Taylor; and Bob Hope.
The next set of clips includes singers and musicians, all seen in performance, including: Judy Garland; Louis Armstrong; Benny Goodman; Bobbie Gentry; Richard Harris; the cast of "Hair"; Errol Garner; Ella Fitzgerald, Bette Midler; Dionne Warwick; Sammy Davis, Jr.; Frank Sinatra; Ethel Merman; Gladys Knight and the Pips; the Jackson Five featuring Michael Jackson; Diana Ross; Tony Bennett; Lena Horne; Liza Minnelli; Willie Nelson; Crystal Gayle; Roy Orbison; k.d. lang; Dolly Parton; Tina Turner; Al Green; B.B. King; the Pointer Sisters; George Benson; Manhattan Transfer, Dizzy Gillespie; Anita Baker; Liberace; Itzhak Perlman; Yo-Yo Ma; Luciano Pavarotti; Elton John; Whitney Houston; Crosby, Stills and Nash; Paul Simon; James Taylor; Garth Brooks; Joe Cocker; Stevie Ray Vaughan; and ZZ Top.
Moving from the stage to his desk, Carson pays tribute to announcer Ed McMahon and band leader Doc Severinsen, stressing their non-stop friendship over the decades. Carson then introduces a third set of clips, including moments with: John Wayne, Charlton Heston; George Carlin; Henry Fonda; Rick Nelson; Gig Young; Jackie Cooper; Richard Harris; George Raft; Milton Berle; George Gobel; Lauren Bacall; Jim Henson; Peter Falk; David Susskind; Sylvester Stallone; Carol Burnett; Alan King; David Brinkley; Betty White; Neil Simon; Bob Uecker; Richard Pryor; Gregory Peck; Don Rickles; Buddy Hackett; Ronald Reagan; Bing Crosby; Orson Welles; Jodie Foster; Arnold Schwarzenegger; Tom Brokaw; Gene Kelly; Fred Astaire; Natalie Wood; Lucille Ball; Edgar Bergen; Andy Kaufman; Gore Vidal; Freddie Prinze; Sam Kinison; Danny Thomas; Truman Capote; Anthony Quinn; William F. Buckley; Buddy Rich; F. Lee Bailey; Tony Curtis; Eva Gabor; Sid Caesar; Vincent Price; Clint Eastwood; George C. Scott; Red Skelton; and Hubert Humphrey.
Carson then thanks all his "behind-the-scenes" staffers before showing a short film about "an average day at The Tonight Show," featuring shots of how the typical show is put together. Guests on the segment include Charo and Stevie Wonder.
An emotional Carson concludes the show on a stool on stage, again thanking McMahon and Severinsen before bidding all "a heartfelt goodnight" as the band plays "I'll Be Seeing You." Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: May 22, 1992 11:35 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:53
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:42976
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Aces: Iron Eagle 3" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - "Lethal Weapon 3" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - American Express credit cards
- TV - Commercials - Budweiser beer
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Colgate toothpaste
- TV - Commercials - Diet Coke soft drinks
- TV - Commercials - Dirt Devil hand vacuum
- TV - Commercials - Excedrin PM headache relief
- TV - Commercials - Folgers coffee
- TV - Commercials - Hanes clothing
- TV - Commercials - Honda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Kingsford charcoal
- TV - Commercials - LensCrafters eyewear
- TV - Commercials - Miller Lite beer
- TV - Commercials - Snickers candy bars
- TV - Commercials - Sun Chips snacks
- TV - Promos - "Bird on a Wire"
- TV - Promos - "Late Night with David Letterman"
- TV - Promos - Barcelona '92 Olympic Games
CREDITS
- Fred de Cordova … Executive Producer
- Peter Lassally … Executive Producer
- Jeff Sotzing … Producer
- James McCawley … Co-Producer
- Bobby Quinn … Director
- Steve Purcell … "Behind the Scenes" Director
- Michael Barrie … Writer
- James Mulholland … Writer
- Bob Keane … Writer
- Tony DeSena … Writer
- Bob Smith … Writer
- Tom Finnigan … Writer
- Doc Severinsen … Music by, Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Announcer
- Muhammad Ali
- Ed Ames
- Loni Anderson
- Louis Armstrong
- Fred Astaire
- Lauren Bacall
- F. Lee Bailey
- Anita Baker
- Lucille Ball
- Harry Belafonte
- Tony Bennett
- Jack Benny
- George Benson
- Edgar Bergen
- Milton Berle
- David Brinkley
- Tom Brokaw
- Garth Brooks
- Mel Brooks
- William F. Buckley
- Carol Burnett
- Sid Caesar
- Truman Capote
- George Carlin
- Charo
- Joe Cocker
- Jackie Cooper
- Bing Crosby
- Crosby, Stills and Nash
- Billy Crystal
- Tony Curtis
- Bette Davis
- Sammy Davis, Jr.
- Clint Eastwood
- Peter Falk
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Henry Fonda
- Jane Fonda
- George Foreman
- Jodie Foster
- Eva Gabor
- Judy Garland
- Errol Garner
- Crystal Gayle
- Bobbie Gentry
- Dizzy Gillespie
- George Gobel
- Benny Goodman
- Al Green
- Buddy Hackett
- Richard Harris
- Jim Henson
- Charlton Heston
- Bob Hope
- Lena Horne
- Whitney Houston
- Hubert Humphrey
- Michael Jackson
- The Jackson 5
- Elton John
- Andy Kaufman
- Gene Kelly
- Robert F. Kennedy
- Alan King
- B.B. King
- Sam Kinison
- Gladys Knight & the Pips
- Michael Landon
- k.d. lang
- David Letterman
- Liberace
- Yo-Yo Ma
- Madonna
- Manhattan Transfer
- Groucho Marx
- Ethel Merman
- Bette Midler
- Liza Minnelli
- Rick Nelson
- Willie Nelson
- Richard M. Nixon
- Roy Orbison
- Dolly Parton
- Luciano Pavarotti
- Gregory Peck
- Itzhak Perlman
- The Pointer Sisters
- Vincent Price
- Freddie Prinze
- Richard Pryor
- Anthony Quinn
- George Raft
- Ronald Reagan
- Buddy Rich
- Don Rickles
- Diana Ross
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- George C. Scott
- Neil Simon
- Paul Simon
- Frank Sinatra
- Red Skelton
- Sylvester Stallone
- James Stewart
- Ed Sullivan
- David Susskind
- Elizabeth Taylor
- James Taylor
- Danny Thomas
- Tiny Tim (See also: Herbert Khaury)
- Tina Turner
- Bob Uecker
- Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Gore Vidal
- Dionne Warwick
- John Wayne
- Raquel Welch
- Orson Welles
- Betty White
- Robin Williams
- Stevie Wonder
- Natalie Wood
- Gig Young
- ZZ Top