TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {SUZANNE PLESHETTE; DON RICKLES; DON HO} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. His guests for this program are actress Suzanne Pleshette, comedian Don Rickles, and singer Don Ho.
In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: his return from a three-week trip to New York; airport troubles and discomforts; the challenges of getting a cab at Los Angeles airports; Ford's plans to raise automobile prices for safety reasons; the ongoing strike at the Hostess and Wonder Bread company; the upcoming lunar launch of Apollo 17 on Thursday, Dec. 7, which will not be televised on CBS due to a strike; and early plans for the upcoming bicentennial celebration.
Co-host Ed McMahon then chats with "Aunt Blabby," who also just returned from New York City; she shares her thoughts on crime and the perils of airplane travel. Carson and McMahon then discuss the extremely different weather on the East and West Coasts, McMahon's recent return to his birthplace of Detroit, and why he is "not extremely fond" of his own teeth.
The first guest, Pleshette, takes the stage and discusses why she is unconcerned about aging; her views on being a "football widow" with husband Tommy Gallagher; her amazement at being surprised by the "This is Your Life" crew while on the set of "The Bob Newhart Show"; appearances by her old school friends and first prom date, among others; Carson's sense that he would dislike being ambushed by figures from his past, including his two ex-wives; and her dislike of her "boring" 1965 film "A Rage to Live," which was originally touted as Oscar bait.
Next, Rickles joins Carson and discusses Carson's recent wedding to Joanna Holland on the tenth anniversary of "The Tonight Show"; the many wisecracking celebrities in attendance at the ceremony and Carson's "brown-nosing" with NBC president Julian Goodman; why the "peasants" in the audience disdain the many Johnny Carson Apparel, Inc. stores; Carson's smoking habit; McMahon's recent on-stage injury during his act; Rickles' plans to attend the Apollo 17 launch at astronaut Eugene Cernan's invitation; Cernan's surprisingly terrible driving skills; Rickles' plans to visit his mother in Miami before the launch; and Carson's "mercy booking" in Rickles' upcoming comedy special, "Don Rickles: Alive and Kicking."
Don Ho performs "For You," and then chats with Carson about his love of Hawaii, despite its active volcanoes; why Carson and other big-name celebrities should travel to the islands; the current shipping strike that is preventing deliveries of Christmas trees; the many Japanese-American soldiers who fought for the U.S. in World War II; Rickles' fondness for Hawaii; and why Ho dislikes working with other performers in his act. He then serenades an audience member, Patty from Salt Like City, with "It's Impossible," and the two exchange flirtatious banter during the song.
Though author Dr. Sydney Garfield was a scheduled guest, his appearance is cut from the show due to timing. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: December 4, 1972 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:24:31
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:73302
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; Music
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Calgonite Formula 211 dishwashing liquid
- TV - Commercials - FTD flowers
- TV - Commercials - Fruit of the Loom underwear
- TV - Commercials - General Electric products
- TV - Commercials - Kellog's Frosted Flakes cereal
- TV - Commercials - Kellogg's Special K cereal
- TV - Commercials - Presto Jumbo Frypan cooker
- TV - Commercials - Pub men's fragrances
- TV - Commercials - Purina Tender Vittles cat food
- TV - Commercials - Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil holiday ornaments
- TV - Commercials - Scott's Liquid Gold wood cleaner
- TV - Commercials - Sonac denture cleaner appliance
- TV - Commercials - Sony Superscope tape recorder
- TV - Commercials - Victors throat drops
CREDITS
- NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
- Doc Severinsen … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Co-Host
- Don Ho … Guest, Performer
- Suzanne Pleshette … Guest
- Don Rickles … Guest
- Eugene Cernan
- Tommy Gallagher
- Sydney Garfield
- Julian Goodman
- Joanna Holland