TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {DORIS DAY, RODNEY DANGERFIELD, BURT MUSTIN, THE MIGHTY CARSON ART PLAYERS} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson's guests for this program are actress/singer Doris Day, comedian Rodney Dangerfield, and nonagenarian actor Burt Mustin.
Carson's return to the show after a prolonged absence due to a nerve injury sustained by falling off a slant board is greeted with wild applause from the audience. In his opening monologue, he touches on the following topics, among others: his experiences in the hospital, including encounters with chiropractors and acupuncturists; the many comedians and special guests who appeared as guest hosts during his convalescence; and President Richard Nixon's resignation in August and the inauguration of President Gerald Ford and Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller since Carson's last appearance.
Carson then sits down with guest announcer Carol Wayne, standing in for an absent Ed McMahon, and discusses the residual effects from his injury, including some finger numbness; her feathered "Indian" top; his extensive viewing of daytime television during his recovery; and Wayne's appearance on some game shows, on which she was able to show off her remarkable knowledge of trivia.
The first guest, Day, joins Carson and talks about her similar nerve problem, for which she sometimes wears a cumbersome collar; Carson's frustration at his inability to play tennis for several more weeks; false rumors about romance between Day and McLean Stevenson, her co-star and guest host for "Tonight Show"; the recent death of character actor Billy De Wolfe, who appeared on "The Doris Day Show" and gifted her with several unusual nicknames; her social life and personal interactions with her fan club; her famed love of dogs and habit of adopting strays; plans to resume singing, having grown "rusty" on her non-musical sitcom; her travels with bandleader Les Brown; her first marriage to musician Al Jorden, a trombonist in Tommy Dorsey's orchestra; why she dislikes the pejorative references to "acting like an animal"; the importance of spaying and neutering one's animals to minimize the numbers of unwanted and unloved pets; and how she overcame her fear of flying.
Next, "Art Fern" presents the Tea Time Movie and, with help from Wayne, promotes the Masters and Yutzman marriage clinic, the self-defense Kung Fu U educational program, and Suck-It-In City, a store offering apparel for slightly larger individuals.
Dangerfield takes the stage and jokes about the hazards of performing for teenagers; troubles with his dentist and psychiatrist; and his usual lack of "respect" from his own parents and children. Sitting down with Carson, Dangerfield continues cracking wise about his past as a "lonely kid"; whether appearance truly matters when finding love; his brother's unimpressive career path; why he is "not the tennis type"; losing calories during amorous physical activity; and why he dislike "classy" restaurants, especially for dating.
Finally, Mustin joins Carson and discusses his first trip to Hollywood in 1925; finally "turning pro" as an actor at age 67; portraying elderly men even older than his real age; and his general feelings on aging. He then performs "the oldest song he knows," a vaudevillian number entitled "Girl Wanted." Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: September 2, 1974 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:23:11
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:76846
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Ban Roll On deodorant
- TV - Commercials - Celeste frozen pizzas
- TV - Commercials - Clairol Final Net hairspray
- TV - Commercials - Curad bandages
- TV - Commercials - Dial Very Dry antiperspirant
- TV - Commercials - Excedrin P.M. painkillers
- TV - Commercials - Fantastik spray cleaner
- TV - Commercials - Lavoris mouthwash
- TV - Commercials - Revlon Milk Plus 6 shampoo and conditioner
- TV - Commercials - Sara Lee pecan coffee cake
- TV - Commercials - Spray n’ Wash stain remover
- TV - Commercials - Taster's Choice coffee
- TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Tums heartburn relief
- TV - Commercials - V8 juices
CREDITS
- Fred de Cordova … Producer
- Dick Manley … Commercial Producer
- Bobby Quinn … Director
- Hank Bradford … Writer
- Tom Moore … Writer
- Eric Cohen … Writer
- George Tricker … Writer
- Raymond Siller … Writer
- Pat McCormick … Writer
- Peter Lassally … Writer
- NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
- Tommy Newsom … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Carol Wayne … Announcer, Performer
- Rodney Dangerfield … Guest, Performer
- Burt Mustin … Guest, Performer
- Doris Day … Guest
- Les Brown
- Billy De Wolfe
- Jimmy Dorsey
- Gerald Ford
- Al Jorden
- Richard Nixon
- Nelson Rockefeller
- McLean Stevenson