2020 Paley Archive Elements 3840x1536 Banner2

TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {JUDITH BLEGEN; SEAN CONNERY; JOHNNY MATHIS} (TV)

Summary

One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. His guests for this program are actor Sean Connery, singer Johnny Mathis, and operatic soprano Judith Blegen.

In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: those who take astrology seriously; NBC's two-night airing of "Gone With the Wind" (1939), complete with "distracting" commercials; the Rams' recent poor performance in chilly Cincinnati; President Gerald Ford's vacation after his recent election loss to Jimmy Carter; the tragic death of the iconic Smokey the Bear; the mysterious disappearance of 250 explicit films from a Houston police department evidence room; and a strange story of a French man shot by a dog. Carson and announcer Ed McMahon then chat about McMahon's string of performances at Caesar's Palace alongside Shirley MacLaine, as well as Carson and McMahon's 18th "anniversary" together. Carson then reads a piece from Cosmopolitan magazine interpreting what men and women might really be saying to one another when trading platitudes in the dating world; he adds a few suggestions to the list.

The first guest, Mathis, then sings "Come Back, Baby," a Lena Horne standard; and then talks with Carson about a recent invitation to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a football game in his hometown of San Francisco; why the national anthem is so infamously challenging for singers; his surprising connection to Sally Stanford, the infamous madam turned mayor of Sausalito, California; his performances in Germany, where audiences didn't appreciate his jokes; and his sense that the German people "like syncopation" in their music. Mathis also sings "When a Child is Born."

Next, Connery joins Carson and discusses whether people really do become "silly" and/or murderous at the full moon; his complicated plane trip from Spain to Los Angeles and how he deals with jet-lag; his displeasure with McMahon, who inadvertently introduced him as "Seen Connery"; his participation in (and loss at) a long-ago Mr. Universe competition; why he chose to eventually leave the James Bond franchise; his praise for Carson's ability to keep his show new and interesting after so many years; and his memories of receiving an injury from co-star Harold Sakata, who played the formidable villain Oddjob in "Goldfinger" (1964). A clip from his new film, "The Next Man" (1976), is also shown.

Finally, Blegen performs "Steal me, sweet thief" from Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Old Maid and the Thief," then confesses to Carson that she tends to forget her lyrics when performing on his show; her own recent troubles with airlines; working with the Tulsa Opera Company in the title role from "Manon"; working with her sister as her musical accompanist; why she has played only one male role in an opera, as she is a lyrical soprano; her specific vocal range, and speculation about Carson's own musical abilities. Includes commercials.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: November 9, 1976 11:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:15:01
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:83031
  • GENRE: Talk/Interview
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; Music; Actors and actresses; Opera
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - Betty Crocker Stir 'n Frost mixes
    • TV - Commercials - Fantastik household cleaner
    • TV - Commercials - General Foods International Coffees orange cappuccino
    • TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
    • TV - Commercials - Mrs. Smith's Thaw-and-Serve pies
    • TV - Commercials - Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chips
    • TV - Commercials - Northern Master Chef quick cooker
    • TV - Commercials - Pepto-Bismal stomach medication
    • TV - Commercials - Pillsbury Poppin' Fresh Dough baked goods
    • TV - Commercials - Prince spaghetti
    • TV - Commercials - Revlon Formula 2 lipsticks
    • TV - Commercials - Schlitz beer
    • TV - Commercials - Simmons Beautyrest mattresses
    • TV - Commercials - Underalls undergarments

CREDITS

  • Johnny Carson … Host
  • Ed McMahon … Announcer
  • NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
  • Doc Severinsen … Conductor
  • Johnny Mathis … Guest, Performer
  • Judith Blegen … Guest, Performer
  • Sean Connery … Guest
  • Jimmy Carter
  • Gerald Ford
  • Lena Horne
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Gian Carlo Menotti
  • Harold Sakata
  • Sally Stanford