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TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {KENNY ROGERS, RODNEY DANGERFIELD, JANE SEYMOUR, DAVID HOROWITZ} (TV)

Summary

One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. The guests for this program are musician Kenny Rogers, comedian Rodney Dangerfield, actress Jane Seymour, and consumer advocate David Horowitz.

In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: the arrival of spring and the return of the famous swallows of San Juan Capistrano (from Argentina); Congress' recent decision to raise the mandatory retirement age; Pepsi-Cola's purchase of Taco Bell; why many violent TV shows will now embrace sexual innuendo instead; the end of Anita Bryant's "showbiz career"; why many people are easily swindled by car mechanics; and many California doctors' decision to accept credit card payments for medical procedures. Carson and stand-in announcer Doc Severinsen then chat about "ten-codes," abbreviations used by law enforcement to communicate certain incidents, like the well-known "10-4" to indicate acknowledgement, and Carson adds a few "suggestions" to the list.

Next, Carson recalls the 1974 California Jam festival while introducing Rogers, who performs "Am I Too Late," and then discusses his world travels, including an upcoming vacation to Russia; his interest in photography and why visitors are legally banned from capturing a variety of specific images in Russia; his participation in the "World's Largest Indoor Country Music Show," recorded in Pontiac, Michigan and featuring 22 different acts, which will air on NBC on an upcoming date; and his interest in showcasing a wide variety of country music, not just the "hillbilly" stereotype. He then performs "Abraham, Martin and John."

Next, Dangerfield takes the stage and jokes about the many woes of his life, including insults from his wife, children, and father. He then joins Carson and expands about his poor health and inability to lose weight; Carson questions him about his trademark suit-and-tie appearance.

Seymour then discusses her early days as a dancer; meeting Queen Elizabeth II; a funny incident with Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington, on the set of "The Four Feathers" (1978); why she once lost an acting job because of her heterochromia (two different-colored eyes); her miniseries "Our Mutual Friend" (1976), soon to air on PBS two years after its British release, and how director Peter Hammond helped her to "lose herself" in a role for the first time; and the challenges of filming with child actors, as recently experienced on her new project "Battlestar Galatica" (1978), supposedly the "Star Wars of TV."

Finally, Horowitz joins Carson to expand upon dishonest car mechanics and why certain laws allow consumers to retain the parts that were (perhaps unnecessarily) replaced; the importance of actually reading one's car manual; and an amusing letter from a "polite burglar" inquiring about obscene answering-machine messages. He then examines some potentially misleading advertisements, including a claim from the Tonka company that its toy trucks can withstand the weight of an elephant without breaking, no-name products of lesser quality packaged to look like brand-name items to fool buyers, and questionable food offers. Includes commercials and promos.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: March 22, 1978 11:30 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:15:32
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:87640
  • GENRE: Talk/Interview
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety; Music
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - "The Fury" motion picture
    • TV - Commercials - Clairol ClairMist hair spray
    • TV - Commercials - Dazey Donut Factory cooker
    • TV - Commercials - Delta Airlines
    • TV - Commercials - Ekco Top Drawer kitchenware
    • TV - Commercials - FTD Florists
    • TV - Commercials - Haggar men's clothing
    • TV - Commercials - Hanes underwear
    • TV - Commercials - Heinz Homestyle gravy
    • TV - Commercials - Liquid Drano drain cleaner
    • TV - Commercials - Long John Silver's restaurants
    • TV - Commercials - Presto Fry Daddy cooker
    • TV - Commercials - Purina High Protein Dog Meal dog food
    • TV - Commercials - RCA Selectavision VCRs
    • TV - Commercials - Sears Clingalon panty hose
    • TV - Commercials - Sheraton-Universal hotels
    • TV - Commercials - Volkswagen automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - Westclox alarm clocks
    • TV - Promos - "A Tribute to Mr. Television Milton Berle"
    • TV - Promos - "Richie Brockelman, Private Eye"

CREDITS

  • NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
  • Tommy Newsom … Conductor
  • Johnny Carson … Host
  • Doc Severinsen … Announcer
  • Kenny Rogers … Guest, Performer
  • Rodney Dangerfield … Guest, Performer
  • Jane Seymour … Guest
  • David Horowitz … Guest
  • Anita Bryant
  • Elizabeth II
  • Peter Hammond
  • Valerian Wellesley, 8th Duke of Wellington