Johnny Carson was born on October 23, 1925, in Corning, Iowa. Carson’s desire to be in the spotlight was evident at a young age when he learned magic tricks and performed at the age of fourteen, using the stage name The Great Carsoni. The 1940s would give Johnny time away from the spotlight. He served in the Navy for three years and completed a bachelor degree at the University of Nebraska. Before he became the host for The Tonight Show in 1962, Johnny was involved with the entertainment industry on a variety of levels. He hosted a radio show called The Squirrel’s Nest and several television shows such as Who Do You Trust and Earn Your Vacation.

It was his stint on the NBC late-night hit, however, that would catapult Johnny to legendary status. The Tonight Show’s announcer was Ed McMahon, and Johnny’s show quickly won over audiences. The show, which was originally taped in New York City, consisted of Johnny’s famous monologue, interviews, and comedy sketches which provided newcomers to the comedy industry with an important platform to promote their work or even launch their careers. Carson originally taped the show five nights a week, but reduced it to four when it was relocated to California. The Monday night guest host was originally Joan Rivers, but the partnership ended when she accepted a job on a rival network. Jay Leno took on the Monday night spot on The Tonight Show after Joan, a spot which would see him eventually taking over as the five-night-a-week host. Carson’s career has seen him receiving great recognition for his hosting talents, including six Emmy Awards, and a George Foster Peabody award. He is also a Television Academy Hall of Fame inductee. He officially retired in 1992, passing on the reins to Leno. Carson died in 2005 as a result of emphysema, but will remain The King of Late Night to his millions of fans around the world.

With a total of four wives in his lifetime, Johnny’s frequent jokes about his exorbitant alimony payments were probably not too far-fetched. He met his first wife, Joan Wolcott, while in college and they married in 1949. During their marriage they had three sons, one of whom was killed in a car crash in the early 1900s. After divorcing Joan, Carson tied the knot again, this time to Joanne Copeland. Their split would prove to be quite profitable, for Copeland at least. Upon the finalization of their divorce, she was awarded half a million dollars in cash and art and was paid one hundred thousand dollars a year in alimony for life. His divorce from third wife Joanna Holland also resulted in a hefty settlement, this time for twenty million dollars in cash and property for Joanna. He married his fourth and final wife, Alexis Maas, in 1987. The couple were happy and remained together for the remainder of Johnny’s life.

YUDDY