On October 1, 1962, Johnny Carson takes over from Jack Paar
as host of the late-night talk program The Tonight Show.
Carson went on to host The Tonight Show Starring Johnny
Carson for three decades, becoming one of the biggest
figures in entertainment in the 20th century.
The guests that night in NBC’s Studio 6B were Joan
Crawford (above), Mel Brooks, Tony Bennett and Rudy
Vallee.
Ed McMahon (left) and Johnny Carson.
ED DANAHUE
Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen
(December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000)
CAMILLE BOHANNON
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014)
Williams was an actor and comedian. Known for his
improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters
he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on
film, in dramas and comedies alike.
He is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all
time receiving numerous accolades including an Academy
Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Golden Globe
Awards, five Grammy Awards, and two Screen Actors
Guild Awards. Williams was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille
Award in 2005.
Bob Newhart has died at the age of 94 in Los Angeles. The
comedy icon’s publicist Jerry Digney said he died after a
series of short illnesses.
Newhart spent six decades making America laugh. He began
his long and storied career with a wildly influential stand-up
record in 1960, starred in a pair of long-running and much-
loved sitcoms through the 1970s and 1980s and continued
to win over new fans with appearances in films such as Elf
and a recurring role as Professor Proton on The Big Bang
Theory.
(THE INDEPENDENT)
CAMILLE BOHANNON
William Henry Cosby Jr. is a former comedian, actor, spokesman,
and media personality. He performed over a period of decades in
film, television, and stand-up comedy, with his longest-running
live-action role being that of Cliff Huxtable in the NBC sitcom
The Cosby Show (1984-1992). He also released several stand-
up comedy albums. Cosby still holds the record earning the
most Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album with seven
wins.
