Johnny Carson

johnny-carson-v2-450x600.jpg

Johnny Carson

Photo credit: 
AP

Johnny Carson

Date of Birth: October 23, 1925
Date of Passing: January 23, 2005
Birthplace: Corning, Iowa

Johnny Carson was an American talk show host and comedian, best known for his 30 years as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Carson received six Emmy Awards, the Television Academy's 1980 Governor's Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award.

Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993.

Johnny Carson was an American talk show host and comedian, best known for his 30 years as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Carson received six Emmy Awards, the Television Academy's 1980 Governor's Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award.

Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993.

Although his show was already successful by the end of the 1960s, it was during the 1970s Carson became an American icon and remained so even after his retirement in 1992. He adopted a casual, conversational approach with extensive interaction with guests, an approach pioneered by Arthur Godfrey and previous Tonight Show hosts Steve Allen and Jack Paar. Former late-night host and friend David Letterman has cited Carson's influence.

Johnny Carson was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987.

Show more

Awards & Nominations

15 Nominations | 4 Emmys | 2 Honors
Hall of Fame - 1987
  • Winner
  • Johnny Carson, as Honoree
Governors Award - 1980
  • Winner
  • Johnny Carson, as Honoree

The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more

Statue of Johnny Carson
Statue of Johnny Carson
Fill 1
Fill 1
Statue of Johnny Carson
Camera

Statue of Johnny Carson in the Hall of Fame Garden. Sculpture by Ernest Shelton.

Statue of Johnny Carson
Camera

Statue of Johnny Carson in the Hall of Fame Garden. Sculpture by Ernest Shelton.

Browser Requirements
The TelevisionAcademy.com sites look and perform best when using a modern browser.

We suggest you use the latest version of any of these browsers:

Chrome
Firefox
Safari


Visiting the site with Internet Explorer or other browsers may not provide the best viewing experience.

Close Window