October 1, 1962-May 22, 1992.
Show opening with Ed McMahon stating the guests appearing on tonight's show.
Johnny does his complete 8 minute monologue.
He reminds all that the show is coming form Burbank. Joe Namath anecdote joke, Johnny predicting the LA Rams will win the Super Bowl this year, yesterday Columbus Day, tomorrow a 40% solar eclipse occurring, comments about the accuracy of the Farmer's Almanac, last night LA Dodger pennant clinching victory over the Phillies, Billy Martin seen in the clubhouse crying because someone stole his personal picture of Adolph Hitler, CBS cancelling "Young Daniel Boone," how networks can be very cruel, auction in London selling Queen Victoria articles, guest Debbie Boone has hottest record in America.
In a separate bit, Johnny Carson plays straight man to Irving Benson in a vaudeville routine.
NOTE:
Irving Benson's last appearance with Johnny on The Tonight Show, his tenth.
Benson, born in 1914 and passing away at age 102 is known to have had the longest entertainment industry marriage on record.
One of the last of the Vaudeville eras great comedians.
Johnny Carson, host of NBC's network late-night "Tonight Show" reigned for 30 unprecedented years...five times the combined tenure of Steve Allen, and Jack Paar. Carson was impervious to competition, including efforts to dethrone him by Les Crane, Joey Bishop, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Jack Paar, Pat Sajak, Joan Rivers, and Arsenio Hall. Sadly, very few complete "Tonight Show" broadcasts survive during Johnny Carson's first ten years of broadcasting. Around 1965, through the early 1970's, oldest tapes were first erased systematically by orders from myopic NBC executives, to be recycled for purposes of saving money. Ironically, in many cases, these older master tapes were too brittle, and portended probable drop-outs for re-use after being erased. Subsequently blank after being erased, these older questionable master 2" Quad tapes were either sparingly used or never used again for recording new programming and eventually were discarded. Saving thousands of dollars at the time (wiping master tapes for potential re-use) resulted in losing millions of dollars by NBC in today's marketplace, and more importantly wiping thousands of historic TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, which contain precious personal anecdotes from political, show business, and sports icons of the past.
