ACTOR
Johnny Carson
Known for The Simpsons · Cheers · Get Smart
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992). Carson received six Primetime Emmy Awards, the Television Academy's 1980 Governor's Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of…
Snapshot 2026-10-16
- Born
- Oct 23, 1925
- Died
- Jan 23, 2005
- Birthplace
- Corning, Iowa, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992). Carson received six Primetime Emmy Awards, the Television Academy's 1980 Governor's Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993.
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Known For
TV
The SimpsonsJohnny Carson (voice) · 1989
★ 8.0
★ 8.0
TV
CheersJohnny Carson · 1982
★ 7.6
★ 7.6
TV
Get SmartHerald (uncredited) · 1965
★ 8.0
★ 8.0
MOVIE
The Front RunnerSelf (archive footage) (uncredited) · 2018
★ 5.9
★ 5.9
TV
Night CourtJohnny Carson · 1984
★ 7.3
★ 7.3
MOVIE
John Candy: I Like MeSelf - Host, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (archive footage) · 2025
★ 7.9
★ 7.9
TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf - Host · 1962
★ 7.6
★ 7.6
TV
The OscarsSelf · 1953
★ 7.1
★ 7.1
Filmography
Movies
Lucy's Really Lost MomentsSelf
1956
Three Men on a HorseErwin Trowbridge
1957
Looking for LoveSelf
1964
Frank Sinatra SpectacularSelf - Host
1965MA
Murder at N.B.C.
1966
Stuart LittleNarrator (voice)
1966
Carnival NightsSelf
1968
The Dean Martin Christmas ShowSelf (uncredited)
1968
Friars Club Roast of Don RicklesSelf - Host
1970
Pure GoldieSelf
1971
Cancel My ReservationHimself (uncredited)
1972
Don Rickles: Alive and KickingSelf
1972BH
Bob Hope's World of Comedy(archive footage)
1976
CBS Salutes Lucy: The First 25 YearsSelf
1976
JoysSelf
1976
NBC: The First Fifty YearsSelf
1976
Life Goes to War: Hollywood and the Home FrontHimself
1977
Mickey's 50Self
1978
Lucy Moves to NBCSelf
1980
A Love Letter to Jack BennyHimself
1981
Johnny Goes HomeSelf
1982Johnny Goes HomeWriter
1982
George Burns Celebrates 80 Years in Show BusinessSelf
1983
KoyaanisqatsiSelf (archive footage)
1983
Sheena Easton: Act OneSelf (uncredited)
1983
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star BloopersSelf (archive footage)
1985
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday SpecialSelf
1986
The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary SpecialHimself
1986
TV's Funniest Comedians - 14 Stars Do Classic RoutinesSelf
1986
It's Howdy Doody Time: A 40-Year CelebrationHimself - Guest
1987
James Stewart: A Wonderful LifeSelf
1987
Jay Leno's Family Comedy HourSelf
1987W
Whales!Narrator
1987
Jack Benny: Comedy in BloomHimself
1992
Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the BoysSelf
1992
Johnny Carson - His Favorite Moments from 'The Tonight Show' - '60s & '70s: Heeere's Johnny!Self - Host
1994
Johnny Carson - His Favorite Moments from 'The Tonight Show' - '70s & '80s: The Master of Laughs!Self - Host
1994
Johnny Carson - His Favorite Moments from 'The Tonight Show' - '80s & '90s: The King of Late NightSelf - Host
1994
Johnny Carson - His Favorite Moments from 'The Tonight Show' - The Final Show: America Says FarewellSelf - Host
1994
The World of Jim HensonSelf (archive footage)
1994BH
Bob Hope: Laughing With the PresidentsSelf (archive footage)
1996
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity RoastsSelf - Roastee (archive footage)
1998
50 Years of NBC Late NightSelf (archive footage)
2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1Self (archive footage)
2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2Self (archive footage)
2001
The Ultimate Collection Starring Johnny Carson - The Best of the 60s and 70s
2002The Ultimate Collection starring Johnny Carson - The Best of the 70s and 80sSelf (archive footage)
2002
Biography: Bob Hope: America's EntertainerSelf (archive footage)
2003
Live and Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack CollectionSelf (archive footage)
2003
Seinfeld: How It BeganSelf (archive footage)
2004
Carson Country
2006Carson CountryWriter
2006
The Best of Carson, Volume 1
2006
Jimmy Carter Man from PlainsSelf (archive footage)
2007TB
The Best of The Tonight Show: Stand - Up Comedians
2007
Johnny Carson Celebrates ChristmasSelf
2008
The Minnie Riperton Story(archive footage)
2009
The Best of Johnny CarsonSelf (archive footage)
2010
Johnny Carson: King of Late NightSelf
2012
Behind the CandelabraSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
2013
Gore Vidal: The United States of AmnesiaSelf (archive footage)
2013
Llyn Foulkes One Man BandHimself
2013
Quality Balls: The David Steinberg StorySelf (Archive Footage)
2013
Richard Pryor: Omit the LogicSelf (archive footage)
2013
Life ItselfSelf - TV Host (archive footage)
2014
Mr. Baseball, Bob UeckerSelf (archive footage)
2014
The Battered Bastards of BaseballHimself (Archive Footage)
2014
Jerry Before SeinfeldSelf (archive footage)
2017
The Swingin' A'sSelf (archive footage)
2017
This Is Bob Hope...Self (archive footage)
2017
Whitney: Can I Be MeSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
2017
Game ChangersSelf (archive footage)
2018
The Front RunnerSelf (archive footage) (uncredited)
2018
Won't You Be My Neighbor?Self - TV Host (archive footage)
2018
Jeff Dunham: Talking HeadsSelf (archive footage)
2019
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My VoiceSelf (archive footage)
2019
Mike Wallace Is HereSelf (archive footage)
2019
AudreySelf - TV Host (archive footage)
2020
My Darling VivianSelf (archive footage)
2020
The Great Toilet Paper ScareHimself
2020
The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight ShowSelf (archive footage)
2020
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame StreetSelf (archive footage)
2021
The Capote TapesSelf (archive footage)
2021
Finster
2022
Lucy and DesiSelf (archive footage)
2022
Untold: Caitlyn JennerSelf (archive footage)
2022
Gone Before His Time: Freddie Prinze Sr.Self (archive footage)
2023
The Man Who Stole Einstein's BrainSelf (archive footage)
2023
The Many Faces of Jim CarreySelf (Archive Footage)
2023
6 morts dans la nuit : « De sang-froid » – Truman CapoteSelf (archive footage)
2024
Bad HostageSelf (archive footage)
2024
Butterfly in the SkySelf (archive footage)
2024
Jim Henson Idea ManSelf (archive footage)
2024
Luther: Never Too MuchSelf (archive footage)
2024
Breakdown: 1975Self - Host, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (archive footage)
2025Breakdown: 1975Self (archive footage)
2025
John Candy: I Like MeSelf - Host, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (archive footage)
2025
We Are Made of Star StuffSelf (archive footage)
2027UJ
Untitled Joan Rivers DocumentarySelf (archive footage)
Television
The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 6 eps
1948
The Emmy AwardsSelf · 5 eps
1949
The Bob Hope ShowSelf · 6 eps
1950The Bob Hope ShowThe Masked Killer (uncredited). · 1 eps
1950The Bob Hope ShowSelf - Cameo · 1 eps
1950
The Jack Benny ProgramJohnny Carson · 2 eps
1950
What's My Line?Self · 2 eps
1950
The Red Skelton ShowKnight Who Makes Point of Order · 1 eps
1951The Red Skelton ShowSelf · 1 eps
1951
The OscarsSelf · 5 eps
1953
The United States Steel Hour2 eps
1953
The Wonderful World of DisneySelf · 1 eps
1954
Miss UniverseHost · 1 eps
1955
The Johnny Carson ShowHimself · 12 eps
1955The Johnny Carson ShowCreator
1955
The Dinah Shore Chevy ShowSelf · 1 eps
1956
The Steve Allen ShowSelf · 3 eps
1956The Steve Allen ShowSelf - Comedian-Quiz Show Host · 1 eps
1956The Steve Allen ShowSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1956
Tony AwardsSelf - Presenter · 1 eps
1956
Tonight Starring Jack PaarSelf - Guest Host · 2 eps
1957
Kraft Music HallSelf · 1 eps
1958Kraft Music HallSelf - Host · 3 eps
1958
The Dick Clark ShowSelf · 1 eps
1958
You're in the PictureHimself · 1 eps
1961
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf - Host · 3777 eps
1962
Get SmartHerald (uncredited) · 1 eps
1965Get SmartSpecial Guest Conductor · 1 eps
1965
Space Ghost and Dino Boy
1966
The Danny Thomas HourNarrator · 1 eps
1967
Here's LucyJohnny Carson · 1 eps
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf · 2 eps
1968Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InThe Mystery Person (uncredited) · 5 eps
1968Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InDick Martin (uncredited) · 1 eps
1968Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf (uncredited) · 8 eps
1968TB
The Beautiful Phyllis Diller ShowSelf · 1 eps
1968
The Kennedy Center HonorsSelf · 1 eps
1978L&
Lewis & ClarkCreator
1981
CheersJohnny Carson · 1 eps
1982
Newhart1 eps
1982
Night CourtJohnny Carson · 1 eps
1984
Mr. PresidentCreator
1987
The SimpsonsJohnny Carson (voice) · 1 eps
1989
E! True Hollywood Story1 eps
1996
The SeventiesSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
2015
The NinetiesSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
2017
There's... Johnny!Self (archive footage) · 7 eps
2017
Biography: Comedy IconsSelf · 2 eps
2019
The Sounds of BaseballSelf (archive footage) · 2 eps
2020
Pretty Baby: Brooke ShieldsSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
2023
Raise the Flags: 50 Years of Buccaneers FootballSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
2025
Soccer's American DreamSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
2026Photos
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