June Carter Cash
Musical Monikers
Madonna
Justin Bieber
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived
Quick Facts
- NAME: Johnny Carson
- OCCUPATION: Talk Show Host
- BIRTH DATE: October 23, 1925
- DEATH DATE: January 23, 2005
- EDUCATION: University of Nebraska
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Corning, Iowa
- PLACE OF DEATH: Los Angeles, California
- Full Name: Johnny Carson
- Full Name: John William Carson
Best Known For
One of television's best known personalities, Johnny Carson hosted "The Tonight Show" for 30 years. His farewell show in 1992 drew 50 million viewers.
Quiz
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.
Play NowJohnny Carson. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:17, May 22, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-carson-9239714.
Johnny Carson. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-carson-9239714 [Accessed 22 May 2013].
"Johnny Carson." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 22 2013, 05:17 http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-carson-9239714.
"Johnny Carson," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-carson-9239714 [accessed May 22, 2013].
"Johnny Carson," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-carson-9239714 (accessed May 22, 2013).
Johnny Carson [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 22] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-carson-9239714.
Johnny Carson, http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-carson-9239714 (last visited May 22, 2013).
Johnny Carson. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-carson-9239714. Accessed May 22, 2013.
Carson's final appearance as host in 1992 attracted an estimated 50 million viewers.
Personal Life
Carson was in and out of relationships throughout his life, marrying four separate times. He married Jody Wolcott in 1948, and they had three sons, Charles (Kit), Cory and Richard. Richard died in an auto accident in 1991.
Carson and Jody divorced in 1963, and only months later, Carson married his second wife, Joanne Copeland. That relationship ended in 1972, following a grueling legal battle that ended with Copeland receiving a settlement of nearly $500,000 and annual alimony from Carson. That same year, Carson married third wife Joanna Holland—from whom he filed for divorce in 1983.
For the first time in 35 years, Carson lived life as an unmarried man from 1983 to 1987. He married for the final time in June of 1987; Carson and Alexis Maas remained together until Carson's death, nearly eighteen years later.
Death and Legacy
At age 74, in 1999, Carson suffered a severe heart attack while he was sleeping at his Malibu, California home. Soon after, he underwent quadruple-bypass surgery. In January of 2005, at age 79, Carson died of respiratory failure caused by emphysema.
Carson, considered to be one of the most popular stars of American television, has been praised by several mainstream comics—including Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon—for helping them launch their careers. Today, he is regarded worldwide as a televison legacy.
© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.
profile name: Johnny Carson profile occupation:
Your Connections
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Profile Connections
Included In These Groups
-
The Ed Sullivan Show Guests
View groupOriginally called Toast of the Town, The Ed Sullivan Show ran from 1948-1971 on CBS and was an American staple in the 50s and 60s. The American variety show featured the Who's Who of celebritydom over the decades, including Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Tony Bennett, Carol Channing, Lucille Ball, The Jackson 5, and The Doors.
The Ed Sullivan Show Guests 215 people in this group
-
Celebrity Enlistees
View groupHollywood stars often get flack for their extravagant lifestyles, and sometimes they seem to be far removed from the rest of us. Not so for all celebrities, though—a surprising number of stars have taken on the big responsibility of serving in the United States Armed Forces. We know them as actors, athletes, musicians, and comedians, but these brave individuals have actually put their lives on the line for their country. Here's a look at celebrity enlistees.
Celebrity Enlistees 84 people in this group
-
Famous Scorpios 506 people in this group
