Johnny Carson, King of Late-Night Chat, Dies at 79
Cornwell, Rupert, The Independent (London, England)
JOHNNY CARSON, the virtual inventor and undisputed king of American late-night television, whose booming signature entry cry "Heeeere's Johnny" became a national institution, has died in Los Angeles, aged 79.
A slight, boyish-looking Midwesterner, Carson became the embodiment of a peculiarly American television genre, the late- night show. The formula never varied - a topical monologue laced with one-liners, followed by guests whom he had a knack of flattering into undergoing some indignity that only increased the popularity of the show.
The formula Carson patented on NBC's The Tonight Show remains intact to this day. After 30 years of undiminished …
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Publication information:
Article title: Johnny Carson, King of Late-Night Chat, Dies at 79.
Contributors: Cornwell, Rupert - Author.
Newspaper title: The Independent (London, England).
Publication date: January 24, 2005.
Page number: 24.
© 2009 The Independent - London.
Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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