Steve Martin’s Memorable Evening

Comedian Steve Martin the night he had to leave the talk show early.

Thanks to YouTuber Johnny Carson

Albert Brooks And His Home Impression Kit

A very, very silly comedic bit, that had me laughing quite heartily at points. Even better if you are an old timer who knows the celebrities they are referencing.

Thanks to YouTuber Johnny Carson

Note: I see I posted a shorter version of this clip once before! Well it’s worth seeing the whole clip this time.

Has Success Spoiled Steve Martin?

Director/writer Carl Reiner (who directed Steve Martin’s first big movie hit, The Jerk), talks with Johnny Carson on the self-effacing humbleness of the beloved comedian.

More at Johnny Carson

A Heavenly Trio

This was really fun–comedian Art Carney guested on the Johnny Carson show and Carney, Carson and Sid Caesar ended up playing “My Blue Heaven” as a jazz trio, with Carney on piano, Carson on drums and Caesar on sax.

More at Johnny Carson

Lance Burton

Lance Burton, just 21 years old at the time, made his mark on the world in this wonderful first appearance on the Tonight Show. Johnny Carson, the host, himself an amateur magician, allowed Burton to perform what was up to then the longest segment on the show. You can hear Lance Burton talk about that experience in the interview that I conducted with him some years ago, here.

Thanks to YouTuber darksidedeceptions

Don Rickles Surprises Frank Sinatra

Certainly comedy from another era, but this was pretty darn funny. No one else but Rickles at that time could treat Sinatra this way.

Thanks to YouTuber Johnny Carson

… “With a Chance of Rain”

Betty White died last week. She was a fine comedian and when she appeared on the Johnny Carson show, she and Johnny would team up to do sketches.

Here’s an eerily appropriate climate catastrophe sketch from the 1980s that was inspired by the then odd weather that Malibu was experiencing.

More at Johnny Carson

Jackie Mason on Carson

Jackie Mason died recently. When he got on a roll–which was often–he was hilarious.

More at Johnny Carson

Charles Grodin

Charles Grodin died last month. His mock feud segments with Johnny Carson were some of my favorite bits of impromptu comedy. Here’s a follow up visit by Grodin to Johnny that I posted a few years ago.

Thanks to YouTuber MyInnerEyeInterview2

Through The Looking Glass

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It was rare for Johnny Carson to be on the other side of the desk, but in his guest appearance on David Letterman’s show, he pleases in the way he wishes his own guests would do.

Thanks to YouTuber AllDavidLetterman

When Donnie Met Johnny

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What a great night for the entertaining magician Don Alan. Alan’s flawless technique and comic delivery flusters even Johnny Carson who grew up performing magic himself. Man, those final loads! Perfection.

Thanks to YouTuber novione

The Cat’s Meow

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Ed Ferrar owned a jaguar; not the car, the animal. It’s an animal so wild and unpredictable it was rarely shown in the circus. Watch Ed as he brings out the big cat to meet Johnny Carson. You don’t often see Johnny lose his cool…

Thanks to YouTuber Gary Ferrar, Ed’s grandson, who has carried on his grandfather’s tradition in show biz as a magician and mentalist—but not as jaguar tamer.

Bob And Ray: World Champion Jumper

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Bob and Ray explain a new Olympic sport.

Thanks to YouTuber Brian Weiner

Albert Brooks And His Electronic Friend

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The hilarious Albert Brooks shows off his new electronic friend and gives Johnny Carson a ventriloquism lesson to boot.

More at Johnny Carson

How Low Can You Go?: Bob and Ray

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Another hard-hitting interview by Bob of the Olympic world-champion low jumper.

Thanks to YouTuber Donald Williams

Dead Easy Way To Do Impressions Of Famous People: Albert Brooks

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This had me rolling in laughter. Comedian Albert Brooks explains to Johnny Carson his invention that helps him impersonate famous people.

More Johnny Carson clips at Johnny Carson

Red Skelton On Carson

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One of the old comic greats. Not well known is that Johnny Carson at one time was one of the writers on the Red Skelton Show

Thanks to YouTuber Alchay Archy

“King of Hearts, Come Down and Dance”

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In what is probably Steve Martin’s greatest magic performance, Steve performs for Johnny Carson the inexplicable unpublished Vernon/Marlo card miracle, “King of Hearts, Come Down and Dance.”

Thanks to YouTuber Jeff Dresback

Magician In Trouble: Steve Martin

 

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In a pre-cursor to his great Flydini routine, Steve Martin performs this humorous sketch, a spoof of a Channing Pollock-like magician, on a Johnny Carson Comedians Special.

Thanks to YouTuber  Jeff Dresback

Calling God: Ellen DeGeneres

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While I’m not much of a fan of Ellen DeGeneres’s present talk show, this clip of her first performance on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show is a wonderful example of just how smart and funny she was as a stand-up.

More Tonight Show at Johnny Carson

The Copper Clapper Caper

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A classic Carson comedy routine with the dry-as-dust Jack Webb of the old television police procedural Dragnet.

Thanks to YouTuber Mike Dvorak

Harry Anderson, RIP

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Harry and Carson shooting the breeze about magic.

Rest in Peace, Harry the Hat.

Thanks to YouTuber  Missy Logo

That Reminds Me…

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Magicians know Harry Lorayne as the author of some very popular books of card magic, but Harry, who is now in his 90s and still writing card magic books, really made his bread and butter from a related but different form of show business. He was recognized as one of the foremost “memory experts,” and in the 1960s and 70s, he made scores of television and night club appearances, amazing audiences with his memory stunts.

In this clip he memorizes the names of the people in Johnny Carson’s audience, having met them briefly just once before the show.  It’s fun to see how Harry uses his entertainment skills and enthusiastic personality to turn what could be a dry demonstration into a showstopper.

Thanks to YouTuber Rudy Tinoco

Hu’s On The Phone

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Johnny Carson with a perfect Ronald Reagan imitation, bringing the classic Abbott & Costello routine into the modern 1980s

Thanks to YouTuber seahorsegil

Gidget Goes Gonzo

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This clip of Sally Field with Johnny Carson has to be one of the funniest moments ever on the old Tonight Show.

Thanks to YouTuber Missy Logo