boomac Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 In a class with Bob Hope. Simply the best. I don't cry much but I did when I heard the news. Simply the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Duminy Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 A true Gentleman, with true respect for others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piranha Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 A true American icon. He'll be missed by many. I have very fond memories of going to see the Tonight Show live several times in the 70's with my late grandparents. Johnny Carson was quite simply, the best. He set the standard by which all other entertainers are measured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Just to pass along a story long distance, in time and third hand. Tommy Bartlet (sp) was a fairly well known guy in Chicago TV and radio from the old, old days. He eventually set up a mini theme park in Wisconsin to go into retirement when things in radio and TV went down the tubes. He told a story of going to Rockafeller Center in the nadir of his career and to the restaurant there. Rainbow Room? A waiter appeared out of the blue and told him that Mr. Carson and the owner of NBC would like to have him to the private room for a drink. Barlet believed it was a gag and put him off. The waiter became more insistent. No gag. Barlet put him off again. The waiter appeared again, in some distress, assuring him, it was no gag. So Bartlet played along. It WAS the real deal. The story was that Carson was at one time in his early career doing radio in Nebraska and Bartlett was the "big voice" out of Chicago doing the radio feed to the peanut roaster station where Carson worked as a young lad. "We now return you to your local programing." A nice intro to the little guy out on the plains. It seems that Carson had always held Bartlet in high esteeem as a professional. Drinking with the big bosss was a little payback. You read some of the comments about Carson. A talented fellow surely. But there is an undercurrent that he manipulated the Tonight Show to be a showground for people who, perhaps like him, were out in the plains and deserved an introduction to big show biz. There are so many current mainsteam comics who say he gave them their start. He did good because he let the newcomers come to the fore. I'd like to think that even in the dog eat dog of network TV, he got above it. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popbumper Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Sadly, the passing of memorable icons best recognized from our youth is a reminder of our own slow walk towards the "final act". Johnny will be missed, no doubt, as I recall late nights sitting up with my Grandmother while my late Grandfather would go hunting out of town. The passing of yet another one of the finest TV personalities..... Popbumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsear Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Nobody can hold a candle to this mans comedic genius/legacy. Not just a chuckle here and there but spasmodic laughter until your sides ached...as a matter of routine. What truly saddens me is learning that his final days were spent struggling for breath. I can tell you for certain that he absolutley could not laugh at anything for quite some time. It's not that he didn't want to but his body could not afford the workload. People, breathing is central all that you do. Smoking slowly erodes away the lungs tremendous exercise reserves. You don't know it's happening until it's too late. Then all the kings men can't put you back together again. If you smoke puh..leeez stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandLockedPH Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 My wife mentioned this morning the "quality" of his comedy... never nasty, never obscene. Wish the TV world would take note. No wonder our children are growing up with attitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 ---------------- On 1/24/2005 11:25:00 AM LandLockedPH wrote: My wife mentioned this morning the "quality" of his comedy... never nasty, never obscene. Wish the TV world would take note. No wonder our children are growing up with attitude. ---------------- Your wife is a smart lady and I second your wish. It sure seemed people had a lot more fun when there was less attitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Respected, admired and cherished by everyone, a true gentleman. Goodnight, Johnny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Favog Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 ---------------- On 1/24/2005 12:36:12 PM boomac wrote: ---------------- On 1/24/2005 11:25:00 AM LandLockedPH wrote: My wife mentioned this morning the "quality" of his comedy... never nasty, never obscene. Wish the TV world would take note. No wonder our children are growing up with attitude. ---------------- Your wife is a smart lady and I second your wish. It sure seemed people had a lot more fun when there was less attitude. ---------------- You guys are on a good track. I think a lot of the attitude comes from the inablility to laugh at ourselves. Both Jonny and Ed could do that and not be bothered by it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Adams Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 It's still dark outside this morning and with my bowl of Frosted Flakes in hand and having just fed the dog, I turn on Fox News and hear that Johnny Carson passed away. I just stood there. Speechless. Like many of you, I too grew up knowing when it was time to go to bed. And on some rare occasions, I got a pass from the warden to stay up late and watch the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. My parents were regular watchers. The Frosted Flakes grow more soggy as I listen to the story of Johhny's death. One commentator tells of how Johnny packed up his wife & 2 kids and drove to California to try and make it in the biz. No job waiting for him and only 2 months worth of apartment rent money on hand. One of his first jobs was making announcements during "commercial breaks". So I can see your point Gil that Johnny tried to give others a break. One of the more memorable shows for me was the time he had the Three Stooges (Moe, Larry, and Curly) on and they showed Johnny how they made the pies they used in their movies. When the concoction was complete and poured into a pie shell, it didn't look like a pie. They then apologized to Johnny and the audience and then said they brought an example just in case something like this were to happen. The curtains open and there are three huge bakers racks loaded with pies. The camera cuts to Johnny who has this look of horror on his face and says, "Oh no....you're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do are you?" The pie throwing that ensued is some of the funniest stuff I've seen. No one on that set was immune. Doc, the camera guys, Ed, everyone was either throwing or getting hit. To this day I truly believe that Johnny had no clue. Rest in peace Mr. Carson. I'm sure you've take the right "fork in the road". Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vavoline Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 ---------------- On 1/24/2005 3:13:55 PM Tom Adams wrote: . The camera cuts to Johnny who has this look of horror on his face and says, "Oh no....you're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do are you?" The pie throwing that ensued is some of the funniest stuff I've seen. No one on that set was immune. Doc, the camera guys, Ed, everyone was either throwing or getting hit. To this day I truly believe that Johnny had no clue. ----------- Tom, Too funny! I would give good cash for video of that show, because not only was I a huge fan of Johnny's, I grew up watching the three stooges daily, as I'm sure many of you did. Ahhh, the good old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcragan Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 I agree, the "reaction" look into the camera was very, very phunney the widow sweets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 The best one I saw was when Don Rickles was in the guest seat and Don Adams (Maxwell Smart) was on the couch. Rickles was on a big, long roll. The typical stuff with "you hocky puck" and "you want a cookie?". Carson was despirately trying to regain control and get a word in edgewise. No hope of that. Don Adams was prone on the couch holding his sides laughing. = = = I suspect that Carson followed the old bromide: The people you meet on the way up are the people you meet on the way down. Mutual respect. A variation of the Golden Rule. That is what his guests have been saying in different ways. Gil Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffgeorge Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 My favorite episodes were when he had Buddy Rich on. Being a drummer myself, I loved to watch Buddy's solos. If I remember correctly, Johnny was a pretty accomplished drummer in his own right. Rest in peace Johnny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 The Dragnet skit was one for all time. How he and Jack Webb kept from busting their guts was astonishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Garrison Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Webb: "This is the City. Los Angeles, California. Some people rob for pleasure. Some rob because it's there. You never know. My name's Friday, I'm a cop. I was working the day watch out of Robbery when I got a call from the Acme School Bell Company. There'd been a robbery." Carson: "There's been a robbery." Webb: "Yes sir, what was it?" Carson: "My clappers!" Webb: "Your clappers?" Carson: "Yeah, you know, those things inside a bell that makes them clang?" Webb: "The clangers?" Carson: "That's right, we call them clappers in the business." Webb: "A clapper caper." Carson: "What's that?" Webb: "Nothing sir. Now, can I have the facts? What kind of clappers were stolen on this caper?" Carson: "They were copper clappers." Webb: "And where were they kept?" Carson: "In the closet." Webb: "Uh huh. You have any ideas who might have taken the copper clappers from the closet?" Carson: "Well, just one. I fired a man. He swore he'd get even." Webb: "What was his name?" Carson: "Claude Cooper" Webb: "You think he'd..." Carson: "That's right. I think Claude Cooper copped my copper clappers. Kept in the closet." Webb: "You know where this Claude Cooper is from?" Carson: "Yuh. Cleveland" Webb: "That figures. That figures." Carson: "What makes it worse, they were clean." Webb: "Clean copper clappers." Carson: "That's right." Webb: "Why do you think Cleveland's Claude Cooper would cop your clean copper clappers kept in your closet?" Carson: "Only one reason." Webb: "What's that?" Carson: "He's a kleptomaniac." Webb: "Who first discovered the copper clappers were copped?" Carson: "My cleaning woman, Clara Clifford." Webb: "That figures. Now let me see if I got the facts straight here. Cleaning woman Clara Clifford discovered your clean copper clappers kept in a closet were copped by Claude Cooper the kleptomaniac from Cleveland. Now, is that about it?" Carson: "One other thing." Webb: "What's that?" Carson: "If I ever catch kleptomaniac Claude Cooper from Cleveland who copped my clean copper clappers kept in the closet..." Webb: "Yes?" Carson: "I'll clobber him!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 I just read Ray Garrison's post. How the heck can you laugh and cry at the same time. BTW Ray, thanks for posting that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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