The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson remains the most successful late night television program in the history of the medium. Carson’s template was so effective that it is still used to this very day.
Every late night host since Carson’s departure from the Tonight Show in May of 1992 has been playing catch-up with Carson, and none have come close.
We wanted to take the time to rank our five favorite guests from the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Here’s our list,
5) Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra didn’t do many interviews, and when he did them, it was rare to see anybody question him. Like a King, Sinatra rarely faced criticism, especially publicly, except for when he was sitting on the Tonight Show couch with Don Rickles. The Tonight Show provided a unique platform for Sinatra to show his true personality.
The appearances that get talked about most are from the 1970s and early 1980s. Sinatra by that point was essentially American royalty and didn’t do a lot of television, so when he showed up on Carson it was an event.
Carson also hosted Sinatra’s 1971 retirement special, which turned out not to be a retirement at all. Sinatra came back two years later with Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back.
4) Robin Williams
Robin Williams had energy like no other human being on planet Earth. He had many great television appearances throughout the years, but his appearances on Carson were always the best.
On October 14, 1981, Robin Williams walked out onto Johnny Carson’s stage and proceeded to make the coolest man in television visibly nervous.
Williams was in his fourth season of Mork and Mindy at the time. Not a nobody. But Carson’s couch was a different universe, and plenty of famous people had sat in that chair and disappeared into it.
Williams did the opposite. He came out swinging, manic, shapeshifting, ricocheting between characters and accents without warning, and Carson, who had seen everything, couldn’t keep up.
3) Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds ruled the 70s, and consequently, ruled the Tonight Show as well. The famed actor is said to have appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson 61 times over the years, making him possibly the most frequent guest in show history.
It started in the early 1970s, right as Reynolds was becoming the biggest movie star in America. Deliverance in 1972. The Longest Yard in 1974. Smokey and the Bandit in 1977. Every time his star rose, he went back to Carson’s couch, not to do press, but because the two men genuinely liked each other.
2) Jackie Gleason
Though he only made one appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, “The Great One,” simply stole the show. America’s original star, Jackie Gleason made his first and only appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1985.
They talked about The Honeymooners. Gleason said he was glad they only made 39 episodes. Said they were running out of ideas and the quality would have suffered. Most actors would have made 500 episodes and run it into the ground. Gleason walked away while it was still perfect and spent the rest of his life being right about that decision.
They talked about You’re in the Picture, the single most catastrophic game show in television history, which lasted one episode in 1961 before Gleason spent the entire second episode on camera apologizing to America. Carson said it was one of the funniest things he’d ever seen. Gleason took a drag of his cigarette and did not disagree.
On talent, Gleason said: “Talent is a very annoying thing — you can’t take any credit for it. It’s a gift from God, and you’re stuck with that.”
1) Don Rickles
I can hear the theme music in my head now. Don Rickles, undoubtedly the best Carson guest of all time, appeared on the show more than 100 times. Rickles ripped everybody on the show, including Carson himself. His appearances will live in infamy!
Don Rickles topped 100 appearances on The Tonight Show and Carson never stopped booking him.
Rickles first showed up in 1965. He came back so often that Carson eventually handed him the desk to guest host when he wanted a night off.
