The Late Night Saga: Three's A Crowd

as the saga of late night television marched along there were skirmishes on my series that there were nights I would have shot myself there were battles just how pissed off are you and there were Wars there must be a better way of making a living than this but on the frontlines of late night there were also alliances forged and for nearly three decades three hosts would hold down the fort in two time slots [Music] in 1972 future late-night host David Letterman was presenting the weather for station WL WI in Indiana and I think you'll see that once again we've fallen to the fray of political dirty dealings and right now you can see what I'm talking about the higher-ups have removed the border between Indiana and Ohio making it one giant state personally I'm against it Tom Schneider was reading the news at KNBC in Los Angeles this is NBC News Update here is Tom Schneider good evening Gary Gilmore is to die by firing squad Monday two days after he's 36 that's what he wants but somebody might appeal Johnny Carson moved the Tonight Show from New York to Burbank and celebrated his 10th year of hosting you've been watching Johnny Carson swing that Golf Club for the past 10 years and as a swinger myself I can tell you he's made a lot of people happy forgive me for my dress John but I'm working over the other Network and I I couldn't get dressed up for this cockamamie affair and in 1972 NBC was about to enter a new time slot in late night television [Music] the 1969 cigarette Act banned cigarette commercials effective January 2nd 1971 one minute before the ban 11:59 p.m. January 1st 1971 viewers of The Tonight Show saw history in the making an end to one era with the acknowledgement of another the network was stuck with a loss of advertising back in the 1970s cigarette ads went off the air as you recall and they were looking for ways to get some of that revenue back so what they did was they they they extended the broadcast day passed the The Tonight Show shut down at one o'clock in the morning after The Tonight Show on Friday nights television went to black there was nothing on right now there's movies all night you see all kinds of reruns on but there was nothing I thought would be terrific just terrific if I could come up with some type of show that people might want to watch after one o'clock when the tonight's showing it with Johnny Carson we taped the show and it immediately went on NBC on a Friday night 1:00 to 2:30 in the morning they had not done that before first time in television on August 19 1972 a late-night programme was broadcast right here on NBC and the name of that show was the midnight special my next guests have had quite a career most successful singers and songwriters and they're gonna be hosting NBC's midnight special one week from Friday here on NBC at the Bee Gees [Music] do you know the jive talking he sold a million copies you heard of Alaskan gold right Columbian gold is the best gold in the world with the success of the midnight special NBC wanted another late-night show to fill out the rest of the week good morning everyone it's now tomorrow here on NBC Snyder's style his shows set and the show itself marked an abrupt change at 1:00 a.m. from Carson's program there was no studio audience it's just an empty studio with an hour to fill his name is Alfred Hitchcock he is a motion picture director I'd like not to talk with you this morning about movies but rather about ideas by that time of the night people don't want cheering crowds anymore they've been screamed at since the price is right at 10 o'clock in the morning for God's sake and buy it by the time we get to this time period I think they're looking for something a little bit more thoughtful than another comedian the show was mostly intelligent talk delivered by the kind of Pro broadcaster who could hold down an entire network unprepared and virtually single-handed what has kept this popularity alive good writing say something for today but put it three hundred years from now and it wouldn't be censored do you understand mm-hmm there are some groups that are quite open in their advocacy in the music that they present they advocate social justice your music did not do that we made things like all you need is love you know which is that's pretty sour version that's a pretty wholesome yeah yeah that's wholesome but it's it was still a change in attitude we're part of that psychedelic stuff Snyder said I can bring you that because that's what I do I come from the newsroom I don't come from the comedy stage if you got out of here there are a lot of people who think you'd go start killing people again again oh you guys misinformed I haven't killed anyone well we don't think you're a monster Charles yeah they think you're a monster because you reflect this news media on me I'm playing for my life are you working for money I assume you all on my next guest Monday through Thursday on the NBC television network at one o'clock I suppose it would be 12 o'clock in the Midwest when we go off mr. Tom Schneider comes on with the tomorrow show which he has been doing I think for what three years are going on their fourth year originated out here we went to New York he is now back here and I invited him to join us tonight would you welcome mr. Tom Schneider [Applause] [Music] [Applause] as I told you back there I am absolutely my palms are sweating my my underarms are sweating I am I'm terrified come on because you remember the night that you and I did this over on the other side of the room the last night here in Burbank about three and a half Metro when you're used to being a host or an interviewer it's hard to be a guest it is I told I did the same thing with David Frost I did one of those I want a 90 minute things with David and I told him I said this is a very strange because you have reversed the roles and I said I think I'm gonna be a terrible guest as you probably will be too you would must prefer to be here I don't mean this particular dish John I've been trying to knock that down for three and a half years now and you came out here tonight and started it up all over again and I'm here to lay to rest the rumor that I have any ambitions for anybody else's job incidentally when you mentioned that thing in your monologue about Who Wants what job I received a letter the other day from a viewer who said we think that you are the worst person maybe that's ever been on television but you are the most arrogant person we've ever seen and we're never gonna watch your show until NBC fires you and we also hear the Johnny Carson who's gonna take your place just turned a writer no two and a half hours John America deserves [Laughter] now you're not only into the the tomorrow show you're gonna stay with that you're gonna do some some special tour you want to get into some documentaries you're well John I don't know what I'm going to do I've read that I'm going to do this show which I'm not gonna lateral I have read that I'm going to do the news program which I'm not going to do I've read that I'm going to do something on ABC which I'm not going to do I mean I'm not gonna do any of those things yeah you wouldn't go back in the news here you doesn't intrigue you I haven't been asked John in other words if they came and said Tom no let's not look let's not make a deal here John a lot of guys I mean if somebody said hey Tom would like you to do with you the news here John right because I understand you didn't like to do it in New York you wanted to get off the news well suppose that you had to go over and do the news from 6:00 to 7:00 and then run in here and do this for three and a half years and then you start going like that a lot because this is kind of like playing football or baseball there's a certain amount of tension out here under these lights before these cameras in front of these people and after three and a half years it just became time to do one thing or the other thing and I think it's best for me to follow you and I am very comfortable doing that program I'm very happy doing it and I hope to do it for a long long time good you had there were there were a number of executives backstage here who are waiting for for you and I to have a big fight as they waited some years ago yes that's true if I when I did the Today Show some years ago they were waiting for Barbara Walters and I to hit each other and Carrie be carried out of the building with blood coming out of our foreheads I mean they they don't understand that we're all pals we're all friends we don't have sleepovers that with you know we don't but I'm here to tell you that if Johnny Carson has good ratings Tom Snyder has been raised because I come on after you I left hand no and look anytime you want to a trouble warehouse just try to find out where I live [Applause] [Music] in 1975 Carson let it be known within the network that he was unhappy with the weekend reruns of The Tonight Show five nights a week were enough he said and he got his wish the weekend reruns of The Tonight Show would soon be gone paving the way for a new late-night program when Saturday night was scheduled to debut it turns out that not-ready-for-prime-time players were not even ready for late-night television they just could not get the show ready in time NBC called on Tom Schneider at the last minute to do a special 90-minute Saturday show reserved for the introduction of the SNL cast and it's producer Lorne Michaels it's a couple of minutes here with the gang from Saturday night which premiers here on NBC at 11:30 on the 11th of October Lorne Michaels is the producer now what should we look for on your program anxiety we've got eight and we're hoping for two to really work all of these people will become stars I will be working every week one of these stars on the show now Danny here who's a funny fellow in his own right will be on once in a while when we work his contract out the rest of the company here are all very good improvisational actors and they'll probably be on to I wish you all well and have a lot of fun of the audience will too and welcome to Rockefeller Center and doing live television thank you I think it's great [Music] by 1975 David Letterman had moved to Los Angeles and was working as a stand-up comedian whenever I go out the girl it's always the same procedure we'll go to dinner a show then back to my apartment where I slip into a pair of my magnifying shorts but that's about and as a comedy writer ladies and gentlemen our announcer David Letterman getting occasional acting rules every creature in the universe is entitled to respect it's ridiculous nobody wants to hear that message sit down and shut up and even screen testing for the movie airplane because of my mistakes six men didn't come back from that raid the first time I met him on television was late in the run of the tomorrow show he and other young comedians were booked to come on and talk about what made comedy and what made for being funny on stage in front of people and among the guests were David Letterman and Billy Crystal I started doing weather just as the that what they used to call happy talk came out of WABC in New York and in the Midwest it hadn't come around yet and they didn't like it I would you know I would win it when a tropical storm became a hurricane I would wish her well and they they didn't like that sort of thing because later would go on to destroy millions and millions of dollars of property finally Dave achieved every comedians dream of appearing on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show the concept of Eyewitness News you know make it as funny as you possibly can so one day there were three murders in the city and the news director didn't think it would be real amusing to have the anchorman report all three of these murders back-to-back so they gave one to the sportscaster deducing the guy is reading baseball scores at the time Val first in the National League it was the Mets over the Braves three to two Reds got past the cards five to four and the Dodgers murdered the Giants nine to nothin speaking of murders looks like 45 year old Eddie posture won't be going out to the old ballpark anymore you know it's very funny stuff that's new and it's fresh and everything [Music] I saw you on Mary's a variety show and you're excellent that have you done that mmm a lot of television no I have well that was only on like three weeks and so people don't recognize me much for that thing I use working an adult bookstore I get recognized a lot yeah I know you work in local radio yeah Edie I'm from Indiana and I guess we had folks from South Bend here right yeah the kind of thing I'll always remember as long as I live growing up in Indiana is when dad used to tease me with the power tools how many of you around the house with the belt sander yeah I have a shot on this show tonight you're gonna be working a lot outside the comedy store thank you how have you come back with us I love the academia would be like that to be on his show was endlessly nerve-wracking in those days Johnny Carson meant the world yes that was the Hall of Fame you wanted that endorsement if you didn't do well on the show you were never coming back and it was gonna be a much harder road if you were not friendly with the Tonight Show the past year you've all Daphna know David Letterman not only for his shots on the show the times he's replaced me here Letterman is a big big fan of Johnny's Letterman style is somewhat like Johnny NBC President Fred Silverman was so impressed with David's performance that he pitched the idea to David of his hosting a 90-minute daily morning show hello I'm David Letterman and I'm inviting you to watch my new show beginning Monday morning right here on NBC David Letterman's news show beginning June 23rd I'll tell you how to turn that trash compactor into its youth playroom for the kids insulate your home with canned meat details on the David Letterman Show June 23rd something new is happening to daytime TV starting [Music] it's the david letterman show why i just take a minute here to let you folks applauding at home settle down okay and you're saying how do they get such a wonderful spontaneous response for this guy well I guess drugs would be the answer to that huh folks familiar bits that became staples of Letterman's later shows were introduced on this show Friday is the day that that we take a look at the viewer mail actual letters from actual viewers Isle of Lima so much that I have changed my name to lima beans Wilkerson you even sound like a vegetable stupid pet tricks ladies and gentlemen next we're gonna we're gonna have him answer the phone answer the phone okay ladies and gentlemen Sean answering the phone we paid for the instant replay we may as well use it to your bored silly folks instant replay now there is Sean picking up the phone as much as the show was liked critically daytime audiences did not respond as well and the show soon faced changes live from New York City today is August the fourth and we've made some changes here on the show for one thing one hour we're only one hour in length now and we've changed in the center out a little bit you know anytime you make changes like that you're gonna have some problems but I've been assured by both the network and the federal safety inspectors that these problems are nothing that can't be overcome and certainly do not endanger the safety of view the whole viewer which of course is our paramount importance here at NBC let's get this out of the way darts being blown up there was a story here in The New York Times on I think it was last Friday that the future of your show was in some jeopardy could you clarify that if you had any meetings with the people here at NBC or any conversations with your people that would shed further light on this I call the times principally about my subscription there were no meetings per se phone call but as of today now I was informed that the show has not been cancelled fantastic and that fact I am very comfortable doing late-night television I enjoy it a great deal it's been on the network now for seven years there ain't too many people that have been fortunate enough to have a show that has lasted that long try seven weeks yeah you know that shoe is you know what I've seen and say hey why do I have to do something more and I didn't mean to say that you know I haven't said that you said and I am sorry that this program is going to disappear because it was something it was something different and something adventurous and something really courageous in daytime television and unfortunately I mean I want you to not say because I mean that you know with this show not being in this building a little bit of television in New York is gonna die and we'll all be the poorer for that and unfortunately there are some people down the hall on this floor who don't recognize that then that's that's there [Applause] [Music] Letterman wasn't the only one facing changes in 1980 Johnny Carson signed a new contract with NBC that not only reduced his schedule to three shows a week it shortened the run time from 90 minutes to 60 when you uh took over the Tonight Show it was different it was not an hour it was not an hour and a half it was what 1 hour and 45 minutes right and how long did that go on when we went on 11 15 to 1 a clown or 45 inch or about 2 years and we got to an hour and a half we did that for almost 17 years yeah the tomorrow program was stretched from 60 to 90 minutes to fill the gap this is the new car that we've been building now for the past 4 weeks and I promised you that we'd have moved the headlights around a little bit and change the chrome as the tomorrow show expands to 90 minutes and add some new television stations on the NBC television network how does the new show the new tomorrow show hi it's long 90 minutes is a long time to sit in a television studio with people who are sitting in seats such as these people are here NBC also requested more changes that Tom Schneider was not happy about yes sir your name yes Eddie Jacobs from Long Beach I'd like to know if you miss your old format of your show when you didn't have an audience and I thought it was much more intimate that's an interesting question doing it for seven years with nobody in the studio and now doing this I will tell you it's uncomfortable here it's not pleasant sometimes I think to put a studio audience on a show at 1:30 in the morning is criminal put me in a room or there's a studio audience and I start thinking they're all here and they want to win a car and I don't have one for him NBC also assigned Tom a co-host months ago when we were talking about expanding this program to 90 minutes my people came into the office and we were talking about adding somebody on the program who would be able to report on the many facets of the entertainment industry around the country and all over the world and we kept coming back to the phrase why don't we get somebody like Rona Barrett the show was rebranded as tomorrow coast-to-coast with Tom conducting interviews from the studio in New York while Rona reported from Hollywood and now here is Rona the quarter that's happening in Hollywood tonight Thank You Tom tonight here in Hollywood we'll take a look at some big and not so big surprises and see his Golden Globe Awards nominations Snider resented Barrett and feuded viciously with her refusing to acknowledge her as anything more than a contributor now let me ask you about Rona Barrett how do you get along with Rona Barrett I get along with her real she's coming on to be your West Coast anchor correspondent and I'm looking forward to her being there I think she'll help us there I think for me to sit there and do interviews for 90 minutes is basically boring on the tomorrow show coast to coast from day one it was too almost a disaster Barrett said no matter who I got as a guest no matter how important they never put me first up it's a singularly unimportant event in the history of television miss Barrett myself on the tomorrow show anyway I want to get back here to to rock and roll to rock and roll people free MTV free cable television these guys had no mainstream access you gave it to them you're talking about the great ones I'm talking about the night that what's-her-face when do Williams and the plasmatic scam in and blew up a car for sake in the middle of NBC in New York [Music] that was the night I knew hey this suckers over when we start blowing up cars we're in trouble the tomorrow program quietly came to a close Johnny Carson's 1980 contract gave him approval over the show that follows his and NBC announced that a new show starring David Letterman would take over the timeslot Snider was offered the opportunity to continue as host of tomorrow from 1:30 to 2:30 a.m. following the Letterman Show but he told NBC that 1:30 in the morning is just too late for the kind of broadcast he's interested in doing I'm gonna miss you personally and I'm and I think everybody is you've become an institution on this network I think it's a dumb Network for doing it that's a it's a mistake on two fronts one is you are an institution people do want to see you and the idea of putting you back to 2:30 in the morning is the month obnoxious thought the second thing let's just see eventually I would catch up with the today's you'd be on the Today Show yeah David who I also like David Letterman it was great to give a 9 o'clock let's kind of show you one 9:00 a.m. show for David Letterman made a lot of sense now they're putting him in a slot that's wrong for him it's just completely it's like NBC network look out PBS we're coming after you you know what are they looking for ratings I look back after eight and a half years on all the great moments that have happened here and all the things we have seen that have changed our lives over the last 8 and 1/2 years as I say this has been a very fragile and delicate relationship and it ends at a time when television is changing I look back to the good old days when there were quiet hours spent here with David Letterman who made his first appearance on network television on this show and we'll beginning this time period on February 1st of next year we came on the air very quietly back in October of 1973 and I want us to go off the very same way I thank you for the good times and for the ride and I'll be right around the corner George a slow fade to black thank you all for watching and good night everybody [Applause] [Music] dave is back in New York you're going to host a late night television program that premieres Monday night I think it will thrill you it may shock you it might even horrify you after an intro by future regular Larry bud Melman late-night began exactly as Dave's morning show had ended with an introduction by the rainbow grill dancing girls [Music] [Applause] welcome to our show it's late night and I guess you know spring is just around the corner in New York City when the peacock girls start to mold it's a Letterman style was low-key and laid-back we've now killed two and a half minutes more of an acquired taste than most comedians we're gonna start our own top ten list and tonight I think we got a pretty good one top ten words that almost rhyme with peas the program's overall mix often strains for the unpredictable I thought I would never want to do this show with you oh wow because you thought I was a yes its letterman announcing that he simultaneously loves television and finds it ridiculous position Johnny Carson had an affinity for letterman that he hadn't had for Tom Schneider David has a home out in Malibu I won't mention exactly where it is because we were only about eight blocks apart and I was out walking one day and I saw this beat-up red pickup truck I don't know how old it is 53 Chevy that's not it's not what I would call beat-up well being a member of the Malibu emeriti property owners association I went by your house this morning on the way to work no and I will take full responsibility for this call me the jalan T if you wish I dispatch some people to your home because I've mentioned this to you before this is what I need strangers roaming around in my front yard this happened late this afternoon while you were at the studio yeah yeah oh good good steal it sure [Applause] they're stealing a truck David this is your truck [Applause] hi you scratched the damn truck to have Johnny Carson as a friend oh my god that's a tremendous blessing I actually been to his house a few times he's been very gracious to me very nice we even played tennis one day at his home UNH of you two solemnly swear the testimony you're about to give in these proceedings shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God more or less sir yes yes sir I did remove the truck from the premises why the illegally parked truck on County property I object your honor I have there was I wasn't white well don't object it's not gonna help you any I was just a kid who had you know kind of followed the the beacon of his light coming out of Burbank is this mrs. Dorothy Letterman that's right Dorothy as David ever told you that he hopes that I get run over by a Sparkletts water delivery truck so so he can get the 11:30 time period on NBC has he ever told you that thank you very much mrs. wedding by buying that it frequently Letterman also had a soft spot for Tom Snyder the host he had replaced on NBC scheduled Letterman said we took Snyder's time slot but not his place excuse me yes Paul yeah one second is it me or did I see something crazy in there in the in the prancing in right in the middle of the actual fluids themselves something nutty eight do you think you could turn them on turn them on again I don't I was busy with my paper Paul thought he imagined that he saw something in the fountains and it was nothing Paul it was I don't know an apparition or something what the hell was that in the hall something in the hallway oh my god [Applause] the hell was that well I think it was it was just there was lights from an aeroplane reflecting off a wild cloud for me here well you know we're near several major metropolitan airports after tomorrow' ended Tom Snyder went back to local news in New York next on Channel Seven's Eyewitness News then hosted a local daytime talk show in LA that is got to be taken out of here but don't try this at home okay before returning to the late-night talk format with a program on ABC radio there's something going on on AM radio I don't know what it is but it's doing real good I'll be right back after these messages by the way I like what you've done to the room it looks really really I have great reverence for this building and for this audience and for this time period because in 15 years only two of us have done this but you were the one who made it viable if it worked for you stop it no no that's true I mean you came on and proved that there was an audience out there eager for network television a small audience in the beginning but eager to be sure that's right and now you're you're on I guess it is ABC radio you're talking now to people all across the country every night the great thing about radio David and you know this is that the makeup is always perfect yeah the lighting is always perfect you're always 22 David Jerry in Pippen Indiana hello are you in a car phone room listen Tom thank God I just wanted to say thank God for dr. Heimlich only saved your life four times once was beef once was bacon once was veal and once it was gone once you try soup NBC you were on the other I just wanted to call to thank you and to I gotta go I'm hearing a stray bullet zone on the Deegan I gotta hit the road after ABC disbanded its nightly talk network Schneider decided to take up Andy friendly on his offer to come work at CNBC good evening everybody ts with you here on the Monday night television program and we begin a television relationship that began and 20 years ago with the old tomorrow program on NBC and I hope that this program is a continuation of the dialogue that you and I began during those five years on radio folks here's a little show and I hope you like it [Music] and just in case you were wondering Rajani feel about the five minute later starting time oh I'm in favor of NBC decided to slide the Tonight Show back from 11:30 to 11:35 each weeknight the move also meant late night and later would be pushed back stations had pressured the network to delay Carson until midnight so they could air reruns like cheers and sell the commercial time NBC decided to give the station some financial concession for staying with the show with the extra five minutes the station's would extend their late local newscasts and add three new commercials in the paper this morning it said it'll give the local stations a chance to cover more new yeah and probably run three more commercials for big bucks all right yeah and and Tom as I mentioned last night on this program I'm gonna use that five minutes to make sure my makeup is perfect [Music] in 1992 after 30 years of hosting the Tonight Show Johnny Carson decided to retire I bet you a very heartfelt goodnight he had made the announcement a year earlier at the NBC affiliates meeting I just want to say this is the last year but I'm doing the Tonight Show my last show is gonna be one year from now [Music] I happen to be in town or doing some stuff for the MVC a film that s'right you quit Johnny you quit you quit your job that's the business you came to show Jesus now when you go there and you talk to the affiliates what is the mood how do people feel about you guys because television is in a great era of turmoil well and it's like a feeding frenzy all the affiliates come there you know they then they want more time off the network and I just came from talking with Warren Littlefield oh we're trying to come out of this it's coming to an end you know next year I want to be a shepherd [Laughter] appeals to me with Carson leaving The Tonight Show his coveted spot in the late-night schedule was up for grabs the high stakes the brass knuckles the late-night TV Wars Leno won [Music] let's see how y'all feel in 30 years with Leno taking over the Tonight Show on NBC Letterman was lured away by rival CBS to host the Late Show in the same timeslot this is CBS if you think about it all I really did was take the summer off with Letterman's departure Conan O'Brien took over as host of late night on NBC you know yeah Dave Letterman is a legend here at NBC and is anything it's fun to do it's replacing legends at NBC show business now 45 seconds and this is the nicest reception I ever had with O'Brian following Leno on NBC the question of who would follow Letterman on CBS became a running gag how are you I'm fine John Bri I'm enjoying your show I'm gonna have to be really careful about setting my VCR when you guys I mean when you move a gag which was carried over onto the fictional Larry Sanders show Larry Arthur to 12:30 slot is wide open now our only competition so far is Conan O'Brien does anyone know who they're putting on after Letterman no they're keeping that under real tight right the important thing is who's going on after mr. Larry Sanders I know in trouble a lot of trouble finding one of those guys to take the 12:30 spot after me me too it's killing points there's only a handful of guys who are you thinking about come on it's between us Tom Schneider comes come on tomorrow Tom Schneider no Tom Schneider the original Tom Schneider just got you yeah his hair is bad Wow he's ready to go Tom Schneider I'm shocked no it's gonna be great cut no we're very happy with the cabin tied up well good luck there's been a lot of conjecture a lot of misinformation in the papers about who we are putting on in the 12:30 slot after us the Larry Sanders show and I'd like to put an end to all the speculation right now by announcing and introducing the new host of the 12:30 slot to you now he's an old friend and a very talented man mr. Tom Schneider [Applause] when Letterman said that he was thinking of Tom Schneider you sure he wasn't joking he was yeah of course I asked Tom about it he said they never heard about the Letterman thing really a gag which became reality we've been here in the Ed Sullivan Theater for almost one year it'll be a couple of weeks we will have been here started our brand new show at CBS one year ago and as we started our television program in February of was an 80 February of 81 or something called late night which replaced Tom's show there at NBC so now if you think in these terms for me in a small measure we have come full circle here and we are able to afford Tom a position which I think he has earned and certainly deserved which is to be once again a fixture on network television you know I'm not doing this for the money and I'm not doing it to go back on the network I'm doing that for two reasons the first reason is late-night broadcasting at CBS I love late nights since I did it back in the 70s at NBC and the second reason is the profound friendship and respect that I have for mr. David Letterman who's been kind to me and a stand-up friend for going on 15 years now Bob Morton was still at NBC where you're not doesn't called me one day and said you know if David goes to CBS at some point he would want to do another program and would you etcetera etcetera and I said yeah I said you know what might be interesting is to do it live and simulcast it on CBS radio it just seemed to me to be a neat idea to do a show late at night that people could watch if they were at home or if they were on the beach in Hawaii with a transistor radio they could listen to it or if they were driving on the freeways in San Francisco they could listen to it I thought you know we could simulcast this on radio and television which has not been done before by a network late at night and then throw in the 800 number you know it might just really generate some excitement on broadcast was it an accident that the Larry Sanders show came up with this plot for you picking Tom or was that did you add to that did you suggest that to that I I think that it was their idea and it is sort of odd that whenever we filmed that which I guess now is the better part of a year ago that has come to pass so it's it's sort of a nice little thing to have one record in our case tooth company and late nights and I think these are two for our future for a long time and I couldn't be more delighted [Music] good evening folks and welcome back everybody I'm Tom and the simulcast comes to you live tonight from the Columbia Broadcasting System in Los Angeles I had a letter today from a fellow who wants to be the coordinator for the studio audience of The Late Late Show we don't have a studio audience fire up the color genies watch the pictures as they fly through the air and thanks for watching everybody working in tandem for the first time Dave and Tom set out to build their own late-night block for CBS the last time that you were here you said to me that once you learn the two or three great lessons of broadcasting you never forget them that's right and Symphony fans since that time I've been wondering what the two or three great lessons of broadcasting might be regardless of what other things are going on in the studio when the red light comes on just start talking that's that's number one don't try to get in your car while you're still wearing your microphone that's number two number two yeah and then number three don't do your own makeup [Laughter] right there Columbia School of broadcasting on teach you half of that name Schneider said Dave and I are really the last of the old-time broadcasters we are really the last link to Jack Paar Steve Allen and Johnny Carson you know after a Johnny retired which was in 92 he was nice enough to appear on this program in little the cameos and little skits and stuff that we would do from time to time and it was it was always a great kick and we put together a few of those moments take a look hello hello Johnny the reason I'm calling here yeah what we would like to do the audience was interested in this they they want to see stump the band it wasn't my idea this is a strange coincidence yeah you're the second person in the last six weeks that asked me to use that is that right yeah Chevy Chase called it probably would have save his ass [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] fine the answer to the question without ever having seen the question before Johnny could I have the top ten list [Music] [Applause] Johnny's May 13th 1994 appearance on Dave's show was also his last appearance on television [Music] Schneider said about The Late Late Show this is no great big comeback this is a continuation of what I've done for 40 years the new show is not as controversial as tomorrow Snyder said I don't purport to be a newsman I used to do that for a living but I have gone on to talk shows we are with Norah Dern who star Laura Dern who's Tom Schneider tiring of the five night a week grind stepped down as host of The Late Late Show before his contract expired in 1999 saying there's a lot of stuff I want to do in my life which is not about television let's face it none of us are getting any younger I'm nervous tonight you know this is the last one this is the farewell and there's a saying in my business that you're only as good as your last show so I am going to try and be especially good tonight and finally may I thank you who have watched me and listened to me on radio and television for over 25 years in this country you're great people to work for in this time period because you get it and because you understand it and because you're your curiosity and your interest and things surpass those of people who watch in other day parts I am convinced of that you know you and I didn't get the greatest time period in the world we got stuck with one o'clock in the morning we don't get as big a crowd as they generate at nine o'clock at night or at 11:30 in my particular case we haven't won this time period against the competition in the four years plus I've been here but I think we've had a wonderful time together having fun and learning things about ourselves and about the world Tom Schneider retired but The Late Late Show went on well come here Late Late Show my name is Craig Kilborn [Music] you know your imagination it all starts pretty soon be there for the celebration Snider did come out of retirement once as a favor to Letterman I haven't been back to CBS since I left the Late Late Show back in March of 1999 and I am especially pleased to be asked to come back in here and help out with the work while my friend David Letterman recovers from quintuple bypass surgery very very surprising news when we learned that Dave had to go through that procedure but he's coming back soon as a matter of fact he'll be on the air live hero live on tape here on CBS on Monday night the 21st I'm Tom Schneider for dave thank you all for watching Craig Kilborn is next and from the Late Show in Los Angeles good night everybody well here was a sad story I hated to hear about this Paris Hilton you know Paris Hilton Paris Hilton has has a dog named Tinkerbell and Tinkerbell was missing for a while don't worry they found Tinkerbell they found the dog Tinkerbell was with the Taco Bell Chihuahua making a sex video I saw this in the paper over the weekend the Red Cross went into Iraq to interview what's his name Saddam Hussein you know and he's apparently out of it he kept asking when his Sean Penn coming back that's a bad sign every one of those jokes I did a few minutes ago were written for us over the last couple of months by Johnny Carson the one thing he missed about the show was doing the monologue and he would pick up the papers in the morning and and write jokes from the paper for his own amusement but he had no outlet for it so the same after a couple of times I said you know would love these jokes Dave you should send him to him well it was a tremendous thrill and a boost for us because we're just sitting here day in and day out and day in and day out you get a call from Johnny Carson and he's got jokes for you I mean it's like it's like Christmas morning for God's sakes [Music] good morning and goodbye to a TV legend Johnny Carson the king of late night during a 30 year reign on The Tonight Show has died at the age of 79 when this all happened I had the strange feeling that I had been through this before and I'll tell you why and I think many people felt this way I was merely this sad when the guy retired and when you find out that he's actually passed away because he's you know that part of our lives and Johnny Carson and you probably all know this I just want to underline a couple of things here it was like a public utility you know at the end of the day that's who you wanted to be there you know didn't make any difference what kind of a day ad if he had a great day or a bad day or you know the Watergate and Vietnam and the Gulf War and didn't make any difference who was president didn't make any difference so what the economy was or the unemployment or what was going on at the end of the day the guy you wanted there was Johnny Carson well what a tremendous luxury if you think about it to be tucked in at night I've been coming out here for 16 years every night to do a monologue to millions of people who are watching mainly from their beds so I figured on my anniversary show I should be allowed just once to do the monologue from bed to you people and so you people watching it at home so you know what I'm going through if you're in bed now I would appreciate it if you would get out of bed put on a suit and tie and take a few boughs okay oh oh wait for you and and the thing that I used to love most about Johnny Carson and I guess I have a different perspective because if you think about it there's really only a handful of people in the world who kind of do this and so the thing that I used to love about Johnny because it's really difficult and and the most the thing that you really take the most pride in is making people laugh you know you come out and there's an audience full of folks and you want to make them laugh the best part about Johnny is when a joke would not go well that's and he would look at the audience and give him that look like he had just bought them drinks and nobody said thank you and then he would go on and maybe two or three more jokes wouldn't work and then doc in the band would start playing was a tee for two or something like that yeah that's right and then Johnny would start dancing and it was it was the funniest thing of the night and the the funniest thing of the week [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] I moved to Los Angeles from Indianapolis in 1975 and the reason I moved is because of Johnny Carson than Tonight Show and I'm not the only one I would guess that maybe three generations of comedians moved to be where Johnny was because if you thought you were funny and you wanted to find out if you could hit major league pitching you had to be on The Tonight Show and that's exactly what I did and and all of my peers moved out there for the same reason and I was lucky enough to be on The Tonight Show in 1978 and from that I got a show that Paul and I used to do over at NBC and from that we got this show and it truthfully no stretch of the imagination I I owe everything in my professional career whatever success we've attained to Johnny Carson we mentioned this a moment earlier we are mourning a giant of this business as well tonight Tom Schneider was an overpowering ionic presence on American television for decades you know our our good friend this was very sad to hear our good friend Tom Schneider passed away yesterday 71 years old to you we had way way too young and you all remember Tom he guest came to a national attention first on the tomorrow show which followed Johnny Carson's Tonight Show on NBC what a tremendous program this was because in in those days you didn't have a thousand television channels you had maybe four maybe five if you were lucky and this TV would not be on all night it would sign off and then here suddenly in the middle of the night was Tom Snyder's program and gosh was that entertaining to remember how great that show was yeah and he here's what the nice thing about tom was didn't make any difference who was on the on the program it was all about Tom because he could be it really was you were you were fascinated by Tom and and when he was great he was compelling and even when he was being a goofball he was compelling tell me about your outfits okay look you're kind of like a spaceman no actually I'm a plumber I got a little piece of your work on [Laughter] I'll tell you I read in the sheet that they gave me where they said that it's hard to get you out of your shell that was the tomorrow show and then he did a show right after us called The Late Late Show from 1995 to 1998 and this guy really was what television was all about whatever was going on tom was the entertainment so I'm very sorry that her old friend passed away on Sunday Tom Schneider ladies general take a look at a picture of him right there with his mentor and his colleague on Dave was left along with his one-time friend colleague and competitor Jay Leno as the elder statesman of late-night their protege and successors would continue the march of the late-night saga I've had great fortune to work all my adult life in broadcasting which is what I decided I wanted to do one day in high school and and I think who you know who among us can say that that they've been able to do exactly what they wanted to do although I wish [Music] [Music] [Music] you [Music] you [Music]

Channel: FanboyFilms

Views: 304,179

Keywords: late, night, saga, war, johnny, carson, david, letterman, tom, snyder, tonight, show, tomorrow, jane, pauley, alan, thicke, jay, leno, jack, paar, rona, barrett, coast

Id: NqZ0KCqhCU8

Length: 54min 29sec (3269 seconds)

Published: Sat Jun 20 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/MacArthurParker]

Letterman was so unlike everyone else on TV at the time.

[u/unitool]

Mean Letterman is the best Letterman. That shit was funny.

[u/DPSnacks]

Letterman hosting Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman was some next-level TV at the time.