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Our Articles on The Tonight Show
I’ve covered The Tonight Show a lot on Wait! What’s a Dial?. As the longest running late night talk show, it holds a special place in my heart. Regardless of what you think of Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, those who came before them: Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson were masters of the medium. Because Jimmy Fallon recently took over NBC’s signature late night talk show, here is a round up of the articles I have written about the hosts of The Tonight Show (with a video to make up for the lack of Jack Paar coverage).
Steve Allen
If you’re over 30, you probably think of The Tonight Show as Johnny Carson’s show. However, Steve Allen was the first host of the show. He hosted it from 1954 to 1957.
As the first host of a national late night talk show, Steve Allen directly influenced David Letterman. Letterman has influenced Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon, so some of Allen’s attitude and antics can still be seen on current late night talk shows. For the rest of the article, see “TV Shows You Should Know: The Tonight Show Starring Steve Allen.”
TV Shows You Should Know: The Tonight Show Starring Steve Allen
Before The Tonight Show debacle of 2009-2010 starring Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno, there were three other hosts of The Tonight Show: Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson. If you’re over 30, you probably think of The Tonight Show as Johnny Carson’s show. However, Steve Allen was the first host of the show. He hosted it from 1954 to 1957.
As the first host of a national late night talk show, Steve Allen directly influenced David Letterman. Letterman has influenced Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon, so some of Allen’s attitude and antics can still be seen on current late night talk shows.
Welcome to Wait! What’s A Dial?
At Wait! What’s A Dial?, you will read a twenty-something year old’s opinion on TV. As someone who is studying radio/television/film and journalism in college, I hope to give the opinion of a young person, who actually knows what they’re talking about.
I have a particular fondness for late night television. I love Jimmy Fallon, Conan, David Letterman, Johnny Carson, and Steve Allen. (Yes, I’ve actually watched the latter two men.)
My favorite shows are anything with Steve Allen, David Letterman Hogan’s Heroes (don’t judge), The Monkees (cute boys), Burns and Allen, The Jack Benny Program, Good Eats, and British panel shows.
Current shows that I watch are America’s Got Talent (because it reminds me of the Gong Show, again don’t judge), Law & Order, and sometimes 30 Rock.
-Allison Lips
Wait! What's A Dial? 